Re: Battery Connected Backwards
 

Hi Steve,
There's no way you can reverse polarity even for an instants
without popping the alternator diodes.
God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O
mailto:-------------------- http://www.----------.com/

tempjeep@rodda.com wrote:
>
> Hi All,
>
> I installed a new battery in my '88 Wrangler but connected the wires
> backwards. Needless to say there were sparks, hissing and smoke coming
> from either the bottom of the battery or below the battery. The car
> starts and runs but the radio does not work and the volt meter shows
> just less than the first mark (I assume is 10V). Can the Jeep run on
> the battery if the alternator is dead and how long will a new battery
> last like this (I still need to drive home -15 miles). Can anyone
> advise what damage has been done and what needs to be changed? And yes
> I know it could have been much worse and was a dangerous mistake to
> make...stuff happens.
>
> Thanks in advance for any advice.
> Steve

Re: Battery Connected Backwards
 

Hi Steve,
There's no way you can reverse polarity even for an instants
without popping the alternator diodes.
God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O
mailto:-------------------- http://www.----------.com/

tempjeep@rodda.com wrote:
>
> Hi All,
>
> I installed a new battery in my '88 Wrangler but connected the wires
> backwards. Needless to say there were sparks, hissing and smoke coming
> from either the bottom of the battery or below the battery. The car
> starts and runs but the radio does not work and the volt meter shows
> just less than the first mark (I assume is 10V). Can the Jeep run on
> the battery if the alternator is dead and how long will a new battery
> last like this (I still need to drive home -15 miles). Can anyone
> advise what damage has been done and what needs to be changed? And yes
> I know it could have been much worse and was a dangerous mistake to
> make...stuff happens.
>
> Thanks in advance for any advice.
> Steve

Re: Battery Connected Backwards
 

Hi Steve,
There's no way you can reverse polarity even for an instants
without popping the alternator diodes.
God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O
mailto:-------------------- http://www.----------.com/

tempjeep@rodda.com wrote:
>
> Hi All,
>
> I installed a new battery in my '88 Wrangler but connected the wires
> backwards. Needless to say there were sparks, hissing and smoke coming
> from either the bottom of the battery or below the battery. The car
> starts and runs but the radio does not work and the volt meter shows
> just less than the first mark (I assume is 10V). Can the Jeep run on
> the battery if the alternator is dead and how long will a new battery
> last like this (I still need to drive home -15 miles). Can anyone
> advise what damage has been done and what needs to be changed? And yes
> I know it could have been much worse and was a dangerous mistake to
> make...stuff happens.
>
> Thanks in advance for any advice.
> Steve

Re: Battery Connected Backwards
 

L.W. ("ßill") ------ III did pass the time by typing:
> Hi Steve,
> There's no way you can reverse polarity even for an instants
> without popping the alternator diodes.

You know Bill, I wonder why in the long history of automobubbles
they never made different sized terminals to prevent this sort of
mistake. Guess it's just a no-profit motive thing.

--
DougW

Re: Battery Connected Backwards
 

L.W. ("ßill") ------ III did pass the time by typing:
> Hi Steve,
> There's no way you can reverse polarity even for an instants
> without popping the alternator diodes.

You know Bill, I wonder why in the long history of automobubbles
they never made different sized terminals to prevent this sort of
mistake. Guess it's just a no-profit motive thing.

--
DougW

Re: Battery Connected Backwards
 

L.W. ("ßill") ------ III did pass the time by typing:
> Hi Steve,
> There's no way you can reverse polarity even for an instants
> without popping the alternator diodes.

You know Bill, I wonder why in the long history of automobubbles
they never made different sized terminals to prevent this sort of
mistake. Guess it's just a no-profit motive thing.

