[Spridgets] ELECTRICAL SAGA Part 1 of 3

[Robert Duquette]

I had a different experience.  The battery in my Subaru died suddenly about a
half hour drive away from home.  After driving to my parents' 'home' and
checking up on them, i went back out the car and not even a click.  I got a
boost from CAA when their tow truck arrived and drove home.  Shut it down (
blocking the other cars.  Doh! ). Put it on a charger.  Had dinner, etc.
Barely started.  Drove it to buy a new battery.  ( left it locked and running
). And after installing the battery, all is well.  It did run on just the
alternator.

I had just replace the dual batteries in the Healey.
http://www3.sympatico.ca/robertduquette/temp/Opt6v_1.jpg

I think the Subaru was jealous.

No, I don't have a guess yet.

Robert
Sent from my device that doesn't pay me to advertise for them.

On 2012-07-25, at 12:47 PM, dwoerpel <dwoerpel at wi.net> wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> As the subject says I've divided this tome into 3 parts in deference to
> Mark's overworked servers.  The lists are pretty quiet and I thought I
> share a long running problem I had with our '59 MGA 1500.
> This pertains to most LBC's so both of my lists get inundated.  Feel
> free to not read, hit delete or pass it on.   Try to guess what the
> problem is(was...I hope!)  Me, I'm celebrating!  Here goes:
>
> Electrical Saga
>
> PART 1
>
> This may give the list something to think about when you're having
> similar problems (note: I said "when" not if ;-)).
>
> The MGA is still running 2 six volt batteries and positive ground.I like
> it like that.I may make changes in future but for now we're OK...I
> think.One just has to realize that our cars operate(d) on a minimally
> adequate electrical charging system.It is a bit comforting to know that
> if the car has a generator(dynamo) and your battery is dead, the car
> runs off the generator (once it's started).If the car has an alternator
> and the battery gets low or a cable gets disconnected, the engine quits.
>
> Anyway, MG has been sitting for a season and a half with a perplexing
> problem.A bit of condensed history here:
>
> Control box cut out didn't cutout one day after a long drive. 15 minutes
> after shutting down my wife says, "is that smoke?"Bless her!By the time
> I pushed the car out of the garage (garage under house), pulled the
> top(hood) out of the way, uncovered the batteries, and disconnected the
> positive terminal the wiring loom was gone back to the control box
> (voltage regulator and cutout were toast).That was exciting.The car now
> has a battery disconnect switch behind the seat!
>
> Installed new wiring harness, control box (2 new reprods from Holden),
> new armature and away we drove for...6 weeks.No-charge light glowing
> brightly.Now what?
>
> Any guesses?
>
> Dave W.
> 59 :{)
> 59MGA 1500
> Burlington WI
> ------------------------