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Silly question: Identifying positive/negative battery cables
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C33Laurel
New User
Jan 23, 2017, 9:57 PM
Post #1 of 5
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Silly question: Identifying positive/negative battery cables
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Hey guys.
Apologies in advance for very silly noob question. I have a 1992 Nissan Laurel and it's been sitting for a long time. I've recently purchased a new battery for it but when I go to fit it there is no obvious +/- or color coding on the cables that connect to the battery.
I am fairly sure I've identified the negative cable/ground (it's a black and yellow cable that goes straight to the engine block as far as I can see) and what I think is the positive cable is inside a loom and goes into a solenoid, splits off into various other cables and goes to the fuse box and the alternator etc. Am I right here? Don't want to risk frying the electrics.
See below photo (can provide more if required).
Any help with this very much appreciated.
Cheers.
(This post was edited by C33Laurel on Jan 23, 2017, 10:04 PM)
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C33Laurel
New User
Jan 23, 2017, 10:04 PM
Post #2 of 5
(1449 views)
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Re: Silly question: Identifying positive/negative battery cables
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Jan 24, 2017, 1:03 AM
Post #3 of 5
(1427 views)
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Re: Silly question: Identifying positive/negative battery cables
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OK - in that picture the right one is POSITIVE. But wait - don't take my word for it look at the black cable with a yellow stripe and follow that to where it goes.
It should go by hand right to a bolt on side (usually) of the engine block metal and can be left without plastic covering as that's the GROUND cable.
This is MANDATORY to NOT screw up. Look at your battery, which should fit exactly with top posts. It will either say "pos" on or near that post and "neg" on the other. Some may just use the minus sign "-" on negative and the plus sign on positive "+" like that instead. The positive post is larger than the negative post as well if you use a rat tail type terminal brush batter post and cable cleaner notice that with the brush how far it goes in.
THIS IS SO CRITICALLY IMPORTANT NOT TO MESS UP IF ANY DOUBT AT ALL GET HELP. This is not a silly question and super important.
It's also important to remove a positive cable FIRST and NEGATIVE cable last. Then when putting back on Positive first then negative last. That way you don't touch the metal of a wrench or tool to a so called HOT positive cable to body metal ground and short it just one reason.
There's more too it's so important: You can get a memory saver for the vehicle so it doesn't delete any settings or memory in control "computers" nor up to clock and radio settings and more NOR set off alarms when next battery is installed.
Again, not a silly question and lots of risk if you do this all wrong,
Tom
(edit in a pic of a batter brush/cleaner for top post batteries if it shows and stays showing? Here>>>>>
{ if not showing look up "battery brush cleaner}
<<<< That's a common one wire brushes clean both post and the open U-bolt cable ends not costly!)
(This post was edited by Tom Greenleaf on Jan 24, 2017, 1:11 AM)
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C33Laurel
New User
Jan 24, 2017, 10:28 AM
Post #4 of 5
(1406 views)
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Re: Silly question: Identifying positive/negative battery cables
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Many thanks Tom, much appreciate the reply.
The black cable with yellow stripe does indeed go straight to a bolt on the block and nowhere else as far as I can tell.
Good advice re putting positive back on first, will do.
Thanks again.
(This post was edited by C33Laurel on Jan 24, 2017, 10:30 AM)
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Jan 24, 2017, 11:22 AM
Post #5 of 5
(1397 views)
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Re: Silly question: Identifying positive/negative battery cables
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Good luck and you've found your answer. Please know how important it is ESPECIALLY for a newer car even just removing a cable to clean one now a possible nightmare.
Not so much for this car but really if you are going to service batteries at all.
The end all thing to consider is owning a "Memory Saver" which acts to keep the car alive while you mess with a battery becoming more and more important. Do just look as the assortment of what's out there,
Tom
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