Loosing battery power

Elpres

Member
It’s winter here, and I’m only using my car to drop off/pick up my kids in a kinder garden 3,6 km away. The radio, washer, lights etc is in use on the trip.
Would this cause a slowly drainage to the battery? Or should the generator be able to put back the power to the battery?
The battery is new.
What voltage should I measure on the battery, when car is running?
 
You will barely replenish the battery from the starting load doing that regularly, especially in the winter. You really need longer journeys, at least once a week. Charging voltage should be approx 14.5-8v when running.
 
Maybe some of our experience with winter and short trip user pattern can give you some ideas...

We have one A2 1.4TDI 75hp AMF that is used by my sponse back and forth to work with just 2 km each way and at low speed.
With lights on, radio, one heated seat and fan at 60% we reach the balance point, when the temp is -5 to -10 degC.

I recommend to leave the car with light switch, fan and radio at 0 so when you start the car next day none of the consumers are engaged while starting. Do not touch the steering wheel while runing the starter, power steering is a greedy consumer...
If you need to remove ice from windows ensure that only the fan is on while doing that.

With the above user pattern I charge her battery every second weekend.
(our learning have been; do not use more that needed and there will be less hazzle :) , after a while it becomes a routine)

dieselfan
 
Thank you guys, for your feedback. Ill measure If the charging voltage is ok.
And maybe take it for a longer spin once a week.
 
I had a go messuring the voltage at idle.
It went a bit up and down between 12,5 and 14,3. Don’t know if that’s normal behavior?, could also just be the multimeter.?
 
If its appears to be a cranking/starting problem and the battery appears to be fine it COULD be an earthing problem.
The earthing wire from the starter to the chassis and in particular the earthpoint behind the LHS headlight are known weak points.
 
If its appears to be a cranking/starting problem and the battery appears to be fine it COULD be an earthing problem.
The earthing wire from the starter to the chassis and in particular the earthpoint behind the LHS headlight are known weak points.
Where can I find this earthing point. I had a look behind the headlight but couldn’t find it?
 
If you remove the LHS headlight the earthing point is visible, sorry dont have a pic and the car is away ATM. It is reasonably obvious. IIRC is it a 14 or 15 mm bolt, with washer and lead from the starter you have to use a socket and the bolt is fore and aft orientation.
 
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