Grounding issue?

I'm having an electrical problem that's causing the power to die when I turn the ignition. The interior lights work, but cut out when I put the ignition in "start," and the starter motor doesn't turn either.

I think the battery isn't grounded right, although I am not sure why the electricity only cuts out on start. But anyway I managed to strip the threads on the negative terminal (what tard thought soft lead threads were a good idea?), so while the metal of the cable end is touching the metal of the negative terminal, perhaps it isn't enough?

I guess my best option would be to get a bolt with bigger threads?

While I'm asking, in what order do you disconnect/reconnect terminals from a battery? I always figured the ground would come off last, but perhaps that's wrong. I was removing the positive lead when the end of my socket wrench hit the floorpan, sending sparks flying. Not sure how I didn't get zapped holding on to a metal wrench with electricity flowing through it.

Jack the R wrote:

I'm having an electrical problem that's causing the power to die when I turn the ignition. The interior lights work, but cut out when I put the ignition in "start," and the starter motor doesn't turn either.

I think the battery isn't grounded right, although I am not sure why the electricity only cuts out on start. But anyway I managed to strip the threads on the negative terminal (what tard thought soft lead threads were a good idea?), so while the metal of the cable end is touching the metal of the negative terminal, perhaps it isn't enough?

I guess my best option would be to get a bolt with bigger threads?

While I'm asking, in what order do you disconnect/reconnect terminals from a battery? I always figured the ground would come off last, but perhaps that's wrong. I was removing the positive lead when the end of my socket wrench hit the floorpan, sending sparks flying. Not sure how I didn't get zapped holding on to a metal wrench with electricity flowing through it.

That is more than likely it, you can have a so-so connection and it will light the lights but as soon as you add the starter it kills everything.
You should always remove the negative first, that way if you do touch anything you are just touching a ground, then the positive, then if you touch something it will not matter!

sry bout stealing ur thread but today when i went to go charge my battery, there was moisture on the battery, why is this. also what is the thing that goes across the battery is it a ground im not sure what it is

palermocorey90 wrote:

sry bout stealing ur thread but today when i went to go charge my battery, there was moisture on the battery, why is this. also what is the thing that goes across the battery is it a ground im not sure what it is

That is a vent tube, it must be connected AND intact to vent the gasses from the battery out of the car!

ooo ok i wasn't sure because mine has electrical tape on it

99Rivman wrote:

You should always remove the negative first, that way if you do touch anything you are just touching a ground, then the positive, then if you touch something it will not matter!

Another day, another brush with death . . . thanks for the info.

try cleaning the battery connections with a mix of water and baking soda. Scrub them with a hard bristle brush.

Good info posted.

No worries about holding onto the wrench shorting to 12v. The biggest danger you were in is being burned. 12v DC isn't enough voltage to "zap" you, but the high current will heat up the tool very fast. I once completed a 12v circuit with my stainless steel Seiko while working on a car. It burned my wrist pretty badly. That was at least 10 years ago... the watch still works, and still has the weld marks where it touched positive terminal and frame.

There was a demo on a car battery at my town's tech center last week, where the instructor put a paper clip on the positive terminal, then quickly put one in the negative, and that paper clip glowed red within 10 seconds! But what do you expect from something that has to play music and operate lights and 12V accessories at the same time, time after time? Not to mention, of course, turning over an engine every morning or so.

Problem solved. I used an ever-so-slightly thicker bolt today on the negative terminal, and the car fired right up.

I was trying to put this same bolt in last night, in the rain with a bad thunder storm going on, but I couldn't get it because it was sinking too far up in the socket. There wasn't enough bolt sticking out to pass through the eye of the negative cable and bite into the battery threads. I couldn't see what was happening in the dark. If the storm had blown more over in my direction my car might have been destroyed by hail because I couldn't get it into the garage. Can you imagine loosing a car you've put so much time into for such a tiny thing?

My Riv has never seen a garage. During the rainy season, I keep a couple of comforters in the trunk when taking long drives. Might save her from the hail. In the city, know where there's a bridge or a gas station. I've had to take cover twice since I've owned her.