Think about it. If the (+) terminal is at ground, and the (-) terminal is
at ground, there's not gonna be much current flow (there will be, but it
is directly to ground). And since the (+) terminals are hooked together,
the other battery is grounded also. When this happened to me (see earlier
post below), my terminal and connector melted and dripped down the side of
the battery (pretty cool!). Maybe with 6 volt batteries, the amperage
isn't there to do this. I'm amazed the batteries still work though.
Maybe you should write the battery manufacturer a letter and you could do
TV spots or something.
You're a lucky man,
Tom, '60 MGA 1600
On Thu, 26 Jun 1997, Wade Shanley wrote:
> Well MGers... Bill wins the prize. I think (hope) I found the problem.
>
> As it turns out, one of my batteries was not seated all the way down in the
> compartment. I guess over time it tilted forward and the positive terminal
> grounded out on the battery cover. I only discovered this because I was
> working on it last night and I left the cover off. When I came out to work
>on
> it some more tonight, I turned the key and it fired right up.
>
> Before I get excited, would grounding one of the positive terminals on the
> battery cover cause the batteries to act as if they are completely dead? I
> know better than to jump to conclusions so I want to get some confirmation
> from the list.
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-mgs@autox.team.net On Behalf Of tallen
> Sent: Tuesday, June 24, 1997 7:38 PM
> To: Bill Schooler
> Cc: PHILIPPE TUSLER; MGS@autox.team.net
> Subject: Re: No start, Alternator?
>
> Quick story:
> In the middle of no where on top of a mountain, the "road" is big rocks,
> and I'm takin' it kinda easy in my '71 B. Bigger rocks, car dies
> immediately. Coast like 5 miles to my friends house where we started.
> Call my dad and he comes over to jump me. Go to hook onto battery: no (+)
> terminal or post, missing, GONE! The battery had jumped (there was no
> hold down) and grounded out against the top of the battery compartment.
> Anyway, we jumped the car (to this day I don't know why we couldn't push
> start it) and I drove it home with NO BATTERY! So, I hate to disagree
> with a fellow list member but... been there, done that.
>
> Tom, '60 MGA 1600
>
> On Tue, 24 Jun 1997, Bill Schooler wrote:
>
> > PHILIPPE TUSLER wrote:
> > >
> > > >When you jump start your car you are bypassing the cable that connects
> > > your two 6 volt batteries together. If this wire was "open" there would
> > > be no path for the current to flow from your batteries and your
> > > alternator would not be able to charge. Take a close look, I'll bet you
> > > <find it open.
> > >
> > > My vote goes for this, too. I'll bet that set-up mechanic #1
> disconnected
> > > the battery cable under the seat and that close-up mechanic #2 had no idea
> > > where the batteries were, or looked at 6v battery number 2 and didn't
> > > notice that the cable to battery number 1 was disconnected OR
> > > In installing the muffler they touched, moved or broke the battery
> > > ground strap, not even thinking that the batteries were back there.
> > >
> > > Let us know what it turns out to be....
> > >
> > > ************************************************************************>
> *Philippe Tusler - Mission Viejo, CA | "MILOU" '57 MGA Roadster *
> > > *A-Mail: <TUSLER@MP050> | "TINTIN" '66 MG/MGB-GT *
> > > *InterNet: TUSLER@MP050.MV.unisys.com | "N/A" '88 ISUZU Trooper*
> > > ************************************************************************
> > Only one problem here. Don't believe you car will run without a battery
> > in the electrical circuit. If there's an open in the battery-battery
> > connection, I suspect the engine would die as soon as you disconnected
> > the battery being used to jump start the car. Now, if you had a magneto,
> > that's a different story....
> >
> > BTW, please correct me if I'm wrong here (as if this list needs an
> > invitation like that!)
> >
> > --
> > *Bill Schooler *Check the MGCC Wash DC Centre Web Page
> > *Woodbridge, VA *http://members.aol.com/mgccwdcc/
> > *schooler@erols.com *Editor of The Spark
> > *69 B/GT, 53 TD *Web Page Coordinator
> >
>
>
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