“There was a reason we used vacuum wipers back then? Why might this be?”
@WheresRick–I don’t think it is a coincidence that as the alternator replaced the generator, vacuum wipers were phased out in favor of electric wipers. I do remember that Chrysler products had higher ampere output generators than a lot of its competition. Although General Motors began, in 1953, offering 12 volt electrical systems on the Oldsmobile, Buick Super and Roadmaster (the Buick Special still had a 6 volt system) and Cadillac, it wasn’t until 1956 that the 12 volt system was adopted by all domestic manufacturers, and it wasn’t until the early 1960s that the alternators replaced generators–Chrysler was ahead of the other manufacturers by equipping its products with alternators starting in 1960. In a storm where one is using the wipers, one usually has the headlights on and the blower running for the defroster. Electric wipers added to the load of the electrical systems which were marginal at best back before 1960.
asemaster : If the engine stalled, why would we care about the wipers. HU? And yes, this has been interesting!
@WheresRick-- I might add one more thing to your question about why vacuum wipers were used back then. I suggested that the 6 volt systems where a generator supplied to power rather than an alternator might be at the limits of the power that could be supplied and electric wipers would add to the load. One other item that took a lot of power in those days was the car radio. In those days vacuum tubes were used and some radios had as many as 8 tubes. Transistorized car radios which use much less power didn’t appear until the early 1960s. When the transistor car radios were introduced, the claim was made that it took less power to operate the radio than to supply the power to light the bulb behind the dial.
On one of their first dates my mother and father sat in his car at some park listening to the radio.
The battery ran down. This was 1947.
They wound up spending a lot more time out there.
My mother claimed he did that on purpose, my father denied any ulterior motives, of course.
@ triedaq @ circuitsmith
Yes, its all about the electrical as Triedaq stated here and an earlier post. I love reading Triedaqs posts, he is so informative.
Circuit smith, My grandfather bought a new 1988.5 Escort Wagon (yes just like the 1964 1/2 mustang there was a 88 1/2 escort!) , I always remember he was funny about leaving the radio on saying it would run down the battery. Even if it was in the course of 15 minutes waiting for my grandmother to come out of a store he would not run the radio with the car off. He was apparently used to the old tube radios electrical drain…
Great stories!!! Thanks!!!
@EllyEllis: Would you like to be driving on a crowded freeway in a rainstorm and have your engine stall and on top of it not be able to see because your wipers quit too?
Admittedly you can still run your battery down if you’re idling in traffic with wipers, fan, rear defog, lights, etc. all running and you only use your car for short trips, especially in the winter. You can see everything get a little dim and slow down when the demand (including charging the partially discharged battery) exceeds the supply. And if you’re one of those idiots that must have a 1,500-watt amp for mega bass, apparently only to distract them from their pathetic lives and annoy the crap out of everyone else they encounter, it’s real easy.
But why would your vacuum be gone when your engine quits? if the car is in gear as it is supposed to be, the engine would be driven by the wheels and those pistons would be reciprocating, pulling a vacuum until you come to a stop.