Date:         Mon, 20 Jan 2003 13:40:33 -0600
Reply-To:     Larry Alofs <lalofs@ENTERACT.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Larry Alofs <lalofs@ENTERACT.COM>
Subject:      Re: Overnight Battery Drain
Comments: To: Larry Chase <lchase@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Larry Chase wrote:
>
> Volks,
>
> Just got the van out of the shop for Stereo install.
>
> Trouble shooting what appears to be some overnight battery drain.
>
> My question ..... what would be a normal overnight voltage drop?
>
> The first night I lost over 5 volts overnight.
>
> Yesterday I isolated  all the stereo components and fully recharged the
> battery.
>
> Reading before going to bed ... = 12.5 volts
>
> Reading this morning = 11.49 volts
>
> So seem there was a voltage drop of approx 1 volt overnight.
>
> Is this normal?
>
> As far as I know there should not be anything drawing current other than
> a little "In Panel" digital volt gauge.
>
> Hitting the Trail Soon ... OR IS HE!
>
> Larry Chase


This is not normal.  Either your battery is bad or something is sucking
way too much current.  Do the meter test as recommended; you might want
to start with it on a high current range just in case, so you don't
overload the meter if there is a large current.
  I just did the same thing on a J**p yesterday.  It has a Clarion CD
player with clock and preset memory.  The current being used from the
battery was about 7 milliamps (7 thousandths of an amp).  When I opened
the door, the dome light used almost 1 amp.

good luck,
Larry A.
  (Looking for a manual for a Clarion RDB445D)