battery accidently reversed

ronSbyTx · Mar 30, 2011

I have a Ford Model 1920 diesel tractor. This is a small diesel tractor with approx 25 hp.
The batt cables were place on the battery in reverse (pos to ground, neg to starter). Something poped near the alternator or starter but I was not fast enough to id the exact cause of the smoke.
I notice that now none of the lights on the instrument panel light up with the iginition switch is turn on, nor does the starter turn over.
Can anyone give me a starting place to start looking for the damage?
Thanks for your help!

rustyj14 · Mar 30, 2011

Could there be a fuse or circuit breaker installed in the wiring? Hopefully thats all it is, but if not that, then contact the dealer, or at least a local tractor repair guy who might be able to help!

Lloyd In South Carolina · Mar 30, 2011

Check the alternator,,, look at the wires on the back closely, I suspect they failed or the alernator itself is done for. There may be a fuseable link molded into the power wire (will be a large guage wire) to the alternator. Usualy close to it.

If there is a solenoid, check feed to it.

Otherwise, get a test light, and follow the positive cable to each connection, check for power at each one till you get none. Not very complicated to trouble shoot, however you may spend money when you find it!!!

L.

old · Mar 30, 2011

If your lucky it has a fuse or breaker in the system if your not you let the smoke out of the alternator the moment the battery got hooked up. Fastest way to fry an alternator is to hook it up back wards and you can not pull the cable fast enough to save one. Now if you have a fuse or breaker in the system you might have gotten lucky but probably not

TonyIN · Mar 30, 2011

In the music business, we call that releasing the magic smoke... which usually results in component replacement. That translates into a lot more money than you were gonna make at the gig that night.

Dropped a wrench across some contacts on the old ford near the wiring block this past fall. Just a quick snap/pop. Now I have a new alternator and the old one is a boat anchor.
Wishing you better luck.

Tony

Jon Hagen · Mar 31, 2011

Check for a fusable link near the starter. It would attach to the starter solenoid along with the "hot" battery cable. A fuse wire will burn off inside the fire proof wire insulation. The fuse wire may stretch where the wire is burned off and nothing but rubber insulation remains

I hope the fusable link burned off before it burned up the diodes in the alternator. Good luck.

ASEguy · Mar 31, 2011

If it is a fusible link as stated here it will look different than the existing wiring and be roughly six inches long. Just put your finger under it and pull slightly, If it's bad it will stretch like a rubber band. Replace it if that is what's wrong, don't try to repair it. NAPA or Car Quest has them. Solder and shrink wrap the new one. Hope that helps. Gerard

battery accidently reversed

ronSbyTx

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rustyj14

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Lloyd In South Carolina

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old

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TonyIN

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Jon Hagen

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ASEguy

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