It was an adventure I must admit. I stopped at truck stop & a very kind trucker recharged my battery (with my engine running) so I'd have lights for the next 30 miles home. Not my ideal situation for a late night coming home from work in 4 fresh inches and falling. BUT, I got home safe in my sturdy ole Benz. Drove the Jeep Heep today.

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1980 300SD (Mr. Sparkles), 1976 450SEL, 1982 300D turbo, 1989 VW Cabriolet morphing into a td cabriolet , 1997 TDI Passat, 1996 piece of Jeep,1993 F150, 1990 F250 7.3L...i think that's it, for now.

I've heard so many great stories about truckers helping out people on the road. My aunt lost her entire electrical system and a trucker got behind her and in front of her and they all rode to the next truck stop. Awesome.

what was wrong? alternator was spinning but not charging?

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77' 300D, "Cartman" SOLD @ 150K (didn't know what I had)
83' 300SD, "The Superdon" 325k+ @ 28mpg
95 E320 wagon, "Millennium Falcon" 231k+ @ 24 Mpg
95 E300D, "Sherley" 308k @ 33.69 Mpg, currently anticipating a head
99 Suzuki Intruder "Trudy" @ 45 mpg

I had a similar situation on my '91 300TD in a snowstorm, midnight Christmas Eve 1995. Battery died while I was finding a place to pull over (voltage too low to be able to turn off heaters etc). I had a Michigan State Police Officer push (push-bars) my car into a fire-station, where I stretched the alternator brush-springs and re-installed, jumped it and drove the next 200miles without incident.

I hate that the charging will stop (in the case of bad brushes) in a (at that time) $74,000 car without turning on the alternator light.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

I have tomorrow off so I will test, test, test for a drain. I have my suspicion on the antenna. It hasn't been returning to position properly when I turn off the radio. I attributed it to cold weather sticking but I did notice this as the only difference lately.
I tried to keep the defroster running as long as I could but it ran weak and I had a little area of visible windshield for the last few miles of near pitch black rural driving. Fortunately, I know my roads with my eyes closed, with or without a blanket of snow! Very happy when I got home. My new stilettos were worth the trip!

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1980 300SD (Mr. Sparkles), 1976 450SEL, 1982 300D turbo, 1989 VW Cabriolet morphing into a td cabriolet , 1997 TDI Passat, 1996 piece of Jeep,1993 F150, 1990 F250 7.3L...i think that's it, for now.

If it's enough of a drain to drain the battery while the engine is running, you'll have a fire.

It is more likely a bad alternator, more likely still worn brushes (if no alternator light). Check the charging system first.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

WHen problems like this arise, always check the health of the voltage regulator. If the alternator was charging properly, you wouldn't have to charge up the battery to keep the lights on. 9/10 times instead of the whole alternator going bad it is the voltage regulator, saving $100+ bucks thrown at a repair.

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TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

Should also add it is good to hear you got home safely in the snow!

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TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth