question My FV1611a is not charging. Red light stays lit?

Hi

I thought I would post this here as it is always best to share our experiences good and bad with our vehicles.

I have noticed that whilst my Piggy starts effortlessly the red charge light stays on!

I have checked the batteries for an output when revving the engine, but no increase in voltage is seen.

I have the Generator Panel No1 Mk1 and the single speed generator.

The battery clamps are tight and the belts do not appear to have excessive free play.

The user manual refers to different procedures depending upon the type of generator and panel.

I am yet to take of the front of the panel generator No1 Mk1, but wondered if anyone had a similar experience.

A problem shared and all that.

The user manual does refer to bridging Pins A&C and B&E, but I am unsure where these pins are to be bridged exactly, which would help on that one.

Can anyone help please?

Thanks in advance

Wayne it would be worth joining this group as the subject will have been extensively covered before.

https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/AustinChamp/info

Wayne it would be worth joining this group as the subject will have been extensively covered before.

 

https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/AustinChamp/info

Thanks Clive.

Have that!

Done that!

Just waiting for approvals etc.

I noticed in the EMER 254 Wheeled Vehicles for the FV1600 that is states where the cables are removed to join the connections A&C etc.

Its the cable from the panel to the battery.

I guess it is to see if the regulator and cut-outs are working correctly in the panel.

I may have to search for a back up panel as a spare anyway, irrespective of getting this matter resolved.

Cheers

I would do the basic test on the dynamo itself as in the UHB but be careful not to let revs go too high. Maybe look out for a No.2 panel which should be easier to obtain & could be used either as a direct replacement or for originality a substitute for testing.

Before that just check the dynamo field winding. The resistance will be in EMER POWER P 124/3 Field Repairs or P 128/3 Base Standard. But I would guess somewhere in the 10 ohms region.

I would do the basic test on the dynamo itself as in the UHB but be careful not to let revs go too high. Maybe look out for a No.2 panel which should be easier to obtain & could be used either as a direct replacement or for originality a substitute for testing.

 

Before that just check the dynamo field winding. The resistance will be in EMER POWER P 124/3 Field Repairs or P 128/3 Base Standard. But I would guess somewhere in the 10 ohms region.

I need to learn all this, but right now it sounds like double Dutch :cry:

Its all a Black Science to me mate........

Wayne the field winding is A & B, the output is C & E. I know you have got an Avo

Wayne the field winding is A & B, the output is C & E. I know you have got an Avo

So I am checking resistance on the two points from the dynamo etc.

Do I touch one of the 'Avo' leads on the A and the other on the B

Similarly for C and D.

Sorry to sound dim if this is pretty easy!

I took the cover off and noticed what I thought was a loose or broken winding on the Choke? What would that affect?

If that grey thing it is connected to is something like a diode, then it could be very important.

trevor

Trevor it does look rather like a diode, but it is actually a bushing capacitor. Wayne I can't read your label but if that lead from the choke is broken it is important as it feeds the cut out relay top left & to the top side of that there should be a fuse.

Yes put your Avo on the lowest ohms range. Touch the test prods together & it should read pretty much full scale deflection in the order of 0 ohms. Trim this to read exactly 0 ohms with the ohms zeroing knob. Once calibrated to zero test apply a test prod to A&B then test C&E. A&B are not joined in any way to C&E unlike the Mk2 that has a common link.

Thanks Clive

The guidance in the EMER about running the genny as a Motor worked, so thanks for gleaming this from the Champ boys at Evesham show .

I need to establish that it is running smooth and clockwise as the test carried out was a brief one if I am honest.

I didn't run it for two long as I didn't want to cause any damage long term.

Now the Genny is off I will take the end off and give some TLC to the bushes and carry out a visual inspection, whilst it is off the vehicle.

All good fun as they say :nut:

A nice find arrived today in the post.

Absolutely pristine NOS Distribution Panel for the Piggy.

I think it was a bargain at £35.00 plus a little postage.

If I can find a Panel Generator No1 Mk2 in similar condition then that would be just fantastic ......

Well the Genny runs super smooth when connected as a motor in accordance with EMER 254 Wh Vhl.

I took another peek inside the gen panel, and can't see anything obvious.

just the Choke looks a little pitted and still unsure if the wires half way down coiling are broken off from something.

The top wire mY have broken from connection with condenser, but it's not obvious.

Anyone see any clues. It needs a proper test to check regulators under load I guess

Wayne the knotted thing halfway down the choke is non-conductive cord of some sort. I think it is just to give the winding some rigidity to hold the winding close to the former before it was coated in shellac. It looks like the one in mine.

Thanks Clive.

is this something you could test with your test gear?

Thanks

Yes it should be possible to feed the input from the variable PSU and observe the output change as the critical voltage is reached. Just a question of getting my head round a unit I'm unfamiliar with and time!

Not to worry! It was a cheeky question.

Ta

Well a little more progress, but slower than I would have liked

I took the generator off and also had access to a couple of take off gennies thanks to Rampant Rivet.

My Genny and one of the take off items worked as a motor on the bench following the EMER test, so at least we had two that were working fine.

RR also loaned me two Gen Panels No1 Mk1 to see if it was a simple panel swap cure.

I fitted both of the tested gennies and tried all the gen panels, but nothing.

I then fitted the Gen panels with the connections to battery and distribution box connected to test if I had output from the genny as a dynamo with the main cable removed. I attached a 24v test lamp and both gennies illuminated the lamp at about 1200-1300 revs, so that proves that they are feeding current from the gennies. A few more revs and the light went a little brighter, back at tickover the lamp went out.

In every test with the sound genny and a swop over gen panels the charging light stays on and glows consistently. It doesn't flicker up and down.

I took the covers off the gen panels and did not witness any workings or contacts moving etc. Clicking and the like. It was getting late so I didn't attach a volt meter etc.

I thought it could be a bad earth so I cleaned those up from the battery and where they connect to the distribution box.

Does anyone have any ideas to help me as I am not an electrics expert!

Each time I put the AVO on the batteries and no increase in voltage under revs, incase there is a fault on the charging light from the distribution box on engine or in driver compartment.

Help needed please?

Ta

Wayne these panels seem suspect. Can you fit them in turn to RR's Champ and establish their functionality?

Wayne these panels seem suspect. Can you fit them in turn to RR's Champ and establish their functionality?

I would have to ask him very nicely I guess

You are correct in that a known working panel would be an obvious way to rule it out.

I guess it is all a process of elimination now.

Knowing the genny works and gives output is one important check done

I would have to ask him very nicely I guess

I'm sure though Wayne he would need know whether the spares he has in reserve are any good for him when a failure does occur. Now with a working system is the real time to put the spares to the test.