racerjerry
Joined: 15 Dec 2009
Posts: 202
Location: Deer Park, NY
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 Posted: Wed Mar 13, 2013 4:24 am Post subject: DISCONNECTING BATTERY WHILE ENGINE IS RUNNING |
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QUOTE:” I've verified this both on cars and airplanes where disconnection of the battery while the alternator is running produces a only a small rise in bus noise”.
WOW – With an alternator system (as opposed to generator), I would be very afraid to disconnect the battery while the engine is running. Many years ago, while doing an operational check on a piece of aircraft ground equipment (cargo loader), the battery became disconnected (corrosion/looseness) from the alternator charging system and apparently the alternator voltage increased to many times its normal output and immediately burned out every light bulb on the vehicle. I was about 50 feet away at that time and I will never forget hearing the engine bog down and turning around to see all the vehicles flood lights going off like flashbulbs.
This source claims that such problems occur regularly – but not all of the time: http://www.troubleshooters.com/dont_disconnect_battery.htm
I only had to replace light bulbs. With all the modern electronics in newer cars and airplanes, I shudder to think of the costs involved should a similar event occur today.
This was a very early alternator system with an external regulator; Ford, I believe (although it could have been a Chrysler system). Has something changed where disconnection of a battery from an alternator charging system is no longer as dangerous?
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Jerry King |
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