Molecular--Bob Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 I have an FIA switch under the dash to stop battery drain, but because it wasn't for race use i never bothered to fit the ballast resistor. Today, my daughter caught it with her foot and triggered it as we pulled slowly into a roundabout. Huge pop from unburnt fuel in the exhaust and initial panic as we coasted to a stop and couldn't get the hazards to work, then spotted the turned switch, flicked it back to active and restarted. All seemed OK and had a play with an R1 in the bends so all good. But,have i killed the regulator in the alternator? the ignition light seems to operate as normal, coming on, and then going out just over tickover. Is there anyway to test it? or do i just wait for the battery to go flat? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Jonathan Kay Posted August 3, 2014 Member Share Posted August 3, 2014 I'd measure voltage at rest and at 3,000 rpm. Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geko Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 Hi, the voltage between the battery pole should be about 14.0 to 14.4V when reving up. Edited by - geko on 3 Aug 2014 19:04:05 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Deslandes Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 sounds as though you might have got away with it Bob, but I'd certainly fit the resistor in case it happens again. Likelihood is that some other load e.g. ECU or, better still, having the lights on, will have absorbed the transient. As has been suggested, stick a voltmeter across the battery and see that its goes up to 14V with the engine at above 2000rpm or so. Better that than being stuck with a dead car somewhere ☹️ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy_h Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 I have a resistor fitted but I always turn the main headlights on before I turn the engine off to absorb any left over juice Who's to say the resistor still works, only way to check is remove it and measure its 'resistance' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OliverSedlacek Posted August 3, 2014 Share Posted August 3, 2014 The stress on the rectifiers is proportional to revs when the battery gets disconnected. If you were just driving round town, it's more likely that you got away with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Molecular--Bob Posted August 3, 2014 Author Share Posted August 3, 2014 I will check it later in the week, but i was only pulling around 1500rpm pulling out behind a caravan onto the roundabout, and was indicating, so 50% chance of a light being on when it went pop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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