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Car Forum / Driving, Maintenance, Tuning / Maintenance and Repair / June 2007Jumper Cables hooked up wrong.
So I hooked my jumper cables up wrong last night in the dark, and didn't notice the smoke until after trying to crank the dead Mitsubishi Mirage. The car with the good battery was a Toyota Corolla... The Toyota is fine, but the Mirage is dead. What did I do? Can it be fixed? It melted the rubber on the jumper cables. > So I hooked my jumper cables up wrong last night in the dark, and > didn't notice the smoke until after trying to crank the dead > Mitsubishi Mirage. The car with the good battery was a Toyota > Corolla... The Toyota is fine, but the Mirage is dead. What did I > do? Can it be fixed? It melted the rubber on the jumper cables. First, learn the "touch tip" method of connecting batteries. Had you touched the last jumper connection briefly and removed it, there would have been so many sparks you'd have known there was an issue. Then, learn to LOOK carefully. In the other car: The battery is probably shot, probably the alternator diodes are blown, and possibly the ballast resistor if it's external to the alternator; most are. My 2 cents. >> So I hooked my jumper cables up wrong last night in the dark, and >> didn't notice the smoke until after trying to crank the dead >> Mitsubishi Mirage. The car with the good battery was a Toyota >> Corolla... The Toyota is fine, but the Mirage is dead. What did I >> do? Probably blew a main fuse. > Can it be fixed? It melted the rubber on the jumper cables. > >First, learn the "touch tip" method of connecting batteries. Had you >touched the last jumper connection briefly and removed it, It would still have blown a fuse. > there would have >been so many sparks you'd have known there was an issue. > Then, learn to LOOK carefully. > >In the other car: The battery is probably shot, Maybe > probably the alternator >diodes are blown, Maybe > and possibly the ballast resistor Huh???? Don www.donsautomotive.com > if it's external to the >alternator; most are. > >My 2 cents. > Huh???? > > Don > www.donsautomotive.com It would seem to me, Don,that if he put the jumpers on wrong, he is essentially connecting the batteries in a series circuit and is darn lucky that a battery didn't explode. I am not sure which 'main fuse' he might have blown out with this setup, but I guess anything is possible. I was also wondering what a 'ballast resistor' might be in this case. > I was also wondering what a 'ballast resistor' might be in this case. An ignition device in a fairly OLD system, that's what. Like from 1975 or earlier. OP did not give age of either vehicle in this dust-up. Don't think Mitsubishi ever sold a "Mirage" in North America. OP appears to be posting from South-Eastern US, so the car may be a gray-market import.  SignatureTegger >> I was also wondering what a 'ballast resistor' might be in this case. > >An ignition device in a fairly OLD system, that's what. Like from 1975 or >earlier. I knew that. The reference as to whether or not its "external to the voltage regulator" makes no sense. A backwards battery jump would not hurt it in any case. >OP did not give age of either vehicle in this dust-up. > >Don't think Mitsubishi ever sold a "Mirage" in North America. They did for more than 15 years. Don www.donsautomotive.com > OP appears to be posting from South-Eastern US, so the car may be a gray-market import. >>> I was also wondering what a 'ballast resistor' might be in this >>> case. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > I knew that. I've never questioned your knowledge. You've forgotten more than I've ever known. > The reference as to whether or not its "external to the > voltage regulator" makes no sense. A backwards battery jump would not [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > They did for more than 15 years. Maybe it's just because I'm in Canada and don't usually get to see US- market cars, but I thought they were known as the Dodge/Plymouth Colt in the US. That's what they were called up here, anyway. I always thought Mirage was one of the non-US names for that car. SignatureTegger > An ignition device in a fairly OLD system, that's what. Like from 1975 or > earlier. