Battery cables reversed.

If the battery cables are reversed just long enough to make the spark (1 second) what are the consequences? Is there a fuse fusible link that is suppose to burn out?

Are there items that might of been damaged? If damaged would it be immediate? Are there items I should check?

Thanks

Reply to
J J
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That's just enough time to destroy anything electronic on the car. The only thing to do is to connect the battery correctly, and if nothing smokes then test everything. USUALLY people get lucky and little or no harm is done.

Reply to
clifto

Murphy's fifth law of electronics states that A $400.00 part will always sacrifice itself to save the life of a $0.25 fuse.

But maybe you came out OK?

Reply to
TomO

I think Hammacher Schlemmer company

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sells some sort of computerized smart battery jumper cables.You can't hook them up wrong.Best thing though,just be extra carefull and never hook up any battery jumper cables wrong.I once read about a ''trick'' many years ago.A guy out in the boonies in cold weather,his battery was low and no one around to jump his battery off.He hooked up his battery cables to the battery and the other end of the cables,he touched them together a few times.That warmed up his battery enough so that his vehicle cranked up. cuhulin

Reply to
cuhulin

You can get the same effect on a "low" but not "dead" battery by putting the headlights on for a few seconds. Of course you don't get the cool sparky sparky action.

nate

Reply to
Nate Nagel

Or welding....

Reply to
Brent P

That's assuming there's no battery installed. If there's a battery, the voltage won't go negative. The battery will explode and the battery cables will melt before that'll happen.

Reply to
AZ Nomad

I once ran my battery down so far that it wouldn't start. I noticed that I had left the lights on when I went out to get my lunch at noon. I was parked in the shade, so I rolled the truck out into the sun and it started right up when I left that night. Some times you get lucky.

Reply to
Calvin

The OP didn't explain what "battery cables are reversed" means. Was he attempting to jump the battery incorrectly or was he installing the battery incorrectly?

-jim

Reply to
jim

you can fry the alt. alt. has dioles that allows the currant to flow in one direction. when you reverse that current you short them out, and they blow. and your alt. will not work. it may work a little but not enough to carry the requirer amperage. the diole can also cause your batt to go dead if it shorts it self out.

the same gos for the regulater' believe it or not it a fact. ps. it can damage the computor also

Reply to
alan &marge pepper

Is this a '63 Chev PU or a 2004 Audi? Yes it does make a difference!

Don

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Reply to
Donald Lewis

One second is a long time and you may have fried an electronic component.

Look for something that doesn't work or a warning light, check engine light, etc. The alternator light may now be on, etc.

Reply to
John S.

Most get lucky and have to replace a 100amp or more fuse. Others wish they'd marked the cables better. I know I did it on a late 90's Escort. The ground cable was black and had a red tracer and the hot was solid black... I ended up putting another fuse in it and got lucky.

Reply to
corning_d3

I feel they might have been damaged.

- An

Reply to
amdforever

OK. I read it as jumping them backwards.

If it was the battery installed backwards, a lot will depends on the individual electronics. The ECU will have a series resister most likely and be safe. The alternator will probably fry. A cheap stereo may fry or may have a series resister. The alternator frying may protect the rest of the car's electrical system acting as a "crowbar overvoltage protection" circuit -- the equivalent of putting a crowbar across the terminals in order to have a series fuse flow.

Reply to
AZ Nomad

It would be important to know what car it is.

Regards,

Ralf

Reply to
Ralf Ballis

it is not nessacry to asume that you did any damage to any of the electical components. hook your battery up the right way and run the car. if everything works fine then you can tell your self that thier was no damage done.

Reply to
alan &marge pepper

oops. Here is the additional information to original question I was cleaning cables on a very cold day and in my hurry reversed cables. (embarassing mistake) There were no jumper cables.

It was an 1987 Lincoln Towncar.

Alternator quit working. NAPA man said diodes were probably burned out.

Which fuse was "suppose" to have blown to prevent this?

Reply to
J J

on the ground side of the electrical circut there are no fuses. when the currant is reversed. be careful not to make these kind of miskate. it happen to all of us from time to time. we are only human.

Reply to
alan &marge pepper

You can use some good quality friction tape and wind the tape around both ends of the negative side of your battery jumper cable.That will help you know which of the cables is which in the dark. cuhulin

Reply to
cuhulin

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