Next message: (no name): "Re: lv-ab: Corrosion"
At 10:01 AM 11/2/2001 -0800, "Randolph Stroschein" <>
wrote:
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Rick Morel" <>
>>
>> It's not a big deal to make switch-off a part of the starting routine;
>even
>> less of a deal to wire the engine direct to the starting battery. Of
>course
>
>This is the second time I've seen this mentioned (wiring the starter
>directly) and thought I'd comment. I don't think this is a good idea. If you
>ever had a solenoid freeze, or got rotor lock in the starter, you'd be faced
>with a draw of hundreds of amps for a long time.....until something "gave".
>The switch gives you the ability to disconnect power should this happen.
>It's not a real common failure, but neither is it rare, and the consequences
>of (for eg in my CAT 3208) 700 amps flowing for ¿¿¿who knows how long???
>could be very serious.
>
>Just my ?.0155
And a good .0155 it is, Randy. However I do disagree on the probability of
it happening. My opinion is it's extremely rare. My grandfather, dad and two
brothers were/are mechanics, from auto to aircraft, marine and industrial,
and I _think_ I heard about it happening one time. Seems I was a little kid
at the time and they may have been just talking about the possibility. Or
maybe it happened in the "early days" before manufacturers figured out just
how much spring tension was required to assure it almost never happened?
Going back to the automotive analogy, how many cars, trucks and even busses
and 18-wheelers have a battery cutoff switch? Same for really big diesel
generators. It's probably also as likely that with the humongrous current,
the switch contacts _could_ weld together when you try to switch off. Should
take no more or even less time to grab a wrench and lift a battery lead than
in the above applications. Seems the collective millions or maybe billions
of hours of starter operation proves it's a not-to-worry event :-)
Rick Morel
--------------------
S/V Final Step
Port of Iberia, LA
http://www.morelr.com/coronado/
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