Batteries

Phaeton

Phaeton

Moderator
Staff member
Friend rang last night to say her daughter had been given a Pug 306 1.4 petrol but has an electrical problem. It'd been stood for a few months & somebody had charged the battery but on connecting it smoke had come from the alternator, so I fetched it round home today to have a look at it. Anyway after having a play around with it & getting some very strange readings on the meter I thought I'd try to jump start it. Connected the earth on the car to the earth on the running cars engine & then went to attach the positive. Now I always splash the lead on first just in case & there was an almighty flash & a bit of the battery post disappered. So I put the meter across the battery & noticed it said -12.26V, left the battery disconnected & just used jump leads, car started & ran lovely. Went & fetched a new battery & everything apart from the alternator light is just glowing so there maybe some damage in there.

So after all of the essay the question is, is it possible to charge a battery up the wrong way?

I was wondering if the battery was absolutley dead & they connected the leads of the charger up the wrong way would it take charge but negatively instead of positively.

Alan...
 
G

greasemonkeyspannerman

New member
If a battery is dead flat it is possible to reverse the polarity when charging and i would get rid of it as soon as possible i drop tested a battery for a customer and it was only after it blew up in my face he said he thought he might have connected the charger the wrong way but due to no spark when he swwitched the charger on he left it. I assume its a carbed 306 because i am amazed it hasnt fried the ecu!
 
Phaeton

Phaeton

Moderator
Staff member
Yep was a carb model, M plate, seemed to run okay apart from the ignition light not quite going off. She's booked it in for an MOT tomorrow so I suggested she ask them to test the alternator.

As for the battery I've left it in my workshop with a light across it, going to try to flatten it completely, then recharge it the right way, if it works it works if it doesn't them I'll just scrap it.

Alan...
 
G

greasemonkeyspannerman

New member
It must be dead dead flat! I wouldnt try it myself hot sticky acid in the face hurts a bit. Well hell of a lot actually!
But you do end up with a healthy looking glow for a few days! and a new found respect for batteries.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top