Volvo ECR28 Battery Warning Light & "STOP" light on

[Arthur]

It's a 2012 machine recently bought for a renovation project. I previously had a EC13-XTV for a few years so although I'm not a professional I have some experience with these machines.

The battery warning light ( and 'STOP' light) has started to light up when working and the operator's manual just says:

The control light indicates the charge condition of the battery. The control light goes out as soon as the engine is
running. The control light lights up if the battery is not being charged.
– If the control light lights up during operation in connection
with general control light (4), shut down the engine, perform trouble shooting, if necessary inform the customer
service department.

Unfortunately, I AM the 'service department' but am certainly not very experienced!

First, I changed the battery for a spare, though previously used one, but after a couple of work sessions it would not start the machine. I recharged the battery and it would start the machine. So it certainly seems like the battery is not charging.

So I'm thinking alternator but am not sure how to test this.

Has anyone had similar trouble with this machine?
Are Volvo's known for this sort of thing (my EC13 never went wrong)?
Any suggestions before I give up and call a local agent?

[Mattir]

It's a 2012 machine recently bought for a renovation project. I previously had a EC13-XTV for a few years so although I'm not a professional I have some experience with these machines.

The battery warning light ( and 'STOP' light) has started to light up when working and the operator's manual just says:

The control light indicates the charge condition of the battery. The control light goes out as soon as the engine is
running. The control light lights up if the battery is not being charged.
– If the control light lights up during operation in connection
with general control light (4), shut down the engine, perform trouble shooting, if necessary inform the customer
service department.

Unfortunately, I AM the 'service department' but am certainly not very experienced!

First, I changed the battery for a spare, though previously used one, but after a couple of work sessions it would not start the machine. I recharged the battery and it would start the machine. So it certainly seems like the battery is not charging.

So I'm thinking alternator but am not sure how to test this.

Has anyone had similar trouble with this machine?
Are Volvo's known for this sort of thing (my EC13 never went wrong)?
Any suggestions before I give up and call a local agent?

Hi, you can test the alternator easily. Start the engine, put some revs on it (like 1500 rpm) and measure the voltage over the battery poles. If it reads below 13 V, you have an alternator issue. Healthy charging voltage is around 13,5...14,4V.

all you need is a multimeter.

[Noel_ Colledge]

HI

Have you checked the wiring connections to the alternator are ok.

Also check your fan belt is the right tension and not slipping, otherwise if the test fails that Mattir mentioned, then it sounds like a new alternator..

Regards

[Arthur]

Thanks for the suggestions. I had wondered about something like that multimeter test (since I have one!) but was not sure what to look for. I'll give that a try first before worrying about wiring issues and fanbelt tension and report back.

[Arthur]

OK, I'm now thinking the replacement battery may not be in perfect condition, so I left it charging overnight until my 'smart' charger (Ctek) showed it was fully charged. That was a few days ago and the machine had sat idle for a couple of days (no battery charger connected).

Have just done the multimeter checks.
Battery voltage (isolated) = 12.7v
Battery voltage with isolator 'in' and alarm disabled = 12.7v
Switched on machine, battery voltage = 12.5v
Key to heater position, battery voltage = slowly dropping to 12v
Key to starter, engine started immediately!
Battery voltage at idle = 12.5v
Increased engine revs and battery voltage increased to 14.2v
Set 'auto idle' switch to on and battery voltage remained at about 14.2v even when idling kicked in.

So all seemed ok.

But a short while (10-15 seconds) after slowly moving the arm about the 'STOP' and battery lights came on again, even though the voltage at the battery termninals was 14.2v, so the alternator must have been working and delivering charge to the battery.

So what's going on here?

I still have a question mark over the battery but don't really want to buy a brand new one unless I can be sure it will fix the problem.

Any ideas?

[Mattir]

Hi,

the battery seems to be ok, no need to change it

[Arthur]

So what does the battery warning light REALLY mean?

The alternator is generating a normal voltage and that is being seen at the battery terminals, which I think means it must be charging.

Regulator circuit fault perhaps?

[Mattir]

well,

normally it tells that the voltage difference between battery and alternator is too big:> alternator or regulator faulty

[Arthur]

Update to this thread . . .

I've been using the machine on and off for the last few months with no problems except for the battery warning light. There were a couple of times that the battery wouldn't start the machine until I had put a charger on it for 5-10mins, so I decided the battery was not in great health and fitted a brand new one. Starting was then fine but the battery warning light still came on occasionally, although less often - or so it seemed to me.

Then, this week I was using the machine and I noticed that that the battery warning & 'Stop' lights came on whenever I switched into 'boom slew' mode (using the push button on the LH joystick). When I switched off 'boom slew' the battery & stop lights went out after a few seconds. I did this enough times to convince myself there was a definite cause-and-effect going on, though I can't think of any reasons why this should happen.

Any ideas?

[Muz]

Update to this thread . . .

I've been using the machine on and off for the last few months with no problems except for the battery warning light. There were a couple of times that the battery wouldn't start the machine until I had put a charger on it for 5-10mins, so I decided the battery was not in great health and fitted a brand new one. Starting was then fine but the battery warning light still came on occasionally, although less often - or so it seemed to me.

Then, this week I was using the machine and I noticed that that the battery warning & 'Stop' lights came on whenever I switched into 'boom slew' mode (using the push button on the LH joystick). When I switched off 'boom slew' the battery & stop lights went out after a few seconds. I did this enough times to convince myself there was a definite cause-and-effect going on, though I can't think of any reasons why this should happen.

Any ideas?

sounds like a power leakage somewhere exacerbated when you use the off set

[v8druid]

sounds like a power leakage somewhere exacerbated when you use the off set

solenoid on the 6 x 2 diverter for the change over about to fry

[Wazza]

solenoid on the 6 x 2 diverter for the change over about to fry

Regulator most likely ,or Alternator stuffed, ,low output and cant cope with any extra load ..
Your idling voltage seems too low to me .

[Arthur]

Regulator most likely ,or Alternator stuffed, ,low output and cant cope with any extra load ..
Your idling voltage seems too low to me .

I re-checked the idling voltage at the battery terminals and it was 14.3v, which I believe is ok?

interesting suggestion about the solenoid. I suppose the only was to really find the problem is to try swapping things out one at a time, such as the regulator and alternator, but it seems like an expensive way of doing things.

would a Volvo dealer be able to diagnose the actual fault in some other way? I don’t mind paying to have it fixed but I’m not keen on paying for loads of workshop time while they try out different ideas about what it might be.

I’ll probably just live with it until something properly breaks, though i’m not really comfortable about being so cavalier and would prefer the prevention approach.

[Muz]

would a Volvo dealer be able to diagnose the actual fault in some other way? I don’t mind paying to have it fixed but I’m not keen on paying for loads of workshop time while they try out different ideas about what it might be.

I’ll probably just live with it until something properly breaks, though i’m not really comfortable about being so cavalier and would prefer the prevention approach.

You will pay a pretty penny for that diagnosis .. if you cant eliminate some things as suggested ...( just knock them out .. yes it may disable something else but, it might get you closer to the fault) I am reminded of one of my common sayings .. one of which was L.I.D. or let it develop

[Arthur]

You will pay a pretty penny for that diagnosis .. if you cant eliminate some things as suggested ...( just knock them out .. yes it may disable something else but, it might get you closer to the fault) I am reminded of one of my common sayings .. one of which was L.I.D. or let it develop

Ha! L.I.D. - not heard it described that way before but I know exactly what you mean! My Defender fuel pump has recently started a high-pitched ‘whine’ - replace it now or L.I.D.? Yep, most probably L.I.D.

Cheers