Shorting/earth issue help needed!

[samlig]

Hi all, need help again!! Unfortunately may soon be parting ways with Mollie as have so little time to work on her and keep her maintained and it just seems a waste for her to be sat there unloved!! I have advertised her locally but just tried to start her up for a viewing (she hasn't been run for a while) and she seems to have an electrical gremlin lurking. The battery is brand new so I think there's a short somewhere; she started running for about 3-4 minutes to warm up, I switched the lights on and she completely cut out and now no electrics at all! No dash warning lights or anything! Put a voltmeter across the terminals and there is current (its a brand new battery and had just started straight away so would be suprised if that was the culprit). I checked both fuses and don't appear blown although contacts are quite rusty. For good measure cleaned the battery clamps and tightened with Vaseline. Also cleaned the negative earth clamp to the battery tray ( she has an alternator and negative conversion) but no luck there. Need to look at the other end of the earth strap to the gearbox but it got too dark (and cold!) I can only presume there is a short in the wiring somewhere (probably lighting based on the events) but before I start is there anything else I should be doing? Still very new to all of this so I'm convinced I've missed something basic!

Also just moved to Bishops Waltham in Hampshire any recommendations of local mechanics (preferably electrical specialists!?)

Thanks in advance all,

Sam

[moggalot]

A friend had a similar sounding problem recently. The cause was the link in the voltage regulator between A and A1 had burnt out. See if you have a voltage reading on both A and A1. It is probably true that a short circuit has caused this however, so you will still need to find this.

[bmcecosse]

Is the old voltage regulator still in place - even though not used with an alternator? If so - try joining the A and A1 terminals. That may fix it - it's certainly nothing to do with fuses....... Nor is it a 'short' - or there would be smoke/flames.....

[moggalot]

It was a short circuit on the car I was talking about. He was altering the wiring on the light switch with the battery connected and it burnt out the link in the control box!

[samlig]

Thanks for the responses guys, spurred me on to brave the cold again! So as an update for the past hour or so Bridged a and a1 but to no avail but in the process nudged the solinoid to battery lead and heard the fuel pump click..started her up straight away! Must be a bad connection from battery to solinoid I'm guessing. Rest of the electrics were gone still so played with the fuses and managed to get the wipers etc to work and the horn. Need to clean the pins as only work when you wobble the fuse to the "right" position. However then tried to re start and its not turning over even at the push of the solinod! Was worried I'd drained the battery trying to get everything working but still saying 12volts ish on the meter...Going to start again tomorrow I think! I definitely need to clean all connectors up they are a bit of a mess and go from there.

Will update as soon as I resolve!

Cheers,
S

[panky]

Do the panel lights dim as you attempt to start?

[bmcecosse]

Well done - does rather sound like a flat battery now. Check the fan belt is tight enough to spin the dynamo ok.

[samlig]

Thanks both the lights don't appear to dim (I found that odd) and the head lights are relatively bright still too. Going to jump off my other car tomorrow and hope that works... then go for a long drive!!

Cheers

S

[TFM150K]

So let us assume that you set off on Monday for a long drive....
have you got home yet? (Wednesday)