Date:         Sun, 6 Mar 2011 21:40:49 -0500
Reply-To:     David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Subject:      Re: Start Issue with Hard Start Relay
Comments: To: Larry Alofs <lalofs@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <AANLkTi=KZUxUDGig1duwUOa6CdyD6O3vU6-NTWcd_kAF@mail.gmail.c om>
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At 09:20 PM 3/6/2011, Larry Alofs wrote:
>A while back I connected a starter to a car battery so that I could
>measure the current in that solenoid circuit.  It seems to me that it
>was around 37 amps.  That is an awful lot thru a 1/4 inch push-on
>connector as well as the ignition switch.  If the crimp of that
>connector to the wire is a little corroded, the resistance will
>produce a lot of heat.  If anyone else has measured this current, I
>would welcome confirmation or refutation.

I just checked my permanently rigged jumper that hangs near the
alternator B+ on my '89 A/T - using a Sears Clamp-on DC ammeter I got
six and change which makes sense to me.  40 amps through my jumper
would heat it up very quickly - I'm pretty sure I'd notice both the
hot vinyl and the significant arc when I disconnected.

40 amps sounds more like a possible range for a free-running
starter?  That would be about 500 watts, or 2/3 of a horsepower.

Yours,
David