Re: Something's Draining my Battery

["John Corbishley" <JCorbs@gtresort.com>]

You're absolutely right Steve.  I just don't have the means to check that
level of amperage.  I've broken down and got my wife to take it to the
dealer today.

Once again though, I've never seen a battery struggle to crank on the first
attempt, and then suddenly pick up and work fine on the second.

John Corbs

----- Original Message -----
From: Steve Nash <nashflr@erols.com>
To: <jettaglx@igtc.com>
Sent: Thursday, July 20, 2000 1:57 PM
Subject: Re: Something's Draining my Battery


> 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
> >
> >
>
>