Strange battery charge problems

[Tannaton]

Originally Posted by cheshired5

Got round to checking Vida and there is nothing relating to a high battery state of charge stopping alternator output so where exactly is this information coming from?

A depleted battery or cold conditions would result in a higher alternator output voltage once out and about but that's standard on pretty much every car charging system.

From the Design and Function section which I recommended should be checked, there can be little to no alternator output following starting of the engine and on occasions where the engine is idling but at higher RPM, there's nothing to suggest that alternator output will be anything other than what you'd expect to see on any charging system i.e. above 13.5v
Nothing about no alternator output if the battery is charged above any percentage let alone the very specific percentages you've mentioned.
Nothing about only charging on the overrun.

Maybe on the occasions where OP was receiving battery voltage only, it was because the engine was idling in which case this is in line with how the system is designed to work.

The battery's condition is irrelevant as far as I can see but I'm always happy to be corrected and learn more.

Perhaps the OP could observe voltages at various engine speeds and electrical loads and on a drive to fully describe the system voltage behaviour.

I get VIDA is a good source (the best source) but which car, model, year are you looking this up on?

Power management systems have developed significantly in the past 10-15 years. With the suggestion of the alternator increasing its output when the engine is on overrun this may not be documented in VIDA but it is a key part of Volvo's Driv-E technology and VW's Bluemotion system. Logic says therefore that there is a threshold above which the battery will only be charged when the engine is on overrun, but below which the battery will be charged normally to prevent it becoming too discharged to operate start/stop etc. I can't recall where I read 80% as the SOC threshold (which is why I caveat'd it) but the general principle is documented in this Volvo press release:

https://www.media.volvocars.com/glob...releases/18752

It's the sort of thing that could easily change as a result of a software update during a service.

Its for the reasons above that whenever I buy a new battery for a modern car now, I always trickle charge it on the bench for circa 24 hours before fitting it as it is never likely to reach a 100% SOC in the car - and then a few weeks later (if I remember) I do the same with it connected in the car.

[cheshired5]

Originally Posted by Tannaton

I get VIDA is a good source (the best source) but which car, model, year are you looking this up on?

Well we're in the V60 section so I viewed the V60 charging system across 5 years from 2011-2015.
D5244Txx variants.

It wouldn't make sense for me to research any other.

Can you please quote the section of the press release you linked to which is relevant to this discussion?
I can't see anything relevant.

[Tannaton]

Originally Posted by cheshired5

Can you please quote the section of the press release you linked to which is relevant to this discussion?
I can't see anything relevant.

If you search the page for "alternator" or "regenerative braking" you will find it.

[cheshired5]

Originally Posted by Tannaton

If you search the page for "alternator" or "regenerative braking" you will find it.

Ok, did that and there's 1 instance of alternator and 1 instance of regenerative.
Both relate to C30, S40 and V50 DRIVe 1.6D
Like I asked earlier, what relevance is that to the V60 discussion in this thread?

I'm trying to help a forum member establish whether specific behaviour on his specific car is normal not discuss irrelevant technologies on other cars.

[Tannaton]

Originally Posted by cheshired5

Ok, did that and there's 1 instance of alternator and 1 instance of regenerative.
Both relate to C30, S40 and V50 DRIVe 1.6D
Like I asked earlier, what relevance is that to the V60 discussion in this thread?

I'm trying to help a forum member establish whether specific behaviour on his specific car is normal not discuss irrelevant technologies on other cars.

The context of my post was general discussion on power management systems in cars and that's clear from the first sentence. The article was written in 2009 before, V60's weren't built until 2011. The technology is absolutely relevant as It could potentially explain some of the behaviours he is seeing.

[Zebster]

Originally Posted by Tannaton

The context of my post was general discussion on power management systems in cars and that's clear from the first sentence. The article was written in 2009 before, V60's weren't built until 2011. The technology is absolutely relevant as It could potentially explain some of the behaviours he is seeing.

If it's not in VIDA then it's not real, apparently. This is how the modern mechanic operates now.

[Tannaton]

Originally Posted by Zebster

If it's not in VIDA then it's not real, apparently. This is how the modern mechanic operates now.

Yeah, addicted to flow charts, likely VIDA 2014D - i.e. not updated for 7 years.

[cheshired5]

Originally Posted by Tannaton

The technology is absolutely relevant as It could potentially explain some of the behaviours he is seeing.

If the OP's car doesn't share the same technology and you've provided zero evidence that it does, it's irrelevant.

Vida 2014d was written after the document to which you referred so if the technology was on the OP's car, it would be reasonable to assume that it would be reflected in a workshop manual produced 3 years later.

It isn't.

Originally Posted by Zebster

If it's not in VIDA then it's not real, apparently. This is how the modern mechanic operates now.

Not at all as there are regular technical bulletins which can clarify or supercede.
You haven't referenced anything though other than what some technician said. Without any documentary evidence to support it, how are we supposed to proceed?

Originally Posted by Tannaton

Yeah, addicted to flow charts, likely VIDA 2014D - i.e. not updated for 7 years.

Says the guy producing a 10 year old document for a completely different platform of cars.

I'm not addicted to flow charts but we do have a description of the design and function of the charging system from the people who built the car and hopefully the OP can let us know if it matches his car's behaviour.

I'm pretty confident that the, "Strange battery charge problems" in the thread description will turn out to be quite normal.

[Zebster]

Originally Posted by cheshired5

...I'm pretty confident that the, "Strange battery charge problems" in the thread description will turn out to be quite normal.

For what it's worth, I agree

[Tannaton]

Originally Posted by cheshired5

I'm pretty confident that the, "Strange battery charge problems" in the thread description will turn out to be quite normal.

And I would agree too.

But how could that be if there wasn't some sort of technology in play to vary the output from the alternator?