[Matt Gibson]

I thought i had solved this. My positive cable from the battery is hard against the frame of the washer. My service guy suggested i may be slowly losing charge as the cable (insulated) is against the frame and small amounts of charge is escaping through that. So i installed an isolator switch and bought a new battery. Working away today and it was all fine. I also installed a volt meter to monitor the battery. Machine started ok all morning. Stopped for lunch and when i tried to start it it was reading 9v and wouldnt start. Wouldnt even kick.

Now i left the key on to check and it reads 9v, then there is a faint click behind control panel and the volt meter reads 11.3v (still wont start, just dies when you turn the key)

Just wondering if anyone has any idea what could be draining it and why it reads so low before the "faint click" then why the volts jump. Glow plugs? Do they draw THAT much power?

[BDCS]

It sounds to me like you have a dodgy connection - I'm not saying your service guy has not looked but if the battery is good it should start. If it was arking on the frame there would be sparks, smoke or very least soot marking. It may also be a bad connection pulling the relay in, dodgy relay or the battery not being charged. Time to start again.

[chris scott]

Heater plug relay/timer...underload 9v ,no load 12volt /clicking. Make sure there is not a constant load to the heater plugs that would flatten a battery and cook the plugs. You should get a reading of 13.58 volts across the battery with no load and charging.

[Matt Gibson]

There is no relay behind the control panel. Just the black lombardini panel with the lights and a keyhole with a loom and plugs at the back.

When i say the power cable is against the frame, i mean its an insulated power cable but it rests against the frame. He said that even though its insulated it can slowly de charge as the insulation still lets through some charge.

Battery reads 14.2 with engine running, 11.9 when i turn the key one click.

[chris scott]

Where is the heater relay?

[Matt Gibson]

I dont know.

[chris scott]

Are you sure it's not the heater relay clicking? This would account for the clicking and voltage increase,
Check the earth too...bad   earths do strange things. Remember the engine is/might be rubber mounted.
As Carl says dodgy connections are also on the list as are the starter and alternator.

[Matt Gibson]

Its earthed direct to the battery. A bad earth was my first thought.

Ill check the heater relay, if i can find it. There are very few connecttions to be honest. Its a big plug from the back of the control panel which travels as one loom then splits off to single/double wires to alternator/fuel solenoids etc..

Ill have a poke around tomorrow. Just annoyed because i thought i had it sorted and had to pis5 about today to get it jump started to finish the job.

[chris scott]

Its earthed direct to the battery. A bad earth was my first thought.

Ill check the heater relay, if i can find it. There are very few connecttions to be honest. Its a big plug from the back of the control panel which travels as one loom then splits off to single/double wires to alternator/fuel solenoids etc..

Ill have a poke around tomorrow. Just annoyed because i thought i had it sorted and had to pis5 about today to get it jump started to finish the job.

Earth the chassis and the engine. Do you run an inverter for the burner ? If so is that "switched" or maybe permanently on?

[Matt Gibson]

What do you mean earth the engine? Im guessing the earth cable from the battery is bolted to the frame, effectively making the frame an earth.

The boiler runs off a generator which is belt driven off the engine. So i doubt that would be drawing when the engine isnt running. Plus its switched too.

[chris scott]

What do you mean earth the engine? Im guessing the earth cable from the battery is bolted to the frame, effectively making the frame an earth.

The boiler runs off a generator which is belt driven off the engine. So i doubt that would be drawing when the engine isnt running. Plus its switched too.

The engine needs earthing too...The engine is rubber mounted  (engine mounts) so it is isolated from the frame....unless the two of them are connected (by an earth strap) .
I am just guessing as I have not seen the setup...so i am starting at the Basics.
Locate the heater relay also

[Matt Gibson]

So, once i have found the heater relay, what am i exactly checking for? constant 12v across all the pins when the key is off? (which i would assume means the relay is knackered?)

Should all pins on relay be dead when the key is off?

[chris scott]

The two fat ones should switch on and off....check for continuity across them. Turn key on and off. The relay should "click" on and "click " off

[Matt Gibson]

ok, but im looking for a power drain, so shouldnt i check the relay when the key is off? look for power to the relay when there shouldnt be any?

Or should i trace the heater plug wires, and test them for power when the key is off?

[BDCS]

Matt, I thought you had fitted an isolator?

[chris scott]

ok, but im looking for a power drain, so shouldnt i check the relay when the key is off? look for power to the relay when there shouldnt be any?

Or should i trace the heater plug wires, and test them for power when the key is off?

Depending on how the relay is wired it could be live on one side all the time.  When the relay is "switched on" there should be power to both sides.
Does it go flat when the isolator is "off"? As this would require a different strategy for testing. I thought it went flat when it was "running" .This indicates not charging or a load on the system. I have seen heater relays, alternators , starter motor solenoids and bad earths... giving problems like this.

[Don Kee]

Have you tried another battery as it sounds to me like a dud battery....
Youre reader isnt showing any where near a full charge (its high when engine is running as its just had a boost of charge) so maybe it just not holding its charge any more? It may not be starting after use as there isnt enough power in the bat for the engine to start (like in a van)

[BDCS]

Have you tried another battery as it sounds to me like a dud battery....
Youre reader isnt showing any where near a full charge (its high when engine is running as its just had a boost of charge) so maybe it just not holding its charge any more? It may not be starting after use as there isnt enough power in the bat for the engine to start (like in a van)

I'll agree - if it jumps then its either a dodgy connection or a pancake

[chris scott]

Knackered battery...I would have though were were past that stage? Service man would have checked that before he ventured into voltage loss through inadequate insulation 

[Don Kee]

Knackered battery...I would have though were were past that stage? Service man would have checked that before he ventured into voltage loss through inadequate insulation  

Never assume mate, mistakes are made through assumptions  
Not saying for definate its a dud battery, but sometimes you (not you literally) can go looking for the complicated solution and overlook the basic solution...
From the problem the OP describes, it would definatley suggest the battery is just not holding charge....
It may be connections etc....but then it doesnt make sense that he can get it started in the morning but then can't get it started again after lunch, it wouldnt go at all if connections or earthing was bad....

 ''Machine started ok all morning. Stopped for lunch and when i tried to start it it was reading 9v and wouldnt start. Wouldnt even kick. ''