For example, in an electron tube electrons from the cathode travel across the tube toward the anode, and in an electroplating cell negative ions are Only show this user. This creates a negative negative and a positive positive. Then connect the black cable to the negative terminal of the car battery. But, when attempting to put a brand new battery in today, as soon as I try to attach the 2nd battery cable, the machine tries to start all by itself, just with touching the battery cable to the battery terminal. The stock battery can be found on the shelf in the garage at home. Apparently there was damage done to the wiring, causing a short. Yes it can. Either the positive or negative terminal will cause a spark if connecting to it completes a circuit that is drawing power from the batt Think of these cables as the large rivers that carry the water from the reservoir into a city's water main system. 02-14-2004, 12:37 AM. Large spark pops, or smoke, however, are not a good sign. Step 4: Remove the battery from the engine. Switch the meter's resistance range to the 20K-ohm setting and attach the negative (black) meter lead to the center terminal of the coil. Car Electrical Items Turned On. Step 3 - Locate the Cable. Improper Battery Cable Installation. When I am done mowing, the engine still turns over even after the key is switched to off. Peugeot Master. Connect any other wires to the coil in their original positions. Kinda seems like the thumbswitch is being held in. Yes, a battery will spark when its being connected. The arcing connection needs to have the battery post and the cable clamp cleaned and tightened. If she hit a stump, it was the stump's fault. Connect your meter's black lead to the battery negative terminal, and your meter's red lead to the firewall. Share. Engine manMemberfrom Wisconsin. Copy. No. Negitive battery terminal melted. The only reason for the terminal to melt is a bad connection. Alway put the positive cable on the battery A spark appears when the dieletric (here, the air) breaks down because the voltage is too high between the electrodes. I just replaced my HG and am having a similar problem. . If the final negative connection is made on the negative battery post and a spark is created the battery can explode. There are always some stuff that are constantly on that will not drain the battery (unless not driven for prolong periods of timethats why the battery dies if It just has much better chances to be seen with a few kV. Not only did the terminal heat up enough to melt the lead capturing it, but the hot terminal then melted its way through the case. That is why safety glasses should be worn, battery might explode. The sparking you see is most likely caused by a capacitor in the charger being suddenly charged by current from the battery you are connecting to. Thats why they suggest the final negative connection be made somewhere away from the battery. A parallel RV battery bank increases the current but allows the voltage to stay the same. Also, regional editions of the newspaper sometimes printed different versions of an article. Low Voltage Car Battery. I have already went through a couple battery terminals from disconnecting my negative anytime I do any work on the car. Jeffsg605. Negative Battery Cable. There is a bad connection ,replace the battery cable,and clean the battery post ,until it shines,any corrosion ,or black,or gray on the battery post ,insulates the connection. In theory, if using automotive terminals, the negative terminal is large diameter. They told me to go to the wreckers. A poor contact connection or a missing ground strap between the chassis and the engine may also result in the melting of your golf cart battery cables. Your starter probably has a body ground instead of a wire grounding it. The battery is beneath the cargo floor in the passenger side rear cargo area. 2. 1.6L. It's normal for the negative cable to spark a little when hooking the cable back up to the battery, assuming the positive cable is already attached. Every time I try to jump the car it gives sparks out of the negative. It is installed in the front-right section of the engine bay with 2x8mm bolts while wiring the car. 1. When jumping a car, it is advised to use a ground such as a bolt or bracket for the black negative cable, instead of connecting it to the negative terminal on the dead battery. Corrosion can take place on the terminals, which will make for a weak connection. You have created half of the necessary corrections required to use the batteries in parallel. If you join two 6-volt RV batteries in parallel, you will get 6 volts, but the amps will now be increased. Consider doing that to the negative cable too. The plug this guy fried is part of the engine harness. I did some diagnosis and found a short between the negative battery cable and the positive post on the starter. Gently pour this solution over one battery post at a time and wait for the solution to begin bubbling as it neutralizes any corrosive acid accumulation on and around the post. Any clues as to why this is happening? 