Diesel tourer not starting - Page 4

Arctic · 29th November 2023, 19:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveThackery

Can you explain why each of those rules is necessary?

1/ -ve lead must be attached 20" away from the battery. Why?

2/ Allow at least 5 minutes between starts. Why?

3/ Idle together for a few minutes. Why?

Are these rules that you have arrived at yourself through "common sense", or are they from a text book somewhere?

Hi Steve of the same name

answers are on page 166 of the Rover handbook, it's good read over a few weekends in the winter

SteveThackery · 30th November 2023, 10:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arctic

Hi Steve of the same name

answers are on page 166 of the Rover handbook, it's good read over a few weekends in the winter

Found it! Page 199 in my book, and apparently not mentioned at all in the online book. Thanks for the reference, though.

Unfortunately it doesn't explain why you have to connect the negative cable to an earth point at least 0.5m from the battery. Of course I can conjure up a story about electrical spikes, etc, but an authoritative explanation would be much better. The requirements for five minutes between start attempts is equally mysterious.

I'll do some online research and report back if I find anything useful.

Mike Noc · 30th November 2023, 16:51

Possibly belt and braces safety to connect the negative away from the battery so that when you disconnect it any spark is well away from any gas that may be coming from the battery. Personally I carry a spare battery if I am going out with the jump leads but each to their own.

SteveThackery · 30th November 2023, 22:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Noc

Possibly belt and braces safety to connect the negative away from the battery so that when you disconnect it any spark is well away from any gas that may be coming from the battery.

Ah, yes, I bet that's it. In that case it's unnecessary, in my view. The chances of accumulating an explosive mix of much-lighter-than-air hydrogen loitering around the battery terminals are vanishingly small, in my opinion.

I reckon they've written those convoluted instructions as a bottom-covering exercise, so they can't be sued in the one-in-a-million chance of someone losing their eyebrows.

bigblue75 · 10th February 2024, 11:16

Going through old subscribed threads this morning while waiting on SWMBO and wondered if there was any update on Ravs tourer?

bl52krz · 12th February 2024, 08:40

Steve Thackery. A little story on your second sentence, first paragraph:- not likely. When at work I walked through the large commercial garage at work, and noticed a large battery off one of our vehicles, on charge up the corner of the workshop. I thought , that should be in the battery charging area which is nearer to the outside, for gas to disperse. When I got back later in the afternoon, I asked what all the garage staff were running round tidying up the garage. I was told that they had a battery on charge, and when the mechanic went to check on its charge, he disconnected it and the battery had blown up. He was in the hospital for burns to his face and arms. His overalls were all burnt away down the front from the acid. So........ that is why you are supposed to put the lead away from the battery when trying to start a car. The spark from removing the lead from the battery without turning the charger off first, had caused a spark. When I spoke to him about a week later, he said he had done it ‘loads of times and nothing had happened’. He learnt his lesson the hard way.

SteveThackery · 12th February 2024, 11:09

Wow, thanks for that, bl52krz. Food for thought, definitely.

10th February 2024, 11:16	#35
bigblue75 older not wiser 75 Tourer Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Falkirk Posts: 278 Thanks: 93 Thanked 46 Times in 35 Posts	Any update on this? Going through old subscribed threads this morning while waiting on SWMBO and wondered if there was any update on Ravs tourer?

12th February 2024, 08:40	#36
bl52krz This is my second home Rover 75 cdt club + Rover 2.5 KV6 Conni SE Join Date: May 2008 Location: Birmingham Posts: 11,412 Thanks: 6,587 Thanked 2,262 Times in 1,729 Posts	Steve Thackery. A little story on your second sentence, first paragraph:- not likely. When at work I walked through the large commercial garage at work, and noticed a large battery off one of our vehicles, on charge up the corner of the workshop. I thought , that should be in the battery charging area which is nearer to the outside, for gas to disperse. When I got back later in the afternoon, I asked what all the garage staff were running round tidying up the garage. I was told that they had a battery on charge, and when the mechanic went to check on its charge, he disconnected it and the battery had blown up. He was in the hospital for burns to his face and arms. His overalls were all burnt away down the front from the acid. So........ that is why you are supposed to put the lead away from the battery when trying to start a car. The spark from removing the lead from the battery without turning the charger off first, had caused a spark. When I spoke to him about a week later, he said he had done it ‘loads of times and nothing had happened’. He learnt his lesson the hard way. __________________ Great Barr, Birmingham.

12th February 2024, 11:09	#37
SteveThackery Avid contributor Rover 75 Connoisseur SE saloon, 2.5 KV6 automatic, 2002, White Gold Join Date: Oct 2023 Location: Nottingham Posts: 197 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Wow, thanks for that, bl52krz. Food for thought, definitely. __________________ If it ain't broke, keep fixing it until it is.

30th November 2023, 16:51	#33
Mike Noc This is my second home Rover 75 CDT Manual Connoisseur SE, Rover 75 CDT Automatic Connoisseur SE & a Freelander Td4. Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Hampshire Posts: 11,569 Thanks: 3,470 Thanked 3,119 Times in 2,247 Posts	Possibly belt and braces safety to connect the negative away from the battery so that when you disconnect it any spark is well away from any gas that may be coming from the battery. Personally I carry a spare battery if I am going out with the jump leads but each to their own.