P38A For todays trick the fuse box burned out - in France. Solved - new fuse box now fitted and working

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Mukiwa said:
600 miles done, got an earlier ferry. My field repair held up and 23.3mpg average pulling my trailer the whole way.
I fitted an aftermarket head unit about 8 weeks ago and it has a battery voltage display. Looking back after the fuse box burned out, I remember that it was showing 11.2 - 12.0 volts, but mainly 11.4 whilst driving. I checked the alternator and it was putting out 13.8v give or take. Since I've fitted the working fuse box the battery voltage display on the radio now shows 12.3 - 13+ volts all the time, even with all electrical items, main beam, heated windows the lot. So it was a precursor to the fusebox burning out. Note to self about voltage drops in the future :D
Click to expand...
13.8 volts is an old spec and no good for a modern lead calcium battery, you need the fit your alternator with a new regulator that has a set point of 14.5 to 14.8 volts.
 
Does anyone know if fusebox failure is down to poor production techniques, poor maintenance, old age or a combination?
Is there anything worthwhile to be done as a preventative measure, warning signs etc apart from the voltage drop experienced?
 
kermit_rr said:
Does anyone know if fusebox failure is down to poor production techniques, poor maintenance, old age or a combination?
Is there anything worthwhile to be done as a preventative measure, warning signs etc apart from the voltage drop experienced?
Click to expand...
Solder joints fatigue and crack with age, the PCB is poor quality, the plug in connectors for relays & fuses also become slack leading to heating of the connections and the power cable connections also work loose.
Look for blueing of contacts, smells of burning.
If you want to avoid trouble, remove the fuse box, tighten all the connectors for the relays and fuses, resolder any dodgy looking joints and make sure the power cable is done up good and tight.
 
Thanks for the reg info - I'll get that sorted asap.

Kermit_rr: for me, 1. warning sign: you WILL definitely notice the acrid burning stink if you take the lid off the fusebox. Mine reeks.
2. Check that the +ve bolt that the red cable bolts onto is not loose. Mine waggled about and on dissasembly of the fuse box the solder joints underneath were broken
 
Afternoon all of you, I think as long as mine is charging and starting without issues.... I may leave well alone...how many battery types do we need??
Are we not onto lithium Ion yet?
 
Mark Piercy said:
Afternoon all of you, I think as long as mine is charging and starting without issues.... I may leave well alone...how many battery types do we need??
Are we not onto lithium Ion yet?
Click to expand...
It's worth looking at, the brushes on the regulator wore out on mine, the first one just as we were setting out for the airport in Bordeaux. Going in the Transit in 30C was not something I would want to repeat.:eek:
Now we have 2 P38's to ensure there is always one that might be a runner:rolleyes:
£25 and at most 2 hours work is better than a trip on a low loader.;)
 
Mark Piercy said:
Afternoon all of you, I think as long as mine is charging and starting without issues.... I may leave well alone...how many battery types do we need??
Are we not onto lithium Ion yet?
Click to expand...

Calcium batteries are not made that way for the good of the user, they are made that way because they tend not to need maintenance charging in storage. But they do need an higher charge voltage to make them react and accept charge. Old standard 13.8 volts will only tickle them, they will never be fully charged. Which leads to their demise.
 
Which may explain why after I charged the battery off the vehicle about 6 weeks ago and then it behaved impeccably then slowly the electrical gremlins came back. Low brake fluid warning, SRS, gearbox fault (solenoid power failure), LHS rear brake light failure, RHS reverse light failure, EAS suddenly putting itself up to full height after being parked....
All stopped since I swapped out that burned out fuse box. Reg/rec next on my list.
 
The lesson i take away from this, anything more sinister than a blown bulb or fuse, check the fuse box! Especially if you get more than one symptom. Is that a fair take, or paranoia?
 
It was for me. If I have learned anything from this forum and now experience with a P38 - good battery, especially for the diesels (mine are 1000CCA) as these cars are very finnicky on voltage, watch for the burned out / dying fuse box and good earth's all around the vehicle. Any messages for dodgy bulb failures that aren't - suspect electrical gremlins :D
 
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