Testing - volts LED, Power distribution and crank breather

First chance to run the engine in ages.

Three changes to test:

     Volts - dashboard LED indicator

     Power distribution changes - battery fusebox prep

     Crank case breather - drilled PCV

Success 1

LED indicator works fine - showing red or amber when ignition is on, and then flips to green as soon as it sees the voltage climb, that should be easier to read at a glance than the volts clock.

Success 2

Power routing changes are excellent - between .5 and 1volt more showing on the volt meter - I actually see 14.5 volts when charging at ~1,000 revs. Well worth doing to make the shortest cabling runs with fewest connections possible.

This did require a tweak to the idle injection settings, I think the ECU battery voltage compensation was reducing cycle times a little over optimistically. I adjusted idle so the wideband is within its adjustment thresholds and feels like I need some more long distance driving to let the rest of the map settle down.

Success 3
No difference with the breather change - I checked by blocking the hole with my finger - engine isn't bothered either way. Time will tell if this stops my dipstick being pushed out on more spirited runs.

Earth point re-work

While changing the power distribution; quick tidy on the internal chassis earth point.

Before - too many cables on the one bolt making things untidy and awkward to maintain, every time I removed/re-inserted this bolt it was juggling at arms length in the footwell.

After - simple busbar - much better, tidy and I can remove the battery ground cable without everything else moving around.

Peter and Ian

Sad news yesterday as another of the 2014 Scotland group passed away. It seems all too fast - meeting people and then suddenly they're gone.

Yesterday we lost Peter - back row second from right. 

Ian - kneeling far right - passed away last year. 

Of that memorable road trip many of the cars and drivers have moved on to something or somewhere new.

Chatting about something with Peter at Stoneleigh in 2016. Peter gave me driving music advice for the Barcelona run - I gladly took it and played Led Zeppelin very loud -on speakers- back through France for motivation!

Happy recent memories, condolences to both families.

Crank case breather - drilled PCV

Time for a change, another one that isn't because something is particularly wrong - but just to see what the difference is. My dipstick will jump out of position sometimes - I've no idea if thats positive crankcase pressure or vibration - it will be interesting if this change makes any difference.

Pulled and drilled through, rather cut the end off, the crank case breather PCV. Literally a 10 minute job with the Dremel.

The stock oil separator is still in place - but effectively more like a stand alone catch tank now with a wider unobstructed path, through the open PCV, up to the vent at the back of the cam cover. There should be a significant difference between the 6x 1-2mm holes in the end cap vs a direct open flow.

The only difference I'm expecting is perhaps a change in the volume of residue around the breather filter.

Original setup including the breather filter detailed here.

Update - tested the engine while completely blocking the PCV outlet - made no difference.  There is a little positive crankcase pressure, you can feel it 'puffing' against your finger. So all is good drilling out the PCV and it will stay like this.

Power distribution changes - battery fusebox prep

Re-working the power distribution circuit.

There was no massive issue with the original standard setup however - reading through various sites over the years I noticed there was always at least a fusible link somewhere in the setup and on many modern cars a fusebox right on the battery. 

The stock Zero had no such built in weak point - just massive 35mm² cabling, and plenty of it from the positive battery terminal in the engine bay and behind the firewall before any fuse. When everything works, as it has for 4.5 years, its fine, but a failure in any of these cables insulation could be serious.

Power distribution layout changes

The stock Zero cabling is routed: Battery->fusebox binding post->starter->alternator.
The isolation switch is my own addition - helps ensure everything is off when the car isn't actually being driven.

The new arrangement will have physically shorter runs, not via the firewall, not taking the usual alternator->starter route which is significantly longer on a RHD Zero. It also minimises cable joins.

I'm moving my isolation switch to the negative side of the battery at the same time - again safety - less unfused cabling just waiting to find a short.

Downside?

a. If the alternator fuse blows with the engine running, the alternator is likely to cook itself. I'm positing if this fuse goes I've probably got bigger issues to worry about anyway!

b. If the isolator is used with the engine running its also likely to blow the alternator. The switch is only used to disconnect the battery when I'm not driving and/or working on the car. Its an isolator not a kill switch.

Battery mounted fusebox 

The positive battery terminal to be replaced with a fusebox - found on ebay by searching for 'Renault battery terminal' - its perfect for the job, originally used on Renault Scenics so should be up to the task.

   1x CAL 1 Powerfuse for the starter, 

   1x 80A midifuse for the main fusebox (60A pictured)

   1x 80A midifuse for the alternator (60A pictured)

My alternator is 40A output could hit ~50, therefore fusebox should only be drawing ~50A and fuses sized at 80A to run at ~75% of their rating and well under the 16mm² cable rating.

