[TenTec] I dont get it.

[w1gsl@MIT.EDU (Steven L. Finberg)]

Radio's chassie is conected to the battery negative terminal with a 
say 12 gauge wire.  Radios chassie is conected to the car frame
at the antenna with a RG 58 braid.   

The battery negative is also connected to the car frame with a 
very heavy braid.  Normally almost all of the starter return 
current flows  from the engine to the battery via the heavy braid.  
Only a small fraction takes the higher resistance path via the RG58 
and radio.

Now the heavy braid is broken or some mechanic fails to reconnect it.
You go to start the car....   300 + Amps tries to flow through your
radios connection to the battery negative......
12 gauge gets hot with more than 50 Amps....

Better the fuze blows and you can't start the car...

                                73 Steve F
                                   W1GSL


*******************************************************************************
Steve Finberg                        W1GSL                       w1gsl@mit.edu
PO Box 397082 MIT Br        Cambridge MA  02139-7082              617 258 3754
*******************************************************************************

--
FAQ on WWW:               http://www.contesting.com/tentecfaq.htm
Submissions:              tentec@contesting.com
Administrative requests:  tentec-REQUEST@contesting.com
Problems:                 owner-tentec@contesting.com
Search:                   http://www.contesting.com/km9p/search.htm