The Ford Barn

NSDWS · 11-07-2016, 05:05 PM

Guestimate, how long will your car run with lights on with battery if the generator stopped charging? Full charge on good 6v battery.
Doug

Old Henry · 11-07-2016, 05:23 PM

Last time it happened to me I drove 50 miles with lights on before battery died.

Joe Immler · 11-07-2016, 06:21 PM

I got about 35 miles with my '41 when the generator failed. I had more miles to go so called and it was a flathead on a flatbed.

BUBBAS IGNITION · 11-07-2016, 06:42 PM

Good question !!!
Actually RC ( reserve capacity ) is a battery spec . Its a number in minutes that a battery can discharge at a 25 amp rate without falling below 10.5 volts.
A RC rating of 150 would allow you to drive using 25 amps for 2.5 hours.
Years ago when i taught for Lincoln Tech i built a blown chevy powered hot rod and didnt have the room or the time for a alternator. I drove this car to work for a entire summer without any charging system. I used a huge group 27 battery with a good RC rating and just pluged it in when i got to work and again when i got home.
Google battery ratings , it can get pretty interesting....

Paul Bennett · 11-07-2016, 09:15 PM

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It happened to me in 1958. On my way home to California from my summer job in Zion in my '50 Merc my headlights got dimmer and dimmer an hour out of Los Vegas somewhere around midnight with 500 miles still ahead of me.

I found an open truck service garage in Vegas when the engine died, and they advised me of my problem although they were too busy to help. So, using an Army surplus flashlight I removed the generator brush dust cover, got some toothpicks to put behind the generator brushes which had worn to the nub.

Got a push start and finished the trip around noon. My answer is also 1 hour.

11-07-2016, 05:05 PM	#1
NSDWS Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Huntersville, NC Posts: 33	Guestimate concerning battery Guestimate, how long will your car run with lights on with battery if the generator stopped charging? Full charge on good 6v battery. Doug __________________ Doug

11-07-2016, 05:23 PM	#2
Old Henry Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Orem, Utah Posts: 5,762	Re: Guestimate concerning battery Last time it happened to me I drove 50 miles with lights on before battery died. __________________ Prof. Henry (The Roaming Gnome) "It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.” *Ursula K. Le Guin in The Left Hand of Darkness

11-07-2016, 06:21 PM	#3
Joe Immler Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Massillon, Ohio Posts: 783	Re: Guestimate concerning battery I got about 35 miles with my '41 when the generator failed. I had more miles to go so called and it was a flathead on a flatbed.

11-07-2016, 06:42 PM	#4
BUBBAS IGNITION Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: SPEEDWAY INDIANA Posts: 4,148	Re: Guestimate concerning battery Good question !!! Actually RC ( reserve capacity ) is a battery spec . Its a number in minutes that a battery can discharge at a 25 amp rate without falling below 10.5 volts. A RC rating of 150 would allow you to drive using 25 amps for 2.5 hours. Years ago when i taught for Lincoln Tech i built a blown chevy powered hot rod and didnt have the room or the time for a alternator. I drove this car to work for a entire summer without any charging system. I used a huge group 27 battery with a good RC rating and just pluged it in when i got to work and again when i got home. Google battery ratings , it can get pretty interesting.... __________________ If it Makes Spark, we do it !!!! www.bubbasignition.com [email protected]

11-07-2016, 09:15 PM	#5
Paul Bennett Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Posts: 628	Re: Guestimate concerning battery Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) It happened to me in 1958. On my way home to California from my summer job in Zion in my '50 Merc my headlights got dimmer and dimmer an hour out of Los Vegas somewhere around midnight with 500 miles still ahead of me. I found an open truck service garage in Vegas when the engine died, and they advised me of my problem although they were too busy to help. So, using an Army surplus flashlight I removed the generator brush dust cover, got some toothpicks to put behind the generator brushes which had worn to the nub. Got a push start and finished the trip around noon. My answer is also 1 hour.