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Yes, a fully charged battery can start and run a car. However, anything that uses electricity will draw-down the battery capacity until eventually, the battery will be incapable of sustaining the ignition circuit. For example, if the alternator were to fail a night during a long trip, the lighting system [headlights, marker lights, brake lights, and the tail and turn signal lights will severely drain the battery in an one to three hours. On the other hand, if the vehicle is operated only in daylight, and none of the electrical draining functions are used [radio, A/C, heater blower, etc.] are used, the vehicle can be driven for many hours. The length of time the battery will sustain ingnition function is dependent on the capacity of the battery, the level of charge at the start, and the amount of accessory electrical use demanded of it.

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16y ago

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