--
DougW

Re: Battery Connected Backwards
 

With the GM 'one wire' type in his YJ, he might have gotten lucky and
the fuse link might have done it's job... It happens.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

"L.W.(ßill) ------ III" wrote:
>
> Hi Steve,
> There's no way you can reverse polarity even for an instants
> without popping the alternator diodes.
> God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O
> mailto:-------------------- http://www.----------.com/
>
> tempjeep@rodda.com wrote:
> >
> > Hi All,
> >
> > I installed a new battery in my '88 Wrangler but connected the wires
> > backwards. Needless to say there were sparks, hissing and smoke coming
> > from either the bottom of the battery or below the battery. The car
> > starts and runs but the radio does not work and the volt meter shows
> > just less than the first mark (I assume is 10V). Can the Jeep run on
> > the battery if the alternator is dead and how long will a new battery
> > last like this (I still need to drive home -15 miles). Can anyone
> > advise what damage has been done and what needs to be changed? And yes
> > I know it could have been much worse and was a dangerous mistake to
> > make...stuff happens.
> >
> > Thanks in advance for any advice.
> > Steve

Re: Battery Connected Backwards
 

With the GM 'one wire' type in his YJ, he might have gotten lucky and
the fuse link might have done it's job... It happens.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

"L.W.(ßill) ------ III" wrote:
>
> Hi Steve,
> There's no way you can reverse polarity even for an instants
> without popping the alternator diodes.
> God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O
> mailto:-------------------- http://www.----------.com/
>
> tempjeep@rodda.com wrote:
> >
> > Hi All,
> >
> > I installed a new battery in my '88 Wrangler but connected the wires
> > backwards. Needless to say there were sparks, hissing and smoke coming
> > from either the bottom of the battery or below the battery. The car
> > starts and runs but the radio does not work and the volt meter shows
> > just less than the first mark (I assume is 10V). Can the Jeep run on
> > the battery if the alternator is dead and how long will a new battery
> > last like this (I still need to drive home -15 miles). Can anyone
> > advise what damage has been done and what needs to be changed? And yes
> > I know it could have been much worse and was a dangerous mistake to
> > make...stuff happens.
> >
> > Thanks in advance for any advice.
> > Steve

Re: Battery Connected Backwards
 

With the GM 'one wire' type in his YJ, he might have gotten lucky and
the fuse link might have done it's job... It happens.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

"L.W.(ßill) ------ III" wrote:
>
> Hi Steve,
> There's no way you can reverse polarity even for an instants
> without popping the alternator diodes.
> God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O
> mailto:-------------------- http://www.----------.com/
>
> tempjeep@rodda.com wrote:
> >
> > Hi All,
> >
> > I installed a new battery in my '88 Wrangler but connected the wires
> > backwards. Needless to say there were sparks, hissing and smoke coming
> > from either the bottom of the battery or below the battery. The car
> > starts and runs but the radio does not work and the volt meter shows
> > just less than the first mark (I assume is 10V). Can the Jeep run on
> > the battery if the alternator is dead and how long will a new battery
> > last like this (I still need to drive home -15 miles). Can anyone
> > advise what damage has been done and what needs to be changed? And yes
> > I know it could have been much worse and was a dangerous mistake to
> > make...stuff happens.
> >
> > Thanks in advance for any advice.
> > Steve

Re: Battery Connected Backwards
 

DougW wrote:
>
> L.W. ("ßill") ------ III did pass the time by typing:
> > Hi Steve,
> > There's no way you can reverse polarity even for an instants
> > without popping the alternator diodes.
>
> You know Bill, I wonder why in the long history of automobubbles
> they never made different sized terminals to prevent this sort of
> mistake. Guess it's just a no-profit motive thing.
>
> --
> DougW

Umm..... They ARE different sizes on those top post batteries Doug.
Folks figure out it's the wrong way before they can get it tightened
down usually but it's the last touch that blows things.

The positive post is bigger so if you are hooking one up correctly,
negative last, then you can tighten the positive clamp down on the
negative post, waaay down mind you to grab on the negative. They should
have done it the other way around because the negative clamp won't fit
easy on the positive post, it has to stretch open way too much.

The aftermarket ones fit both usually though....

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)