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Author: Subject: So what has happened here?
johnH20

posted on 2/8/16 at 05:39 PM Reply With Quote
So what has happened here?

Took my MX5 for a track day at Donington about 10 days ago, a round trip of about 400 miles including playtime. No problems of any kind. Next day I manouevered the car on the driveway to remove wheels and check brake wear, not used the car since. Battery is now completely flat - 1.3 volts - and will not charge. What can have happened? ( Battery is probably 4 years old ). Ideas?
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Norfolkluegojnr

posted on 2/8/16 at 05:52 PM Reply With Quote
One of the interior lights in the footwell left on?
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motorcycle_mayhem

posted on 2/8/16 at 05:59 PM Reply With Quote
A cell has collapsed?
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r1_pete

posted on 2/8/16 at 06:01 PM Reply With Quote
Regulator pack in the alternator has failed and over charged the battery to the point of ruination.
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britishtrident

posted on 2/8/16 at 06:06 PM Reply With Quote
Most likely cause is a parasitic drain an alternator diode perhaps. There is some voltage left so it will likely recharge, disconnect the battery recharge it fully and start doing normal checks.





[I] “ What use our work, Bennet, if we cannot care for those we love? .”
― From BBC TV/Amazon's Ripper Street.
[/I]

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russbost

posted on 3/8/16 at 04:58 PM Reply With Quote
Hi John, if battery won't accept charge then it's knackered anyway. Once new battery is installed I would check that it isn't charging over 14.5V & that there is no drain from the battery when turned off.

Cheers Russ





I no longer run Furore Products or Furore Cars Ltd, but would still highly recommend them for Acewell dashes, projector headlights, dominator headlights, indicators, mirrors etc, best prices in the UK! Take a look at http://www.furoreproducts.co.uk/ or find more parts on Ebay, user names furoreltd & furoreproducts, discounts available for LCB users.
Don't forget Stainless Steel Braided brake hoses, made to your exact requirements in any of around 16 colours. http://shop.ebay.co.uk/furoreproducts/m.html?_dmd=1&_ipg=50&_sop=12&_rdc=1

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britishtrident

posted on 3/8/16 at 06:00 PM Reply With Quote
Did you disconnect the battery before trying to charge ? it as a bad diode pack can easily leak more current back to ground than most battery chargers can provide.





[I] “ What use our work, Bennet, if we cannot care for those we love? .”
― From BBC TV/Amazon's Ripper Street.
[/I]

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Camber Dave

posted on 3/8/16 at 06:28 PM Reply With Quote
I had a similar problem on an MX 5 also after o long journey.

Did usual checks, recharged battery and send Alternator for overhaul
Good company checked it and reported on fault - No charge to me

I searched further and I am fairly sure it was a lack of or too little supply on the field terminal. the small one on the alternator ,l M6 if I remember.
I had disturbed a lot of stuff checking right through the system, so don't know exactly where the problem was but no recurrence in 12 months.

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johnH20

posted on 10/8/16 at 03:59 PM Reply With Quote
Thanks for the input chaps, quite a few things to check for. I am out of the country for a few weeks yet so cannot action anything. For the record neither my main charger or trickle charger would show any activity when attached to the battery ( in situ ). I am guessing that maybe there is a short somewhere and that the internal protection on the chargers is inhibiting them. ( I did not check battery resistance which would presumably have shown this )
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russbost

posted on 10/8/16 at 04:04 PM Reply With Quote
You need to disconnect battery asap, then try a recharge, tho' if it's been connected with a drain all this time battery pretty much has to have had it anyway!

Once you have a charged battery on there you can start checking the other stuff, but alternator diodes causing drain down is easily isolated by disconnecting the alternator feed(s)





I no longer run Furore Products or Furore Cars Ltd, but would still highly recommend them for Acewell dashes, projector headlights, dominator headlights, indicators, mirrors etc, best prices in the UK! Take a look at http://www.furoreproducts.co.uk/ or find more parts on Ebay, user names furoreltd & furoreproducts, discounts available for LCB users.
Don't forget Stainless Steel Braided brake hoses, made to your exact requirements in any of around 16 colours. http://shop.ebay.co.uk/furoreproducts/m.html?_dmd=1&_ipg=50&_sop=12&_rdc=1

NOTE:This user is registered as a LocostBuilders trader and may offer commercial services to other users
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russbost

posted on 10/8/16 at 04:04 PM Reply With Quote
You need to disconnect battery asap, then try a recharge, tho' if it's been connected with a drain all this time battery pretty much has to have had it anyway!

Once you have a charged battery on there you can start checking the other stuff, but alternator diodes causing drain down is easily isolated by disconnecting the alternator feed(s)





I no longer run Furore Products or Furore Cars Ltd, but would still highly recommend them for Acewell dashes, projector headlights, dominator headlights, indicators, mirrors etc, best prices in the UK! Take a look at http://www.furoreproducts.co.uk/ or find more parts on Ebay, user names furoreltd & furoreproducts, discounts available for LCB users.
Don't forget Stainless Steel Braided brake hoses, made to your exact requirements in any of around 16 colours. http://shop.ebay.co.uk/furoreproducts/m.html?_dmd=1&_ipg=50&_sop=12&_rdc=1

NOTE:This user is registered as a LocostBuilders trader and may offer commercial services to other users
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johnH20

posted on 10/8/16 at 07:51 PM Reply With Quote
Thanks Russ. I have a track day booked at Castle Coombe three days after we get back. I had planned to take the MX5 as it seemed to be inherently more reliable at this stage than my Cyclone which is still something of an unknown quantity. Looks like I will be taking the Cyclone instead even though the rear suspension is off at he moment for a spring change!
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