no electrical power

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Re: no electrical power

Post by white exec »

Check also the main battery connectors. If either one gets at all warm (or hot) after trying to crank, there is a bad connection there.
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Re: no electrical power

Post by wheeler »

A cold diesel engine will draw roughly around 250-300 amps from the starter motor but as said above the headlamps will probably draw less than 10 amps so your knackered battery may have enough capacity to operate lights, wipers, radio etc but nowhere near enough to start the engine
You’ve not answered the previous questions about the voltage dropping under load & attempting to jump start?
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Re: no electrical power

Post by hoppington »

hoppington wrote: 11 Jul 2020, 05:29 why do you think the lights and wippers are comming on then?
I tried putting a 15 volt small battery charger on it for a week this time as it has more voltage then the other one.
I put the multi meters on the battery and turn the key and all I can hear is a relay clicking under the dash (no wippers or lights this time) and the voltage on the battery drops to something like 5V
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Re: no electrical power

Post by hoppington »

wheeler wrote: 11 Jul 2020, 11:07 & attempting to jump start?
not possible
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white exec
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and lots of Rovers before that: 1935 Ten, 1947 Sixteen, 1960 P5 3-litre, 1966 P6 2000, 1972 P6 2000TC, and 1975 P6B 3500S
x 1752

Re: no electrical power

Post by white exec »

A jump start from a known-good battery, or another vehicle, will tell you whether your battery is dead or not.
If the jump start is successful, buy a new battery.
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Re: no electrical power

Post by admiral51 »

Just to add my issues to this thread .
Yesterday my Xantia decided it would not start, i have been doing 70 miles a day for the last 18 months in it, yesterday it refused to start, jump started it from the C5 no issues, but battery was showing 12.4 v and could not pull the skin off a rice pudding. New battery aquired today and fitted fired up like a new baby and she is 20 years old :)
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Re: no electrical power

Post by admiral51 »

Voltage and Amps are very different animals and live within the battery
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Re: no electrical power

Post by Hell Razor5543 »

admiral51 wrote: 23 Jul 2020, 20:17 Voltage and Amps are very different animals and live within the battery
A scruffy analogy is that the volts carry the load, but the amps are the load.
Last edited by Hell Razor5543 on 24 Jul 2020, 11:44, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: no electrical power

Post by wheeler »

hoppington wrote: 20 Jul 2020, 12:48
hoppington wrote: 11 Jul 2020, 05:29 why do you think the lights and wippers are comming on then?
I tried putting a 15 volt small battery charger on it for a week this time as it has more voltage then the other one.
I put the multi meters on the battery and turn the key and all I can hear is a relay clicking under the dash (no wippers or lights this time) and the voltage on the battery drops to something like 5V
You need a new battery.
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Re: no electrical power

Post by hoppington »

white exec wrote: 20 Jul 2020, 14:00 A jump start from a known-good battery, or another vehicle, will tell you whether your battery is dead or not.
If the jump start is successful, buy a new battery.
I dont know anyone with a motor car round hear
wheeler wrote: 24 Jul 2020, 10:26
hoppington wrote: 20 Jul 2020, 12:48
hoppington wrote: 11 Jul 2020, 05:29 why do you think the lights and wippers are comming on then?
I tried putting a 15 volt small battery charger on it for a week this time as it has more voltage then the other one.
I put the multi meters on the battery and turn the key and all I can hear is a relay clicking under the dash (no wippers or lights this time) and the voltage on the battery drops to something like 5V
You need a new battery.
Well if you defo think it the battery then I will go out and buy a new one
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My Cars: 1996 XM 2.5TD Exclusive hatch RHD
1992 BX19D Millesime hatch LHD
previously 1989 BX19RD, 1998 ZX 1.9D auto, 2001 Xantia 1.8i auto
and lots of Rovers before that: 1935 Ten, 1947 Sixteen, 1960 P5 3-litre, 1966 P6 2000, 1972 P6 2000TC, and 1975 P6B 3500S
x 1752

Re: no electrical power

Post by white exec »

That is probably the best option.
When you fit the new one, thoroughly clean the main battery connectors where they clamp on the battery terminals.

If either battery connector gets at all warm (or hot) when cranking the engine, there is a bad connection there. If they are the original lead (Pb) lumps, these deteriorate with age and are best replaced with new solid brass clamp-type connectors.
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Re: no electrical power

Post by wheeler »

Im pretty sure Xsara Picassos never used lead type battery clamps.
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Re: no electrical power

Post by GiveMeABreak »

They're not lead on my Sister's XP and being inside under the passenger seat have a little more protection from the elements.
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