I’ve just checked my battery on the driveway and it’s 12.4v. I’m guessing this is why the FBH won’t turn on in the mornings?

When it’s running, according to IID tool, it’s around 13.7 to 14v. As soon as I turn it of, it drops to 12.6v.

That said, it starts fine. I’m worried it won’t start when it’s freezing so I’ve bought a new battery just in case. I’ve gone for a AGM battery

I’ve just put it on a trickle charger overnight to see how it is in the morning and whether the FBH will fire up. 2010 MY Vogue SE TDV8 3.6 Stornoway Grey- fully loaded

Although I'm running a 4.4TDV8 the normal charging voltage is around 14.2 to 14.5 on mine depending on load. That said, the voltage at rest is about 12.4-12.7 in the mornings after reasonable runs. I've been using it for shorter runs the last 3 days and it's about 11.8 at rest in the morning. The FBH starts on remote and runs for about 10 minutes before cutting out. The FF starts fine at that. The WM says the FBH should run at less voltage and cut out at somewhere about 11V if you have a look.

I would suggest the alternator may be a shade unwell at 14V , this happend to me when mine failed. After replacememt it ran at 14.5V

Wander your way through my thread

https://www.fullfatrr.com/forum/topic46871.html

and see if it's of any use. Cheers
Richard

(there are no such things as an ordinary FullFat, an ordinary cat or too many tools)
2011 TDV8 Vogue Santorini Black
Gap IIDBT

Thanks.
I’ve just tried the FBH after an hour or so of charging and I heard the heater whirring under the arch. After a few minutes it stopped but I could still hear what sounds like a fan running through the bonnet vent near the bulkhead.
I’m tempted to drop the new battery on but if it’s not going to cure the FBH there seems no point as it still starts and runs fine. 2010 MY Vogue SE TDV8 3.6 Stornoway Grey- fully loaded

Did the FBH fire up this morning, stay running and warm the car before you drove off when you finished the trickle charge? Cheers
Richard

(there are no such things as an ordinary FullFat, an ordinary cat or too many tools)
2011 TDV8 Vogue Santorini Black
Gap IIDBT

I went out to the car this morning and the trickle charger was showing 15v.
I pressed the FBH remote and I heard the unit start inside the wheelarch. The voltage on the charger display immediately dropped to 12.4v.
At 12.1v the unit stopped running. All I heard after that was a fan running from the bonnet vent again. The light is still flashing on the heater control inside the car.

Battery knackered? 2010 MY Vogue SE TDV8 3.6 Stornoway Grey- fully loaded

Andy,

Excuse the late reply, I've been mucking out the garage, to get the FF in, all day. The amount of cr8p that gets in while summer's on is enough to drive you to (your choice of words here)!

That voltage and the shut down of the FBH does not sound quite right to me. It should run down to well under that voltage. Silly question I know, but did you disconnect the charger before trying the FBH? Assuming all else is well with your FF, can you get a multimeter/voltmeter across the battery to see what it does while you demand the FBH to run? I don't know how good the IID is on measuring the battery voltage, but I'm old (sad) enough to prefer such a meter. AND does the FBH heat the cabin at all before shutting down? If not then that could be requiring a futher investigation into the FBH itself. Cheers
Richard

(there are no such things as an ordinary FullFat, an ordinary cat or too many tools)
2011 TDV8 Vogue Santorini Black
Gap IIDBT

Battery wise when the engine is off the FBH low voltage limit is 11.4 V for more than 10 seconds; the system is re-enabled if battery voltage increases to 12.2 V.

What you are describing is inline with when I have seen a failed FBH pump, check the outlet pipes under the bonnet for the FBH if it’s red hot as it enters the engine bay but stone cold further down then in my experience that’s a failed pump, the FBH heats the water that’s sat in the pipe up and then as no circulation it shuts down as either up to temp or a over heat.

Worth checking

rjff wrote:

That voltage and the shut down of the FBH does not sound quite right to me. It should run down to well under that voltage. Silly question I know, but did you disconnect the charger before trying the FBH? Assuming all else is well with your FF, can you get a multimeter/voltmeter across the battery to see what it does while you demand the FBH to run? I don't know how good the IID is on measuring the battery voltage, but I'm old (sad) enough to prefer such a meter. AND does the FBH heat the cabin at all before shutting down? If not then that could be requiring a futher investigation into the FBH itself.

