reversed poles on jump attempt

mwilke · Jan 12, 2020

While trying to jump start tractor I hooked wrong battery poles. Will that burn up coil or starter?

David G · Jan 12, 2020

No on those, but if alternator could burn out diodes.

Steve@Advance · Jan 12, 2020

What happened when you made the connection?

If it has an alternator, and there was a violent arc, it could have damaged the alternator or burned the main circuit from the alternator.

If a generator it likely didn't hurt anything.

It would not damage the starter or coil. Not sure what it would do to an electronic ignition conversion.

Russ from MN · Jan 12, 2020

My friend up north did that, burned out the diodes in alternator, doesn't charge anymore!

mwilke · Jan 12, 2020

Thanks for the replies

gab · Jan 12, 2020

I did that a couple of years ago, had a stupid attack. I've had that charger since 1976 and never did it before. It roasted a diode in the charger, I robbed one out of a alternator rectifier bridge and it works again.

Russ from MN · Jan 12, 2020

After that happened to my friends tractor I helped him get it going, and I wrapped all the positive battery cables with red tap. It was understandable how it happened, nothing was marked.

MtMan · Jan 12, 2020

Years ago and I do mean years ago I had a 1949 Plymouth with a generator. The battery was completely dead, and I accidently hooked the charger up backwards and charged it back up. The car started right up, except the gauge said it was discharging. After checking things I realized that I had reversed the polarity of the battery. I ran the battery way down again and charged it up the correct way. Actually no damage to anything. I sure wouldn't try that with an alternator or todays equipment.

fixerupper · Jan 12, 2020

It is easy to do when there is a little grime on the battery hiding the polarity markings and the light is a little dim. I have hooked up cables backward but I always caught it before all four cables were hooked up. It seems like if there is a way to do it backward I will do it backward. Two of my old tractors are negative ground from the factory instead of positive. Both are SC Cases. I have to hesitate for a second or two before I hook up the charger to verify I am doing it right.

rustred · Jan 12, 2020

I always look for the larger post (pos.) and the smaller post (neg). those + and - markings are hard to see and I don't even pay attention to them.

John T · Jan 13, 2020

I don't see it as harming the STARTER, it turns the same direction regardless of polarity and besides it wasn't even engaged.

I don't see it as harming the COIL, they can "work" at either polarity.

Did you ONLY jump the starter orrrrrrrrr to the battery, that may make a difference..

Iffffffff it had an alternator you may well have fried the diodes !!!!!!!!!

Don't doooooo that lol

Best wishes, it may be okay

John T

RedMF40 · Jan 13, 2020

(quoted from post at 18:08:51 01/12/20) While trying to jump start tractor I hooked wrong battery poles. Will that burn up coil or starter?

Don't have an answer to your question but there were several times over the years that people asked me for a jump. After I hooked up my end, they ALWAYS reversed the connections on their end. Big spark. Don't recall it ever causing any damage to my car. I handle the cable on both ends now.

reversed poles on jump attempt

mwilke

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David G

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Steve@Advance

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Russ from MN

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mwilke

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gab

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Russ from MN

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MtMan

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fixerupper

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rustred

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John T

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RedMF40

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