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MG Midget and Sprite General - Peugoet 106 (NMC)

My daughter has a 106 diesel. It is currently draining the battery overnight. Any ideas on how this would be caused?

Thanks,
Neil
Neil K

Boot light not switching off? (remove bulb)
Guy

Hey thanks Guy. I'll go and check it now and disconnect it.
Neil K

Just one possibility Neil - I hope it is as easy as that!

Guy
Guy

Guy,

Here's a bit more. Good luck with this.

http://www.auto-repair-help.com/auto_diagnostics/diagnose_battery_dies_during_start_attempt.php

Larry C.
Larry C '69 Midget

Thanks Larry.
Neil
Neil K

Disconnect earth and measure current flow earth lead to battery with everything turned off. Should be low mA. A
Anthony Cutler

Neil,
I've heard of this before but can't remember the answer, sorry

If you know a friendly auto-electrician that know about modern French cars then ask as I'm sure it's not an uncommon problem

A mate rescued someone's Citreon from being scrapped because the garage said there was smoke from loom - he checked with his auto-electrician mate and found it was a known thing that could be repaired which he did

Otherwise test taking one fuse out at a time and I think there are two fuse boxes one in engine bay other in cabin

If you've bought a new battery then you could test that just in case it's faulty?
Nigel Atkins

Could be the diode pack in the alternator? I've had this with a fiesta in the past.

Get her Midget finished then she won't need the 106! ;)

Steve
Steve H K-ser

Have checked the current flow as suggested by Anthony and I get a reading of -3.28 on the multimeter.
The boot light is off.
Is there a simple check for the alternator diode or is it an alternator off job?
Would problems with the brake wear sensors cause a battery drain?
Neil K

Just pull the plug out of the alternator and do the same test for current.
Robert (Bob) Midget Turbo

When I was a student, the fix was to disconnect the back of the alternator to stop it discharging, I had to take the alternator off to get it tested and the diode pack was removeable luckily.

Steve
Steve H K-ser

Hey thanks. Will try tomorrow.
Neil K

Hiya,

Simple test for battery draw.

Disconnect the battery + lead. Get a multimeter with a 0-10 or 0-20 Amp scale. Connect one end of the leads to the battery =terminal and the other lead to the disconnected lead, ie you've reconnected the power but via the multimeter.

On a modern car such as 106 you should have 0.03/0.04 showing (30/40Ma).

Anything more and you've got a problem. A 5 watt bulb (boot/interior lamp) will show approx 0.75A. An alternator drain will be typically 3/4amps if it's gone duff, prove by unbolting the big lead on the rear of the alt.


Any odd drains can be isolated by removing the battery live fuses in turn until the drain drops to the 0.03/0.04.

Hope the above is simple enough to understand.


Regards Steve
SR Smith 1

Steve,
Thanks ever so much. Having arrived home from work this evening I have disconnected the alternator and reconnected the fully charged battery. Haven't had time to check the drain with a multimeter but will put the voltmeter on the battery in the morning to see if the battery has drained. If it hasn't then I guess it will be the alternator that is the problem. Otherwise will perform the checks you describe. Thanks once again.
Neil
Neil K

Update.
Checked the battery this morning. No drain at all. Put the multimeter on between the pos post and pos lead of the battery and the amps measured 0.01. Got to be the alt.
Neil K

If I were a betting man, I'd say alt diode pack...
Steve H K-ser

Steve, it can't be anything but the diode pack :)

However some alternators are made with easy removeable regs and brushes whilst other require surgery to change them.
Robert (Bob) Midget Turbo

Neil, it's new alternator time mate.

Your battery readings via the multimeter is fine, no prob there.
SR Smith 1

Well got it off tonight after work. Will take it with me tomorrow and drop it off at my friendly alternator workshop. Want to get it fixed soon as son is back from uni and will want some independent transport.
Neil K

OK, had it tested. The alternator has a fault and allows the battery to discharge. However it does still charge. Therefore I either pay £90 for a new one or put a disconnect switch in the cable from the battery to the alternator which can isolate the supply when the car is off. The latter would be a cheap quick fix. May have to attach the disconnect switch to the ignition key though to prevent forgetting to switch the power off.
Neil K

Hiya Neil,


I'd be very wary of fitting an in-line switch, the alternator produces 60/70 Amps, you'd need a pretty heavy duty switch capable of handling this sort of current. I'd just bite the bullet and get a recon alternator if I was you, alternatively get a proper battery cut off switch fitted.
SR Smith 1

Lots of Pug 106s in the breakers yards these days. Shouldn't be more than £20 especially if it is an old-style one where you can go and unbolt it yourself.
Guy

This thread was discussed between 20/04/2011 and 28/04/2011

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