Citroen Xsara Picasso battery charge fault

Car: Citroen Xsara Picasso
Variant: 1.6hdi
Model Year: 2004
Categories: Electrics, ECU, Warnings & Lights
Getting the Fault: Battery Charge Fault. Changed alternator and aux belt. Seemed ok then Fault came back. Any help would be appreciated or suggestions what to try.
Posted: Jun 11, 2017 (7 years ago)
Load test battery .
Posted Jun 11, 2017 (7 years ago)
Battery showing 11.3v but only 11.8v when motor running. Would Load Test battery if I knew how...but I did find a loose earth on top of transmission, tightened it up (1.5 turns) and charge light went out and now reading 14.3v when engine running. As alternator is other side of engine bay, could this have caused the problem?
Posted Jun 11, 2017 (7 years ago)
That's has been your fault .Battery voltage is a knackered / low battery and alternator is charging flat out to recharge .
Posted Jun 11, 2017 (7 years ago)
Good catch dude!
Where most people get lost with electrics is a basic misconception.
And I'm doing this in caps for emphasis,
THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF A VEHICLE CIRCUIT IS THE GROUND/EARTH.
You see DC volts don't actually come out/in of the battery Pos side.
DC V are electrons which are negative charge particles,
So in effect the "power" from/to the battery travel via the negative terminal and ground.
And the biggest ground on these cars is the strap/lead going to the gearbox.
So like I stated,
Good catch.
Posted Jun 11, 2017 (7 years ago)
Often left slack or even off after gearbox removed , possibly on clutch renewal .
Posted Jun 11, 2017 (7 years ago)
Alternator should be showing 14.8 volts not 11.8.?.
Cannot charge battery,too low.Get alternator checked,not right.
Posted Apr 8, 2019 (5 years ago)

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