Re: Something's Draining my Battery

["Steve Nash" <nashflr@erols.com>]

Voltage doesn't mean anything but the ability to do work.  What you need to
check is the amperage.  Amperage is the actual flow of current.  Without
amperage a car will not start, but may still show good voltage.

Steve

----- Original Message -----
From: <Cabell_T_Treadway@res.raytheon.com>
To: <jettaglx@igtc.com>
Sent: Thursday, July 20, 2000 2:26 PM
Subject: re: Something's Draining my Battery


> 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
>
>