Keeping the car running

[pilot56]

I would imagine there is some reason for it, Why do cops usually leave their cars running while on a call inside a person's house?

[G-MAN]

Mainly to stop dead batteries from happening. You'd be surprised how very quickly a battery will go dead with all that stuff running and the car's engine off.

Also Air Conditioning on in the summer and Heater on in the winter.

G-man
1*

[redbird07]

Mainly to stop dead batteries from happening. You'd be surprised how very quickly a battery will go dead with all that stuff running and the car's engine off.

Also Air Conditioning on in the summer and Heater on in the winter.

G-man
1*

What he said

[pilot56]

Thanks for the replies

[deputy x 2]

So the dog doesn't get overheated.

Ambers don't work without the car running.

Heater...air conditioner

[phillyrube]

We're under mayoral and city manager decree to shut down on all calls where lights are not required.

[Red Swan]

Every time I shut my car off it kills the modem that connects to states network.. and I have to reboot the mdt to reconnect to it.. thus I leave car running most of my shift .. some genius that wired that up :rolleyes:

[Sheepdog2009]

My last car had to stay running or it would not start back up. It's annoying to keep asking everyone for a jump and no jump box on the market could start my car :D

[skigoggles]

To make a quick get-away

[Seventy2002]

.. some genius that wired that up :rolleyes:

It's not as simple as hooking up a stereo. Some of our electronics shut themselves down if the car sits for five minutes. On some cars, the electronics drain the battery if the car sits for 10. All the cars are wired by the same tech, the same way. It's voodoo.

None of the electronic toys is designed to work with other gear and the car sure wasn't designed with MDTs, video recorders, radar units, and two-way radios in mind.

[IAO]

Cause everyone else does it!!!

[11b101abn]

To support the sensitive equipment inside. I suppose I could shut it off for the majority of calls, and I do when at the station, but that gear drains the s**t out my battery.

[G-MAN]

FYI, my car is equipped with a device called "Priority Start", it is a box that get's connected inline with the battery and shuts down all power to the car if it senses too much of a drain on the battery.

This leaves you always with enough juice to start the car!

This has saved me countless times, before I was carrying a battery jump start pack but now I just use this.

It also has a built in surge protection which can save your MDT's and other equipment.

I actually fried an LCD screen from a surge!

The cost is around $80 and is available from Galls, if most of you guys have take home cars it might be worth it.

G-man
1*

[Lapdog2590]

Mainly to stop dead batteries from happening. You'd be surprised how very quickly a battery will go dead with all that stuff running and the car's engine off.

Also Air Conditioning on in the summer and Heater on in the winter.

G-man
1*

Exactly! With the Toughbook, printer, radar, DL swiper, GPS, my MP3 player (most important!!!) and the two way radio plus an additional charger with battery for my portable and two flashlights charging, add in the summer heat for Florida. I almost want to end this with (and a partridge in a pear tree!!)

You guys stay safe!