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reversed jumper cables


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champ08
Novice

Sep 28, 2012, 1:30 PM

Post #1 of 16 (4996 views)
reversed jumper cables Sign In

First off, I know I'm an idiot. I was careless and reversed the jumper cables while trying to start my truck. Both vehicles were turned off at the time, and they were only left on for 10-15 seconds. After I corrected the cables, we started the car with the good battery, then started my truck. Everything on my truck seems fine. The other car seemed fine when I left. However, I can't stop worrying that the other vehicle may have unforeseen electrical problems because of this. Am I right to worry?


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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Sep 28, 2012, 1:45 PM

Post #2 of 16 (4989 views)
Re: reversed jumper cables Sign In

I'll be shocked if there isn't. 15 seconds is an eternity for a short circuit. Computers fry in a 10th of a second.



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champ08
Novice

Sep 28, 2012, 2:03 PM

Post #3 of 16 (4978 views)
Re: reversed jumper cables Sign In

wouldn't that be immediate. Or could problems show up later.


re-tired
Veteran / Moderator
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Sep 28, 2012, 2:50 PM

Post #4 of 16 (4964 views)
Re: reversed jumper cables Sign In

I would run all electrical devices on both vehicles. Lights (hi & lo),radio, etc , all gauges,esp the amp or volt meter whichever you have, drive and look for check eng or other warning lites . If all ok then its possible you did not have a solid connection. If everything checks out would you send me some lottery numbers ?


LIFE'S SHORT GO FISH


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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Sep 28, 2012, 3:09 PM

Post #5 of 16 (4962 views)
Re: reversed jumper cables Sign In

The damage would be immediate but you wouldn't necessarily realize it right away. Depends what got burnt.



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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



champ08
Novice

Sep 28, 2012, 3:34 PM

Post #6 of 16 (4955 views)
Re: reversed jumper cables Sign In

since both vehicles were off when cables were reversed, could this have saved me?


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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Sep 28, 2012, 3:49 PM

Post #7 of 16 (4951 views)
Re: reversed jumper cables Sign In

That definitely reduced a lot of the risk since none of the modules were powered up at the time. You may be OK.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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Sep 28, 2012, 5:15 PM

Post #8 of 16 (4944 views)
Re: reversed jumper cables Sign In

This is odd because you should have seen a lot of sparking going on when you connected the last cable. Did you reverse both connections on both cars?





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champ08
Novice

Sep 28, 2012, 5:43 PM

Post #9 of 16 (4936 views)
Re: reversed jumper cables Sign In

there was a little sparking. thats what told me something was wrong. I felt the cables heating up, saw a little smoke from the connection, and immediately disconnected. probably 10 sec max.


Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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Sep 28, 2012, 5:50 PM

Post #10 of 16 (4931 views)
Re: reversed jumper cables Sign In

I recommend you get a set of these...Wink You can even see they have a picture of a blonde on the front of the box...LMAO










Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.

(This post was edited by Discretesignals on Sep 28, 2012, 5:51 PM)


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Sep 28, 2012, 6:12 PM

Post #11 of 16 (4923 views)
Re: reversed jumper cables Sign In

I recommend you not use jumper cables at all. The alternators and computers in today's cars don't like that. They make jump/booster boxes that work much better and most warn you if you get the clamps reversed.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



champ08
Novice

Sep 28, 2012, 6:26 PM

Post #12 of 16 (4918 views)
Re: reversed jumper cables Sign In

thanks for the "options for dummies". All I'm interested in now is if the car that gave the jump. should it have been more affected than my truck, that had the dead battery. It apparently was not affected at all. If it didn't affect my truck, would it affect the car giving the jump?


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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Sep 28, 2012, 6:27 PM

Post #13 of 16 (4914 views)
Re: reversed jumper cables Sign In

Not if the key was off. It may take out a fuse or two but most things should be fine.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



champ08
Novice

Sep 28, 2012, 6:38 PM

Post #14 of 16 (4909 views)
Re: reversed jumper cables Sign In

what about the battery of the "donor" car?


Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Discretesignals profile image

Sep 28, 2012, 6:42 PM

Post #15 of 16 (4905 views)
Re: reversed jumper cables Sign In

Switching leads usually also takes out alternator rectifiers. Better make sure the alternators are operational on both vehicles.





Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.


Tom Greenleaf
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Sep 29, 2012, 5:52 AM

Post #16 of 16 (4887 views)
Re: reversed jumper cables Sign In

How old are these vehicles? If dead battery was that dead but a good battery (wonder) it could have tried to reverse charge from the stronger. All depending if all items in both working now what if any damage really happened.

Do quit jumping vehicle to vehicle and use jumper box or better yet slow charge the low battery w a 110 powered automatic charger. Of course that isn't quick to get going right away which may not work anyway and potential damage will take plenty of more time never mind bucks and aggravation.

Think hard about getting a good jumper box,

T







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