Alternator issues

tres · 4 Jul 2010 at 12:32

Hi all,

Situation:

2001 Citroen Saxo 1.1
Went to change the alternator, which would charge the battery, but would also seem to discharge when the engine was off.
This happened with 2 brand new alternators.
Refitted the original, and everything was working fine.

Two weeks later, i've gone to use the car and the battery is flat. (Was fine yesterday)
Push started it, drove it around for 15 mins to get a bit of juice in it, stopped and turned off the engine - tried to start it again, but it's dead again.

Could it be anything else other than the alternator?

4T5 · 4 Jul 2010 at 12:33

Check to see if your boot light or glove box light stays on.

dale1uk · 4 Jul 2010 at 12:37

Yep, sounds like you've got a constant live draining the battery. Have you got an aftermarket stereo in your car? Could simply be that its been wired up wrong.

Lashout_UK · 4 Jul 2010 at 13:02

Battery's had it.

Leeum · 4 Jul 2010 at 14:13

Lashout_UK said:
Battery's had it.

That's what my money is on.

The battery light is usually on all the time if the alternator isn't charging the battery.

tres · 5 Jul 2010 at 14:44

Lashout_UK said:
Battery's had it.

Leeum said:
That's what my money is on.

The battery light is usually on all the time if the alternator isn't charging the battery.

Thanks all - you're right, the battery was knackered.

Very strange, was quite a new battery, a year old maybe?

Swapped it for another, all seems to be working ok.
Tried charging the battery at the engineer's shop, wouldn't charge at all!