Low voltage in battery, all the time

[pasquale pilato]

Good morning group,
Victim is a 1990 100q.  I have had this problem for a
little while now, when I go to start my car, there is
very little voltage (<8v).  Lights are very dim, and
there is not enough voltage to crank the engine.  When
I hook up an auxiliary battery (been driving without a
back seat for weeks) and start the car, the car starts
fine, and when it is running, I have almost 14v on the
dash voltmeter.  Some more info, when I’m driving, and
the lights are on, and the stereo cranked, the dash
voltmeter drops to a hair above 12v. (have a 1 farad
capacitor to install) The yellow battery light in the
middle of the tach and speedometer never goes on. 
What I don’t know is if the battery can’t hold a
charge, it is new and still under Sears warranty.  Or
if the alternator is not making enough charge, or if I
have a leak in the air compressor system, and that
thing runs all the time draining the battery.  I do
hear it after the car is off in the garage.  I don't
want to throw $$$$ at parts without knowing how to
trouble shoot the problem.

Also something strange, sometimes when I get in the
car and the battery is dead, I hear 5 chimes.  Is that
an Audi warning?  Has anyone experienced something
similar?  It might be possible that the chime is a low
voltage warning on another electronic devise in my
car.  

Thanks
Pasquale
Portable battery pack, can’t leave home without it.


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