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meteorbrews 
Silver Level
Joined: 01 Oct 2015
Location: Kemptville, ON
Points: 95
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 Topic: Help a Novice Out
Posted: 18 Oct 2015 at 11:23am |
Hey All, Could someone help a novice out and clear something up for me? Lately, I have been taking off and putting on the battery cables for my B in the wrong order, not the wrong way, just the wrong order, taking the ground off second and putting the ground back on first. Now, I haven't done any damage to myself, thankfully, but would I do any damage to the electricals in doing such a thing?
Thanks,
Brad.
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39/43' Franken B
Amature Homebrewer and Allis Chalmers Novice
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Dan73
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Joined: 04 Jun 2015
Location: United States
Points: 6054
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Posted: 18 Oct 2015 at 11:31am |
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Nope it is just safer to unhook the ground terminal on a battery first incase you hit the frame when you unhook the non ground terminal. In fact with cars with computers I think they recommend that you unhook the hot side first so that you don't have non grounded electronics.
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DougS
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Joined: 03 Nov 2011
Location: Iowa
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Posted: 18 Oct 2015 at 11:49am |
 Dan73 wrote:
Nope it is just safer to unhook the ground terminal on a battery first incase you hit the frame when you unhook the non ground terminal. In fact with cars with computers I think they recommend that you unhook the hot side first so that you don't have non grounded electronics. |
I have never, ever seen where anyone recommends that you unhook the hot side of a battery first for any motor vehicle. Safety trumps all other considerations. Your wrench can slip from the ground terminal and hit a metal part of your vehicle and it does no damage. Let that wrench slip and hit the frame while unhooking the hot terminal first and you'll be holding a handful of fireworks.
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Dan73
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Posted: 18 Oct 2015 at 11:53am |
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Well my brother was a GM mechanic in the 80s when the first electronics went into them and he gave me heck for unhook in the ground first said I would blow the computer he had the service notice from GM about it. I told him I didn't care for the same reason you mentioned it is safer for me to unhook the ground first.
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WF owner
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Posted: 18 Oct 2015 at 12:33pm |
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No matter how you unhook the battery on a B, I'm pretty sure you won't hurt any computer.
One of the big reasons to unhook the ground first, is to avoid sparks. A battery gives off (potentially) explosive gases. A spark can lead to a nasty battery explosion that sprays acid everywhere.
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DougS
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Posted: 18 Oct 2015 at 12:52pm |
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IMO unhooking the hot terminal first and causing sparks is more likely to blow a computer than merely unhooking the ground terminal first.
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DaveKamp
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Joined: 12 Apr 2010
Location: LeClaire, Ia
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Posted: 19 Oct 2015 at 6:11pm |
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It doesn't matter to any computer or electronics WHICH side you unhook first... the circuit is just a loop, so lifting one side is no different from the other.
The difference, is that when you have a negative ground still connected, and you loosen the nut on the positive post, and land the wrench against chassis or fender, you have a dead short across the battery, which causes substantial outgassing of hydrogen, and a really, really, really hot contact point where that current is flowing. This is the perfect recipie for a bomb, and you're still holding the wrench.
Always disconnect the grounded side first.
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Ten Amendments, Ten Commandments, and one Golden Rule solve most every problem. Citrus hand-cleaner with Pumice does the rest.
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Stan R
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Joined: 03 Dec 2009
Location: MA
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Posted: 19 Oct 2015 at 6:32pm |
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I know firsthand about a battery bomb. It was winter time, D15 needed to be jumped to so I could spread some manure. Hooked up my Fathers '71 (??) Ford Bronco. Didn't know much about positive ground on the tractor. Battery blew up when I made the final connection to the Bronco--> thought I lost my thumb from the explosion. Never again..... I think the biggest battery pieces (plastic) were maybe 3 or so inches.
Be safe
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