Unbelievably, the Brougham isn’t charging again. My generator light is on and the needle reads “discharging.”
No amount of profanity can adequately sum up my frustration. Let’s recap my charging trouble, shall we? I had the generator rebuilt by Southern Armature in Birmingham, Alabama. Day two of driving the Brougham, I noticed the system wasn’t charging, so Southern Armature replaced the voltage regulator and set it.
Day 3, I noticed the system wasn’t charging, so Southern Armature re-set the voltage regulator. The car lasted four days and 1,134 miles until Philadelphia, where I bought a new battery. That battery lasted two days and a few miles until Sicklerville, New Jersey, where we replaced the voltage regulator (that’s #2! Keep counting) and recharged the old girl.
The battery was charged again in New York and I drove until Boston where the battery died for the second time. This time, I bought a BIG battery and charged the smaller one to keep as a spare. I drove 2,000 more miles to Detroit, Michigan without a hitch. We charged the batteries there just to be on the safe side.
One thousand miles later, in the Twin Cities, I limped into Schelene Gray Electric. The generator was now not charging at all. Nothing. Schelene replaced the voltage regulator (#3, kids) with a 55 amp regulator (ah-ha!), bench tested the generator (it was fine), and made a new wiring harness from the generator to the voltage regulator. Whew. Problem solved. The generator needle now behaved perfectly, like a new car, and the system charged beautifully. I’d turn on the lights and the generator would immediately compensate. I’d turn off the air conditioner, and I could see the voltage regulator decrease the current. All was right with the world.
Until this morning. Same symptoms as 1,500 miles ago in the Twin Cities. No charge.
Houston, we have a problem. Charlie and Bebe need to be in Dallas to catch a flight back to Birmingham. Our only option? Drive to the Big D with no air conditioning, no fan, and using as few electrical options as possible. Oh, the misery of it all.
I have perfectly working AC that will freeze you out, but I can’t turn it on during the first 100 degree day I’ve driven on this road trip. I’m a Murphy, but seriously, I’m getting tired of my own law. Damnit.
Fortunately, despite the blistering day, the drive to Dallas was smooth and uneventful. The bleeding red tale-tell light glowed steadily at me the entire way, but Bebe and Charlie bantered happily and gave no indication that they were worried about making the flight. Now that’s friendship, folks.
After dropping the Buggs off at Love Field (in plenty of time for them to drink a cold beer before boarding), I limped to my sister Lauren’s house. She graciously allowed her older brother to stay at her beautiful University Park home, and we had a fun time laughing until the wee hours.