re: Something's Draining my Battery

[Cabell_T_Treadway@res.raytheon.com]

I've been having a similar problem with my car not wanting to crank up lately.
I'm attributing mine to the fact that I still am using the stock battery, which
is just shy of four years old now, and until this last year the car had been
living in warm climes, so had never seen winter.  I know the alternator and
regulator are running fine, because once it starts, all is good (and there was
much rejoicing).  However, when it sits the night or all day at work, it is
sluggish.  I am planning on getting a new battery tomorrow on my day off.
However, since you mentioned that your battery is new, I really couldn't tell
you.  What's the voltage of the battery when the car is off?  The 14.2 you read
with ignition running isn't really a telling figure, because you're really
reading the regulator and not the battery.  One thing I can suggest is if it is
a very new battery, it probably needs to be cycled a few times.  I'm hardly an
expert on batteries, but I do know that lead acid batteries have to be cycled
regularly to stay good.  If it was sitting on a shelf for a long time, it
probably just needs a little while to get used to being in action.

I hope it's nothing more serious than that.

Good luck, and let me know what you find out.  It's possible I have a similar
problem.  One weird thing I noticed yesterday was that when I started my car
after work, it didn't want to crank, but when it did, my clock and trip computer
had been reset, as if the battery had been disconnected, but the radio wasn't
locked out.  Normally, if power is lost, you have to re enter the code to the
deck.  Anyway, I'm hoping my problems go away with a new battery.

Cab
97glx
72bug


>From: John Corbishley [mailto:JCorbs@gtresort.com]
>Sent: 19 July, 2000 2:01 PM
>To: jettaglx@igtc.com
>Subject: Something's Draining my Battery
>
>
>Help!!
>
>New Battery, 14.2 volts at the terminals with the engine running.  No idiot
>lights.
>
>BUT, from time to time when you go to start her, she cranks with great
>difficulty and the alarm sounds for a moment before she fires.
>
>I'm guessing that something is discharging the battery while the car is off.
>Anyone have any similar experiences?
>
>TIA
>
>John Corbs