If i'm in stop and go trafic with my Honda Prelude 71, from time to time my markII will go off, then go on and displays a battery symbol in the top left. What's the problem?

bossi

Check your connections (+12V and ground) to the empeg,
and/or the function of your charging controller/generator...

The supply voltage to the empeg dips below some (can't
recall exact) level, and with a properly connected empeg
and properly functioning charging system that just
shouldn't happen (unless maybe you're running a multi-
kilowatt sound system )

/Michael

About 10V was the threshold, IIRC. It could be you have a dodgy battery/alternator is not charging/you are deaf from about 2kW of amp power (too much current for the system).

Check the fluid level in the battery and the terminal voltage with the engine off. If it's anywhere less than about 12V, it is not a happy bunny.

One of the few remaining Mk1 owners... #00015

Check the fluid level in the battery and the terminal voltage with the engine off.

It might also be something as simple as a loose alternator drive belt. This should be the first thing you look at.

tanstaafl.

"There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch"

On which rpm groundlevel does your engine run? Maybe it's just too deep. If you have to brake (at a stoplight or whatever) then it goes down a bit more because the brake-amplifier (don't know if that's the correct word but I hope you know what I mean) takes some power of the engine. At that point it could be that the rpm are not high enough for the generator to produce enough electric power and the empeg switches off. Have you maybe seen your car's battery-light flashing or being on for a short time? That's something that points to that problem.
The solution in this case would be just to adjust the rpm groundlevel a bit higher (e.g. from 800 -> 1000).

If this is not the case maybe something's wrong with your generator.

TeeMcBee
Got my Mk2! # 080000143

The solution in this case would be just to adjust the rpm groundlevel a bit higher (e.g. from 800 -> 1000).

On most modern cars, the engine idle speed shouldn't be changed. It's often controlled by the electronic fuel injection computer, and it's important that it works properly so that the car can pass emissions tests.

He most likely has a problem with the car's charging system, a dead battery, or some sort of wiring problem.

___________
Tony Fabris

On most modern cars, the engine idle speed shouldn't be changed.

I was going to make the same point, until I went back and re-read the original post:

If i'm in stop and go trafic with my Honda Prelude 71...

I don't think a 30 year old car quite qualifies as "modern". But wait a minute... could that have been a typo? I don't think they made Preludes in 1971, did they? Tony, you're the Honda man, you'd know better than I. I had a 1982 Prelude a long time ago, and it was not only not controlled by any electronics, it was carbureted, and the idle speed was freely adjustable. You are correct, though, on modern cars, the engine idle speed not only shouldn't be changed, on many cars it cannot be changed--it is entirely controlled by the engine management computer.

In any case, I'll stay with my original suggestion: loose alternator drive belt.

tanstaafl.



"There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch"

As far as I know they already made the prelude before 82 but I'm not too sure about that.
If it was a dead battery I think he would have recognized it on starting the engine. That's taking the most power of the battery. If the engine can't be started it can be possible that the radio still works.

But most likely it has something to do with the generator/charging of the batt.

TeeMcBee
Got my Mk2! # 080000143

It could just be that the idle rev's are too low.... In my old cavalier the amp used to go off when I was in stop/go traffic. When it went in for a service I asked the garage to check the electrics and they found that the idle was set too low. Also when I used to turn the blower or lights on it would sometimes do the same.

Rgds

Bill

-------------
MK II, (Blue but should be Amber) SN: 118

/me to had this problem, checked battery fluid -> topped it up.
No battery symbols on Empeg.

TommyE

/me to had this problem, checked battery fluid -> topped it up. No battery symbols on Empeg.

I love it. The Empeg gives you the correct icon when your car's got a problem. What's next, a shock absorber icon when it senses too much vibration? A radiator icon when it senses it's too hot?

___________
Tony Fabris

Wouldn't it be better to hook up the aircondition via serial and the empeg switches on it if it's too hot instead of displaying just a simple icon?

TeeMcBee
Got my Mk2! # 080000143

hahah...okay, now someone just needs to interface the Empeg with the in-car computer to monitor temp. and pressures. Isn't someone already doing something like that with accelerometers or something or did i dream that up?

Just wanted to note that i've gotten the battery symbol on a couple of circumstances. One being when i put the key in the ignition and turn it to the on state (but not start the engine) and then put the empeg in the sleeve where it boots up right away. If i then turn on the ignition, i get the battery symbol. The other time it occured was when i slipped into 1st instead of 3rd gear and gave myself a nice jarring whiplash effect...i looked down and saw the battery icon for the first time. I thought i had slammed the empeg out of the sleeve and reseated it...but i guess it was actually power related. Interestin'.


|| loren.cox
|| 080000446

One thing that will give me the battery symbol nearly every time is to attempt running the air conditioner with the engine off.

I didn't think the air conditioning compressor worked with the engine off, but on my Honda, I get the battery symbol if I try, and the problem goes away the instant I press the "AC" button (and only that button).

___________
Tony Fabris