Date:         Tue, 6 Dec 2011 16:56:44 -0800
Reply-To:     randy velasco <rdv519@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         randy velasco <rdv519@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Re: Something draining my battery
Comments: To: d23haynes57@hotmail.com
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Hi all

I wanted to thank everyone for the help with this issue. I changed the battery and now i am checking all the wires and fuses. I will Let you know how it goes.

Thanks

Randy
On Fri, Dec 2, 2011 2:52 AM EST Dennis Haynes wrote:

>First of all you should never disconnect the battery while the engine is
>running. The battery is part of an engineered load and filter for the
>alternator. Disconnecting while the alternator is producing current can
>create a sudden voltage surge before the voltage regulator can react. This
>surge is detrimental to the alternator itself and can damage anything
>electronic including the ECU.
>
>Yes something can be draining the battery. Yes, the battery can even be
>defective. 4 months means little. Yes you can also have a wiring problem
>between the battery and the alternator. Make sure the indicator
>light-trigger circuit is working. If not the alternator may not always turn
>on.
>
>Dennis
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
>randy velasco
>Sent: Tuesday, November 29, 2011 8:43 PM
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: Something draining my battery
>
>Hi All,
>
>So this weekend while working on my 85 Vanagon I was not able to start the
>van. Which is strange since the battery was only 4 months old. I jump
>started the van and it ran for 20 minutes, After the 20 minutes I
>disconnected the negative wire from the battery and the van shutoff. I
>turned the van back on and disconnected the negative wire again and again
>the van shutoff. Now I knew this could be the alternator. So I changed the
>alternator and ran this test again and again the van shutoff.
>
>
>I bought a voltmeter to test the battery and alternator and the new
>alternator reading was 11.40 volts and the battery reading was 12.4 volts so
>I knew the new alternator was not working properly. I reinstalled the old
>alternator and tested and the reading was 13.98 volts which means the
>alternator is working properly.So I went back to the battery and
>disconnected the negative wire and the van shutoff.
>
>
>Please help! What should I be looking for? Something is draining my battery.
>
>
>Thanks
>
>Randy
>