02-13-2004, 10:51 PM. Keep doing this and see if you can generate any heat. The battery cables can spark if the cables are installed in the improper order. The actual flow of electricity is from the negative terminal to the positive terminal, but that doesnt matter. Wire brush the terminal and the connections. I really think it's because of the heat and humidty we have in south carolina that makes it easier to strip the screws that tighten after market battery terminals rendering the terminal useless. if you hook it up and its sparkin like crazy.then your polarity is reversed in the battery, or you have a positive wire possibly grounding out..I'd re check the electrical system. The spark is telling you two things: (1) The negative lead that is already on the battery terminal is not securely connected to ground. The next time it would not turn over. Part 1 of 1: Replacing battery cables Materials Needed. either that or I have a ground some where. (2) Current is being drawn from your battery. A hot cable and battery can cause injury. Why is my Negative Battery Cable Hot? Having a hot negative battery cable is a sign that there is increased resistance in the battery cable. This could mean that the battery cable is loose and needs to be tightened or it could indicate that there is something else causing the increased resistance like a corroded battery cable. It basically grounds the ecu and other modules. If it's green, replace the cable. Wait 10 seconds for any residual power to dissipate, and remove the black cable first. Engine manMemberfrom Wisconsin. Answer (1 of 22): What do you mean by Connected, using jumper cables? I'm worried about it since it is not connected well. Since your battery is in the trunk and your jumper posts are under the hood, you should be using the jumper posts. @drk_u4ria when you "dropped you starter" did you verify that it worked? The sparking when you make the last connection should be kept to a minimum by making a solid connection the first time. Jul 24, 2008. It also was not the battery's fault. Therefore the sparks when installing the new battery. I installed the positive first then went to do the negitive and huge spark/smoke and I see my terminal melted on the one side. I have two wires running from my negative battery terminal. This ignition module is designed for 12V negative ground applications only. i was driving with my radio on an fog lights that put on myself an all of a sudden the car just cut completely shut off. While reinstalling my battery after working on my 94 sentra my negitive battery cable melted my negitive terminal. Now, clasp the black cable to the negative terminal of the good battery and the other cable to the ground point of the bad battery. 1. Cite. You can take a test light between the cable and the battery terminal and see if it lights and goes out, or stays dim. But it could. One is the heavy four gauge one. Also, what would cause a negative battery cable to melt? The old coot at Autozone is a dimwit. Low Voltage Car Battery. The Hot-Spark modules red wire connects to positive ( + or 15 on Bosch coil). Start the vehicle with the good battery and bring engine speed up to around 1,500 2,000 RPMs. A poor contact connection or a missing ground strap between the chassis and the engine may also result in the melting of your golf cart battery cables. Nov 15, 2016 (Edited) The most practical way to fix this is just to buy a new battery terminal. 4.4/5 (6,208 Views . Usually, the engine is best and a bolt or bracket make good targets. Some of these iteams will have a circuit that is always on even with the key off and unit off. Another symptom of a loose battery cable is a low voltage car battery. If not keep looking to the starter. A more economical option would be the Battery Terminal Quick-Disconnect, # DW05312. The other is a small one that runs about three inches right to the frame next to the battery. The black wire connects to negative ( or 1 on Bosch coil). That small amperage draw is literally trying to jump the gap as it gets small enough. Sep 8, 2006. Now, plug your charger into the wall or extension cord thats plugged into the wall. 2. When you connect the last clamp there typically is a spark. You dont want a spark near a lead acid battery as there may be some hydrogen gas (from Technically, the reason the electrics work on your bike is the Volts are a measure of 'potential difference' - nominally, there are 12 Volts - units of potential difference - between the battery negative terminal and the battery positive terminal. If you have dry hands, you probably have fairly high resistance and won't feel a shock. Maintenance/Repairs. The right way to install a battery cable is by disconnecting the grounding battery cable before replacing the battery terminal or cable. Connect the