MLU FORUM - starter Motor Problems

Quote:

Originally posted by Richard Farrant
Bryan,

Glad to hear you have finally sorted the starter out. Just a thought on the slow starter, as you say, battery may not have been fully charged, but another thing, did you renew the battery leads? If so are they of the correct size for 6v. use? Cable for 6v. needs to be heavier than 12v. This is something that catches people out.

Richard

Absolutely.

Can't stress that enough Bryan, you do need fairly huge cable for a 6V system, and the point about the return is often missed too as the current going in also has to come out as it were and be wary of tags underneath chassis bolts for the earth return. Paint et al can make a huge difference to the integrity of the connection which totally relies on a big surface area of clean metallic contact.

The idea of large size welding cable is excellent as this stuff is readily available and borrow Neil's huge petrol blowlamp to really solder some plated tags onto it; be quick before the EU removes all tin/lead solder from us.

Dave can tell you we totally cured his F15 starting woes with some huge cable I obtained. The typical domestic 12V ready made car stuff even in short lengths lost a total of 1.5V between battery and starter; when the battery is dragged down to some 4.5V with the starter load, then 3V available doen't have it turn very fast at all.

Its all self-defeating, the slower the starter goes the more current it will try to draw to make up for it and the more volts will be dropped in inadequate wiring making a need for even more current and so on.

R.