Help! New Car Battery

> The car has automatic daytime running lights. Since I wasn't having
> the problem before I got the new battery, does this mean I can
> eliminate the regulator as a possible source of the problem?  When I
> first used the car after the battery installation, it was daytime so I
> didn't turn the lights on myself, but did get the increased ES symptoms.
>
> How would I know if I had a bad battery connection?  I went out to
> look at it today; nothing looked "loose" but I doubt I'd know if
> something were amiss, since I hadn't seen how it was hooked up
> previously.  I did start up the car and it worked, though I didn't
> drive it. It's been sitting for four days--I've been feeling too ill
> to go anywhere..
>
> BTW, everybody, thanks for all your detailed and thoughtful
> information!  It helps tremendously to learn how the various
> components work and possible places the problem might be coming from.
>
> Esther
>
> On Oct 8, 2012, at 7:21 AM, [hidden email] wrote:
>
>> also the coils may be firing harder ?
>>
>> puk
>>
>>
>> In a message dated 07/10/2012 23:41:41 GMT Daylight Time, [hidden email]
>> writes:
>>
>> This could be explained like this: if the old battery made the
>> alternator
>> work all the time, then the regulator might have let the current
>> flow and
>> not cut in with PWM pulsing. I've never observed this with car
>> regulators
>> but it seems possible. In that case driving with the lights on might
>> make
>> things better for you (typically it makes things worse, because of
>> more
>> current). Conceivably replacing the regulator or capacitor would
>> help, or
>> finding someone who can add in some extra capacitors (large and
>> small in
>> parallel) at the regulator. New regulators are often worse though,
>> because
>> they work at higher frequencies than the originals. A used alternator
>> might help if yours has been replaced. Of course a simpler explanation
>> would be a bad battery connection, but if the car seems zippier the
>> complex
>> scenario may be right.
>> Bill
>>
>> On Sat, Oct 6, 2012 at 2:46 PM, <[hidden email]> wrote:
>>
>>> **
>>>
>>>
>>> i think you've got it there tom
>>>
>>> puk
>>>
>>>
>>> In a message dated 06/10/2012 16:27:28 GMT Daylight Time,
>>> [hidden email] writes:
>>>
>>> Hi Esther
>>>
>>> The battery does, in fact, affect the operation of the alternator.
>> An
>>> old batter near the end of its life tends to deplete easier, and
>> tends
>>> to make the alternator work harder to charge it. If the battery is
>> very
>>> depleted it may cause the alternator work so hard that it overheats
>>> and/or burns out completely. That may be why the mechanic asked
>> about
>>> the alternator. On the other hand, if the alternator is not
>> functioning
>>> well, it can make it seem like you need a new battery, when in
>> fact you
>>> need a new alternator.
>>>
>>> If your alternator is OK, then changing the old battery for a new
>> one
>>> should cause the alternator to work less hard, because a new
>> battery is
>>> easier to charge. There definitely is a difference in the way the
>>> alternator works with a fresh new battery compared to with an old
>>> battery. I think it's possible that because of age and wear and tear
>>> your alternator or some other part of the charging circuit such as
>> the
>>> regulator may be near the end of its life and emitting a stronger
>> EMF
>>> than normal. It would be great if you had a mechanic who could
>> measure
>>> these fields and compare your car to a similar car. The problem you
>>> have is that you can have the alternator and regulator replaced to
>> see
>>> if that helps, but there is no way to know until you spend the
>> money.
>>> Tom
>>>
>>> On 10/6/2012 6:39 AM, Esther LeSieur wrote:
>>>> Thanks for all the replies!
>>>>
>>>> I noticed something else after the battery was installed (which
>> may
>>>> have been my imagination), but the car seemed to be "zippier"--
>> have
>>>> more power. This makes no sense, since the battery isn't running
>> the
>>>> car.
>>>>
>>>> The guy who installed it asked me if I were having problems with
>> the
>>>> alternator. I replied that I didn't think so, but how would I
>> know? I
>>>> should have asked him. Now I'm wondering....
>>>>
>>>> I just now read an article on how alternators work. They convert
>> AC
>>>> power from the engine into DC power to charge the battery. They
>>>> generate power through magnetism. Maybe something is wrong w/ the
>>>> alternator that's causing an increased EMF field, and it wasn't
>>>> apparent until the new battery was installed?
>>>>
>>>> I also found this info. "A car battery works by producing an
>>>> electrical charge via a chemical reaction inside the battery,
>> which is
>>>> then sent through wires to power the starter, the lights, radio,
>> and
>>>> any other electrical components. As well as working to power the
>>>> electrical components of the car, the battery also works as an
>>>> electrical equalizer, absorbing any dangerous voltage and
>> protecting
>>>> the cars electrical system from being damaged by any power
>> spikes."
>>>> I'm not sure what it means when it says it's an electrical
>> equalizer.
>>>> Guess I have more sleuthing to do, to see if I can figure out what
>>>> changed to increase my ES reaction in the car.... Any more
>> thoughts
>>>> from the group are more than welcome.
