Car dies on road, No CEL.

If Techstream cant/wont read all the codes, which ecu should I start with. The screenshot is what the car showed before I disconnected the 12v.

 

Using Techstream not reader. Im still going to pull the AC wire just to make sure.

 

Battery still charging. Only 120 mA from the charger.

 

Simple design. The autotransformer is used for converting 220v light fixtures to run on 380 3ph. With 125v input, the output is 200v average reading, not peak. That output goes through a 15 watt 120v lightbulb. Then a single diode (half wave rectifier). A microwave oven diode would work well. 2000v piv and 500mA rated. I did not have one handy, but this big bruiser rated for 2500v 100A will do. The bulb lights fairly bright on a discharged battery and tapers down to a barely feeble glow when fully charged. Pretty much self limiting to 220-230 volts DC.

With an output of only 120mA, there is no need for a cooling fan and battery remains at ambient temperature. NOTE!!!!!!! This charger is NOT isolated from ground!!!!! I have a small 100w isolation transformer for working on "hot chassis tube radios" for isolation. It can be used live in controlled area safely if battery connections are made first, then plugging in.

The issue using Meanwell LED drivers and the like are voltage way too high, pulsing from not enough resistance for current limiting and dealing with wasted power and heat in both the driver an PS. Plus you must run fans to keep from burning things up.

 

Being an unregulated taper charger, the end voltage may actually get up there if left connected long enough. It's only purpose for now is to restore the battery to a healthy state of charge in a day or so to allow troubleshooting.

 

As long as the battery is 50%ish right now, Its good enough to start the car. 228 volts with a 50 watt load across the battery is certainly good enough. Im not trying to polish the turd right now. I'll perform full measurements with the Fluke meter and give ya'll the details later.

Tonights diags revealed a possible interesting alternative reason for not running.... MICE!!!! After giving up for the day, while sitting in the car, all doors closed and quiet, I heard scratchy noises inside the dash. Not once but several times. Now I have a reason to pull the dash to fix the combometer and "hopefully" find something else. I'll get 2 spray bug bombs and fire the both in the car with everything closed up tight. I dont anything alive will survive that. Not sure how they got inside the dash though, unless they ate through the blower fan.

 

Scratchy noise was noticed several minutes AFTER the car was shut off, and not like the sound stripped plastic gears or mechanical movement. Definately little claws digging.

 

Well pardon the F&^% out of me. I post here to use the collective for HELPFULL information. You do not believe that my Techstream software is capable of detecting all the faults that may or may not exist. You bitch about my 30 minute spare parts home made battery charger and now I'm not allowed to poison mice. Bug boms are poison, they are made to work in YOUR HOUSE. So its OK to poison your house but not your car.

I'm done here.

MODERATOR PLEASE CLOSE THIS POST