[s-cars] battery problem - alarm?

[Theodore Chen]

i'm trying to figure out if i have the problem described at
http://www.sjmautotechnik.com/elec.html#windowrelayclick
although i haven't noticed the relays clicking or windows closing by
themselves.

i recently replaced the battery with an optima red top.  before installing
it, i put it on a trickle charger to make sure it was fully charged.
the car started fine, and all seemed to be ok.  1 week later, sitting
in the garage the whole time, the car is dead again.  i made sure
the radio and lights were off, so something is draining the battery.

when i connected the charger under the hood, i noticed the battery meter
fluctuating rhythmically, and then heard the alarm going off in sync with
the fluctuation.  i yanked the circuit breaker for the alarm system, and 
both the alarm and fluctuation stopped.

the car is sitting on the charger right now, and i'm pondering how to
go about troubleshooting.  i was thinking about leaving the alarm circuit
breaker out, and seeing if the battery drains again.

there were no electrical changes to the car at all.  radio is stock.
the car is a '92 S4, which seems to be the year most susceptible to the
alarm problem.

is it normal for the alarm to be going off as soon as the car gets power
again after the battery discharges?

-teddy


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