Get to know your Volkswagen.

English · machine-assisted draft

Batteries with a sealed compartment to prevent leakage

• batteries
• type

English · machine-assisted draft

Batteries designed for high-demand applications

• batteries
• vehicle

English · machine-assisted draft

Batteries connected in series to increase voltage

• batteries
• configuration

English · machine-assisted draft

A group of batteries connected together

• batteries
• configuration

English · machine-assisted draft

Unit of measurement for battery capacity

• batteries
• capacity

English · machine-assisted draft

Battery type for starting vehicle engines

• batteries
• vehicle

English · machine-assisted draft

Battery type for frequent discharge and recharge

• batteries
• camper

English · machine-assisted draft

A process to balance battery cell voltages

• batteries
• maintenance

English · machine-assisted draft

The loss of charge in a battery over time

• batteries
• storage

English · machine-assisted draft

The percentage of battery capacity used before recharging

• batteries
• lifespan

English · machine-assisted draft

Battery design using liquid electrolyte and lead-antimony plates

• batteries
• flooded-cell

English · machine-assisted draft

Type of deep-cycle battery using absorbed electrolyte and recombinant technology

• batteries
• absorbed-electrolyte

English · machine-assisted draft

Type of low-maintenance battery using oil to reduce acid mist and out-gassing

• batteries
• thermoil

English · machine-assisted draft

Battery design using gel-type electrolyte and lead-calcium plates

• batteries
• gel-cell

English · machine-assisted draft

A device that allows the alternator to charge multiple battery banks independently

• electrical
• batteries
• isolator

English · machine-assisted draft

A device that actively manages the charging and discharging of multiple battery banks

• electrical
• batteries
• isolator

English · machine-assisted draft

An instrument that measures a liquid’s specific gravity. In Gerry’s battery FAQ it is used with electrolyte from accessible cells of a flooded lead-acid battery, helping compare cells and estimate charge. It does not measure voltage and is not a general-purpose tester for sealed or lithium camper batteries.

• batteries
• hydrometer
• testing

English · machine-assisted draft

An estimate of how much charge remains in a battery, commonly expressed as a percentage of full charge. It differs from battery health: a worn battery can be fully charged yet store little usable energy. The voltage and electrolyte-density table in Gerry’s 1995 FAQ concerns lead-acid batteries, not a universal camper-battery gauge.

• batteries
• maintenance

English · source definition

Cold Cranking Amps. a bogus number printed on the sides of automobile batteries to confuse the buyers. generally, the bigger this number is, the easier the battery will crank your car when everything is frozen. assuming everything is in perfect operating condition, of course.

English · machine-assisted draft

In the lead-acid batteries discussed in Gerry’s battery FAQ, the liquid mixture of sulfuric acid and water in contact with the plates. Its density changes with charge state. This meaning is specific to that battery chemistry; it is not a generic name for every camper battery’s contents.

• battery
• chemistry

English · machine-assisted draft

The height of the liquid electrolyte relative to the plates in a serviceable flooded lead-acid battery. It describes liquid quantity, not state of charge or specific gravity. Gerry’s battery FAQ discusses accessible cells; this term must not be read as an instruction to open a sealed battery.

• batteries
• maintenance

English · machine-assisted draft

The ratio of a liquid’s density to that of water. In the flooded lead-acid battery context of Gerry’s FAQ, electrolyte specific gravity helps estimate charge and compare cells. It is different from electrolyte level; temperature and battery design affect interpretation. It is not a measurement for a sealed lithium camper battery.

• batteries
• specific
• gravity

English · machine-assisted draft

A lead-acid battery rating expressed in minutes under a specified discharge test. Gerry’s FAQ describes a 25-amp load at 80 °F until a 12-volt battery reaches 10.5 volts. It is neither amp-hours nor a prediction of camper runtime, which depends on actual loads, conditions and discharge limits.

• batteries
• reserve
• capacity

English · machine-assisted draft

In Gerry’s preserved FAQ alignment article, “Camper model” refers to the heavier Vanagon Syncro camper configuration, with separate alignment values from lighter non-camper vehicles. A Gerry discussion on 15 October 2003 about the “official” Syncro alignment specs quotes the chart for 1986–1991 Syncro campers with dual batteries up front; a 1999 thread separately asks about an almost-empty 1986 Syncro. These historical sources show why the exact load and configuration matter, not a current alignment specification. Use service data for the specific vehicle.

• model
• variant