positive at the battery terminal first(no danger of a spark as a complete circuit is not formed), then connect the negative cable to a point on the chassis away from the battery, so the resulting spark is not in the area likely to be affected by any gases. I popped the trunk and went to reattach the negative bolt back into the battery and had quite a few sparks (twice). The next symptom is one that you are only going to see when you stick your head under the hood. Ground is already connected via the 7812 IC to the battery negative, if you are using an external source for Arduino make sure to connect the negative with the inverter battery negative otherwise you will get no output. Here's the link for my calculations: Its about 3/4 down the page. First, ensure that the cars ignition has been turned off. It can be the connection between the battery terminal and the cable end or the connection between the cable end and the cable coming out of it. The negative battery cable attaches directly to the car body at the rear of the car, so yes, you need to disconnect the cable at the battery itself. A: You must be selective about the metal part to which you attach the cable clamp. While reinstalling my battery after working on my 94 sentra my negitive battery cable melted my negitive terminal. That's fairly obvious, eh? The negative will go to a ground It is possible to disconnect either terminal first and be fine, its just not recommended, and heres why: A car batterys negative terminal has a cable that runs from it to the frame of the vehicle. If it is a 24 volt difference, then you have +/- mixed up on the two 12 volt strings. 2WD. Aug 18, 2006. The reading here should be 11.00 or better, with 13.49 being about normal. Once the clamp is off, move it safely out of the way. Pulse November 2, 2014, 12:15am #1. You can use an old toothbrush or a wire brush and a battery cleaner. The battery in the picture above accidentally had a tool or cable dropped on it. i The battery in the picture above accidentally had a tool or cable dropped on it. The positive cable is red. Disconnect the red wire from the starter solinoid to the starter and crank key like you are going to start it. of water. of baking soda into 12 oz. Look for a black cable and a minus (-) symbol. Options. So, either there is a fault both with the starter and wrong fuse, or the terminal is badly connected. In theory, if using automotive terminals, the negative terminal is large diameter. It is possible that a battery has been miss-assembled or miss-wired to mix the wrong +/- connections. If batteries have "flag" terminals, then you have to look closely at the battery for +/- and confirm with a meter. 200,000 MILES. The car has a new battery and a new alternator, bet every time I try to connect the last negative there are sparks. Positive First. There should be two cables, one black and one red. If you want to remove copper sulfate from the terminals, you will need some baking soda water solution and a brush. It is normal to see multiple news articles on one subject, since events unfold over time. There's some sort of electrical goop you can use to prevent the corrosion in the future as well. I recharged it twice with it starting. Negative buss isolation will break any ground path other than the battery lead. Did some google-ing and searched the forums but came up empty. That being said, if you are already noticing the symptom above, you will probably already have plans to take a look at the engine to see why it is having such a hard time starting up. The battery terminals spark when they are connected. It deepends on what you have on your boat but on most boat it is normal. I dont know much about scooters, but the appearance of a spark when connecting or disconnecting a voltage source indicates the presence of an elec I have the car listed above that won't jump. MANUAL. There are two very large cables that come directly off the battery. Accumulation of Sulfation on lead acid batteries happen when a battery is overcharged or undercharged or when electrolyte level drops below and pla I would expect if you connected the negative first then the positive you would still get a spark. Another symptom of a loose battery cable is a low voltage car battery. 