Electrical Problem - Reversed Battery Cables
Thread Starter
|
New User
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Electrical Problem - Reversed Battery Cables
As I'm a below average mechanic, please excuse my ignorance. Just bought a '73 Bronco a couple days ago (it started fine). It had no battery when it was delivered to me so I had to buy one.
I didn't confirm the positive-negative terminal posts (dumb) and put them on backwards. After correcting my mistake, the engine will no longer turn over. No click, no nothing. How should I start my troubleshooting? Solenoid, starter, battery? The local garage will probably laugh all the way to the bank if I have to tow it in and it turns out to be a fuse or something.
Still Learnin'
Joe
I didn't confirm the positive-negative terminal posts (dumb) and put them on backwards. After correcting my mistake, the engine will no longer turn over. No click, no nothing. How should I start my troubleshooting? Solenoid, starter, battery? The local garage will probably laugh all the way to the bank if I have to tow it in and it turns out to be a fuse or something.
Still Learnin'
Joe
Elder User
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 703
Likes: 0
From: Where they take the census by counting the appliances on the front porch and multiplying by five
Electrical Problem - Reversed Battery Cables
Hey Joe, welcome to FTE!
Don't be down on yourself, bud. Anyone could have made that mistake.
Try this:
1- remove both battery cables. take a knife and scrape the inside of the cable ends until you have fresh metal (uncorroded) showing. Then take a stiff bristle brush and clean up the terminals on the battery. Now re-connect (correctly) and try that.
Usually when it wont do anything, it's a bad connection.
2- if that doesn't work, check the voltage coming from the battery. It should be a little over 12 volts (not sure exactly). If it's less than 12 volts, it needs a charge or maybe a new one.
3- check to make sure your cable ends didn't fry at the hook-ups. (solenoid, ground wire, etc.) and they're making a good, clean connection.
Hooking them up backwards shouldn't have "hurt" anything I wouldn't think, but I'm no mechanic myself. Just years of "getting by"
Let us know how it goes!
Again, welcome to FTE!
Chuck
Don't be down on yourself, bud. Anyone could have made that mistake.
Try this:
1- remove both battery cables. take a knife and scrape the inside of the cable ends until you have fresh metal (uncorroded) showing. Then take a stiff bristle brush and clean up the terminals on the battery. Now re-connect (correctly) and try that.
Usually when it wont do anything, it's a bad connection.
2- if that doesn't work, check the voltage coming from the battery. It should be a little over 12 volts (not sure exactly). If it's less than 12 volts, it needs a charge or maybe a new one.
3- check to make sure your cable ends didn't fry at the hook-ups. (solenoid, ground wire, etc.) and they're making a good, clean connection.
Hooking them up backwards shouldn't have "hurt" anything I wouldn't think, but I'm no mechanic myself. Just years of "getting by"
Let us know how it goes!
Again, welcome to FTE!
Chuck
Postmaster
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 3,594
Likes: 2
From: Southern Oregon USA
Electrical Problem - Reversed Battery Cables
Hey Joe,
Welcome to the EB Forum.
We all started somewhere. I know I've done stuff like that.
Just call it learning from experience.
Jason
Welcome to the EB Forum.
We all started somewhere. I know I've done stuff like that.
Just call it learning from experience.
Jason
Last edited by RCrawler; Feb 2, 2003 at 05:57 PM.
