The old Omega's about to go. Trouble is, it's been standing for three months and the battery is now flat.
I've never had the need to use the key, and the doorlock is seized up. Central locking won't work because the battery is flat, and I can't get to the battery because I can't get into the car.
The boot opens with the key, so I'm wondering if I can open the boot, wire a battery into the boot interior light (circuit will be open if the boot is) and flow enough juice back to the battery to let me hit the central locking.
Is this idea:
a. A brilliant piece of logic that will solve all my problems and will become the standard solution for this problem everywhere, leading to revered worship by mechanics worldwide and subsequent overloading of my ego by fawning women?
b. A recipe for disaster, as it'll blow a dozen circuits?
c. Daft, because there's an easy, tried and tested way to resolve this that is much easier and guaranteed to work?
V
|
No, it works, I recommended it to someone on here a couple of years ago, and he reported back with success.
You just need to make sure + & - are correct.
(BTW not my idea originally, just passing it on)
|
|
Alternatively, on Vauxhalls (and many other makes) the starter solenoid is directly wired to the battery and may be accessible from underneath allowing temporary connection to another battery. The corresponding earth can be connected anywhere.
|
|
|
|
When the battery is flat it is possible to open the drivers door using the key. It requires reasonable pressure to operate the lock. Suggest you check your handbook or contact any vauxhall garage They should be able to advise you re direction to turn the key From memory I think it was to the left.
|
|
|
You should still be able to open the drivers door with the key as the deadlock is mechanical on that door, whereas the other doors are electrically deadlocked.
I imagine the lock is siezed through lack of use because of using the remote fob all the time. Try giving the drivers door lock a squirt of WD-40.
Or, as you suggest, hooking up a 12v supply to the boot light will work, BUT only if the remote fob hasn't lost its communication with the car's central locking system and needs to be resyncronised.
Alternately reach up under the front of the car and connect a jump lead onto the starter motor +ve connection, and the -ve part of the jump lead to the bodywork somewhere and then finally onto the other 12v supply.
|
If you connect a fully charged external battery via the boot light wiring to a flat car battery in the car, you will blow the boot light fuse because the current will be so great.
Far better would be to use a battery charger with its maximum output set to say 5 amps and trickle-charge the Omega battery via the boot light.
|
If you connect a fully charged external battery via the boot light wiring to a flat car battery in the car, you will blow the boot light fuse because the current will be so great.
Well many a person has got away doing this without blowing the fuse on the Vauxhall forum I look in on.
|
Perhaps Vauxhall do not fuse the boot light?
Actually if they do not fuse the boot light, or in some way limit the current, then there is a risk of fire as internal lighting wiring is not designed to take either starting, or charging currents.
I am not clear from what has been written so far as to exactly what is being proposed here. Either a) it is being suggested that the flat Omega battery can be jump-started by an additional external battery, or b) that it can be charged by connecting an external battery.
I do not doubt that connecting an external source via the boot light will charge the flat Omega (or any other car) battery, but I am saying be careful so as not to exceed either the fuse rating of the boot light (assuming that it is fused) and do not overload the wiring. Using a current limited battery charger to slowly charge the flat battery, at say 2-3 amps is the safest way.
|
The OP wants a boost to allow the central locking motors and remote to operate them.
It is a tried and tested method.
I agree, trying to draw to high a current will blow a fuse, if the current is being drawn from the other side of the fuse, but it's not in this case.
Connecting a 12v battery to a car with a flat battery doesn't draw much current.
|
Thanks, guys.
I've bunged WD40 in there over a week or so to no avail. I'll try the starter lead one first, and if I have trouble, I'll try the boot light idea. I'll report back when I'm done.
Cheers,
V
|
In the interests of a Happy New Year, I thought I should let you know what the results were to a few technical questions I've asked on here. If anyone's interested, that is.
--------
Top tip. In order to avoid looking like a total plank, try the door handle. I'd unlocked the door, but the button just hadn't popped up. I discovered this AFTER trying to connect a battery to the boot light and the starter lead, of course.
V
|
|
In my Astra handbook it says just that. On an emergency unlock with flat bat using the key the buttons don't move! RTFM??
|
|
