[Mgb-v8] Electrical question

[James Bown]

A year or so ago I put the battery in backwards (reversed polarity) in a 215
Buick powered vehicle.
What a mess that made.
It has a battery disconnect switch, which was off. I accidently put the
battery in backwards, tried to start it and nothing happened as the battery
disconnect switch had been left turned off. So, with the ignition key still in
the on position, I turned on the battery disconnect switch.
Smoke, burned wiring, ruined alternator, melted ampmeter, etc. Took me quite
sometime to rewire the thing.
I have now gone to great lenghts to mark plus and minus in such a way that no
idiot (meaning me) will ever put the battery in backwards again.
Regards,
J. B.

> Date: Tue, 5 Apr 2011 13:28:24 -0400
> To: keith.grider at gmail.com
> From: barrie at look.ca
> CC: mgb-v8 at autox.team.net; mgs at autox.team.net
> Subject: Re: [Mgb-v8] Electrical question
>
> My many thanks for your responses to my question on the Saab burn
> up. My buddy is now mulling over the numerous very informative replies.
>
> Incidental, if anyone is contemplating cleaning bits and pieces using
> a "rock" tumbler - give me a buzz, I have had great success using this
method.
>
>
> At 04:46 PM 3/30/2011, Keith Grider wrote:
> >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
> ><<mailto:barrie at look.ca>barrie at 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
> ><mailto:barrie at look.ca>barrie at look.ca
> ><tel:%28705%29%20721-9060>(705) 721-9060
> >_______________________________________________
> >
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> >
>
> Regards
>
> Barrie
> barrie at look.ca
> 705--721-9060
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