flood

At work I left my lights on all day. Battery dead.

Find someone to help jumpstart it. Turns out they put the jumper cables on wrong (how difficult of a task is that?). There was some smoke from the wires behind the motor. I put the cables on correctly and well my car does start but when you take the jumper cables off it dies.

I would think that means the alternator is shot but how can I tell? It could be the wires that got fried? Im not sure what it is.

It does have a voltage meter and it just starts dropping when the jumpers are removed then the car dies.

Ok heres the question. Battery, Alt, or wires that smoked when it was improperly hooked up? :confused:



[Modified by flood, 8:32 PM 9/10/2003]

1979toy

There is a fusable links in the hot wires from the battery. You have fried them most likely. The fusable links are there for dummy protection. Check the voltage after the fat spot in the wire.

flood

The car does start, but just dies when the jumpers are removed. Would it still start if the fuseable links were fried?

LAvetteman

Yes, I agree with 79, probably just some fried wires. I wouldn't worry about the starter and alt too much.

SmokinL82

I've heard that it will mess up your alt. After you check the wires if it still dosen't work.........get a voltage meter. The battery should check at 12.4 or so. Then check the alt. Put the red to the red plug on the alt and then find a ground. Should be around 14.7. if it's bad it will read same as battery. Just as if the car was turned off. Good Luck!

dath

This is misleading data... Normally when your car is running and working properly, the voltage should read a bit over 14 at the battery or alternator, or whereever you decide to check it. When shut off, it will read a bit over 12. Now in your case, if you have some bad wiring, it's going to be really hard to check since removing the jumper cables will kill your car. What you could do is this:

1) Hook up jumper cables to car that is running.

2) Start your car.

3) Let battery charge for a while (15 minutes maybe)...

4) Shut down car that is jumping you, but do not disconnect the cables yet.

5) Check your voltage at your alternator and at your battery. They should both read a bit over 14 volts if your charging circuit is working properly. If you get a higher reading on your alternator (14ish) and a lower one on your battery (12ish), then you've got some bad wiring between the alternator and battery...

Whatever you decide, post the results, I like troubleshooting these kinds of problems:D

Andrew

There could be a much easier explanation. My Explorer did the same thing. I didn't cross the jumper cables, but I jumped the Explorer and it would run until I took the cables off. As it turns out, the battery terminals were very corroded and the terminal connectors were shot. When the jumper cables clamped down in the terminal and terminal connectors, it would engage the battery. As soon as I removed them, it would unclamp and would die. $3.00 later for new terminal connectors and clean terminals, it runs like a top. Just a thought. :cheers:

dath

Darn good point. I had a coworker who had a battery replaced and they didn't get the cables on tight enough, same situation... Simple thing to pull the cables off, clean the electrodes and put them back on nice and tight...