[jimako]

Ok guys
Now its my turn with some problems.

I installed a dual batt system, Redarc isolator and two 100amp circuit breakers close to each battery, All positive wiring was done.

I had not yet got around to connecting a negative/earth terminal to the aux batt.
I connected a jumper lead between both negative terminals just so i can test the system.
I started the vehicle and turned off and since then each time i tried starting it sounds like the main battery was dying (not enough power to crank).
The jumper lead was removed from neg terminal and still not enough cranking power.

Just managed to start this morning and get to work, that should have been enough time to charge the main batt, and now it wont start, i only get a click from the solenoid on the starter, I tried jump starting and still no go.

All i get is a one click from the starter and no cranking, Could i have done something to stuff the starter ???

 

[Yendor]

Are the battery terminals on your cranking battery clean and tight?

 

[the evil twin]

Are the battery terminals on your cranking battery clean and tight?

X2... def sounds like a Cranker battery terminal

Nothing you have done will have caused any damage to the starter.

Have you also checked the Alternator output and was the Aux battery charged prior to connecting into the circuit?

Also did you double check you have the Redarc the correct way around IE the Cranker to the the correct terminal for the Readarc to sense charge voltage.

 

[ITS A FORD NOT A NISSAN]

some voltage readings of the main battery would be good , that will atleast rule out or confirm if it is the battery, if the voltage is good then we can look at connections, if it is low then we need to find out why

 

[jimako]

OK
I pulled the starter out and put it straight on the spare battery with jumper leads and got the click but no spin.

I pulled the starter apart and it was a goner R.I.P

I managed to find a new one by the end of the day and put it in, Starts fine now.

Now just to figure out why my starter died.

Im so nervous about continuing with my dual batt setup, so untill i find out why it died ive tripped the breakers removed the aux batt and removed the lead going from the main batt to the breaker.

 

[Yendor]

Hey Jimako.

It's good news that you got it going, I just have a couple of questions.

When you "put it straight on the spare battery with jumper leads and got the click but no spin."

How did you connect this?

Neg to the body of the starter motor and the positive to the?, terminal where the smaller wire goes or where the battery cable connects or both?

What did you find when you pulled the starter motor apart?

Was the starter motor playing up before?

I cant see how you could of damaged the starter motor by installing the second battery.

 

[ITS A FORD NOT A NISSAN]

im guessing it was just coincidence that the starter died at that time , unless you connected the 2nd battery the wrong way around and somehow ran 24 volts to the starter but i dont think you did that

 

[jimako]

Hey Jimako.

It's good news that you got it going, I just have a couple of questions.

When you "put it straight on the spare battery with jumper leads and got the click but no spin."

How did you connect this?

Neg to the body of the starter motor and the positive to the?, terminal where the smaller wire goes or where the battery cable connects or both?

What did you find when you pulled the starter motor apart?

Was the starter motor playing up before?

I cant see how you could of damaged the starter motor by installing the second battery.

Neg to the Body, Pos to where the battery connects to and power to the solenoid, I tried to simulate the starting as if it was in the car and this way i just got the click.

Then i just connected to pos straight to the other side of the solenoid which i assume should have spun the starter but didnt.

I pulled the starter appart and found, (the part that spins between the brushes ) had a few melted sections at two distinctive spots, there are 4 brushes, two neg and two pos, it looks like it had melted from the two pos brushes.

Ill take some close pics tomorrow after work and post them here so you can have a look.

 

[jimako]

im guessing it was just coincidence that the starter died at that time , unless you connected the 2nd battery the wrong way around and somehow ran 24 volts to the starter but i dont think you did that

Mate i tripple checked everything, i still cant figure out why.

 

[the evil twin]

Batteries couldn't have been accidently connected in series... as soon as the key went to accesories/on/start then 24 volts should have fried 90% of the electronics on the vehicle and still done hardly anything to the starter other than get it really spinning.

Given the engine started and ran then it would take a couple of days to replace all the fried gear if the batteries were connected incorrectly

Used to put 24 Volts across starters every now and then to get outa the kaka out bush on tractors and gensets with a lazy start or low battery volts...

This must have just been a coincidence I reckon...

 

[jimako]

Mate, im really hoping it was just a coincidence but im still not ready to continue with the dual batt setup.

Im sure the batterys wasnt connected in series, as the evil twin says the 24 volts would have fried something else first and would have cost me alot more money.

I was looking at the two brushes that caused the problem and they seemed stuck (didnt spring back) im thinking they had minimum contact and just caused some arking between the brushes and the part that spins between them ( whats it called ?) is it the Commutator ?

 

[Yendor]

I would have to agree that it was just a coincidence, I just cant see how anything that you could have done while installing the dual battery could have caused this.

What engine do you have? I seem to recall reading a few threads about starter motors s**ting them self without any warning especially the 4.8

 

[blacklion]

sounds like coincidence to me there's nothing that you have done with the duel battery system that would have damaged the starter.

 

[jimako]

I would have to agree that it was just a coincidence, I just cant see how anything that you could have done while installing the dual battery could have caused this.

What engine do you have? I seem to recall reading a few threads about starter motors s**ting them self without any warning especially the 4.8

Its the TB45

 

[ITS A FORD NOT A NISSAN]

Mate, im really hoping it was just a coincidence but im still not ready to continue with the dual batt setup.

Im sure the batterys wasnt connected in series, as the evil twin says the 24 volts would have fried something else first and would have cost me alot more money.

I was looking at the two brushes that caused the problem and they seemed stuck (didnt spring back) im thinking they had minimum contact and just caused some arking between the brushes and the part that spins between them ( whats it called ?) is it the Commutator ?

the brushes can get stuck, all it takes is a few grains of sand or a bit of corrosion , most often it is one brush that starts to stick and the starter sounds like you have a near flat battery , meanwhile the other brush is passing a heap more current and can start to melt things, i have had this happen a few times and i have learnt to fix it asap by pulling off the starter , pulling it apart and cleaning it out and freeing up the bushes , its just road grime and mud that works its way in there, or it just wears out and the brushes need replacing

 

[jimako]

Here are the pics.
It looks like the damaged happened at brush number 1 and 2.

 

[ITS A FORD NOT A NISSAN]

do the bearings spin freely ? almost looks like it couldnt turn and just fried the contacts

 

[jimako]

Yep still spins freely

 

[92 GQ]

Hey mate, I cant see any post that mentions an earth from the battery to the engine.
If you dont have one, this is definatly the reason the starter died, if you do have the earth in place then maybe it was bad luck...

 

[jimako]

Hey mate, I cant see any post that mentions an earth from the battery to the engine.
If you dont have one, this is definatly the reason the starter died, if you do have the earth in place then maybe it was bad luck...

The main Batt is Earthed to chassie and engine, i connected a jumper lead between the NEG on both batts, i still dont see how this could happen as the starter and main batt had a good connection, even if they didnt i dont see how it could happen.