Battery cable installation question
 

Total noob confusion.

I just bought a new battery for my truck. Sears Die hard AGM with side posts. My old battery had top posts so i had to buy new battery cables to accommodate the side posts. I hooked up the positive cable to the alternator and hooked the negative cable to the side of the engine block just like the old ones were. Then i connected the positive cable to the battery with no problems. But when i make contact with the black ground cable to the negative side of the battery it sparks like hell not allowing me to hook up the negative side.

Im not really interested in electrocuting myself or blowing up the battery in my face... :devil:

What am i doing wrong?

Thanks for your guy's patience and information in advance!

Jim

Re: Battery cable installation question
 

You won't electrocute yourself so dont worry about that. There is something still on drawing power. Is the key on? Just asking. Seems weird that the bat cable is on the alternator.

Re: Battery cable installation question
 

You've got a current draw. If it's sparking like holy hell, to the point you don't want to hook it up, something is wrong. It's not dangerous, it's just not "right".
12 volts isn't nearly enough to do you any harm - your body's electrical resistance is (in the very worst case) around 2250 ohms. 12 volts / 2250 ohms = not enough to hurt you.
That said - something is consuming power that shouldn't be. Key on? Glovebox light / dome light? Brake switch?
You need to do a "draw" test, and find out where that electricity is going when it leaps from battery to cable.

Re: Battery cable installation question
 

Thanks for the fast replies guys! Key is out of the ignition and all knobs and switches which would be pulling power from the battery are in the off position. If the sparking is not abnormal, i will just hook up that negative cable and not worry about it.


The cable is connected to a bolt that goes though my alternator i believe.

Re: Battery cable installation question
 

Looks like you may have the power wire hooked to a ground. You may be dead shorting the battery. Can you get a better, brighter pic of how the positive cable is attached?

Re: Battery cable installation question
 

What is going to the starter?

Re: Battery cable installation question
 

WHOA!!!

The positive doesn't go to the alternator; it goes to the starter. It looks from the picture like you've got the positive cable grounded on the alternator bracket. It's a wonder you haven't had a fire.

For clarity: The negative cable grounds on the block or sometimes the alternator bracket. The positive cable goes to the large post on the starter. A smaller negative cable usually goes from the negative terminal to the body.

Re: Battery cable installation question
 

Doesn't a one wire alternator have a small red wire running directly to the positive on the battery? I think this is the same for a three wire as well? If I remember right there is a red wire running to a junction box. Depends if it's external or internal regulated.

Re: Battery cable installation question
 

Ok. The PO did not have a a red cable and black cable hooked up to the old battery. They were both red cables which through me for a loop.

http://i60.tinypic.com/24vnzvl.png

Here is how the old battery was hooked up. Large cable going from battery to the alternator bolt. The small off shoot wire goes comes off the large cable and is grounded to a small bolt on the wheel well. I assume these are the two ground cables.


http://i58.tinypic.com/258mc13.png

Here is a photo of the wire i cut when removing the old cable. The old battery cable connected to this small wire which leads to my firewall. And the other large part of the battery cable ran down and grounded to a bolt on the side of my engine block. This must be the positive side that is hooked up to the starter and and grounds to the motor.

Here is a picture of the ground on the side of the block.

http://i61.tinypic.com/28b90lw.png

So it looks like i have the cables backwards. Is it normal for the small wire on the battery cable to be running to the starter? There are three large grounds and one small wire going to the starter... Doesn't seem right to me.

Do i seem to be on the right track?

Thanks!!

Learning something new everyday :D

Re: Battery cable installation question
 

not to be a doucher, but you need to seek help...

Re: Battery cable installation question
 

Underliner, the last picture shows the correct position for the positive cable from the battery to starter center post (the large one). The other (negative) goes to ground. Normally to the engine block as long as you also have another smaller ground from the block to frame. That is the correct wire route from battery. All should be normal in those positions with no speaking going on unless something is on such as radio, lights, etc.

Battery positive direct to alternator is WRONG.

Re: Battery cable installation question
 

Awesome. Thank you for the information. I now see how to hook this baby up. I'm definitely going to need a much longer positive cable to run down to the starter. I appreciate all of the help. Thanks guys!

Jim

Re: Battery cable installation question
 

Got the truck running!! Thanks for all your help guys. Love this forum. Have a good one.

Jim

Re: Battery cable installation question
 

YaHooo! Good going!! Works a lot better when the battery isn't trying to dump all its voltage to ground at one time doesn't it?:metal:

Re: Battery cable installation question
 

Hahaha. Damn right! Didn't even spark when I hooked her up! :lol: Live and learn one dumb mistake at a time. :crazy:

Re: Battery cable installation question
 

On a positive note, now you know how to weld with a battery:)

Re: Battery cable installation question
 

Made me chuckle. :lol: