Battery re-connect
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Joined: Jun 2005
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Battery re-connect
Ok, this is pretty much a newbie question. I am installing a radio amp on my ultra. Before I started the work, I disconnected the (-) negative wire to the battery and then the (+) positive. I am now to the point where I need to reconnect.
According to the manual, you are to connect the (+) first then the (-) as a spark could be damaging. I've connected the (+) but when I go to connect the (-) I get a small spark and I notice that the speed and tach jump slightly.
Does this sound ok or do I have a problem? I sure do not remember a spark when I disconnected the (-) at the beginning of work.
According to the manual, you are to connect the (+) first then the (-) as a spark could be damaging. I've connected the (+) but when I go to connect the (-) I get a small spark and I notice that the speed and tach jump slightly.
Does this sound ok or do I have a problem? I sure do not remember a spark when I disconnected the (-) at the beginning of work.
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Joined: Oct 2006
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RE: Battery re-connect
Actually, if you could see the contact points of the fuse, you'd see the spark there as well. It's perfectly normal, because ya have a constant (albeit small) drain on the battery due to the electronics.
Cruiser
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 160
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From: Seattle area
RE: Battery re-connect
On all 12 volt negative grounded vehicles(cars, bikes, airplanes) the reason why you disconnect the negative first and connect last is because if you accidently hit the frame or anything grounded with your wrench you won't have a dead short across the battery. There's no potential (voltage) from the negative post to ground when the battry is hooked up. If you disconnected the positive first and banged the wrench against "ground" you'll have a nice spark show and a hot wrench to boot. If you're lucky the wrench won't arc weld itself to the frame. Ask me how I know. Once the negative is disconnected, the frame (ground) is no longer the other half of the circuit. You can then short the positive to ground without worry 'cause the negative side isn't hooked up.
The small spark you get when hooking up the cable is like the other guys said, it's just a small draw due to all the electonic crap now days.
The small spark you get when hooking up the cable is like the other guys said, it's just a small draw due to all the electonic crap now days.
Cruiser
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 140
Likes: 6
From: Lake Jackson TX.
RE: Battery re-connect
ORIGINAL: acftdr
On all 12 volt negative grounded vehicles(cars, bikes, airplanes) the reason why you disconnect the negative first and connect last is because if you accidently hit the frame or anything grounded with your wrench you won't have a dead short across the battery. There's no potential (voltage) from the negative post to ground when the battry is hooked up. If you disconnected the positive first and banged the wrench against "ground" you'll have a nice spark show and a hot wrench to boot. If you're lucky the wrench won't arc weld itself to the frame. Ask me how I know. Once the negative is disconnected, the frame (ground) is no longer the other half of the circuit. You can then short the positive to ground without worry 'cause the negative side isn't hooked up.
The small spark you get when hooking up the cable is like the other guys said, it's just a small draw due to all the electonic crap now days.
On all 12 volt negative grounded vehicles(cars, bikes, airplanes) the reason why you disconnect the negative first and connect last is because if you accidently hit the frame or anything grounded with your wrench you won't have a dead short across the battery. There's no potential (voltage) from the negative post to ground when the battry is hooked up. If you disconnected the positive first and banged the wrench against "ground" you'll have a nice spark show and a hot wrench to boot. If you're lucky the wrench won't arc weld itself to the frame. Ask me how I know. Once the negative is disconnected, the frame (ground) is no longer the other half of the circuit. You can then short the positive to ground without worry 'cause the negative side isn't hooked up.
The small spark you get when hooking up the cable is like the other guys said, it's just a small draw due to all the electonic crap now days.
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Tourer
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 398
Likes: 0
From: Williamston, SC
RE: Battery re-connect
+1 with redneck, if you have a clock you'll probably need to reset it. With my Thundermax if I disconnect the battery or pull the main fuse I have to reset the Thundermax as well.
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