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > Don't think Mitsubishi ever sold a "Mirage" in North America. OP appears to > be posting from South-Eastern US, so the car may be a gray-market import. That is pretty old. I remember the oil Kettering systems had resistors that decreased current during 'run', but were switched out of the circuit during 'start' conditions. I guess that is what he was referring to. But if so, it has nothing to do with a backward battery jump. >> An ignition device in a fairly OLD system, that's what. Like from >> 1975 or earlier. [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > resistors that decreased current during 'run', but were switched out > of the circuit during 'start' conditions. I believe it cut battery voltage to the coil to 8V during run, but was bypassed to allow a full 12V during crank. > I guess that is what he was > referring to. But if so, it > has nothing to do with a backward battery jump. So Don has said, too. SignatureTegger >> Huh???? >> >> Don >> www.donsautomotive.com >It would seem to me, Don,that if he put the jumpers on wrong, he is >essentially connecting >the batteries in a series circuit and is darn lucky that a battery didn't >explode. >I am not sure which 'main fuse' he might have blown out with this setup, but >I guess >anything is possible. Good call. Definitely check the fusible links! Also check battery cables themselves. >> Huh???? >> [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >the batteries in a series circuit and is darn lucky that a battery didn't >explode. Typical crappy jumper cables will limit the peak current. Probably were crappy since they melted. If they had been "00" gauge with really stout clamps a battery explosion would be more likely and the jumpers would not have melted. >I am not sure which 'main fuse' Fuse for alternator output and possibly other functions -- frequently blows and saves the alternator. Don www.donsautomotive.com > he might have blown out with this setup, but >I guess >anything is possible. > >I was also wondering what a 'ballast resistor' might be in this case. > >I am not sure which 'main fuse' > > Fuse for alternator output and possibly other functions -- frequently > blows and saves the alternator. I dont believe I have such a fused circuit in my car. Will have to look at the schematic. Battery hooks directly to the alternator. >> So I hooked my jumper cables up wrong last night in the dark, and >> didn't notice the smoke until after trying to crank the dead >> Mitsubishi Mirage. The car with the good battery was a Toyota >> Corolla... The Toyota is fine, but the Mirage is dead. What did I >> do? Can it be fixed? It melted the rubber on the jumper cables. >First, learn the "touch tip" method of connecting batteries. Had you >touched the last jumper connection briefly and removed it, there would have >been so many sparks you'd have known there was an issue. > Then, learn to LOOK carefully. f.ck that. A better technique is to learn the difference between red and black. Unless it is pitch dark with a new moon and somehow the car with the good battery has no working headlights, this is trivial. The Mirage will require that every electrical component with any semiconductors be checked. That includes the alternator, engine computer, ignition system, fuel pump, etc. >>> So I hooked my jumper cables up wrong last night in the dark, and >>> didn't notice the smoke until after trying to crank the dead [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] >and black. Unless it is pitch dark with a new moon and somehow the car >with the good battery has no working headlights, this is trivial. Yes, until you encounter the car whose owner used a red cable as a ground connection because that's what he had around that day. I'll tell you, THAT was an exciting experience. >The Mirage will require that every electrical component with any semiconductors >be checked. That includes the alternator, engine computer, ignition system, >fuel pump, etc. Yup. --scott Signature"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis." > So I hooked my jumper cables up wrong last night in the dark, and > didn't notice the smoke until after trying to crank the dead > Mitsubishi Mirage. The car with the good battery was a Toyota > Corolla... The Toyota is fine, but the Mirage is dead. What did I > do? Can it be fixed? It melted the rubber on the jumper cables. Wow.... OK, normally when that happens the fuse link wires blow out. These wires are normally at the end of one of the positive battery cables either at a power distribution box or starter solenoid. These wires will be on the same bolt as the batter cable and are about 8" long, fat and soft with a big tube crimp connector where they join the harness pieces they protect. The fuse link wire can be bought in bulk and new pieces crimped in or sometimes the dealers sell them. At the cost the dealers want, I usually visit the junk yard first. 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/pictures.html?id=2115147590 (More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page) |
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