Follow up on dead battery

 75 degrees with bright sunshine at 11:40 am in Clarinda, IA.

Yesterday couldn't start the pickup, battery charger showed 5.2 volts in the battery.  

The charger indicated something on the order of a cell being bad and it would only charge at 1.2 amps.  So, I decided I would take the battery off the travel trailer and put it in so could drive somewhere to have it checked out Monday.  When I disconnected the cables from the posts I found a lot of white chalky stuff on the ground post.  I cleaned it and hooked the charger directly to the posts themselves (had been hooked to the cables) and the charger showed 41.2 amps charging and within 15 minutes or so had 14.5 volts in the battery.

When we were on our recent trip, in Athens, Alabama the "check engine" light came on.  I went to a local Chevy dealer and they plugged in the computer thingy and couldn't really find anything that showed up, other than maybe something with the fuel.  She asked if we had changed where we buy fuel, and of course driving the 2800 miles on the trip we had not stayed with one brand of fuel, but bought wherever we were when we needed fuel (or needed a bathroom).  She suggested adding some fuel additive for a few tanks.  I did that and some of the time it didn't light up and then it did.  The light had been on for the last 1,200 miles even with three tanks filled up with additive.  

When I started the pickup after the full battery charge, the check engine light stayed OFF.  Don't know how the faulty battery connection could cause that, but must have some effect.

I had taken the battery out of the covered box on the hitch in front of the travel trailer before getting the new in January of this year battery charged so checked the water in it and found it low.  Remedied that situation, so some good came of that work of getting it out.  Hadn't check the water in it for some time.

Hoping to get another 4 or 5 years use of this pickup, even though have passed 123,000 miles on it now.  Put new tires, shocks, struts, ball joints and battery on in January this year in Texas.

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A husband is advised by a psychiatrist to assert himself. "You don't have to let your wife henpeck you! Go home and show her you are the boss!"  Of course, the husband takes the doctor's advice. He rushes home, slams the door, shakes his fist in his wife's face, and growls, "From now on, you're taking orders from me! I want my supper right now and when you get it on the table, go upstairs and lay out my best clothes. Tonight, I'm going out with the boys and you are going to stay at home where you belong! And another thing... guess who's going to comb my hair, give me a shave, and tie my necktie?"  His redheaded wife says calmly, "The undertaker."

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Got word last evening that my 83 year old sister-in-law Vicki fell and broke her hip while in her assisted living apartment in Cape Girardeau.  She had replacement done yesterday.  Brother Don (will be 83 in 2 weeks) who has dementia, is coping well for now.  Visited briefly with him on phone this morning.  Understand she will be in  hospital up to 4 days before returning to Chateau Girardeau and may be in a rehab portion of the building for a while then.

Till next time, LC