Battery Problem

["Al Powell" <APOWELL@agcom.tamu.edu>]

> The way I look
> at it, there was a big pot-hole in the road. He hit it.. the van lurched to the
> right digging into the shoulder and inducing the skid. The road where he had
> the accident was a bad road to begin with. Since there were no other cars and
> the ticket was handed to him post accident, I think he has a fair chance of
> beating the rap. 


AH!  With that information, I think you have a decent 
argument....whether it is successful or not, Quien Sabe?

Joe Garibaldi <joegari@cdc.hp.com> asked....

> After the second occurence of the battery voltage going south, I took the
> car out for some data gathering.  While driving ON THE FREEWAY and under
> minimal load (i.e. no lights, no A/C, not even the radio), I monitored
> the system voltage using Channel 11 and found it to be ~ 14.3 Volts. (Clue #2)
> After turning on the lights the voltage didn't change much, only a few tenths
> of a volt. (Clue #3) Next, I turned on the A/C with the blower motor set to
> "low".  The voltage dropped to ~ 12.9 V. (Clue #4) Setting the blower motor
> to "high" caused the reading to drop further to 12.3 V. (Clue #5) At even
> lower RPMs, while driving in the city or at idle, the voltage was going as
> low as  ~11.8 V.  (Clue #6) No wonder the battery was discharging!  
> 
> What component of the electrical system do you suspect as being the likely
> culprit?  Battery?  Alternator?  Voltage Regulator?

I would suspect the voltage regulator, but I see no diminishment in 
"honour" in having someone run a charging system test on it.  If they 
can diagnose it, you can save a LOT of time messing with it.

ONE thought - altho it sounds too simple - check the starter 
connection where your positive cables connect from the jumpoer point 
up front.  We just had a battery problem in which voltage dropped and 
eventually the car wouldn't start - turned out to be loose (+) 
connection to the starter.  Cheap and easy to check.......just follow 
the cables from the jumper point.

Al Powell                           Voice:  409/845-2807
107 Reed McDonald Bldg.             Fax:    409/862-1202
College Station, TX 77843           Email:  a-powell1@tamu.edu 
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"Baseball is 90 percent mental.  The other half is physical"...
...Yogi Berra.