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Author
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Topic: Melted Battery Terminal
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Dubz
Gearhead Posts: 2005
From: Manitoba Canada
Registered: Oct 2002
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posted 08-28-2005 10:42 PM
 
Well i got the exhaust system all finished up today, reconnected the battery and started it up, smelt something funny like plastic melting or something. Looked at the plug wires and didn't see any that were melted so didn't think much of it, the headers had some greasy hand prints on them that were smoking as well, so wasn't sure if that was the smell or not.Drove it to wash the car off, didn't smell anything, drove the car back home, everything was fine, friend comes over and we start driving to the cruise/parking spot for sun night get togethers and all of a sudden the car starts cutting out, then she just dies. I thought i had ran out of gas as the fuel gague doesn't work, get out of the car and my buddy says there is smoke coming out from under the hood. Open the hood to find the Ground Terminal on the battery completely melted and in 2 parts, the insulation on the ground wire on fire, and the wire very very hot. The fire was quickly put out, and after a walk home, used a set of vice grips to hold the bare wire onto the post of the battery, and after the drive home the wire was not hot or even remotely warm. The post on the battery is fine, the melted lead however dripped on the battery casing and melted some of the plastic. So, i have no idea what could have caused such a thing, so this is why i am posting. What in blazing hell could cause a ground wire to melt and catch fire? But then be fine when vise grips are holding it in place? Could a terminal that wasn't tight enough cause the problem? I would imagine a short somewhere else in the car would cause whichever wire was shoring to catch fire not the ground cable? anyone? ------------------
1974 Gran Torino(351W/c6)
My Page
Well it has primer on it now [This message has been edited by Dubz (edited 08-28-2005).]
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exlocal
Gearhead Posts: 1552
From: hacienda hts., CA, USA
Registered: Dec 2004
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posted 08-29-2005 12:01 AM
You solved the problem with the vise grip. The clamp probably didn't have enough conductivity to the ground wire. If it was one of those universal clamps that have those screw down clamp onto the wire, yes I can see that happening, or maybe the end of the ground wire was too corroded inside of the clamp. Probably a good idea to change both positive and negative battery cables with good quality ones.------------------
reliving youth
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f100cleveland
Gearhead Posts: 505
From: St. James, MN
Registered: Sep 2004
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posted 08-29-2005 12:18 AM
Another thing to check is to make sure you have a good chassis ground. If the cable end on the block/frame side is better than the end on the battery, the battery side will melt first. But I agree with exlocal too that it was most likely the connection on the battery cable being loose or not have the right conductivity for the amount of current you were flowing through the system.------------------
1982 Ford F100 2wd Shortbox. Powered by a 357 Cleveland w/ closed chamber 4v's and a Funnelweb. Full Roller c-6 trans with Gear Vendors Overdrive and 4.86 geared Detroit Locker equipped 9" rear. 329.1 RWHP and 299.3 RWTQ 1982 F100 351c 4v 1977 F150 460 Burnout Truck
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DidgeyTrucker
Gearhead Posts: 1813
From: Greenbrier, TN USA
Registered: Oct 99
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posted 08-29-2005 02:09 PM
Yep. A bad (dirty) contact started arcing which made the contact worse which made it arc which made the contact worse which made it arc which made the contact worse which made it arc which made the contact worse which made it arc which made the contact worse which made it arc which made the contact worse which made it arc and it burned.Tracy
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Dubz
Gearhead Posts: 2005
From: Manitoba Canada
Registered: Oct 2002
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posted 08-29-2005 04:22 PM
allrighty, thanks a bunch for the help, the positive cable is a new one, so i'll replace the negative cable and terminal.The original wire was about an 8 gauge wire, is that big enough, or should i step up to a 4 gauge or so? The plan is somtime for a battery mounted in the trunk, how much extra work would it be to run the wiring for that, i know i need a cutoff switch for the drag strip, but until then, could i just run a small positive to the front for the live all the time side of the starter solenoid, run a big (i'm guessing 4ga) wire to the starter, ground the battery in the trunk, and make sure the ground up front is good to the frame/body? What about fusing in the positive lines to the front? [This message has been edited by Dubz (edited 08-29-2005).]
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DidgeyTrucker
Gearhead Posts: 1813
From: Greenbrier, TN USA
Registered: Oct 99
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posted 08-29-2005 08:18 PM
4 gauge would definitely be better. The hot should go to the starter relay, not the starter. Make sure you have a good ground from the battery to the chassis AND from the chassis to the block. I always connect a ground cable with one of the starter bolts, since that's what draws the most current.The cut-off switch for NHRA will require the hot lead from the alternator be connected on the BATTERY side of the switch. If the cut-off switch is in the tail light panel (where NHRA safety personnel look for it) that means the hot wire from the altenator must run to the trunk. Otherwise when you disconnect the battery, the alternator is still connected to the ignition and the motor will still run. The cut-off switch should kill the ignition. 10 gauge would work for this. Tracy
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Fastymz
Moderator Posts: 22791
From: Reno Nv M&M #1240
Registered: Apr 2001
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posted 08-29-2005 08:25 PM
Dubz, go as big as you can on the cables. I always use at least a 1-2 gauge or better for the ground caple. http://www.powermastermotorsports.com/charge_wires.html ------------------
oddly obsessed with big scoops on little Mustangs 65 coupe 351w C4 Big Boss 429 hood scoop,8" 3.40 TracLoc. My Pics [This message has been edited by Fastymz (edited 08-29-2005).]
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Dubz
Gearhead Posts: 2005
From: Manitoba Canada
Registered: Oct 2002
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posted 08-29-2005 10:12 PM
i found this, and was thinking of going off this diagram, but i'm not sure if the wire gauges are what i need or if that's too big/too small for my applicationhttp://www.2quicknovas.com/trunkbat3.jpg
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