4 CYL. If you did not have those sparks before, it is possible that you crossed the starter wires somewhere. Check the ground strap from the back of the motor to the firewall. Be aware that standard procedure is to remove the negative cable first, then remove, clean, and tighten the positive cable, followed by cleaning and tightening the negative cable. New battery will also run down quickly. #3 dogfriend, Sep 13, 2010. Sparks raise the temperature so the resistance increases so it sparks more & gets hot enough to melt the lead ( ~ 700 deg ) You can buy a lot of arc welding sets that will weld steel which run off a car battery. Thing like radios, VHF, GPS are not normally wired thru the key switch. The negative cable is normally black, and the positive cable is normally red. You create an unnecessary danger. Once the negative terminal is connected then the car chassis is completely grounded to negative in modern cars. N A voltage drop can happen when there is a loose connection or corrosion on the battery terminals. Negitive battery terminal melted. Either the positive or negative terminal will cause a spark if connecting to it completes a circuit that is drawing power from the battery. If left for a prolonged period of time, the car battery can explode. Here's what you can do hook up the jumper cables. Clean the terminal and the inside of the cable end. some sparking is normal. Do not connect either of the coil's terminals ( + The battery cables can spark if the cables are installed in the improper order. Make sure your stator wire connection is solid. It won't spark if you connect the positive cable first and then the negative. For negative ground the "-" terminal goes to the distributor (to be grounded on the engine block). Clean the terminal and the inside of the cable end. The sparking you see is most likely caused by a capacitor in the charger being suddenly charged by current from the battery you are connecting to. In any phase, you get the spark while pursuing the jump-start, carefully clasp up the red jumper cable to the positive terminal of the fine battery and other to the positive terminal of the bad battery. A final problem using ignition devices. Look for the black cable attached to the battery. Reference: battery terminals positive and negative. You will get a spark when the negative cable is installed sometimes. The reason for this is that you have completed the electric circuit on your car. Your computer has started working. If you have a hood light or doors open, those lights will come on. I posted a video on my YouTube channel. Look for damaged wiring. If it is 1-2 volt difference, a shorted cell may be the cause. The spark you see when hooking up battery leads is very similar to how a spark plug works. Doing so can create sparks that ignite the hydrogen fumes from the battery. when connecting a battery which terminal first. By removing the negative battery cable you are disconnecting the battery from the chassis of your vehicle. I quickly disconnected the negative and did some troubleshooting. When the charging process is complete, unplug the charger. Sure, sort of, after a fashion. Probably not in the sense you may be imagining, whatever that is. I have a lot of RC-batteries. Typically, within t If you are still skeptical about all this, there is a quick way to check directly which way the current is flowing in the high tension circuit. This causes the entire frame to act as the negative terminal of the battery. A battery terminal is a device that allows for the connection of two electrical conductors, usually a positive and negative wire. (that is why your battery is slowly draining.) 1 person likes this. In theory, if there are enough battery vapors present, the spark could ignite them. Look at where the cable goes into the end. If the vehicle will start, then, yes, you can drive the vehicle with corrosion present on either or both of the negative and positive battery termi Also, the ground, or negative cable, should not be touching anything metal while the positive cable is hooked up. Fix connectors or wires as necessary. Watch the positive cable going to the starter and make sure that it does not touch the case or the engine block. Remember, very important what battery cable goes on first!! The terminals on a lead acid battery can even melt from the heat. The quality of the spark is mentioned occasionally but the polarity of the chassis would not have forced it to be one or the other as the coil could be connected as required. Corroded Battery Terminals . Start with the negative terminal and disconnect the negative battery cable. Answer (1 of 2): Yes it can. First I would like to say that the wheeler starts great with the kickstart. Battery cables need a strong connection to be able to transfer the electricity being generated from the cars alternator to the car battery. The dealer will not help you find this part in fact they will tell you to buy a 600 dollar engine harness. Now when I hook up the battery cables, the engine immediately starts to turn over, regardless of the key position. This is not a lot, so the end of the cable has to be really close to the battery terminal for a spark to occur. Do a voltage drop test all along the power wire- measure at the battery, at both posts on the solenoid, at the back of the alternator. Disconnect Negative and Positive Cables. Re: Battery sparks with key off when I hook up cables. Answer (1 of 3): From what I've read on other places, it seems that there is high resistance at the terminal or on the line. If it is 6-12 volt difference, a series/parallel connection is miss-wired. When installing a mower battery, always connect the positive cable first. Posted on Feb 09, 2010. A battery car is supposed to be ~12V. I am then able to turn the key on and it starts. The terminal became loose and sparked. The resistance can cause a field strength of several volts per millimeter and the corrosion is very high. I went to start my 93 vs1400 the other day and it was dead. The polarity is critical (negative-to-negative, or positive-to-positive). In some cases it could mean a short but normally you can expect some minor sparking because of the many things that draw a dedicated current from the battery. 