Does anyone know if the lighter socket on a Xantia is live when the ignition is off? I know the radio isn't. I go out and test it but the battery is barely powering the clock.
I want to remove the battery to charge it, and I don't want the hassle of the Xantia reset the alarm palaver. I've tried to start it with a jump booster battery and it didn't do much good. I've got a 66ah battery in it at the moment and I'm thinking of popping a battery in the passenger footwell and connecting it via the lighter socket. Maplins do a lighter socket to lighter socket jump lead which would possibly do, the jumper battery has a lighter socket in it so I could connect it that way and just use it to power the radio code and alarm until the main battery is charged again.
The car is parked in the road, so all solutions must involve locking it with no external battery on the street.
|
doug
Push the lighter in with the key off and see if it pops out again.
|
|
The battery's almost flat, or I would, it didn't have enough to power the central locking this afternoon so I'm loathe to take any more out of it.
|
I presume you don't have access to a multimeter? This would be the easiest way to check. I noticed that Maplin were doing them for a fiver recently and it was buy one get one free too!
Failing that you could use any 12V bulb from a spares kit, as long as you could get the central contact on the bulb to touch the central contact in the bottom of the lighter socket, and the side of the bulb to touch the side of the socket. You'd get a faint glow from way under 12V and that would answer your question. Now would be a good time to check, whilst it's dark!
|
I have a 1996 1.8 16 valve xantia, so the same vintage as yours
I have tried the cigar lighter with the key out of the ignition and it popped out nice and warm!
Regarding the alarm, you can switch it on or off manually- under the bonnet there is a small round black plastic cover in the top right hand side (you in front of the car looking at the engine) above the LHM tank, open this cover and simply put your car key in and turn the key to switch the alarm off. To switch it back on simply turn the other way- press the remote central locking to reset it and all is back to normal.
The radio on mine also keeps all the stations when the battery is disconnected, although you will need to enter the radio code again
|
|
|
|
What I did on a Sunny was to park another car next to it and connect insulated jump leads between the other car and the Sunny: I clamped the terminals to the engine/gearbox (-) and starter motor/alternator terminal (+) or something similarly suitable.
Keep the battery leads well away from each other when you do the battery swap or you'll get fireworks!
|
|
The last time I changed the battery I had to go through some ritual to disarm it, I think the socket under the bonnet just resets it if it's triggered normally. I'll check the dimensions of the battery tray, it's possible the portable jump starter will fit in the space and allow me to close the bonnet.
|
The socket is live all the time in MK1 Xantias, but not in MK2s.
Shouldn't be any drama with the alarm. If you have the remote key, reconnect the battery and then lock and unlock the car and that will reset the alarm - it may go off when you first connect the battery. If you don't have a working remote, then lock door with key, unlock, open up (alarm will go off), press the alarm cancel button the on the facia whilst turning the ignition on.
|
I fully charged and connected the jump starter tonight, and connected my multimeter to the lighter socket, it showed 12.6 volts, the jump starter is showing nearer 13 on it's meter. I left it connected for around five minutes but when I tried to start it the engine barely turned over and there was a beeping from the dashboard as the power dropped. I really hate it when you have what appears to be all the right tools and it still won't work.
If I remember correctly, no guarantee, I had to do the lock/unlock sit in the car, press the alarm button within ten seconds whilst turning on the ignition, malarkey a few times the last time I removed the battery, hence my reluctance to just whip the battery out and charge it.
|
|
Is there any particular reason why you can't just charge the battery while it's still connected to the car? Would solve a lot of hassle by the sound of it. Incidentally, it might be worth checking the instruction book regarding the lighter socket. On the 306/Xsara, moving a fuse would change the lighter socket from permanent live to accessory live.
|
Is there any particular reason why you can't just charge the battery while it's still connected to the car?
As per the mention in the first post I guess - "The car is parked in the road"
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 15/04/2008 at 01:39
|
|
Yes, it's in the road, where kids play football, etc. What I can't understand is why the fully charged portable battery, which I think has 900amp cranking power, makes no difference. The interior lights are much brighter so the battery is connected and working, but on the key it barely turns the engine, and all the dashboard lights go dim, just like it did when I realised the battery was flat. The car was working fine until last week.
|
|
Will the charger not fit into the engine bay, so you can run the plug to an extension lead and close the bonnet?
|
Sorry, on reflection... are you sure that it's not just a dodgy connection somewhere? If you tried cranking it for 10 seconds or so and had a poke around, you might find one of the connections or earths is very hot, which would indicate a problem.*
* Just an educated guess, I'm not a mechanic.
|
|
I've bowed to the inevitable and taken the battery off the car and put on a charger in the shed.
|
|
