[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

oops! I hooked up the batt. charger wrong, please help-



 Good point Rick.  I know the rule about unhooking the
battery before welding, but sometimes in haste one
forgets.  I've burned out all the light bulbs in an
old mercedes I had by welding with the battery hooked
up.  Fortunately , that didn't happen when welding the
exhaust of my 'rocco.  There are stories of people
frying the car's computer by welding with the battery
hooked up.

Chris J.
'83 Scirocco GT
'81 Kawasaki KZ550

--- Rick Alexander <ralexander03@snet.net> wrote: > I
know it's a PITA but I always take the car out of
> the circuit when charging a battery. When I was
> young I was told that this could damage things like
> alternators and generators and voltage regulators.
> It made so much sense that the habit has remained.
> Damned long time now that I think about it (predates
> computers even). Also it is a wise thing to unhook
> your battery when doing any welding on a vehicle.
> That can also be a mess if you forget.
> 
> Rick Alexander
> '87 MKII Rolling Roc
> '86 Cabbie
> '81 "S" MKI G60 in progress
> '80 MKI (Parts)
> '73 Baja Challenge car
> '65 Brubaker Box
> '62 Tuff Tubb dune buggy
>   ----- Original Message ----- 
>   From: Robbie Cotner 
>   To: scirocco-l@scirocco.org 
>   Sent: Tuesday, October 22, 2002 8:31 PM
>   Subject: oops! I hooked up the batt. charger
> wrong, please help-
> 
> 
>   Hey all, today I hooked up my 6amp battery charger
> backwards for about 3-4 seconds.  Oops, I don't know
> what I was thinking.  Anyway my car drove fine for
> awhile, and then all the sudden it won't start.  I
> jumped it, it fires right up, and start driving
> again... barely any power... turned on the lights
> for a second and the engine almost died!  The
> Bentley says "if you hook up a battery charger the
> wrong way, even if for only a few seconds, your
> diodes will be damaged."  So does that translate to
> "get a new alternator?"  This was a 90 amp
> alternator, damn!  I would hope the electrical
> system would be more forgiving...  so assuming I do
> need a new alternator where is the cheapest place to
> get one?  Anyone have an old 90amp alternator they
> want to sell?  Would an Audi 120amp alternator bolt
> on?
> 
>   thanks,
> 
>   Rob
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>   Do you Yahoo!?
>   Y! Web Hosting - Let the expert host your web site
>  

______________________________________________________________________ 
Post your free ad now! http://personals.yahoo.ca