Chris W

Phil Disconnect the negative battery terminal and insert an ammeter (multimeter) with the ignition OFF. Divide the current measured into the battery's capacity (its ampere-hour figure) and the result is the approximate number of hours it will take to run the battery completely down. For example, the reading for my 7 is 40mA (immobiliser and clock) so in theory my 30AH Banner battery would be completely exhausted in about 1 month. This is the main reason that batteries die in the winter when we may not use our 7 for a month or more and why a conditioner is a good investment. If the figure you measure is significantly above my figure, there may be a problem with your immobilser (or something else is causing the drain). Most conditioners will supply about 100-200mA so should be able to cope very well with a normal figure. Chris 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here Edited by - Chris W on 2 Apr 2006 01:44:24

Mike That's a good idea - I hadn't considered having it speed related. The easiest way would be to monitor the revs (because I can pick up that signal easily from the tacho) and instruct the microprocessor to stop timing if the revs are at idle (say anywhere between 700 and 1100 rpm or thereabouts). I already use this idea on my "intelligent oil pressure switch" which can be set at a higher-than- idle revs threshold pressure but which doesn't switch on the oil pressure light while idling. When I originally fitted just a straightforward oil pressure light, I found that the light would come on at idle or even flash when changing gear as the revs dropped momentarily unless the pressure threshold was set very low. With the "intelligent" oil light, I get an earlier warning of any problem because the threshold can be higher. I have programmed it however to light up if the oil pressure is low below about 600rpm to act as a "test" when switching on the ignition. The only problem in adding the extra functionality to the indicator circuit is that fitting it becomes somewhat complex as I would need a switch on the board for normal spark or wasted spark pulse count (which I have incorporated into the intelligent oil pressure circuit and my own-design gear shift lights) and it would need the fitter to break into the tacho wiring. At the moment fitting the current self-cancelling indicator circuit is very easy. Chris 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here

Roger A scart-to-coax modulator is readily available from people like Maplin etc so you could use wireless if you wish Chris 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here

It's probably not the starter motor itself but the solenoid that's playing up. It could be that the main contacts that switch the starter motor on are either dirty or not closing properly. A strip down and clean of the solenoid (not difficult) is worth a try first. I do it once a year as a maintenance item. The starter bypass relay mod is also worth doing and only costs a couple of squiddlys. I have stripped and cleaned a few solenoids for local members and it cured the same problem as you have. The fact that the "direct wire" method didn't bypass the problem shows that the starter relay is probably not the cause (although the mod is still worth doing as a belt-and-braces approach. Chris 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here Edited by - Chris W on 2 Apr 2006 00:46:46

Ostensibly, there is no connection whatsoever between the hazard/indicator switch circuits and the fuel pump circuit. The only common element is that they both use the ignition switched supply ultimately. However, if the engine was turning over (but not starting) it means that the ignition supply must have been OK or else the starting relay would not have closed. Which 7 variant do you have? If it's an older version, was it bought second-hand as someone may have altered the wiring in the past? It could of course just be a coincidence and that leads to 2 possibilities that I can envisage for its not starting: 1. The ignition switch wiring has a loose connector (one of the [usually] 2 white wires) or 2. The fuel cut-off switch (if you have one) was not seated properly. Did you check this latter switch by pushing the reset button on the top of it? Do you have a standard ignition switch or a button start? Let me know and I'll scratch my head again. Chris 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here

Dave What prompted you to try the hazards a s a starting device??!! Did you switch anything else on or off? Give me a blow-by-blow account and I'll try to work out what happened. Chris 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here

I used a resistor as both a voltage dropper and as part of the filter so the fact that I could drop some volts made the filter more effective. If you email me off line, I'll send you a drawing of the filter. chris@cwyles.freeserve.co.uk Chris 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here

