Old Oct 2, 2014 | 08:33 PM
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Padgett
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Joined: Oct 2013
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From: Orlando
Default Re: Silly Question - can you remove/swap batteries from the car if it's running?

Used to be able to do it in the old days with a 37A alternator and dumb electrics but back in the early 70's I did some tests for the SCCA relating to kill switches and saw spikes over 200 volts if you disconnected a battery while charging.


Reason is simple: ELI the ICE man. A battery is like a big capacitor. Disconnect the battery while at a high charge and suddenly the amps go to zero and while the field is collapsing, the voltage goes through the roof.


Modern 100A+ alternators and fragile electrics just make this worse.


So before swapping batteries, shut the engine off.


Note: you can generally disconnect jumpers with the engines running because each still has a battery in the circut.

 
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