Battery sparking help!!!
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Freshman User
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Battery sparking help!!!
1994 f350 7.5L Auto
I'm getting sparks on the pos. post when I try to start. Took the battery in they said it was fine. Cleaned off the posts, still happening. Any ideas, did I fry the comp? Please say no.
Ryan
I'm getting sparks on the pos. post when I try to start. Took the battery in they said it was fine. Cleaned off the posts, still happening. Any ideas, did I fry the comp? Please say no.
Ryan
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No problem. Educate me, if I simply hook the battery up to roll windows up and lock doors no problems. But, the problem occurs when I try to start. I'm think there's a problem w/ the starter. Am I warm? What occurs when I turn the key that I'm overlooking?
Elder User
Joined: Dec 2006
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From: Hillsboro, OR
To have sparks, there must be a gap. If the battery is hooked up properly and the other elec works fine, but there are sparks where the cable meets the post when starting, I would suspect a worn out terminal. If it is no longer round, it is not making a solid connection to the post. For low amp stuff (windows, lights, wipers, etc.) there is still enough of a connection. For the amps that the starter draws, the terminal needs full contact with the post. Hence the sparks crossing the gaps.
If it was a bad starter and the terminal had full contact, there would be no sparks, just melting wires. Replace the whole cable, not just the terminal. Those clamp on ends are good for about a week before they start going bad. Get a good cable with the crimped on terminal and that should solve it. Good luck.
If it was a bad starter and the terminal had full contact, there would be no sparks, just melting wires. Replace the whole cable, not just the terminal. Those clamp on ends are good for about a week before they start going bad. Get a good cable with the crimped on terminal and that should solve it. Good luck.
Elder User
Joined: May 2007
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From: Solon, Ohio
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To have sparks, there must be a gap. If the battery is hooked up properly and the other elec works fine, but there are sparks where the cable meets the post when starting, I would suspect a worn out terminal. If it is no longer round, it is not making a solid connection to the post. For low amp stuff (windows, lights, wipers, etc.) there is still enough of a connection. For the amps that the starter draws, the terminal needs full contact with the post. Hence the sparks crossing the gaps.
If it was a bad starter and the terminal had full contact, there would be no sparks, just melting wires. Replace the whole cable, not just the terminal. Those clamp on ends are good for about a week before they start going bad. Get a good cable with the crimped on terminal and that should solve it. Good luck.
If it was a bad starter and the terminal had full contact, there would be no sparks, just melting wires. Replace the whole cable, not just the terminal. Those clamp on ends are good for about a week before they start going bad. Get a good cable with the crimped on terminal and that should solve it. Good luck.
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Yeah that's what I figured, but my main concern is did I damage the computer?
Becuase its an odd ball cable Ford wants $105.00 for a battery cable
Becuase its an odd ball cable Ford wants $105.00 for a battery cable
More Turbo
Joined: Mar 2008
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If it runs normally, there is no damage to the computer. The sparks are the result of too many electrons trying to cross over too little of a cross sectional area (ie: shorting out cable) Doesn't mean that there is too much current going through any given circuit. If anything, it means that there is too little current.
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Freshman User
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If it runs normally, there is no damage to the computer. The sparks are the result of too many electrons trying to cross over too little of a cross sectional area (ie: shorting out cable) Doesn't mean that there is too much current going through any given circuit. If anything, it means that there is too little current.
Elder User
Joined: May 2007
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From: Solon, Ohio
Your problem is probably being caused by the positive cable end not being able to clamp down hard enough on the positive terminal of the battery to make a good enough connection, or the wires are corroded where they go into the cable end connector.
If the connector simply doesn't tighten down enough, you can use a strip of copper or brass shim stock wrapped around the battery terminal to do a pretty good temporary fix.
If the connector simply doesn't tighten down enough, you can use a strip of copper or brass shim stock wrapped around the battery terminal to do a pretty good temporary fix.