Dead battery advice?

[Toby]

Evening guys,

Currently stuck at the side of the road waiting for the RAC man to arrive.

A few day's ago my little battery light on the dash started staying on faintly after turning the engine on.

This morning, everything started fine. But when I finished work an hour ago she wouldn't start. Managed to jump it and limp to Tesco to fill up on fuel. Wouldn't start again. Jumped it and managed a mile before everything cut out (I guess the stop solenoid stopped getting its 12v)..

I've also noticed the little red light on the steering wheel blinking.

Any thoughts? Battery dead or could it even be alternator?

Cheers guys.

Ps I love my big phone keyboard.

[Curt]

Sounds like the alternator's had it. When it's running, stick a multimeter on it. Should read over 14v, if it's lower, there's your culprit.

But if it cut out, it's not the battery it'll be the alternator.

[spike2002]

Also check the earth cables from battery to car body and battery to engine had simalar problem on my old 1.6 it would cut out randomly and have lights simalar to what you have said

[Dave]

So was your battery light on normally when you were driving, or did it go out?.... The flickering before has been the only activity of the light?

[Toby]

Cheers guys for your input so far, small update:

RAC man finally arrived and concluded that the alternator wasn't charging. We fired the old girl up using his truck as a donor, and he gave the alternator some pretty hard knocks with his hammer (must be a fellow 306 owner!), but it didn't seem to change much, his voltmeter was still reading ~11.5v across the terminals.

We charged the battery for 20 mins or so and I've just driven it home.

On the way back, the red battery light went away. Previously it had been on CONSTANTLY for 2-3 days. My car does have a habit of fixing itself, but it's unlikely.

Any thoughts on this?

Btw, I am now in the market for an alternator!!