dead battery in the rondyvan

[twokniveskatie]

<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; "><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; ">this is a cross post from vandwellers with my apologies, i'm a bit desparate.....</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; "><br></span></div>i got the house battery put into the rondyvan on thursday. my mechanic, who is an electrical engineer, did it as one of the last automotive things he's doing before hitting the road on his new job. following Bob Well's "how to have electricity 101", &nbsp;i kept my new starter battery under the hood, and had a deep cycle walmart marine type 125 amp/hr. installed under the bed.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; "><br></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; "><br></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; ">he installed a continuous duty solenoid, and wired the 4 factory cigarette lighters, the stereo, and the 6 map lights to the house battery, and the starter battery separately.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; "><br></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; "><br></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; ">friday morning the van started up just fine. friday afternoon, the van wouldn't start. fortunately i was at the garage, and they jumped the battery. (now mind you, i have no way to test the starter battery cause the little tester Bob gave me last year works in cigarette lighters, which are now all wired to the house battery.)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; "><br></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; "><br></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; ">there was nothing left on in the van that would have drained the battery. one of the guys mumbled about the solenoid not having enough power, and then left, since it was way past closing time and no one's getting overtime. i drove Mutt on a long ride around the lake to make sure the starter was charged, if it HAD been drained, then went home.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; "><br></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; "><br></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; ">to be safe, when i parked the van, i threw the toggle/kill switch to the starter battery, to guarantee there was no drain on it.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; "><br></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; "><br></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; ">this morning, dead starter battery. house battery working fine </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; "><br></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; "><br></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; ">i forgot to tell him i wanted to be able to start of fmy house battery. :-(</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; "><br></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; "><br></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; ">any ideas?</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; "><br></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; "><br></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; ">i'm gonna have to find someone to fix this, and will need the simplest fix.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; "><br></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; "><br></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; ">just have them completely disconnect the starter from everything? do a Laren with the house battery?</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; "><br></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; "><br></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; ">i have complete diagrams (computer printouts and hand drawn diagrams) of the work done.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; "><br></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; "><br></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; ">give me hope, people.....</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; "><br></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; "><br></span>

 

[4x4tour]

If I read it right, the battery was dead the morning FOLLOWING you disconnecting the positive cable, via the toggle switch?&nbsp; If so, sounds like the starter battery is shot. <BR><BR>Read my posts on the Blue Sea 7622 magnetic relay.&nbsp; It allows dual-direction charging, and jumping capability.&nbsp;&nbsp; The CDR you have is old school, and sucky when you needed it most. <BR><BR>Normally, to quickly test a starting battery is to put all of your headlights on.&nbsp; If they're bright, its got enough to start it.&nbsp; <BR><BR><BR>

 

[Khaosinc]

Assuming I've read everything correctly, have you confirmed the battery is dead, or is only the rig not starting.<br><br>Depending on the car, everything you listed now being on the house battery would usually involve having the key in the ignition to the acc. or on position. Check to see if the ignition is grounding through this connection. next thing I would look at is confirming the ground of your 'start' battery and the engine block. (forgive me if my terminology is off, I'm a gear head, but new to this sight) If it isn't grounded to the motor, your starter will not engage.<br><br>If the battery is truely dead (and you said it was new, yes?), the first thing is to confirm that the alternator is in fact charging it.&nbsp;&nbsp; A simple volt meter on the battery should be able to tell you this.&nbsp; If you have it running, most chain auto shops can also test it for you. If that fails,&nbsp; Second... An easy test.&nbsp; If everything is 'off' and nothing should be drawing juice from your 'start' battery, disconnect one side of the battery then touch the termenal to the post..If there is a spark as you do this, then there is still something drawing current from that battery.<br><br>Third, as a side note if you have your house battery and start battery seperate, if everything else fails, simple jumper cables from the house battery should be able to start your rig.<br><br>

 

[4x4tour]

<P><FONT face="times new roman, times, serif" size=3>Good ground info... <BR><BR>Im hoping the house batteries werent REALLY low, when installed.&nbsp;&nbsp; Some alternators blow, if theres too much of an instant demand on them.&nbsp; The blue sea relay stops this from happening, but not the trailer type relays that you have. <BR><BR>Hopefully, it's a ground issue.&nbsp; <BR><BR>Per your guys quote about the power, does he mean its not getting enough voltage from alternator?&nbsp; <BR><BR>Disconnect the relay, jump the starter battery and see if it's then able to hold a charge, and not being drained by the relay.&nbsp; You want over 14 volts while charging. </FONT></P><P><FONT face="times new roman, times, serif"><FONT size=3>Also, get a Battery Brain III for the starter battery (like 40 bucks).&nbsp; It will replace the toggle switch aspect of it for you, along with automatically sensing&nbsp;voltage,&nbsp;will disconnect the starter battery BEFORE it reaches minimal volts to start your engine.&nbsp; I have it, and I dig it.&nbsp; Best bang for the buck, as far as Im concerned.&nbsp; Comes with 2 remotes too. &nbsp; <BR></FONT><BR><FONT size=3>Khao,&nbsp; sparks will occur in various vehicles.&nbsp;&nbsp;In fact, mine does, due to my&nbsp;stereo amp re-energizing.&nbsp; Some higher wattage&nbsp;in-dash stereos will also have this effect.&nbsp; Another, would be an alarm system re-energizing as well etc...&nbsp;</FONT></FONT></P><P><FONT face="times new roman, times, serif"><FONT size=3>Update Katie? </FONT></FONT></P><P><FONT face="times new roman, times, serif"><FONT size=3>&nbsp;</P><BR></FONT><BR></FONT>&nbsp;<BR><br>