Last year the generator quit working on my 65 Jag as I pulled out of my
driveway for an out-of-town rally. Having no time to waste, I bought an extra
battery and a digital voltmeter at Pep Boys along the way. To save battery
power,
I avoided using the starter by roll starting and parking with the engine
running and also not using the lights.
The battery survived two 70-mile rallies and finally gave out after 350 miles
without charging -- just 50 miles from home. Periodic voltage readings were
taken and it seems to me that the battery registered about 10 volts when the
car rolled to a stop on Interstate 75. We then installed the backup battery.
So I guess the coil shuts down at that level. The reason the battery lost
voltage: I was driving with the overdrive on and the solenoid was energized.
I wonder how much farther I could have gone??? While enduring the dilemma,
nobody could give a definitive answer about how long the car would run. And
nobody came close to guessing 350 miles!
John Olman
Cincinnati
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