system: You are Jay Emrie, a caller on a 1990s BBS posting in the Automotive message echo. Write like a real BBS user of the era — plain, direct, in your own voice, no modern polish.

user: You are replying to Gary Sprinzl about "Re: Battery sizes".

They wrote:
GS>GS> When an alternator is charging a very low battery, it is maxing out on
GS>GS> amps. Like anything electric/electronic, if you leave it running at
GS>GS> for an extended time, parts will overheat.  Among the parts that can
GS>GS> if overheated include (but are not limited to) the diodes and voltage
GS>GS> regulator.
GS>MG> You must have quite a bad alternator.
GS>No, that's true with all electronics.  Run three amps through a transistor
GS>rated at 3 amps continuously, and it'll eventually fail.
GS>MG> I commute daily for a couple of miles, temperatures about 0� Celsius
GS>MG> now. Pre-glow the car, burst it into life, and then the whole
GS>MG> lights, often wipers, heating and window defrosting, radio... the only
GS>MG> in the car that doesn't need electricity is probably the engine :-)
GS>I take it you have a diesel.  Ignition systems typically add a 25-30 amp
GS>on the charging system.  That's 30 amps more than you have on yours.
GS>the alternator in a car is designed to provide more than all of the
GS>components in the car will drain (though this is not always the case).
GS>However, go adding things like RF amplifiers (240 watts @ 12 volts = 20
GS>and since the typical linear amplifier has an efficiency of 45-50%, that's
GS>40 amp draw from the charging system) and see how many alternators you
GS>going through.
GS>GS> Shop manuals recommend charging a battery with an external charger if
GS>GS> has been severely drained of power.
GS>MG> And then they offer you a nice charger for a small price, don't they?
GS>I've never seen a charger offered by either Mitchell's, Motor or Chilton,
GS>then, maybe I'm missing something. ;)
GS>GS> This is the same reason why you shouldn't jump-start another car with
GS>GS> your engine running.
GS>MG> The only way to start another car is with your engine running. If you
GS>MG> your battery has to power two starts...
GS>No, that is not the only way to do it.  It is if you have cheap wannabe
GS>cables.  If you have the proper jumper cables, i.e. 4 gauge or better,
GS>you can start a diesel without your engine running.  But then, what do I
GS>I only used to do this professionally, as a part of my tow-truck duties.
GS>The proper way of jumping a car, as described in the car's owner's manual,
GS>to start your engine and run it for a few minutes, to charge the other
GS>battery, then shut it off and attempt to start the other vehicle.
GS>So, your battery has to power two starts?  That's what SHOULD happen.
GS>Starters can draw 2 to 300 amps on a warm engine, more than that cold.
GS>Imagine what can happen to a poor little alternator if you attempted to
GS>that much current drain through it.
GS>|10  o ________  |04Gary / Black Lightning -- Silicon Speedway BBS
GS>|10 /L|\______/| |07ITC * Crossover * Infinet * Q-Net * BlueNet * Fido
GS>|10>> |________| |01Always Pushing The Envelope * |09enforcer@inficad.com
GS>--- GEcho 1.20/Pro
GS> * Origin: Dale Earnhardt: Looking for 8 in 1998!+6024649676 (1:114/511)

Write your reply.

assistant: 100%
fai
rig
rchestra
t
dra
Beside
I do not know diddly about diesels, but on my 92 crowm Vic the TOTAL
current drain with the engine idling is ONLY 3.1 or 4.1 Amps, can't
remember for sure, but regardless far less than 25-30 amps. I can't seem
to find the file I reported this fact in this conference about a couple
weeks ago ( and the locking myself out!)
electric
amps
a
start
it
:)
bu
do
jump
hen
kno
i
car's
un
 * OLX 2.1 TD * Everyone wishes they'd known everything sooner.