Battery not charging and rev counter not working

Talk about the E-Type Series 3
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Leekade
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#1 Battery not charging and rev counter not working

Post by Leekade » Wed Mar 20, 2019 8:38 pm

Having suffered with a non-charging battery and a rev counter which had stopped working, I conducted the workshop manual test to see if the problem lay with the voltage regulator or alternator. It appeared to show that the alternator was fine but the regulator (heavily corroded) wasn’t. Whilst running the test (86.10.01), the rev counter worked and the battery was charging (according to the gauge). I replaced the voltage regulator with a brand new unit yet the rev counter wasn’t working and the battery wasn’t charging. I took the alternator to an old school specialist and he confirmed that the alternator was fine.

Given that everything worked during the test, I can’t think that the problem is a big one but I’m now scratching my head. Has anyone else experienced the same issue?

Adrian
Adrian
1971 Series 3 2+2 RHD manual

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angelw
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#2 Re: Battery not charging and rev counter not working

Post by angelw » Thu Mar 21, 2019 9:13 am

Hello Adrian,
I believe that the Charging and Rev Counter are unrelated. With regards to the Alternator not charging, does the ignition warning light come on when you turn the ignition on? The B.U.T.E.C. Alternator needs a tickle of 12VDC for it to start charging. The 12VDC feed comes via the Ignition Warning Light bulb. Accordingly, If the bulb is blown, no 12VDC and you will have no Alternator charging on start up.

Regards,

Bill

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#3 Re: Battery not charging and rev counter not working

Post by Leekade » Thu Mar 21, 2019 1:14 pm

Hi Bill

Thanks for replying. I wonder why they both don’t work but do when I do the test? Must be coincidental then. I’ll check the ignition light when I work on the car this weekend.

Cheers
Adrian
Adrian
1971 Series 3 2+2 RHD manual

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#4 Re: Battery not charging and rev counter not working

Post by Leekade » Thu Mar 21, 2019 9:29 pm

Both the battery charging gauge and rev counter worked for a short while today, whilst the father-in-law was testing the voltage regulator. However, when I got there it had stopped working! The ignition bulb was, indeed, not working - it had blown. I tested the fuel warning light and it was working so I put this in the ignition bulb holder. It did not work when I started the car and neither did the rev counter nor alternator. I tested the bulb afterwards and it was still working outside the holder. I presume that there might be some problem with the wiring out of the ignition bulb holder back to the voltage regulator control box. Whilst the father-in-law was testing the car earlier, another strange thing happened - the engine would not turn off and it seems as though there was a problem with the back of the ignition barrel although this now appears to be okay.

I suspect we may have to visit an auto electrician... 😫
Adrian
1971 Series 3 2+2 RHD manual

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#5 Re: Battery not charging and rev counter not working

Post by angelw » Fri Mar 22, 2019 8:33 pm

Adrian wrote:
I suspect we may have to visit an auto electrician...
Hello Adrian,
Before you take the auto electrician route, you can do some checks yourself. The wire from the Ignition Light is Brown with a Black trace, which connects to a Brown with a Red trace going to the regulator. Check to see if you have continuance, first from the Ignition Light to the connector to the Brown/Red wire and then the combination of the Brown/Black and Brown/Red. Check if you have a 12vdc feed to the Ignition Light (White Wire). If you have 12vdc to the light, then shorting the Brown/Black wire to Ground should illuminate the Ignition Light. If all that works, then I suspect that it will be an issue with the Regulator, or Ground for the Regulator.

Regards,

Bill

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#6 Re: Battery not charging and rev counter not working

Post by Leekade » Sat Mar 23, 2019 6:29 pm

Thanks for some good tips, Bill. I suspect we might have fried the new regulator so we’ll redo the WM test and the additional ones you’ve suggested. We’ve discovered some odd things going on behind the ignition barrel and the steering column which may be unrelated but still need to be fixed.

Regards
Adrian
Adrian
1971 Series 3 2+2 RHD manual

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