0
What would cause the negative battery cable on your Harley-Davidson to fry?
Barbie1836
Take it to an experinced mechanic and do not pass go!
Wiki User
∙ 14y ago
Add your answer:
Earn +20 pts
Will a loose negative battery cable cause an engine to die while driving?
On some car yes it will.
What could cause a S-10 pickup 1998 dash lights to flip out and sometimes not be able to restart engine?
It is a bad negative battery cable or weak ground conection. I would just replace the negative battery cable. This should fix the problem.
Do you hook up the positive or negative wire first on a battery?
Always hook up the red or positive cable first, otherwise you could cause a short between the battery and the car through your wrench. Ths of course could cause an explosion or other problems. The black or negative cable goes straight to the engine and the car's frame, so your wrench can touch the frame when you are tightening the cable end on the battery with no worry.
Do you reconnect the ground or positive cables when installing a car battery?
Safe practice directs that when connecting battery cables to the battery, the positive cable should beattached first, and then the negative cable last. In disconnecting battery cables, safe practice directs cable order in the reverse, I.E., the negative cable is disconnected first, and and the positive cable last. The reason for this safety procedure is that IF the ground cable is attached first, then when using a metallic wrench to tighten the positive cable clamp, and IF the wrench in contact with the positive terminal clamp were to come in contact with any grounded metal of the vehicle, then a tremendous short circuit would occur. A massive short circuit results in massive arcing [fireball] which can severely burn a person, damage the battery [or cause it to explode], damage the vehicle electrical system, or worse, cause the vehicle to catch on fire. Always connect the negative cable last, and disconnect the negative cable first!
Why should a car battery's positive terminal be connected first for charging?
Batteries vent Hydrogen gas. You should always connect the positive battery cable first to avoid a spark at the battery that could cause the Hydrogen to explode. The negative cable should never be connected to the battery negative post. It should be connected to another ground area on the engine.
How do you hook cables to battery?
you hook the positive cable,(usually the red) to the positive battery terminal first then you hook the negative cable(usually black) to the negative terminal if you hook it the other way you can get sparks or arcing that can cause damage or a fire PS: if both cables are same color, the negative cable is the one bolted to the frame or the engine.the poitive is bolted to the solenoid or starter
Why can't i hook up the - part when jump starting?
The negative terminal is not supposed to be hooked to the battery. You always start with the positive cable, and then hook the negative cable to a peice of metal. Either the engine, block, frame, strut tower, something other than the starter. The reason for this is because when you hook up the negative cable, it can cause a spark, and also cause a explosion.
When jumping a car why do you have to put the negative cable on ground?
You connect the negative cable last and connect it to ground rather than to the negative post of the battery because there may be a small spark when you make the connection. Batteries can emit a slight amount of highly explosive hydrogen gas. That spark on the negative post can cause these fumes to ignite and explode. That is why you always connect the negative cable last and always connect it to ground and not to the battery itself as a safety measure.
Why not clamp negative clamp to battery?
Because there may be a spark when you connect a jumper cable negative clamp to the battery post which can cause an explosion. Batteries emit hydrogen gas which is very volitive. Always connect the negative clamp to the engine or another ground point on the vehicle.
Do you have to take out the battery when changing a high voltage car fuse?
Don't have to take the battery out but it should be disconnected. Carefully disconnect the negative (usually black) battery cable from the battery. Be sure you do not let the connector end of that cable or the negative battery terminal touch anything! (I put a heavy-duty plastic baggie over the connecting end of the cable & secure it with a rubberband. No baggie ties!) If the free end of the cable, or the disconnected terminal, touches anything conductive it will short out whatever it touches & could cause hundreds (or thousands) of dollars of damage. It could even cause an explosion if there is hydrogen gas accumulated near the battery, serious injury, or even death. Once the negative battery terminal is disconnected, there should be no electricitity flowing anywhere, & it should be safe to change the fuse.
What can be pulling to much power from my van and not returing it to my battery?
Its called a parasitic draw. Any electrical component in the vehicle could cause it. To test for a draw, pull the negative battery cable and use a meter to measure amperage between the battery terminal and cable. The reading should usually be below 50mA or <.050 amps.
What would a loose battery cable do?
Cause a no start situation.