>>>>
>>>> Esther
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Oct 6, 2012, at 2:13 AM, _paulpjc@aol.com_ (mailto:[hidden email]
>> )
>>> wrote:
>>>>> is there any chance that this new battery has some electronics
>> in it ?
>>>>> I can tell you now that I feel a stinging sensation in my face
>> when
>>>>> I am
>>>>> near a fully charged car battery, I put this down to what might
>> be
>>>>> electrically charged acid molecules coming of the battery in
>> close
>>>>> proximity to it.
>>>>> puk
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> In a message dated 06/10/2012 07:02:44 GMT Daylight Time,
>>>>> _theunknowable@optonline.net_
>> (mailto:[hidden email])
>>> writes:
>>>>> The only difference between a new car battery and an old one
>> that I
>>>>> can
>>>>> think of which might effect somebody sensitive to electromagnetic
>>>>> fields
>>>>> is this: If the new batter cranks the starter significantly
>> faster
>>>>> than
>>>>> the old battery, that would cause a stronger field, but only
>> while you
>>>>> are starting the engine. Once the engine is running, nothing
>> would be
>>>>> different from the old battery. So we are talking about
>> POSSIBLY a
>>>>> slightly stronger electrical field for the few seconds that the
>>>>> starter
>>>>> is turning. I have no idea if that is enough to affect somebody
>> when
>>>>> they weren't affected before by the same car, but it seems
>> unlikely.
>>>>> Tom
>>>>>
>>>>> On 10/5/2012 10:03 PM, Tom wrote:
>>>>>> I have experience with batteries. A battery is a battery. If
>> the new
>>>>>> battery was "vastly different" from the old battery it
>> wouldn't be a
>>>>>> battery anymore, it would be something else, and it wouldn't
>> start
>>>>> the
>>>>>> car. A battery is basically a container that has lead plates
>> in an
>>>>> acid
>>>>>> solution that has electrical potential. By itself it just sits
>> there
>>>>>> and does nothing. In a car it does nothing until you turn the
>> key,
>>>>> and
>>>>>> then it supplies electrical current to the starter. That's all
>> it
>>>>>> does. When the car is running the alternator (a part on the car
>>>>> engine)
>>>>>> supplies current to recharge the battery. This is the same in
>> all
>>>>> cars
>>>>>> and with all batteries. Replacing a battery with a new one
>> doesn't
>>>>>> change the way things work. The new battery does the exact same
>>>>> thing
>>>>>> as the old battery. If it did something different the car would
>>>>> not run.
>>>>>> Tom
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On 10/5/2012 8:03 PM, Elizabeth thode wrote:
>>>>>>> Esther, I believe you. Many essers notice a difference in
>>>>> symptoms when
>>>>> changing outsomething electronic. I don't know the tech info
>> for the
>>>>> battery issue.But I do know, there has to be something about
>> the new
>>>>> battery
>>>>> that is vastlydifferent then the old battery. Maybe someone
>> else on
>>>>> here has
>>>>> experience with car batteries, or somethingsimiliar in nature.
>> Lizzie
>>>>>>> To: __eSens@yahoogroups.com_ (mailto:[hidden email]) _
>>> (mailto:_eSens@yahoogroups.com_ (mailto:[hidden email]) )
>>>>>>> From: __theunknowable@optonline.net_
>>> (mailto:[hidden email]) _
>>>>> (mailto:_theunknowable@optonline.net_
>>> (mailto:[hidden email]) )
>>>
>>>>>>> Date: Fri, 5 Oct 2012 18:40:35 -0400
>>>>>>> Subject: Re: [eSens] Help! New Car Battery
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Hi Esther
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> A car battery is a very simple device, and all by itself does
>> not
>>>>> put
>>>>>>> out any electromagnetic fields regardless of the cranking
>> amps or
>>>>>>> lifetime rating. One car battery may last longer or have more
>>>>> cranking
>>>>>>> amps, but otherwise they are the same. So the new battery is
>>>>> unlikely
>>>>>>> to be causing your symptoms.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Tom
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On 10/5/2012 3:32 PM, gomma2 wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> I got a new battery for my 2000 Toyota Camry V6. It's a 6-
>> year one
>>>>> that has 694 cold cranking amps. Then, when I drove my car, I
>>>>> immediately felt
>>>>> increased ES symptoms--ringing in my ears, pressure in my head,
>>>>> increased
>>>>> dizziness/brain-fog. The previous battery was a 3-year one but I
>>>>> don't know
>>>>> about it's cold cranking amps (or if in fact, the amps would have
>>>>> anything
>>>>> to do with it). However, I didn't have the reaction when I had
>> the
>>>>> other
>>>>> battery, that I'm now having.
>>>>>>>> Is it likely the new battery would be causing me to have the
>>>>> increased
>>>>> symptoms? If so, is there something I can do to mitigate it?
>>>>>>>> Thanks,
>>>>>>>> Esther