why won't the car run without a battery WAS: the penny drops

[Andrew Duane USG]

Hairy green toads from Mars made Livolsi, Stephane say:

> Ok, 2 schools of thought on this - 1 sez car won't run without battery
> (assuming it was started and battery removed), other sez car will run
> without battery.  Personally I say it will run because I have BTDT ( this
> was on a late 60's vintage ford with very basic ignition system, carb, etc).
> However, not having done it with my 86 5ktq I am willing to listen to
> reason.
>
> Can anyone explain why an Audi won't run without the battery in?

It will likely run, but it's not very good for the car. It's my
understanding that the battery provides a large part of the voltage
and current regulation so the "raw" alternator output doesn't get
into the electrical system.

Once the alternator is spinning, it is self-charging. The battery
is only needed to power it up to get it started. That initial charge
is provided by those little blue wires we've all come to know so well
for corroding and falling off. Which then lights up that dash light.

So, will the car "stop" if you unplug the battery? Probably not.
Should you run it without a battery? Probably not. My coupla penny's.

--

Andrew L. Duane (JOT-7)			duane at zk3.dec.com
HP/Compaq Corporation			Andrew.Duane at compaq.com
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