Couldn't one just wire in a fuse to protect the car? (The lighter plug should be fused anyway, so if need be, fuse the ground side?)
Randy -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Mitch Haley Sent: Saturday, August 05, 2006 8:57 AM To: mercedes list Subject: [MBZ] FWD: electrical warning Here's a word of caution on an unrelated topic: A fellow FEMA Inspector plugged an AC inverter into my cigarette lighter socket while I was driving, I had to stop for fuel and left the key in the 1st "on" position so the guys (Windows) computer could finish booting up. When I turned the key all the way off and went to restart the engine, I noticed more than the usual amount of pre-start warning lights. After re-starting, the "charge" light stayed on then eventually faded to a glow then intermittently changed from nothing to glowing to brightly lit. I turned off the headlights and used the 5watt driving/parking light feature incorporated into the Euro lights to save some juice for the future. Due to the mechanical fuel injection, I was able to get where I was going and make the ~250mi return trip home, albeit somewhat in the dark, without a jump or charge. I tested the alternator and found exactly what I expected to find, a burnt diode. It is my belief that the inverter was faulty and caused a spike to flow back from the laptop, through the inverter and kill the diode. I will never use an inverter or allow one to be attached to any of my vehicles in the future as a result.YMMV Feel free to forward this warning to list members so they can avoid the cost/inconvenience of a dead alternator. Johnny B. I Mac Therefore I am
