electrc prblm / hooked up jumper cables backwards
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,811
Likes: 15
From: Central Ohio
electrc prblm / hooked up jumper cables backwards
I think my battery is finally going out in my '99 f150 (4.2l). The other day it was really slow to start, then later that day it needed jumped. But then it was fine the next time I started it, then back to needing jumped. It still has the originaly battery best I can tell.
Anyhow, I went to try it this morning and dead as door nail. So I threw the jumpers on it to my bronco. The clamps arced at first then started to glow, so I pulled it off. Then I remembered the color of the wires going to my battery in the bronco are backwards...I knew that would catch up to me one day. I always look at the markings on the terminals but it was dark so I just looked at the cables
. When I swapped them around then the power came on in the truck, and it turned over fine but wouldnt start. The starter would just keep running and running but no start. Did I fry some electronics? Is there a fuse somewhere I might have blown by doing this? I know alot of auto electroncis are protected by a diode right across the main power that will short out when power is applied backwards to protect the rest of the circuit... any thoughts??? Besides that I am a dumb-@$$!?!
Anyhow, I went to try it this morning and dead as door nail. So I threw the jumpers on it to my bronco. The clamps arced at first then started to glow, so I pulled it off. Then I remembered the color of the wires going to my battery in the bronco are backwards...I knew that would catch up to me one day. I always look at the markings on the terminals but it was dark so I just looked at the cables
. When I swapped them around then the power came on in the truck, and it turned over fine but wouldnt start. The starter would just keep running and running but no start. Did I fry some electronics? Is there a fuse somewhere I might have blown by doing this? I know alot of auto electroncis are protected by a diode right across the main power that will short out when power is applied backwards to protect the rest of the circuit... any thoughts??? Besides that I am a dumb-@$$!?!
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,811
Likes: 15
From: Central Ohio
False alarm! False alarm! Thank god 
Turned out the battery was shot and when I jumped it (without the other vehicle running) it was turning the starter but not enough voltage to fire up the plugs. I had the battery tested at advanced and it was bad. New battery is in (1000/850 cranking amps) and starts up good as new. I probabyl shouldnt have posted until I thuroughly tested it but I was freaking out because I thought for sure when I hooked up the jumpers backwards I fried something. I went battery terminal to battery terminal, so the short was direct between the batteries and didnt seem to hurt any of the electronics. Thanks anyways for the quick responses & suggestions.
Turned out the battery was shot and when I jumped it (without the other vehicle running) it was turning the starter but not enough voltage to fire up the plugs. I had the battery tested at advanced and it was bad. New battery is in (1000/850 cranking amps) and starts up good as new. I probabyl shouldnt have posted until I thuroughly tested it but I was freaking out because I thought for sure when I hooked up the jumpers backwards I fried something. I went battery terminal to battery terminal, so the short was direct between the batteries and didnt seem to hurt any of the electronics. Thanks anyways for the quick responses & suggestions.
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 479
Likes: 1
From: Syracuse
Good to know! Lucky you, too. I think all that would happen is you'd blow a 100 amp protection fuse. I've done it in the dark trying to help someone out. It wouldn't do anything after I shorted it out, then I found the big fuse was blown, replaced that and all was good and they were off. The next day she came back and said some of the interior light and gizmos didn't work. She had just come from the dealer who told her it could cost upwards of $1300 to find and fix the problem worst case scenario. I found a blown 10 amp fuse under the dash and fixed that too. She was happy to say the least.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,811
Likes: 15
From: Central Ohio
Inquiring minds want to know, why is the colored wires backwards in your bronco?
When I re-did alot of the wiring I used the fancy lookin clear wires, but one of the terminals broke off this summer and I didnt have another one hand but I did have a battery cable pre-made but it was just the wrong color. No problem, I always check the symbols on the posts first anyways...right? lol
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