Date:         Mon, 31 Oct 2005 12:19:53 -0700
Reply-To:     ScotiaWesty <ScotiaWesty@ADELPHIA.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         ScotiaWesty <ScotiaWesty@ADELPHIA.NET>
Subject:      premature battery death or just not enough use?  Flat spot on
              starter?
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Hey List:

I'm starting to get a bit suspicious about my electrical system.  Do
Vanagon's eat up batteries faster than other vehicles?  I put a new battery
in the van this spring - proper type  MT 41 Interstate.  Went to take the
family for a drive today and the van would not turn over.  I hate this
because it also frigs up the VW stereo where you've got to put the code back
in, etc.

Anyhow, admittedly, the van does not get much driving time - about once or
twice a month.  But I cannot see why a brand new battery would be sucked dry
so fast.  Is it just not being used enough?  Is my clock sucking down the
battery that much?

I also want to know about the starter.  My van has always hesitated for a
fraction of a second when turning over unless the battery is charged up
110%.  Is this called a flat spot on the starter?  The hesitation of course
gets more pronounced as the battery winds down and I think the combination
makes the van even harder to start with a battery less than 100%.  As an
aside, we really don't put any domestic load on this battery.

OK.  I am sifting through the archive on this but your thoughts would be
most appreciated.

Thanks,

Dan

1986 Westy
Colorado