In a message dated 2/3/98 2:07:24 PM Eastern Standard Time,
gardner7@pilot.infi.net writes:
(speaking of using jumper cables through the cigarette lighter socket to jump
start a car)
> Probably not a big problem of liability, since on most cars, all of
> the circuits besides the starter are disabled while the starter is
> actually cranking. (A/C, lights, radio, cigar lighter, etc.) This
> means that the starter will never be able to draw power directly from
> the battery plugged into the cigar lighter, and you won't have an
> over-current condition.
You are correct in that "most" cars are wired this way. Unfortunately for the
unwary, the later MGs are not. The cigarette lighter on later MGs is wired to
a Purple wire, which is hot all the time. I think you are right on the
earlier models.
> The company is being weaselly enough by not
> telling us about the fifteen or twenty minutes you probably have to
> wait for the small battery to charge the large one through the
> lighter. Give me a set of jumper cables any day.
Even then, if the battery is sufficiently low, it can draw enough charging
current to create a problem. If the Alternator on the "donor" car is capable
of 30 amps or more, the low battery in the "patient" can draw all 30 amps.
Dan Masters,
Alcoa, TN
'71 TR6---------3000mile/year driver, fully restored
'71 TR6---------undergoing full restoration and Ford 5.0 V8 insertion - see:
http://www.sky.net/~boballen/mg/Masters/
'74 MGBGT---3000mile/year driver, original condition, slated for a V8 soon!
'68 MGBGT---organ donor for the '74
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