The box required a couple of minor modifications, first picture, the midi line exit holes in the case needed a little adjustment to accept a standard 6mm cable end.

The lid also needed a little of the bottom edge removed to fit around my battery.

Offered up, I think I'm going for this orientation - two cables leaving for the starter and alternator, one the other side toward the fusebox. There's plenty of room under the bonnet at this location.

Update - engine run test, better voltage indicated on the clocks so thumbs up for the wiring change. The significantly shorter runs and fewer joints have given me a good 1/2 a volt perhaps more indicated - I'm now seeing 14.5V on the volt meter instead of the usual 13-13.5.

Update - up-rated 2x midi fuses to 80A for more headroom. Spec on the 40A alternator shows it could hit 52A in normal operation.

Update 2 - I think the extra 1-1.5 volts upset the injection settings - perhaps an over enthusiastic default battery voltage compensation curve in the ECU. I lost slow idle and had to boost the injection values a little so get back in the range where the wideband live adjustments can do their job and not pegging at its set +-15% settings. ECU settings updated to compensate.

Polyswitch bypass

Moving the isolation switch to the negative lines means I need a different approach for a permanent live. My radio and immobiliser flashing LED need a trickle current even if the isolator is turned off, they draw around 10mA total.

Going back to the polyswitch approach, this time a modified blade fuse which can sit in a standard holder. This sits across the isolation switch and will let low currents pass but then open completely if, for example, the ignition is turned on or anything tries to draw more than 100mA. Once the current drops below 50ma it resets itself and everything is back to normal.

All set for final assembly and testing.
(Garage is still to cold to work in for any length of time)

Update - jury is out on the PTC - problem is if I turn on the hazzards (which are live even with ignition off) they trigger/reset the PTC continuously due to drawing the trigger current then immediately turning off, PTC doesn't mind - but the flasher relay will.

Either the PTC goes, or I mod the hazzards switch to have a constant ~50mA load.

Volts - dashboard LED indicator

Couple of hours spent on a project to enhance battery voltage reading.
The unit I'm installing produces various LED colour combinations to flag over and under voltage, so the same information as the existing dial based volt meter - except - its in a more 'in my face' or 'read out of the corner of my eye'  way.

I know I'm tight on electrical power when pausing in traffic with idle revs and headlights on, i.e. usually right at the end of a long road trip. I usually only remember when I start to lose smooth idle. Hopefully this LED catch my eye and I'll be ready to manage the revs a little.

Simple tap into the existing volt meter loom - just need the +ve and -ve feeds.

The 5mm LED discretely installed next to the volt meter, if you didn't know it was there you'd probably miss it.

The widget is a self contained micro-controller and RGB LED, sold by Gammatronix on Ebay at a delivered price less than I could have achieved with off the shelf parts.

Two modes to show alternator output/charging or static battery levels. I'm interested in the former so cut the yellow line - potentially a pushbutton across that line would allow both modes.

All tests fine on the bench, road tests will have to wait until I re-install the main high current power distribution circuits via a battery top fusebox.

Update - works fine, the LED isn't super bright so could do with a recessed bezel, but indicates when on charge fine.

Wiring diagrams - power, dashboard and aux panel

Starting to document the wiring with the parts I have, or am in the process of, modifying.

Detail on components used to follow.
Common lines - +ve, ground and illumination omitted for clarity.
Colours directly indicating wiring colouring.

The pictures are large - right click and download for full resolution.

Power distribution

Some adjustments from the stock loom part way through implementation - with a battery mounted fusebox eliminating all unfused cabling. 

- The isolation switch is an FIA type switch, not used for engine cutout (it would blow the alternator if the engine was running) but generally used to isolate the battery when the car is parked or when I'm working on the electrics. 

- The PTC is a Polyswitch to allow trickle current for the radio and immobiliser permanent live even when the isolation switch is open.

Dashboard loom

Mostly stock, with some additions: The secondary 'in my face' direction indicator warning light (to stop me leaving them on), a shift light triggered by the ECU and a secondary volt meter LED warning light.

Aux Panel Loom

This one very heavily modified on the panel and main loom side to include: a map switch, 12v back panel power outlet and radio/amplifier system. The switches are all back lit when side lights are on and telltale brighter illumination when switched on.

The holy grail is a clear fusebox wiring diagram, that one is going to be a little time consuming!

Update - Adding in connector diagrams and Polyswitch bypass on the power distribution.