So what did I fry today... and it aint turkey!

[euro911sc]

My Turkey Day misadventure started by me plugging in the battery charger with + on the chassis and - on the positive terminal of the battery

It was only on there for less than 30 seconds, but I fried something. After I saw what I had done I fixed it and the car started. I pulled it out of the garage and let it idle while I set up the garage for the days work and then backed it in.

I noticed that my tach was shot and would only register if I was running above 5k RPMs. After I turned the car off I tried to start it again and it wouldn't even turn over... I could get the window to go up though.

So... what did I fry? voltage regulator? alternator? battery? diodes? Fuses are all fine. No smoke was noticed... *sigh* I'm hoping I'll just go out there tomorrow and all will be fine

-Michael

[Joe Bob]

Probably some diodes....

Charge the battery, if you can....Don't charge in the car....do it on the bench, put down the doobie and double check the connections. don't knock the doobage into the piles of oil soaked rags....

Then....Get out the multimeter.....

12.5v @ rest, put the battery back in car, check - and + connections are correct.....put out the boob...

13.0 @ idle....if you can get it to start
13.5-14v @ 2500 rpms.

If the battery can't hold a charge over 12.5 it's likely toast.

If the voltage, when running is under 13v.....you likely toasted the VR or some internals in the alt. The tach may have survived.....

Good luck....BTW, hope the radio was off.....

[euro911sc]

no Radio stripped track car hehehe I'll bench test the battery tomorrow.

-Michael

[lucittm]

What kind of battery charger? Many of the newer ones contain diodes that will protect electronics if it is hooked up backwards. It sounds like yours may not be a newer model...

Mark

[Joe Bob]

So.....?

Didya keel eet?

[wwest]

That would have to had been a VERY serious charger, CHARGE RATE, or the battery completely discharged, STONE DEAD, in order to do any damage via reversing the charger.

"jumping" from another car or battery is a completely different matter, enough JUICE there to do some real damage. But oftentimes even so, even jumpering in reverse, the only damage is to the jumper cables.

It takes a LOT of "juice" to impose a reverse charge across a battery unless you start out with it stone cold dead.

[euro911sc]

@WWest: When I had it reversed the charger would act like it was trying to charge then sound like it would click off. A few reps of that and those odd sounds are what clued me in to the error I made. Its a small bench charger not much bigger than the battery. Not a roll around unit or anything like that.

@Joe Bob: Battery bench charged to ~13.8v. Then sat overnight and dropped to ~11.5v. It was not on the concrete then I borrowed a friends load tester and it failed miserably. Battery is a Red Top Optima. Its new in Sept. 08 so I'm off to the FLAPS to get a new one. We'll start here and hope that the alternator is fine after a new battery.

-Michael

[Joe Bob]

Hard to toast an Optima.....should be under warranty. I would suggest not mentioning the switched terminal thingy....

[Laneco]

We just had an employee kill an Optima by jump starting with crossed terminals.

Do as Joe Bob suggests. Take it back, it's under warranty. Just tell them it won't hold a charge (and absolutely nothing else).

angela

[RoninLB]

Snap-On cost me $91 new YA201A
e-bay has used Snap-on

[GaryR]

Originally Posted by Laneco

Take it back, it's under warranty. Just tell them it won't hold a charge (and absolutely nothing else).

angela

I understand the logic here but what has happened to honesty and taking responsibility for our own stupidity? If it's a Craftsman rachet and you used it as a hammer that's part of their "no questions asked" return policy. If Optima has the same thing then fine, but I doubt it. I'm as guilty as the next guy, but just sayin..

[RatBox]

Just a warning concerning battery charging (and jumping a car from another 12V source)

I can't remember which : battery charging with battery cables connected or jump starting a car with a charger/starter .

But I know one (or both) , can blow an early 3 pin CD box. I don't know about 4 pins (or aftermarket , but I would assume it's the same) ... or what else might get damaged

After this happened to one of my 3 pin boxes by an ignorant mechanic years ago (I cannot remember which , but I think it was just the charging).

I make sure neither scenario happen to any of my cars with CD ignition. I disconnect the battery always. And I would not jump start an early CD car with anything other than just another battery (with the other car not running).

I would think that super low volt trickle charging might be safe with the battery terminals connected ..... but I don't even chance that.

[wwest]

Originally Posted by euro911sc

@WWest: When I had it reversed the charger would act like it was trying to charge then sound like it would click off. A few reps of that and those odd sounds are what clued me in to the error I made. Its a small bench charger not much bigger than the battery. Not a roll around unit or anything like that.

@Joe Bob: Battery bench charged to ~13.8v. Then sat overnight and dropped to ~11.5v. It was not on the concrete then I borrowed a friends load tester and it failed miserably. Battery is a Red Top Optima. Its new in Sept. 08 so I'm off to the FLAPS to get a new one. We'll start here and hope that the alternator is fine after a new battery.

-Michael

"My" charger is as you describe and has 2 charging positions, 2 amp and 10 amps, plus a 50 amp starting boost. Unless your battery was totally discharged it would be hard for me to accept that the charger, unless in the 50 position, force an actual reverse voltage across the battery terminals.

It can take more than 24 hours of charging to fully recharge a battery.

13.8 volts with the charger still connected...?

In which case the battery may not have yet reached a full charge.

[wwest]

Originally Posted by GaryR

I understand the logic here but what has happened to honesty and taking responsibility for our own stupidity? If it's a Craftsman rachet and you used it as a hammer that's part of their "no questions asked" return policy. If Optima has the same thing then fine, but I doubt it. I'm as guilty as the next guy, but just sayin..

Given the "bulk" of the 12 volt battery I find it impossible to believe a 10 amp (~120 watt) charging, charger rate could have done any damage. So whatever is wrong, if any (vote would be shorted cell), with the battery preceeded the reverse charge application.

[Joe Bob]

Like I said....hard to toast one. But I've dealt with MANY factory defects. My yellow top has far exceeded its normally expected life.

Of course, NOW I'll go out, hit the switch and find it dead....

ALSO, my charger has a 100 amp quick start option. I used it to bring a dead dead dead Optima battery back to life by alternating it with 2 amps and 100. Took all day but it's working.

[euro911sc]

Yeah I shorted an optima once... dropped the socket wrench accros the terminals when trying to unhook the leads LOL everything was fine after that

The FLAPS says it will hold a charge, but only had 1/2 the cranking amps. they left it on their charger for an hour and it gained 100 cranking amps... so I'll leave it at the store over night and see what happens in the morning.

With luck it was just a totally dead battery... but I fear not.

-Michael