I have designed and made my own steering-wheel mounted indicator switching circuit which is self-cancelling after a user preset time or by touching the wheel mounted switch a second time. Also, if you are doing a quick, say, right/left combo turn or vice versa, a touch of the opposite indicator switch will automatically cancel the current indicator and switch on the opposite indicator. It also contains a beeper with adjustable volume control. It's microprocessor controlled so very easy to reprogram for additional/different functions. see my website (click below) for photos. The switch off delay is user selectable from a choice of 15, 25, 35 or 45 seconds. (I can program other values if the concensus want something different). The unit can be cancelled ahead of self-cancelling by a second push of the appropriate steering wheel switch. The integral buzzer has a volume adjustment and a switch to disable it if no buzzer is required. The whole unit (see my website - click below) is about 4" x 2" x 1" approx and can be double-adhesive taped under the dash. The main circuit board is a properly etched unit not just a piece of stripboard. I may also offer a reduced price kit of parts for those who are confident about soldering the parts together themselves. The parts kit would of course come with the microprocessor fully programmed and ready to plug into its socket. All ready-built units will be fully tested before despatch. For those who have a removable (QR) wheel like me, I will provide a simple snap-in connector for the back of the wheel to allow the connecting wires to be disconnected when the wheel is removed. The prices are: Option 1: £63 for the ready-to-install, fully tested fixed wheel version Option 2: £68 for the ready-to-install ,fully tested Q/R wheel version. Option 3: Parts kit for self-build inc fully programmed microprocessor, electronic components, box, switches and etched & drilled board for fixed wheel version £50. Option 4: as Option 3 but for Q/R wheel version £55. All options will come with full installation instructions (and building instructions for options 3 & 4). You must specify which option you require when ordering and I would need £30 up front (cheque) for all options to confirm your order with the balance by cheque prior to shipment. BTW, the functionality of the normal hazard flasher switch is totally unaffected by the addtion of this circuit. I estimate it will take about 3-4 weeks to complete and test 10 of them in my spare time but I will send them out on a first come-first served basis as I finish them so if you order earlier you will receive them earlier. see "TechTalk here" for more threads about this project. Chris 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here Edited by - Chris W on 1 Apr 2006 13:10:53

Gary I use my flying David Clarkes in my 7 too, plugged into a "Pilot PA200" mini intercom. They work with no problem. I connected the intercom to the car battery together with a "home made" filter to remove ignition whine, which has now totally disappeared. I can let you have details of the very simple filter (1 resistor + 1 capacitor). Being an aviation intercom, there is a secondary input (normally ATC) which you could use for MP3 or mobile phone etc. I use it to hear the audio from my SatNav. The quality is superb and I have no "resonances". It's just perfect. The unit cost around £80 three years ago and I purchased it from "Adam's Aviation" at Biggin Hill Airport whom I presume will have a website. It's about 4" x 3" x 2" in size (the headset not Biggin Hill airport!) and features a volume control and a squelch control. The headphone and microphone input sockets match the David Clarke plugs. Chris Edited to say: PS: I just found it on "Talking Headsets" 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here Edited by - Chris W on 1 Apr 2006 12:12:58

Could anyone who definitely wants one of the CATFLASHers now that the price is known, please confirm to my email address (chris@cwyles.freeserve.co.uk) if they have not already done so. I only have 4 confirmed by email at the moment and need about 10 to be able to meet the price indicated. Don't forget to state which option you require. Stupidly, I totally overlooked the postage side of things. I guess the options are: 1. I can charge you recorded delivery at cost (I would guess less than a fiver - it's not heavy) 2. I am very happy for you to pick it up from my home (nr Dunstable, Beds) 3. I could bring it to Stoneleigh at the end of April and we could arrange to meet there 4. any other (sensible) suggestion! eg: the GONADS service. thks Chris 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here Edited by - Chris W on 1 Apr 2006 11:55:48

Stu Yes it would be possible to program this functionality. I am presuming that the next push switches it off in either mode. Yes? The driving problem though in having any method of creating a continuous flash is that one runs the risk of leaving it ON which is the real pain with the normal 7's manual switch, and the inherent road safety dangers. I can certainly do it electronically for you Stu, if you really want it. There would be an additional cost (which I'll let you know) for the time involved in working out the new coding, the actual programming and the testing and tweeking of the new functionality. Chris 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here

If you're interested in purchasing a unit which has steering-wheel mounted indicator switches with a self-cancelling feature for either a fixed or Q/R wheel, please see the following thread on Techtalk here Cheers Chris 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here

