Date:         Tue, 11 May 2010 19:28:45 -0500
Reply-To:     Michael Sullivan <sandwichhead@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Michael Sullivan <sandwichhead@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Short Question
Comments: To: Loren Busch <starwagen@gmail.com>
In-Reply-To:  <AANLkTiktrLnDu_t6hsl0VOJ9n-DXa-4GmaAz1mKWtSiF@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Michael in San Antonio
91GL Weekender AT 2.1L 'Gringo'
73 Beetle


On Tue, May 11, 2010 at 7:18 PM, Loren Busch <starwagen@gmail.com> wrote:

>  RE: Battery dropping
> Mike, do this to make sure your change to the aux wiring is working the way
> you wanted.
> First, does the radio work with the key out? It should. Nope.  When I had
> another reciver in there, I wired it to the ignition like the list talked
> about 2 years ago so key in and radio works.
> Either way, turn on the radio.  Now disconnect the ground strap on the aux
> battery.  The radio should go off. Will try it in morning. I'm thinking my
> grounds may be at fault. I pulled the wire to the #3, and main battery still
> drops.
>
> I suggest this simple test because when I rewired all aux items to the new
> aux battery I (actually the guy helping me) had to make several other
> changes on the back of the fuse block to get everything moved over.
>
> If all that checks out then again check the charging voltage AT the
> starting
> battery, not at some remote point.  That will tell you if the alternator is
> giving you what it should.
>
> Based on what you've been saying I still suspect the battery itself. I had
> it checked by Napa and Autozone with van running from the main battery.  One
> note: Even though I hooked the wire to the positive battery clamp to run the
> SPDT, I am not getting the same reading as they did when they checked it for
> me.  I am getting the exact reading of the nut on the 1315 ???? I have the
> SPDT wire AND the 4gauge wire to the aux tied to the main +, but SPDT wire
> does not run through the 1315. When they checked it for me, I was getting
> 13.72 at main battery but reading 11.80 on meter which was the reading
> gotten from the nut on the 1315 even though SPDT not tied to 1315.


Thanks again.  Will try to think more about this and just don't want to try
and change too many things or I will bnever figure it out.