[Healeys] current draw of wipers

[Bob Haskell]

Mirek,

I believe that stall current is the load developed when the motor is not 
able to rotate - the mechanism is locked up - wipers frozen to the 
windshield.  I"m an oldish mechanical engineer, not electrical.  So 
someone else may have a better answer.

Cheers,

Bob Haskell
Austin Healey 3000 BN7/BT7 registrar

On 3/14/21 10:31 AM, m.g.sharp--- via Healeys wrote:
>
> 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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