TJH1985 wrote:

Battery wise when the engine is off the FBH low voltage limit is 11.4 V for more than 10 seconds; the system is re-enabled if battery voltage increases to 12.2 V.

What you are describing is inline with when I have seen a failed FBH pump, check the outlet pipes under the bonnet for the FBH if it’s red hot as it enters the engine bay but stone cold further down then in my experience that’s a failed pump, the FBH heats the water that’s sat in the pipe up and then as no circulation it shuts down as either up to temp or a over heat.

Worth checking

Andy

The voltage sonds fine to run the FBH.

I am tending to go with TJH on this re the pump not running. There is a picture womewhere on here, which IIRC shows the two pipes can be seen by removing the engine cover and looking to the rear passenger side of the engine. I think pne turns forward, they're in the area of the battery box. If I'm wrong sorry , dark out and can't check, could look in the morning if you like.

If you have a look in the WM you may be able to work out the positions.

Also there are some threads on the igniter for the burner not operating, but that appears to eb a less likely cause of failure.

If I can thinnk of anything else 'll get back.

PS the WM shows this re voltages.

Out of Limit Voltage: The control module enters the error lockout mode if the battery or alternator power input is less than 10.5 ± 0.3 V for more than 20 seconds, or more than 15.5 ± 0.5 V for more than 6 seconds. Cheers
Richard

(there are no such things as an ordinary FullFat, an ordinary cat or too many tools)
2011 TDV8 Vogue Santorini Black
Gap IIDBT

Exactly this, remove the engine cover and you will find them passenger side running towards the control valves which are towards the front of the engine bay, from their they run back in the same way towards the heater matrix. Metal pipes, fairly easy to find.

Does the FBH run when the engine is running? Heater coolant always passes through the FBH, so when the engine is running your main water pump will provide circulation and naturally the FBH can then run for a longer period.


If you imagine where the FBH is mounted, the pipes come through to the engine bay level with the FBH.

When the whirring stops under the battery, there is a fan still running that can be heard from the bonnet vent.

I’ve tried testing it in IID tool but I keep getting an error code

Click image to enlarge

Clarification from me, the voltages I quoted are for the lockout of the unit, a battery reset will clear these if necessary. The voltages TJH quotes are in operation that cause a shutdown for the current ignition cycle only, i think.

E3 code has been mentioned on here and ISTR having had it on my GAP but not what for, can't find it at the moment.

I'm not sure what the running noise for the bonnet vent is, maybe the main vent fan? I'll try to remember to have a go at this in the morning as it's quoted a frosty in the forecast. Cheers
Richard

(there are no such things as an ordinary FullFat, an ordinary cat or too many tools)
2011 TDV8 Vogue Santorini Black
Gap IIDBT

Excuse the late reply, but I listened to mine and it appears to whine under the wheelarch and also in the bonnet vent. Both stop at the same time, between 2-3 minutes after shutdown.

Any joy on the pipe temperatures? Cheers
Richard

(there are no such things as an ordinary FullFat, an ordinary cat or too many tools)
2011 TDV8 Vogue Santorini Black
Gap IIDBT

Since I posted this, the outside temperature has been above 7° where I live so I haven’t been able to test the FBH.

I did try and check in the IiD tool and it was coming up with a fault (E3) . I emailed Pat to ask him what the fault meant and he didn’t know. By now I’m thinking What a waste of £400 for the IID tool.
As per my other post I left the IID plugged in overnight in the week accidentally and the next morning the car was as flat as a fart. no interior lights, nothing. Wouldn’t even unlock from the remote.
I had to get the RAC out to jumpstart it and it was reading 7 volts prior to putting jump leads on. That’s a drop within 9 hrs

So I’m tempted to fit this new AGM battery that I’ve bought, but both the RAC and Halfords have said the battery is fine? 2010 MY Vogue SE TDV8 3.6 Stornoway Grey- fully loaded