Question on Grounding
Tony022
07-31-2009, 06:57 AM
I would like to get your input and ideas on the subject......
Most procedures state to remove the ( - ) negetive connection from the batt when doing any work...
Wouldn't removing the pos (+) terminal be better????
It seems to me that with the neg removed , and you grounded ,by accident, a hot wire, you would complete the circuit and cause a short and possibly some electrical damage.
Wouldn't it be better to remove the positive batt terminal???
Also, when replacing the batt, does it matter which terminal you connect first, neg or positive?
Most procedures state to remove the ( - ) negetive connection from the batt when doing any work...
Wouldn't removing the pos (+) terminal be better????
It seems to me that with the neg removed , and you grounded ,by accident, a hot wire, you would complete the circuit and cause a short and possibly some electrical damage.
Wouldn't it be better to remove the positive batt terminal???
Also, when replacing the batt, does it matter which terminal you connect first, neg or positive?
ghutchin
07-31-2009, 08:20 AM
Once the negative is removed, the battery is no longer connected to ground so there is no circuit anymore. It is the same effect with either cable disconnected. So in theory you can disconnect the positive first. Either way, if one cable is disconnected you are good.
The reason to disconnect the ground cable first, is because when you have a wrench on the battery terminal if that touches ground and you are unhooking the positive terminal then you will cause a short and sparks will fly. If you unhook the negative first and the wrench touches ground it won't do anything because you are working on the ground circuit.
I had a buddy one time attempt to disconnect the positive first. The wrench accidentally touched the metal transmission cooling line going into the radiator. It got so hot that it melted a hole through the line and sprayed radiator fluid everywhere. We had to replace that section of line with rubber hose as a repair.
The reason to disconnect the ground cable first, is because when you have a wrench on the battery terminal if that touches ground and you are unhooking the positive terminal then you will cause a short and sparks will fly. If you unhook the negative first and the wrench touches ground it won't do anything because you are working on the ground circuit.
I had a buddy one time attempt to disconnect the positive first. The wrench accidentally touched the metal transmission cooling line going into the radiator. It got so hot that it melted a hole through the line and sprayed radiator fluid everywhere. We had to replace that section of line with rubber hose as a repair.
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