[Healeys] current draw of wipers

[m.g.sharp at sympatico.ca]

Happy Sunday!,  I am making some decisions on bulbs (and the LED equivalent)
for some Lucas Spot lamps I am fitting to my BT7, and I am concerned about
the total draw if I have headlamps, spot lamps and wipers on.  I know it is
getting close to the measly 22 amp max output of the generator.

 

The manual has specs for the wiper motor: "normal running: 2.3 to 3.1 amps".
Then is gives "Stall Current" for the motor hot as 8 amps and for the cold
motor 14 amps.  My question is, what is "Stall Current"?  The draw is huge
compared to the normal running draw.  Also, by cold motor, I assume they
mean the wiper motor as I cannot see how the engine temp would matter.
However, although I get it that electric motors generate some heat, I don't
think of them as "warming up", or running hot or cold, so the huge
difference between  "hot motor" and "cold motor" stall current further
confuses me.

 

Any help from the electric whizzes out there would be appreciated.

 

BTW - regarding bulbs for the Spots, I like the idea of using LEDs as the
current draw is so low and the light better, but I find that bright piercing
light inconsistent with the character of our cars (a personal preference)
and the price of them is almost 3 times a BPF 48 W quartz halogen bulb.  I
also consider that I have been driving my BT7 for 46 years without spot
lamps and got along OK, so I question the need to go to LEDs, other than the
advantage of low current draw.  Any experiences from those of you who have
spot lamps with conventional bulbs and the older low output generator (i.e.
BT/BN7 and earlier), would be appreciated.

 

Cheers, Mirek

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