Ok, I have worked out a price. Option 1: £63 for the ready-to-install, fully tested fixed wheel version Option 2: £68 for the ready-to-install ,fully tested Q/R wheel version. Option 3: Parts kit for self-build inc fully programmed microprocessor, electronic components, box, switches and etched & drilled board for fixed wheel version £50. Option 4: as Option 3 but for Q/R wheel version £55. All options will come with full installation instructions (and building instructions for options 3 & 4). You must specify which option you require when ordering and I would need £30 up front (cheque) for all options to confirm your order with the balance by cheque prior to shipment. I estimate it will take about 3-4 weeks to complete and test 10 of them in my spare time but I will send them out on a first come-first served basis as I finish them so if you order earlier you will receive them earlier. Please don't hesitate to ask any further questions you may have. You can email me directly on: chris@cwyles.freeserve.co.uk Chris PS: if you should require just the microcontroller assembly code together with a circuit diagram to be able to source the components yourself, you can have them for £30. 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here Edited by - Chris W on 31 Mar 2006 17:17:23

BTW, I forgot to mention, but the functionality of the normal hazard flasher switch is totally unaffected by the addtion of this circuit. Chris 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here

OK if we can get just a few more people it will be worth doing at a reasonable price. I'll work out the price based on a minimum of 10 people. I have named the unit "CATFLASH®". It has 8 connections which are really easy to wire up. (Note: the existing indicator switch can be left in situ or removed completely as desired but will continue to function as per normal if you want a mechanical back-up system). Full instructions will come with the unit but in essence the connections are simply as follows: 1. +12v 2. Ground 3. one wire to the middle connection of your existing indicator switch 4. one wire to the left hand side connection of your existing indicator switch 5. one wire to the right hand side connection of your existing indicator switch 6. one wire going to one connection of both left and right hand hand steering wheel switches (each switch needs a 1/4" hole in the steering wheel spoke to mount it). 7. one wire to the other connection of the left hand steering wheel switch 8. one wire to the other connection of the right hand steering wheel switch The kit will include all wiring, switches, full instructions and the CATFLASH® itself. The switch off delay is user selectable from a choice of 15, 25, 35 or 45 seconds. (I can program other values if the concensus want something different). The unit can be cancelled ahead of self-cancelling by a second push of the appropriate steering wheel switch. The integral buzzer has a volume adjustment and a switch to disable it if no buzzer is required. The whole unit (see my website - click below) is about 4" x 2" x 1" approx and can be double-adhesive taped under the dash. The main circuit board is a properly etched unit not just a piece of stripboard. I may also offer a reduced price kit of parts for those who are confident about soldering the parts together themselves. The parts kit would of course come with the microprocessor fully programmed and ready to plug into its socket. All ready-built units will be fully tested before despatch. For those who have a removable (QR) wheel like me, I will provide a simple snap-in connector for the back of the wheel to allow the connecting wires to be disconnected when the wheel is removed. Any other questions? I'll work out a price over the weekend. Chris 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here Edited by - Chris W on 31 Mar 2006 17:21:28

I have designed and made my own steering-wheel mounted indicator switching circuit which is self-cancelling after a user preset time or by touching the wheel mounted switch a second time. Also, if you are doing a quick, say, right/left combo turn or vice versa, a touch of the opposite indicator switch will automatically cancel the current indicator and switch on the opposite indicator. It also contains a beeper with adjustable volume control. It's microprocessor controlled so very easy to reprogram for additional/different functions. see my website (click below) If enough people were interested, I could put a few together for a reasonable price. I'm also happy to talk anyone through the circuitry that has the knowledge and to sell just the source code if you want to build it yourself. (knowledge of PICs and assembly language required) Works a treat Chris Edited to say....PS: it also works with removable steering wheels (as mine is) 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here Edited by - Chris W on 31 Mar 2006 11:45:57

I'd go with batteredoldsupersport and knock up a simple voltage regulator using a dedicated chip. It's so simple to do and all you need is the regulator chip and a couple of capacitors and resistors. The regulator chip for your application is the LM317 (100mA version @ 33p) which can supply any output voltage bewteen 1.2v and 37v. see here. This could be put together in a very tiny box as small as a matchbox. (Maplin also have boxes). You could of course use a ready-built regulator and the only real penalty (apart from being a few quid dearer) would be size as it would be somewhat larger than a home-made version. That may not be a problem if it's stuffed under the dash somewhere. Using a resistor is not recommended (sorry Myles) because all devices draw a variable current as they operate and so the supply voltage will vary in a similar way as more or less voltage is lost across the resistor. This will cause a supply variation which will show itself as noise on the system as well as causing potentially erratic operation. Chris 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here

Guy In fact the fog light only comes on with dipped headlights. The fog lamp will switch off when you choose main beam. Chris 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here

Nifty PPS: the data sheet for this device can be downloaded from here Chris 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here

