Volvo Repair: 2000 Volvo XC wont start. . ., volvo xc, radio tape

Question
Hello,
 I have a 2000 Volvo XC with about 82K miles.  I bought it used in 2003 from a dealer.   I drive it about 5K -7K miles a year, mostly around town, and a couple of longer road trips.
 In September, I started having problems with my battery.  I attributed this too the fact my kids turn on the lights near their seats or don't shut their doors completely.  My husband has one of those plug-in chargers (he restores old cars) and I would jump the car or recharge it.  Finally, the car wasn't holding a charge, so I went to NAPA and bought a new battery about 3 weeks ago.
 Now my car won't go at all.  A few days ago, I noticed the car was hesitating when trying to start it.  This morning the car did not want to start, so I used the plug-in charger to jump it, so I could drive the kids to school.  Came home and went to get into the car an hour later, and it would not start at all.  Tried jumping it again, to no avail.  The engine when would not crank, and there were funny noises coming from the center console, where the CD/Radio/Tape and temperature controls are.  My husband said to recharge the battery longer.  So I hooked the car back up to the charger,  and put it on deep charge for 4 hours.  Went out and now the car is even worse!  I can not even move the seat forward (husband moved it back when trying to start the car earlier), the lights are dim, and the noises presist in the center console.  A funny clicking noise and another noise that sounds like the stereo is looking for a CD or something.  I pulled out the CD and Tape that were in there and turned off the power source to the Radio/Tape/CD in hopes that might change things.  Nope.  
  I believe it might be the alternator or else an electrical short.  My husbands says if it was the alternator one of the idiot lights would come on.  He claims it is moisture and dirt in the engine.  We live in the Pacific Northwest and the car is kept outside, in the open.  The garages are full of his restoration projects.  
   Any suggestions for trouble shooting?  Living in a rural area means we are 2 hours away from the nearest dealer, and I know electrical problems can take days to weeks to find and I can not be without my car that long.  We have tons of car tools/equipment, 'cause of my husbands restoration projects.


Thanks,
Tamara

Answer
Well those plug in chargers that go into the cigarette lighter will have a hard time charging the battery.  You have to get the car started first before you can discover the root of your problem.  I suspect that it IS the alternator because it died about 3 weeks after battery replacement.  The idiot light however will not turn on unless the voltage is 11v.  If the alternator is only putting out 12.6 the light will not go on but it is not enough voltage to charge the battery.  So what happens is that every time you start the care the battery discharges slightly, the alternator never recharges it (but it will keep the car running), and then after many starts the battery is eventually totally drained and won't start the car.  The alternator could also appear to have good voltage but is incapable of putting out enough amperage to keep the car running entirely off the alternator so it pulls a slight drain on the battery over time.  A lot of parts stores can test an alternator and battery for you if you take it to them.  I would try that first and verify that both are okay before you start going nuts tearing apart the rest of the car for electrical problems.  All the noises you are describing are noises the car makes after a battery is disconnected and then reconnected.  The voltage in your battery is so low that it may as well be disconnected.  Try getting the car jump started DIRECTLY to the battery in the trunk.  It should probably start but if it doesn't try taking the alternator and battery to be checked.

James