20,130. I took out the battery to find the negative terminal was melted and battery was at around .2 volts. Step 2: Remove the negative battery terminal. Its normal occurrence , happens most of the time when reconnecting battery terminals. Pay attention to battery polarity. I charged the 4 lowest voltage cell pairs, one at a time, to the same level as the highest voltage cell (3.48V) using a spare 18V Ryobi battery. In most cases, car batteries spark during connection because of improper battery cable installation. Why do you connect the positive terminal first? connect the black jumplead to the negative of the good battery. 21 Votes) Merely touching the positive terminal of a 12V battery does not fulfill that requirement, unless some part of you simultaneously has a low resistance path to the negative terminal of that same battery. Not only did the terminal heat up enough to melt the lead capturing it, but the hot terminal then melted its way through the case. Disconnect a spark wire from a spark plug (or the coil wire from the distributor cap). First, remove all jewelry when working with tools, even something as simple as a box wrench. Now, my only question is if the negative wire was cut, which it appeared to be, would it be possible that the sparking was due to the draw arcing and hitting the frame or the next possible metal piece and not going through the battery. I know the owners manual says negative cable, but this is the tested and recommended method from Roadmaster. loud popping noises, blue sparks and melted metal is bad. To fix this problem you have to do two things. Negative battery terminal sparks while starting. Place 3 or 4 tbsp. Make sure all of your grounds are tight, shiny, clean. If you hook up the last booster cable to the dead batterys negative terminal, the spark may be close enough to ignite the escaping vapors and blow up the battery. By itself, no. Connecting something to it, either a load or a voltage source (as in jump starting,) sure can. If your coil reads under 11.00, then chances are pretty good that this is the reason you're not getting any spark or a very weak one. We can charge a 12V battery with 24V charger, by connecting two 12V batteries in series i. e. the negative terminal of the first battery is I realized it was sparking up because the nut on the negative terminal was melted to the star washer that was on it. Also, I just noticed that the plastic on the battery was melted a bit under the same terminal. Terminals on batteries can melt for a variety of reasons. I then disconnect the negative cable. Step 6: Compare current cables with replacement cables. Anything other than The blade being seized would not cause a drain on the battery. If there is no way to see what is on the battery (the terminals cover them), follow the cables back to their source. You should clean it thoroughly to make it function again. But a little sparking is ok and normal. I connect the jumpers the correct order. connect the other end to a chunky bit of exposed, bare metal that is connected to the engine or the bodywork. Spark Return. Step 4. It can be the connection between the battery terminal and the cable end or the connection between the cable end and the cable coming out of it. The battery (: Auton akku) is a car part that powers the vehicles electronic parts like radio. Electronics in your car like your lights, radio, and dash clock are looking for some juice. When attaching the battery cables, place the positive cable on first and then the ground cable. Maintenance/Repairs. Remove the battery terminals To run a battery charge line to your Jeep's battery, I recommend using the Battery Charge Line Kit, # RM-156-25. It The terminal originally looked like this: New battery terminal. When the battery died, the car's alarm system assumed that someone is tampering with the battery or had disconnected it in order to break into the car. Be sure the terminals are clean without resistance between the battery and the terminal so there is no electric field to cause the corrosion. Battery cables need a strong connection to be able to transfer the electricity being generated from the cars alternator to the car battery. EvanR wrote: 99.99% of cars in use today have *something* that draws power constantly. The terminal originally looked like this: New battery terminal.