XJ8 2004 fuse box in cabin

[tjn]

HI chaps,

I guess that must be the cabin fuse box right where the accelerator pedal is in the way?!

How do you get the cover off please? Just spudger it off i.e. prise with something hard enough to get it off

but not hard enough to damage it? Or just pull at the top? don't want to break anything!

Regards from Terry.

 

[Jimbov8]

It either pulls from the top or the bottom, can’t remember which.

[tjn]

Thanks Jimbov8. you can get your hand over the top to pull it so I'll try that tomorrow or given the weather forecast at some later point.

(Looking to address an ABS/DSC warning, checking fuses first.

Regards from Terry.

 

[Jimbov8]

I would check your battery is fully charged first.😉

[tjn]

Jimbov8, blimey, we were wondering about that actually.

Course, everything has gone wonky with the lockdown etc. With another of our cars I even had to break out the battery charger - and the last time I used that was on a Cortina! But battery troubles are more likely now I suppose with cars sometimes standing for a long while.

What's the best way to check the battery please? I've got a multimeter (but hazy on how to use it!)

 - Terry.

[Jimbov8]

Ok Terry, basics first. Multimeter on dc volts and probes directly to the battery, you should have at least 12.8v for a fully charged battery. These cars don’t like low voltages so anything lower and it should be charged.

[tjn]

Ah Jim, thanks for that.

I'll have a look in the morning, or later if the forecast is right and it's heavy rain.

- Terry.

[Jimbov8]

Let us know how you get on.

[tjn]

will do

 

[tjn]

Hi Jim, I've googled around a bit but can't find my exact make of multimeter so still unclear - I guess I want it switched to V with a solid line and a dotted line over it? Then there's a rotary dial with stuff like V, K Omega in red and 2, 20, 200 in black. I ask 'cos I can't get anything out of it trying with torch batteries. The display lights up but that's about all (-:  Not tried on actual car 'cos of weather and boot's full of stuff which I would have to take out to get at battery and I don't want to get it wet.

Regards from Terry.

 

[Jimbov8]

That’s correct Terry, just switch to V with the solid and dotted line. Then just connect to the battery and read off what it says, no need to worry about the other dial.

[tjn]

Thanks Jim back soon-ish weather permitting!

[tjn]

Ho hum got multimeter in bits now lol. Shows zero on Jag battery and on another car's battery and on a 9v battery in the house.

(btw both cars started on the button.)

I think it's an ex-multimeter I think it's had it. It was only a cheap thing that I got for 1 job a while ago as I recall.

Might order another one.

Will keep you informed.

Regards from Terry.

 

[tjn]

Ordered another meter, supposedly will be delivered tomorrow.

[Jimbov8]

Ok Terry, will wait for tomorrow then.😊

[tjn]

Ah not winning  here Jim. The new multimeter arrived and although the instructions to fit the battery into the multimeter were wrong I eventually got the battery into it. It's one of those 9v square batteries.

Result : nothing. I tried voltage testing on several known good (new) 1.5v batteries. Tried putting 2 other 9v batteries that I had into the multimeter instead of the battery that came with it. Tried resistance but nothing. The display lights up and also has a pretty blue backlight feature, but it just shows 000 or 0.00 etc. for voltage, and "1" for resistance. Just for luck I tried the actual car battery on the Jag - 000.

I guess it would be possible to order a multimeter and it would arrive defective and not work - but this is after my old multimeter didn't work ... it too just showed zeros or a "1" .... What the two meters have in common seems to be - err - me! Is there something I'm not doing like maybe you have to hold the positive in your right hand and the negative in your left lol

Going mad here lol. Thank goodness it's nearly beer o'clock!

Regards from Terry.

[Jimbov8]

Can you post a picture of your multimeter with the settings you have it on for measuring voltage. It may be that it’s not set up right.

[tjn]

Think so here goes :-

[Jimbov8]

That is set up correctly Terry so I’m a bit flummoxed now.

Switch the meter to measure ohms and touch the the leads together, you should get a reading of around 0.1ohms which will be the resistance of the leads.

If you get that then the meter should be ok. I can then only assume that what you are testing is completely knackered.

[tjn]

Ah I just get "1" when I touch the leads together for all the ohms settings, all the green settings, in the picture.

(I guess there's a reason why some of these meters cost hundreds and this one was £11.98?)

[Jimbov8]

Send it back Terry, that ain’t right. I wish I was closer to you, I’d come and help you out.

[tjn]

Right I'll bounce that back to Amazon, maybe get something a bit better.

Thanks for the help Jim. I'll report back when I get another multimeter. Come to think of it my son-in-law might have one. A known good meter would be great around now. But lockdown .....

I'll get back to you anyway.

[Jimbov8]

Ok Terry, no problems.😊

[tjn]

Ah hi Jim, yeah sent that multimeter back, the return process was a bit different but I hope I'll get my money back, only £11.98. (The process seemed a bit hit and miss, I'd be worried if it was a couple of hundred quid lol! As it it, no big deal.)

Anyway I ordered another multimeter @ £29 quid, so two-and-a-half times as dear, but seems (fingers and toes crossed) pretty amazing. Auto-ranging, and when you set the rotary switch it lights up the ports you should plug the leads into. So it should be idiot-proof which is good for me.

To cut a long story short I've just measured the battery voltage at 11.93 volts. That's short of the 12.8 we were looking for.

Regards from Terry.

[Jimbov8]

In that case Terry, put the battery on charge until at least tomorrow lunchtime. When you take it off the charger leave it for an hour and then take another voltage reading. If it is then less than 12.8v I would recommend a new battery.

If you do have to buy a new battery then be aware, they rarely come fully charged, so you will probably have to charge the new one also.