Weird battery polarity problem.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 85
Likes: 7
From: UK
Weird battery polarity problem.
We my imported 72 has just arrived in UK but it turns out the battery was flat when I tried to start it. I pulled the battery (correct side post) and hooked it up correctly to a smart charger..but it cam up with “Error”. So I put a voltmeter on there to see what’s going on. The weird thing is that with voltmeter correctly connected red to + and black to - I get a “-6.2v” but it I connect the it the wrong way round, I get a positive “6.2v” Also the smart charger works without error if I reverse the connections red to- and black to + it works and shows a charge.
So is it possible my battery has reversed polarity somehow? ....and can I reverse i5 back again?
So is it possible my battery has reversed polarity somehow? ....and can I reverse i5 back again?
Dr. Detroit
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 10,097
Likes: 4,027
From: New Braunfels Texas
The battery is most likely zapped.......which means it has nothing going through the plates and will not take a charge........the electrons in the plates may have reversed.
Buy a new bat and start over.
Jebby
Buy a new bat and start over.
Jebby
Last edited by Jebbysan; Feb 7, 2020 at 01:34 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 1,071
Likes: 322
From: palm springs ca
Yes, a battery will charge up backwards to full voltage. Happened here in the shop when a guy connected the leads backwards. Best way to turn it around is to completely discharge it, then hook it up correctly.
When we did that he was able to use his battery.
I have seen this happen, especially when connected as listed by the book. "connect leads to battery and then plug in". Another guy did that but had the connection backwards. The charger breaker kept going on and off till it started charging backwards.
When a charger fails to charge a completely dead battery and the battery will not respond, a momentary reverse charge will usually solve that problem and the battery will come up correctly. Usually battery ends up weak.
Dom
When we did that he was able to use his battery.
I have seen this happen, especially when connected as listed by the book. "connect leads to battery and then plug in". Another guy did that but had the connection backwards. The charger breaker kept going on and off till it started charging backwards.
When a charger fails to charge a completely dead battery and the battery will not respond, a momentary reverse charge will usually solve that problem and the battery will come up correctly. Usually battery ends up weak.
Dom
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 85
Likes: 7
From: UK
Thanks all, I’ll try fully discharging it to see if it will charge with correct polarity. Difficult to get the correct side post battery here in the UK so will give this a try first. If not I might have to convert to top post.
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 1,071
Likes: 322
From: palm springs ca
I had 2 battery chargers catch fire and burn up in the last year and a half. Luckily I chose to, and still charge outside the shop. They were old and the 6-12-24 volt chargers.
Batteries were old and the first happened about 1 hour into charge. Both chargers were hooked up correctly and had circuit protection! The thing that burned was the voltage control and not the transformer which I thought would have been the one.
Also, Just a tid bit. A extension cord that must have been damaged at some point burst in flames and was about 1 foot away from my vette that had a car cover on it.
I am now careful on what is left plugged in when I leave each night.
Dom
Batteries were old and the first happened about 1 hour into charge. Both chargers were hooked up correctly and had circuit protection! The thing that burned was the voltage control and not the transformer which I thought would have been the one.
Also, Just a tid bit. A extension cord that must have been damaged at some point burst in flames and was about 1 foot away from my vette that had a car cover on it.
I am now careful on what is left plugged in when I leave each night.
Dom
Dr. Detroit
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 10,097
Likes: 4,027
From: New Braunfels Texas
Jebby
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 1,663
Likes: 417
From: Central Texas