What Did I Mess Up?
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Cargo Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 3,362
Likes: 22
From: Florence, SC
What Did I Mess Up?
I just back my truck back from having a rebuild, and I have spent the last day re-routing my wires and cables to how I like them. Like an idiot I took off the starter cable at the starter relay without disconnecting the negative battery cable, and it accidentally slipped from my hand and landed on either the positive battery cable stud or the metal fender (or something) and it sparked and popped as the truck started cranking. I quickly snatched it back off and found that it actually turned the stud from the starter relay black with soot. It was around midnight and quiet, and it nearly scared me to death! I cleaned everything back up, and everything looks good so far. I haven't started the truck back up yet.
I don't know much of anything about electricity and wiring. What did I do, exactly? What caused the spark to happen and the engine to start cranking? Did I mess anything up? Did I fry the regulator, the relay, or the alternator or something?
Lesson learned: ALWAYS disconnect the negative battery cable when fooling around the engine!
I don't know much of anything about electricity and wiring. What did I do, exactly? What caused the spark to happen and the engine to start cranking? Did I mess anything up? Did I fry the regulator, the relay, or the alternator or something?
Lesson learned: ALWAYS disconnect the negative battery cable when fooling around the engine!
Moderator
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 56,990
Likes: 2,740
From: Virginia
You didn't do anything except the solenoid's(starter relay) job. It's job is to connected the large battery stud to the large starter stud when it gets a signal from the keyswitch. You just happened to drop the starter wire directly onto the battery side of the solenoid, connecting it just like the relay would.
FTE Legend
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 31,998
Likes: 2,421
From: Upstate NY
It sparked because there was a large current flow to the starter and you did not have a good tight connection. The electricity was jumping around trying to get to the starter but it was not being directed thru the cable and nice tight connections that exist under normal conditions.
That's kind of a loose version of it all, hope it makes sense.
That's kind of a loose version of it all, hope it makes sense.
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