Nifty I notice on the Maplin webpage for this device that it states the input voltage range is 35v to 40v. That is a printing error, the device will accept input voltages from 3.5v to 40v Chris 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here

Nifty There are dedicated chips available to do this which utilise an inductor rather than a transformer and include the on-board oscillator etc. I recently built a 12vdc to 18vdc converter to drive a telescope, which works fabulously. The telescope vendor wanted around £120 for the same thing. Cost me about a tenner including the box. Very low component count too. Maplin sell the chip (the LM2577T @ £5.16 inc vat) see here The device can supply up to 3A at output voltages up to 60vdc @ ~80% efficiency Chris 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here

You may actually find the voltage across the battery with the engine running is closer to 13.8v - 14v but this is OK. Measuring the battery voltage to ascertain the percentage charge is a great way to diagnose the battery but bear in mind the following: 1. If the battery has just been charged, run the headlights for 5 minutes with the engine OFF before measuring the battery voltage (switch the lights off before measuring). Otherwise you will get a much higher reading than the real charge state. This is caused by the water and the acid during charging not having had time to remix properly. If it's stood overnight after charging, you can go right ahead and measure the battery voltage. 2. To try to measure differences in voltage of 0.1v at around 12v means you need a voltmeter that is accurate to about +/-0.5%. Unless you own a reasonably priced semi-pro model this is unlikely to be the case and therefore your reading is meaningless. The cheap meters that most people buy will probably only be accurate to about 2% even if they are digital meters. 3. Even if a battery is showing a full charge, it doesn't mean that you can necessarily extract that charge when you need a very heavy current for starting. Measure the voltage across the battery while someone cranks the starter (temporarily disconnect the fuel cut-off switch lead to prevent actual starting). If the voltage falls below 9v the battery is knackered as it has too high an internal resistance to deliver high currents. Chris 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here

Caroline Strange. I have the same engine as you with standard MEMS EU3 (2003) and standard Roadsport silencer and cat and, at my first MOT last month, the MOT tester said the emissions (or rather the lack of them) were some of the best he has ever seen for any make of car he has tested. I don't have the DVA ported head, fast-road cams or verniers but do have a 52mm throttle body. Would these make such a difference to emissions? Chris 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here

Ralph Have you checked that both sides of the fuse are live? It may just be that you only checked the input side of the fuse rather than the output. Try removing the fuse to double check that it's OK and reinserting it. It might be due to some corrosion on the fuse terminals which removal and reinsertion would probably scrape off. Failing that, get yourself a 12v test bulb thingy (a couple of quid from Halfords etc). This looks like a screwdriver with a 12v bulb in it and a lead with a crodile clip. The croc clip is clipped to any earth point and the bulb lights inside the "screwdriver" if 12v exists at any point you touch. The really useful ones have a very sharp needle-like point (usually with a safety cover!) which means you can push the tip through the insulation of a wire to connect to the actual wire within. This allows you to trace a wire back at various points to ascertain whether a break exists. When the bulb goes out, you know the break is between the last good point and your current (excuse the pun) location. Start at the fuse and work forward towards the brake switch in this case. If the fuse is OK (which does indeed supply the brake lights and reversing light) then it has to be a connection problem at the brake switch or a break in the wire between the fuse and the brake switch; the latter caused by chafing somewhere. Chris 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here

Angus If the charging light goes out over about 1200-1500 rpm approx it suggests that there may be a fault in the circuit that connects the alternator to the charging light. There is often a resistor wired in parallel with the charging light which supplies the initial current (of around an amp) to magnetise the field coils on the alternator in order to kick it into life as it starts turning. Without this initial current, the alternator will only kick into life above some moderate revs as residual magnetism allows the alternator to kick start itself. Once kick-started the alternator produces its own field current by tapping off some of its own output. It could be that the resistor has failed or, more likely, the wiring is suspect. It would normally be about a 10 ohm, 10 watt resistor probably about 2 x 0.5 x 0.5 cm in size. The charging light is basically telling you that there is a different voltage on either end of it - hence it lights. ie: when you switch on the ignition, the light has 12v from the battery on one side of it and nothing on the other as it is connected to the not yet functional alternator. The alternator's field coils simply act as a path to ground and hence the light comes on. Once the alternator is working, there is about 14v on both sides of the light so it goes out. If there exists a small voltage difference, the light glows, as in this case. A slipping alternator belt could cause the same problem and effects. Hope this may help Chris 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here