cd player taking battery power from my bus

[theguywiththevw]

i recently installed my cd player and everything and know when i start up the bus i get a really weak start or nothing at all and end up getting it jumped there is probably a numerous amount of things that could be wrong with it i dont really know it could be my starter or my alternator or my battery cables might be old and messed up i just dont know

Doug_

[MrBreeze]

a) Check for shorts
b) There should be two + wires. One is for power and gets connected to a power source that is OFF when the key is OFF. The other is for the memory and should be attached to an always ON power source.

Odds are you're shorting somewhere and draining the battery as it sits. I would pull the radio (or disconnect it completely) and see if your battery drain problem goes away. If so, redo your wiring and check everything.
_________________
-=Rob

WTB: Bay Shore or Queensboro VW Frames

HBB 1984-2009
RW 1943-2011
ER 1964-2023

[RyanV]

i also believe that before 73 there wasn't an accesory only position on the ignition ( as apposed to 73 and up having - off, acc, on, and a start position), therefore you have to wire the accesory and the power wire coming from the radio to the same power wire, there leaving at least the clock and face lit up at all times. if you forget to turn the radio off, or remove the face, you would be draining the battery while parked, but has never been enough to drain my battery, even after sitting for a few days. check your charging system, and maybe its time for a new battery if it is old. I could be terribly wrong, so correct me please, if this is the case. Cheers!
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My current project is a 1972 adventurewagen.

[jeremysmithatshawdotca]

I don't know about newer vw's but right throught to 87 at least (newest I've had) you can listen to the radio without the key, so it's easy to forget if you turn it down for some reason and forget to turn it back up before you get out. Jeremy

[RyanV]

that could be just the way the stereo is wired up. i would be curious to know when the accessory position on the ignition was added. until then i dont think you would have a choice but to have power to the head unit all the time. anyone know?
_________________
My current project is a 1972 adventurewagen.

[MrBreeze]

Connect the main power wire to a fuse that doesn't have constant power. No reason for the unit to always have power, just the memory wire.
_________________
-=Rob

WTB: Bay Shore or Queensboro VW Frames

HBB 1984-2009
RW 1943-2011
ER 1964-2023

[Bob D.]

Jeremy, you are correct and the situation goes way past 1987. We got a 2003 New Beetle Convertible for my wife a few months ago, and one of the first things I noticed is that VW has not changed the radio power set-up in thirty years--you can still turn the radio on and off without an ignition key anywhere in site. I have already been guilty of leaving the radio on and then strolling away from the car.

[RyanV]

wish i would have thought of that before I wired everything up, thanks for tip Rob. amazing how i overlook the easy answer. Cheers!
_________________
My current project is a 1972 adventurewagen.