Re: Major electrical short
[Re: BDW]
#3086202
10/15/22 10:58 AM
10/15/22 10:58 AM
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 4,489 northern,Ohio,USA
Clanton
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Always worried about this, how did you know it happened? Car wouldn't start and traced it down.? With most new cars having the battery in trunk, what's that safety mechanism. What happens if they cables hold up, battery explodes? I just drove the car and when I parked it all power went out and I tested for + at the switch panel and a ground with a test light so I made a new ground for the switches and it smoked the 02 power wire like a wick on a firecracker so I undo the ground and go to the battery and find the chassis ground cable barely hanging on the the connector at the post.This could have been really bad and the weak link was the connector.I do have a 200 amp breaker to the switch panel .I believe the broblem is in the starter wire or the switch breaker would have went. I have a volt meter and there was no drop in voltage I could see.
Last edited by Clanton; 10/15/22 11:00 AM.
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Re: Major electrical short
[Re: Andrewh]
#3086257
10/15/22 01:35 PM
10/15/22 01:35 PM
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 4,489 northern,Ohio,USA
Clanton
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thought that the connector going first was the whole point? I had one that melted it off the battery first before anything else burned off. I have also had a short vaporize an inch of 10 gauge. plus a couple inches of insulation on each side. Lets say the connector burns so then the cable is flopping around looking for more trouble what can you do but have a bracket holding the cable or a tether.
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Re: Major electrical short
[Re: Clanton]
#3086295
10/15/22 03:19 PM
10/15/22 03:19 PM
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 19,388 north of coder
moparx
"Butt Crack Bob"
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"Butt Crack Bob"
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 19,388
north of coder
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how was that battery cable end attached to the cable ? solder ? i know it got hot there, but for some reason, the joint doesn't look it was soldered very good. i know my eyeballs aren't the best, but even if it got hot enough to melt the solder, the wire of the cable should at least show some silver in the middle strands. a while back, i bought a hydraulic cable crimper. i now crimp the cable connection after the cable has been tinned with solder, and the connector has flux in it. i drill a small 1/8" [or so] hole in the bottom of the connector, then use that hole to allow the solder to wick into the joint, watching the top of the connector, so as to not allow the solder to wick into the cable past the connector end. i then use marine grade heat shrink with the glue in the "heavy duty" size [which is twice as thick as the regular stuff] to cover the cable/connector area. please let us know what you find out in that length of cable, as to the place it shorted out.
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Re: Major electrical short
[Re: Clanton]
#3086296
10/15/22 03:20 PM
10/15/22 03:20 PM
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Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 294 Maryland
MoparMike1974
enthusiast
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enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 294
Maryland
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It could be a short but it could also simply had been a bad connection on that terminal. This will cause an excessive draw and cause it to get hot. Like the above poster, I also use a hydraulic crimper. This is just as good as a molded terminal. I spend the extra money and get the nice brass terminals.
Last edited by MoparMike1974; 10/15/22 03:22 PM.
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Re: Major electrical short
[Re: Clanton]
#3086682
10/16/22 10:30 PM
10/16/22 10:30 PM
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 10,552 Rittman Ohio
fourgearsavoy
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 10,552
Rittman Ohio
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Mike you really need to get a better quality battery terminal on there. . You might want to replace that cable because where it has tuned black will not conduct very well. Gus
64 Plymouth Savoy 493 Indy EZ's by Nick at Compu-Flow 5-Speed Richmond faceplate Liberty box Dana 60
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Re: Major electrical short
[Re: fourgearsavoy]
#3086886
10/17/22 03:30 PM
10/17/22 03:30 PM
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 4,489 northern,Ohio,USA
Clanton
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Mike you really need to get a better quality battery terminal on there. . You might want to replace that cable because where it has tuned black will not conduct very well. Gus I had some better[brass] terminals on my winch battery I swapped but I will get some more and you are very correct on the cable being black and I will make a new 1 with fresh wire.How big should I go on the mini starter cable with 2xyellow top 750 amp batteries?[12' long maybe]
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Re: Major electrical short
[Re: poorboy]
#3086890
10/17/22 03:37 PM
10/17/22 03:37 PM
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 4,489 northern,Ohio,USA
Clanton
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Stuff like that happens. When I built my 48 Plymouth coupe I ran all the battery cables and wires where I thought they would be out of trouble. Then I added inner fender wells to keep the junk out of the engine compartment. What I didn't know was when the tires were turned to the extreme right, the tire rubbed against the inner fender, and squeezed the + battery cable between the battery box brace and the inner fender. It took over 5 years before it finally broke through the battery cable insulation and shorted out the positive battery cable. The little fire was out as soon as the cable was disconnected, but I got to replace the battery cable, and about 6" of 3 other wires. You can bet the wires were run differently, and secured better. That could have been a real problem if you didn't have any tools when it happened.Thanks for sharing!
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Re: Major electrical short
[Re: Clanton]
#3086953
10/17/22 07:21 PM
10/17/22 07:21 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,270 Morrow, OH
markz528
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Posts: 4,270
Morrow, OH
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I now put a 120 amp fuse at the alternator and one at the battery. Forget size but I think it’s a 300 amp or so. Protects against these types of conditions.
67 Coronet 500 9.610 @ 139.20 mph 67 Coronet 500 (street car) 14.82 @ 94 mph 69 GTX (clone) - build in progress......
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Re: Major electrical short
[Re: markz528]
#3086963
10/17/22 08:00 PM
10/17/22 08:00 PM
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 4,489 northern,Ohio,USA
Clanton
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 4,489
northern,Ohio,USA
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I now put a 120 amp fuse at the alternator and one at the battery. Forget size but I think it’s a 300 amp or so. Protects against these types of conditions. Just not on the starter cable? I need all the amps I can get for the starter.
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Re: Major electrical short
[Re: Clanton]
#3086971
10/17/22 08:27 PM
10/17/22 08:27 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,270 Morrow, OH
markz528
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master
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Morrow, OH
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I now put a 120 amp fuse at the alternator and one at the battery. Forget size but I think it’s a 300 amp or so. Protects against these types of conditions. Just not on the starter cable? I need all the amps I can get for the starter. I have a 250 275 or 300 on the main battery cable I just can’t remember right not. I will post pics tomorrow. With a fuse on the alt I’m protected from both ends no matter what happens.
67 Coronet 500 9.610 @ 139.20 mph 67 Coronet 500 (street car) 14.82 @ 94 mph 69 GTX (clone) - build in progress......
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Re: Major electrical short
[Re: Clanton]
#3087316
10/18/22 10:31 PM
10/18/22 10:31 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,270 Morrow, OH
markz528
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Morrow, OH
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I now put a 120 amp fuse at the alternator and one at the battery. Forget size but I think it’s a 300 amp or so. Protects against these types of conditions. Just not on the starter cable? I need all the amps I can get for the starter. So I did use a 300 amp on the main cable.
67 Coronet 500 9.610 @ 139.20 mph 67 Coronet 500 (street car) 14.82 @ 94 mph 69 GTX (clone) - build in progress......
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