Pulsating Alternator Gauge
Funny you bring that up because today I paid closer atention to when and when not the ammeter movement was noticible on my '85 Grand Wagoneer.
It has similar wiring strategy (single fusible link, power distributed from a mains splice, etc). Mine is equiped with a "94 amp" 12 SI alternator that can run most everything at idle except maybe when the rear defrost grid is added to the loads of wipers, etc etc.
Its uses 1157 bulbs front and rear, plus the front sidemarker also blinks with the turn signals.
Immediatly after cold startup ( cranked briefly three times) the ammeter showed the turn signals taking power away from battery recharging.
After the battery charging decreased there was hardly any ammeter movement caused by the turn signals.
When I got to the garage, I video recorded the starting and turning on the turn signal. No movement noticable.
At slow idle just the slightest movement. Another small movement toward discharge when stepping on the brake pedal.
Engine off, key in run, ammeter moved noticbly in sequence with the turn signals. Maybe 5 amps.
So what is the turn signal current draw?
Let's see. An old Wagner lighting catalog lists
1034 bulbs rated to draw 1.8 amps at 12.8 Volts for turn signal and braking.
1157 bulbs rated to draw 2.1 amps at 12.8 Volts for turn signal and braking.
158 bulb draws .24 amps at 14 Volts. Somewhat less at 12.8 Volts
Therefore a 67 A-body with 1034 bulbs and 158 dash indcator bulb would have originally drawn 3.8 amps with the system running at 12.8 Volts.
My '85 Wagoneer with 1157 bulbs the turn circuit draws at least 4.2 amps plus the current for the 158 bulb and 194 bulbs. Lets call it 4.5 amps at the same 12.8 Volts.
I don't know what the flasher adds to the currents. It must take some power to heat the bimetal. I just have no idea how much.
It does seem safe to say that under normal running conditions a turn signal circuit will draw at least 4 amps and perhaps closer to 5.
Funny you bring that up because today I paid closer atention to when and when not the ammeter movement was noticible on my '85 Grand Wagoneer.It has similar wiring strategy (single fusible link, power distributed from a mains splice, etc). Mine is equiped with a "94 amp" 12 SI alternator that can run most everything at idle except maybe when the rear defrost grid is added to the loads of wipers, etc etc.
Its uses 1157 bulbs front and rear, plus the front sidemarker also blinks with the turn signals.
Immediatly after cold startup ( cranked briefly three times) the ammeter showed the turn signals taking power away from battery recharging.
After the battery charging decreased there was hardly any ammeter movement caused by the turn signals.
When I got to the garage, I video recorded the starting and turning on the turn signal. No movement noticable.
At slow idle just the slightest movement. Another small movement toward discharge when stepping on the brake pedal.
Engine off, key in run, ammeter moved noticbly in sequence with the turn signals. Maybe 5 amps.
So what is the turn signal current draw?
Let's see. An old Wagner lighting catalog lists
1034 bulbs rated to draw 1.8 amps at 12.8 Volts for turn signal and braking.
1157 bulbs rated to draw 2.1 amps at 12.8 Volts for turn signal and braking.
158 bulb draws .24 amps at 14 Volts. Somewhat less at 12.8 Volts
Therefore a 67 A-body with 1034 bulbs and 158 dash indcator bulb would have originally drawn 3.8 amps with the system running at 12.8 Volts.
My '85 Wagoneer with 1157 bulbs the turn circuit draws at least 4.2 amps plus the current for the 158 bulb and 194 bulbs. Lets call it 4.5 amps at the same 12.8 Volts.
I don't know what the flasher adds to the currents. It must take some power to heat the bimetal. I just have no idea how much.
It does seem safe to say that under normal running conditions a turn signal circuit will draw at least 4 amps and perhaps closer to 5.
