> i have an 83.5 westy in western wisconsin.  it's been cold, but the van
has
> started every time.  once its running and i turn on a few of the
electrical
> gadgets like the heater fans and headlights, the electrical system seems
to
> overload.  a symptom of this is if I turn all the doohickeys on at once,
the
> radio will turn off.  also my analog clock slows or even stops in these
> conditions.  checking the volts at the battery while the engine was
running
> read around 13.
>
> is this the sign of a weak battery?
> are there other things I'm missing?
> is this normal?

I would think it's more a sign of a weak alternator or voltage regulator or
if you just added a bunch of power using accessories that have gone beyond
the capacity of the alternator or the wire that delivers the power.... if
this last one is the case you may be on the road to a vehicle fire...
caution would be in order...

Bill