I agree with Keith---internal battery shorts of any kind
would not fry any external wiring. Such shorts would just reduce the
capacity of the battery---a shorted cell is a dead cell.
However, such shorting could very well be the RESULT of an
external short circuit, if it was bad enough and if it lasted long
enough. Excessive current through a battery can buckle and damage
plates to a degree consistent with the severity and duration of the
problem.
I do not know Saab wiring firsthand so am not qualified to
comment on just what actually did happen. But I did notice Barrie
talked about a ground wire from chassis to alternator and you (Keith)
talk about a ground wire between block and alternator. I wonder
which, if either, it actually is. Or if it is perhaps a heavy cable
running to the starter from wherever. To fry and smoke a heavy cable
could require several hundred amps of current and this could easily
be enough to damage plates in a battery if it persisted for more than
a few seconds.
Just my 2 cents worth. Sorry I cannot be more specific.
Regards,
David Kernberger
--------------------------------------------------------------------
>It may well have been put in reversed. The alternator on older saabs (c900)
>is grounded to the block by a small 10GA wire. If you put the battery in
>reversed, you may fry this short cable. A n internally shorted battery
>should do nothing good or bad, I would think.
>
>KeithG
>
>On Wed, Mar 30, 2011 at 11:37 AM, Barrie Robinson <barrie@look.ca> wrote:
>
>> Hello folks at world,
>>
>> A sort of friend of mine found his battery was flat in his.......now wait
>> for it......Saab! But this is an electrical question not a Saab/MG/Brit car
>> question.
>>
>> He charged the battery and replaced with a resultant huge cloud of smoke
>> and burning smell. The lead between the alternator and chassis was toast
>> (it may have been the starter - he is not too observant!). Someone said it
>> was because he reversed the polarity (hmmmm!) but the shop said the battery
>> plates had collapsed and shorted out. To me neither sounds right. Anybody
>> got an insightful suggestion
>>
>> Regards
>>
>> Barrie
>> barrie@look.ca
> > (705) 721-9060
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