Battery/Crossing +/- effects???

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Nov 3, 2007 | 04:34 PM

Brett Richmond

Thread Starter

Melting Slicks

Joined: Sep 1999

Posts: 3,155

Likes: 8

From: Hendersonville TN

Battery/Crossing +/- effects???

If you hook a battery up backwards, what would the effect be as to just blowing a fuse or a fusible link?? If is a fuse what fuse should I look at first or would the fusible link be the likely problem I would need to track down???

Nov 3, 2007 | 04:38 PM

Jerris

Burning Brakes

Joined: Nov 2005

Posts: 848

Likes: 1

From: 1992 LT1 6 speed Cayman Islands

This should not automatically blow any fuses or fusable links although it will usually blow out the diodes in your alternator. It may also blow some cercuits in your ECM

Nov 3, 2007 | 04:54 PM

CFI-EFI

Race Director

Joined: Sep 2000

Posts: 17,298

Likes: 33

From: The Top of Utah

Fuses, and a fusible link is just a kind of fuse, are not polarity sensitive. A fuse is nothing more than a carefully sized conductor that will burn out, and protect the rest of the circuit from a current overload. They blow or burn out when too much current is drawn through them...in either direction.

RACE ON!!!

Nov 3, 2007 | 05:54 PM

Brett Richmond

Thread Starter

Melting Slicks

Joined: Sep 1999

Posts: 3,155

Likes: 8

From: Hendersonville TN

Car will not do anything now, only thing is door dinger. No power to the radio or anything inside the car?? What do I search for first??

Nov 3, 2007 | 09:36 PM

Slalom4me

Le Mans Master

Joined: Jan 2002

Posts: 9,036

Likes: 13

From: Edmonton AB

Just to confirm, this was not a case of incorrect hookup during a
jumpstart, correct?

My vote is that one or more of the fusible links have lost their smoke
modules. Was there any drama (sparks/odor) during the event?

Is the vehicle the '89 C4 in your profile? If so, then there are several
fusible links connected to a junction block mounted down & rearward
behind the battery. Perhaps a way to check one of the links without
probing the wire insulation is to use a test light to determine whether
there is battery current at the heavy terminal lug at the rear of the
alternator. This terminal is always 'hot' when a working battery is
connected. If your's isn't electrically hot, then the FL is suspect and
its neighbors should be checked, too.

.

Nov 3, 2007 | 10:40 PM

jfb

Team Owner

Joined: Mar 2001

Posts: 54,124

Likes: 30

From: Cincinnati, Oh USA

You could be in for a lot of repair costs. First check all of your fuses and all of the fusible links. There are a lot of solid state electronics in your car and many of them will not withstand 12v reversed polarity. Replace any fuses and if you have any blown fusible links, check the circuit with an ohmeter to ground for a low resistance before you replace the fusible link and connect the battery.
Behind your battery is a bolt with 8 wires on it each of which have a fusible link. Here is a list of solid state devices that may have been damaged that have a fusible link:
1. Blower control module.
2. Alternator (the alternator has 2 fusible links)
3. Defogger circuit.
4. LCD (dash cluster)
5. Theft detterent module.
6. Radio.
7. VATS module.
8. ECM.
9. Gauges (cluster).
10. Cruise control (included in the dash cluster).
11. Cluster (ECM).
12. Electronic spark timing module.
13. Heater a/c control head.
14. Audio alarm module. (appears to be ok from your description)

Nov 3, 2007 | 11:00 PM

Brett Richmond

Thread Starter

Melting Slicks

Joined: Sep 1999

Posts: 3,155

Likes: 8

From: Hendersonville TN

Lucky it was not my car, my uncle had bought an 85 and turns out someone had installed longer battery cables and he got them crossed because he just got the car Monday. He called me to come and help him with it on some small issues and when I was in the house he hooked up the battery backwards.