amramir

I was changing out the battery in my 1968 C3 when I accidentally crossed the wires - the ground was RED (I thought red was HOT) - anyway it was only connected that way for a few seconds, but smoke came out of the alternator! Did I burn up my alternator? Once I corrected the crossed wired she fired right up and I drove her for a few miles before putting her to bed and disconnecting the neg. Should I have someone check out the alternator??:r ofl:

Raphiki

It's pretty easy to pull the alternator and have it checked. Just about any auto parts store will do it free.

vettebuyer6369

I did that once in a '63 roadster many years ago. Smoke seemed to run up the wires on the firewall, I about had a heart attack. Oddly, no damage.

F22

Nobody is sin free! A few months back, removing a complex, clunky quick disconnect off the battery and a long thin wrench, had fallen in the comparment, unknownst to me working in the dark, in the back. Well it fell over and crossed the big power supply input to my brand new amp and totally smoked it in spectacular fashion. It stunk up the Shop, big time, with the smell of burnt to a crisp, circuit boards.

7T1vette

If you were lucky, only some of the shellac on the alternator windings got 'toasted' but nothing got shorted internally. If it starts and charges OK, you may have lucked-out. That doesn't mean that NO damage was done...but maybe it wasn't enough to cause any part failures. If your car still has the original GM fusible links in place, then you should be 'safe' when the car is operating. If there is a significant electrical failure, either a fuse in the fuse block or a fusible-link should take the hit.

Be a little more cautious when working with electrical 'stuff'....and, happy motoring!

lvmyvt76

put the correct ground cable on the car and not have that mistake. You will have to start the car to see what will happen. You could turn on accessorys on the car, after connecting the battery, to see how well everything works. Played the lottery lately, were you lucky on it as well?

Easy Mike

My guy can test alternators in the car. Drive down and let them check it.

v2racing

As was said, the smoke was probably the shellac on the windings in the alternator. You may be OK, but you may have shortened it's life. Problem is, you won't know when it will fail now. Of course you never really do. You also put a lot of current through the diodes. They may give up the ghost early too. I'd keep a close eye on it. If your ignition switch was off, most of the rest of the electronics would have been spared the torture test!

John 65

Happens to the best of em. Hope its ok.

oldC3guy

I know someone who says that "experience is knowing when you've made the same mistake a second time". I seem to have a lot of experience myself. Just try to avoid the second time part.

REELAV8R

Electronic components only have so much smoke in them. Let it all out and it doesn't work any more. Sounds like you just let a little smoke out.
Next time you want to do some welding try a lincoln it works better.

vairxpert

Alternators are cheap. Swap out it before you end up stranded somewhere.
Also, the guy who put a red cable in for the ground needs a serious beating. What color is the positive?

lvmyvt76

rebuild what you have if it is original to the car. They are better than the "rebuilt " ones you get, if the person knows what they are doing. Even I can rebuild them!

Billysvette

I rebuild alternators ,starters and if it smoked you most likely blew the diodes out,you will have to have it fixed or you will kill your battery ,diodes are like check valves to keep power from draining out of battery.you can blow diodes if you jump start a vehicle.It doesnt take much to blow a diode.

REELAV8R

Diodes in your alternator;
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=...ed=0CEgQ9QEwBA

How to check some of those diodes;

dochorsepower

Regarding ELECTRICAL THEORY BY JOSEPH LUCAS

Positive ground depends on proper circuit functioning, which is the transmission of negative ions by retention of visible spectral manifestation know as "smoke".
Smoke is the thing that makes electrical circuits work. We know this to be true because every time one lets the smoke out of an electrical circuit, it stops working. This can be verified repeatedly through empirical testing.
The function of the wiring harness is to conduct the smoke from one device to another. When the wiring springs a leak and lets all the smoke out of the system, nothing works afterward.
In conclusion, the basic concept of transmission of electrical energy in the form of smoke provides a logical explanation of the mysteries of electrical components especially British units manufactured by Joseph Lucas, Ltd.

jim-81

that's funny!

Jeff_Keryk

Yep, keep the smoke in the wires and you'll be OK. If the smoke get's outta the wires, you are screwed. That's all I can tell ya.

Capkunu

"British units manufactured by Joseph Lucas, Ltd."

Why do the Brits drink warm beer?
They have Lucas refrigerators.

The Lucas Three Position Light Switch:

1. Flicker
2. Dim
3. OFF



Dan G>

John A F

After Lucas had its biggest success inventing intermittent windshield wipers, they followed on with intermittent headlights and intermittent radio.