SOLVED... Re: Xantia electrics dead - new year blues...

pseud · Post by **pseud** » 03 Jan 2015, 12:00

HAPPY new year!

Hi

Like a good boy, I disconected the battery before changing the sparks - god knows why.

It seems that somehow I left the key in the ignition in the on position... God know how.

I've reconnected the battery - some clicking as I did so - and after a minute of so went to turn the car on - that's when I discovered the ignition in the on position and no lights on in the dash. In fact everything seems dead as a dodo! I've re-disconected and left for 15 minutes and then reconnected (ignition in the off poisiton, actually key removed and put a long way from the ignition barrel!) but turning the ignition on seems to have no effect on anything what so ever...

I have a bad feeling. Please can someone tell me there's a blown fuse somewhere that is easy to replace... Or alternatively tell me I've certainly fried the engine ecu and I might as well throw away the car now...

Any pointers, suggestions, or just where to start would be much appreciated.

Keep well all.
Morgan.

Post by **Peter.N.** » 03 Jan 2015, 13:49

Are you sure your battery fully charged?

pseud · Post by **pseud** » 03 Jan 2015, 15:46

Hmm, interesting question - new bosch a couple of years ago, drove 100 miles before starting the job, never been a problem, but... I'll check. Guess if the ignition had been like that for a while before I disconected it, perhaps it got run down... It'd be nice to think that's it, but I doubt it. I'll report back shortly.
M.

Xantidote · Post by **Xantidote** » 03 Jan 2015, 17:47

Are you saying TOTALLY dead, or just ignition related items? How about the side & headlights?

Stickyfinger · Post by **Stickyfinger** » 03 Jan 2015, 20:11

loose or bad earth strap ?

Post by **Zelandeth** » 03 Jan 2015, 23:37

Given there seems to be a trend for the battery leads in these cars deteriorating, I do wonder if one may have been failing and the movement involved in the connection/disconnection of the battery has finished it off.

Worth checking if you have power at the fuse box to rule that out. Likewise measure between both the engine block and the body to the negative post on the battery. You should see zero volts across there if the earthing is intact. If you see any appreciable voltage there it indicates a problem with the earth connection to the battery.

pseud · Post by **pseud** » 04 Jan 2015, 16:07

Thanks all - and especially Peter...

Why is it that it's not possible to bash yourself over the head with the bleeding obvious?

So, thank god, it was a dead battery. Jump start from the other car and a nice strong cup of Yorkshire tea left me feeling very happy.

Keep well ,
M.

Stickyfinger · Post by **Stickyfinger** » 04 Jan 2015, 16:58

What, no public "sorry" to your car for such insults

....you need to feed your pet electrons why ?....cold killed the battery ? make sure you have jump leads with you for the next few days just in case the battery has a failed cell

pseud · Post by **pseud** » 04 Jan 2015, 17:05

Thanks, will keep the leads handy - I have a spare bat I've been meaning to feed electrons to for the past few weeks. Now might be the time to invest in an electron feeder...
M

Stickyfinger · Post by **Stickyfinger** » 04 Jan 2015, 17:14

....mine has a "Special Sun" electron feeder to keep the nasty Mr Econ LaMode away...all very science

old-un77 · Post by **old-un77** » 04 Jan 2015, 19:06

Sticky, presume yours plugs in the cigarette lighter socket?

or is it more hi tech?
Bob

Stickyfinger · Post by **Stickyfinger** » 04 Jan 2015, 21:16

Hard wired last weekend from the battery terminals.....I have it mounted on the passenger side of the dash lifted up a bit to improve the angle on a simple bent bracket attached by the screen trim.

I just ran a twin wire from the battery, its a standard plug to the unit itself so one came off an old wall charger. Mine came with rubber suckers for the window......but I don't like that as it gets in the way hence the dash mount.

I do not know why, but I have never liked the way of using the ciggie plug.....no idea why

, anyway, I think with the new C5 it will not work that way as it all shuts off after a short time.

This one
http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/solar-powered ... wwodbKgA0A" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

citronut · Post by **citronut** » 05 Jan 2015, 08:43

pseud wrote:

Thanks all - and especially Peter...

Why is it that it's not possible to bash yourself over the head with the bleeding obvious?

So, thank god, it was a dead battery. Jump start from the other car and a nice strong cup of Yorkshire tea left me feeling very happy.

Keep well ,
M.

you know what to do next time now

dont get all complicated before checking the simple things

old-un77 · Post by **old-un77** » 05 Jan 2015, 09:34

that's why I asked, On my Pic both sockets are dead without the key in the ignition. so you'd get no feed into the car......
at one time I believe the boot one was live all the time thus flattening the battery if summat (like a fridge) was plugged in....so it was discontinued..

yeah I have one of those used to leave it on the rear parcel shelf with the spare battery in the boot.

but made up a lead with a diode in the pos line to charge FROM the ciggie socket and prevent feed back,into the car.......
Bob

Stickyfinger · Post by **Stickyfinger** » 05 Jan 2015, 09:51

Diode is built in to the unit.....

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