8 replies to this topic

[rusty789]

One for the technical ones on here..

Basically, I fitted a wipac kit over the weekend..

Now i have the issue that my battery keeps going flat.. I've checked all the connections again.. all seem okay..

But..

Engine off, sidelights on, only sidelights are on..

Engine on, sidelights on, Headlights come on a bit aswell, not full brightness but there on.. WTFFF? Black magic i think..

Now this was happening with the old headlights but i thought maybe thats just the way sealed beam units worked..

I've checked the earths where i can see them.. i've had the headlight relay out but its only a single coil one, so it should either work or not work.. But it does seem to click twice and the headlights get brighter each click.. if that makes sense.. :|

Car re-charges the battery on idle and everything starts working again, CD player etc. headlights get brighter..

Basically its got to the point more than once where i've had to stop driving because i had full beam on and couldnt see.. :S

Anyone?

[bmcecosse]

Sounds like mixed up wiring - and/or bad earths. Nothing to do with magic.

Edited by bmcecosse, 08 February 2010 - 11:08 PM.

[cambiker71]

Engine on, sidelights on, Headlights come on a bit aswell, not full brightness but there on.. WTFFF? Black magic i think..

Now this was happening with the old headlights but i thought maybe thats just the way sealed beam units worked..

Seems like the dim dip relay is working, basically with the ignition on you get about 5 volts through the headlamp dip beams, in the late eighties/early nineties there was some ruling to do with having brighter sidelamps when driving, never saw the point much personally.

The flattening battery looks very much like either the alternator is not providing enough charge to keep the battery topped up, there's a bad connection somewhere like the engine earth or the battery itself needs replacing.

[Dan]

You say you've pulled the headlamp relay and it's a single coil type (assuming you mean single throw, all automotive relays are single coil ). There is no headlamp realy, there is a large pink relay called the Dim-Dip relay which is electronically controlled and not a plain relay. If that has been replaced in the past with a plain old dumb relay, it could cause problems with current drain depending on how it's been done.

Still, it's all a bit of a guess since you haven't answered any of the questions you were asked on the new thread form and told us what Mini it is. Minis are not all the same.

The dim-dip function is not black magic!

[rusty789]

Sounds like mixed up wiring - and/or bad earths. Nothing to do with magic.

That's what i thought but i'v re-checked my headlight wiring more than once! And i do electronics for a living so its not like im a dumb ass!

Engine on, sidelights on, Headlights come on a bit aswell, not full brightness but there on.. WTFFF? Black magic i think..

Now this was happening with the old headlights but i thought maybe thats just the way sealed beam units worked..

Seems like the dim dip relay is working, basically with the ignition on you get about 5 volts through the headlamp dip beams, in the late eighties/early nineties there was some ruling to do with having brighter sidelamps when driving, never saw the point much personally.

The flattening battery looks very much like either the alternator is not providing enough charge to keep the battery topped up, there's a bad connection somewhere like the engine earth or the battery itself needs replacing.

I see, would make sense as the cars a 93'

You say you've pulled the headlamp relay and it's a single coil type (assuming you mean single throw, all automotive relays are single coil ). There is no headlamp realy, there is a large pink relay called the Dim-Dip relay which is electronically controlled and not a plain relay. If that has been replaced in the past with a plain old dumb relay, it could cause problems with current drain depending on how it's been done.

Still, it's all a bit of a guess since you haven't answered any of the questions you were asked on the new thread form and told us what Mini it is. Minis are not all the same.

The dim-dip function is not black magic!

Its not a normal relay.. its a big bulky one..

Edited by rusty789, 09 February 2010 - 08:04 PM.

[L400RAS]

re-read cambiker71's post - hes got it.
This is normal operation of the dim-dip circuits. Your battery discharge problem is something else - get the alternator tested with a multimeter.

Edited by L400RAS, 09 February 2010 - 08:06 PM.

[rusty789]

Okay, so i've figured out that there isnt a fault with the headlights..

The alternator is fine putting out 13.45v when idling, and 13.35v when revving slightly..

Battery is at a very similar state..

The car looses voltage when being driven.. drive 5 miles and the headlights will be dim and the car will need bump/jump starting..

If i had bump/jump start it to drive it, then when i've finished driving (Headlights gone dim) and leave it idling for 5/10 minutes, the headlights get brighter and it will usually start again after..

[tadleysimon]

it could be as simple as a loose fan belt, it could be slipping when the engine is under load and not turning the alternator properly. but when idling it may be that the belt grips better as theres less stress on it.

try tightening the belt.

its also worth trying to clean all the electrical connections. a bad connection might not necessarily be the problem but its a good idea to check all the connections are clean and tight.

[Dan]

With the car at fast idle with the headlamps (but nothing else) on and a reasonably healthy battery, a few minutes after starting up the alternator should be capable of getting the system voltage up to at least 14.2 volts. If it's not producing over 14 volts, there is a problem and the battery won't get a full charge from it. It could be a loose fan belt. It could be a dead battery overloading the system. It could be an alternator problem. Give the battery a good charge, check and possibly change the belt and clean the pulleys and do the alternator test again.