Date:         Wed, 9 Oct 1996 21:50:23 -0700
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         ddes@anet-dfw.com (David Schwarze)
Subject:      Re:  Re- Cutting out

At 9:45 PM 10/8/96, Harvey Chao wrote:
>                      RE>> Re- Cutting out                         10/8/96
>
>I got the following reply to my admonition not to disconnect the battery when
>the engine is running, actually, I think Henry has said it rather well himself
>and I would not presume to attempt to "improve" on it -- don't do this unless
>all of you out there are ready to replace a whole bunch of electronic stuff,
>ya know, like radios, cd players, electronic ignition modules, engine control
>modules, or anything potentially [sorry, couldn't resist the puns    :-) ]
>else that happens to be "on" and connected to the battery system at the time!

Despite this, I have run many different carburated vehicles with the
battery disconnected at many different times and never burned out anything.
Most electronic devices have internal voltage regulators anyway  How else
do you think that tape player plays at the same pitch from 12v-14v?  I have
also monitored the voltage while doing this and the regulator functions
roughly the same as it does with the battery connected.  Now it may be true
that with fuel injection it's dangerous, but I don't have any experience
with that.

I still don't recommend that people run out and do this, but it's not like
every electronic device in your car is gonna go KABOOM! the second you
unhook the battery.  Just ain't so.

-David

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David Schwarze                   '73 VW Safare Custom Camper       (Da Boat)
Dallas, Texas, USA               '73 Capri GT 2800                (Da Beast)
e-mail: ddes@anet-dfw.com        '87 Mustang Lx 5.0          (13.986@100.81)
or:     des@eskimo.com           '93 Weber WG-50                  (Da Piano)
http://www.anet-dfw.com/~ddes    '95, '96, '96 cats        (Aackkk! Phhttt!)
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