neg battery post sparking

[cwhubb]

Help, I had the rally dash out of my 70 charger, reinstalled it and now when I connect the neg battery post it sparks, what side of the amp meter does the red wire connect to? what about those two brown wires with the female connectors? I'm about to pull the plug on this car and sell it, it's driving me nuts

 

[poly3521]

If the wires are on backwards on the ammeter, the guage will read backwards. Red should be on the driver's side, black on pass. Arcing is from a strong ground. Make sure the insulator is on the ammeter wires and start double checking all the power wires. Best way is to start small in one area, then move to the next. Ohm meter is very helpful.

 

[cwhubb]

ok, will the voltage limiter cause a short? one side of the ammeter says red

 

[Mopars & Missiles]

Strong ground?? Never learned that term in electronics school.

An arc when connecting either battery cable to the battery (when the other one is already connected) merely indicates a CURRENT draw by something in the car somewhere. A large arc would indicate a LARGE current draw and would be a BAD sign, unless you have all your lights on, the radio on, the cigarette lighter pushed in, etc.

A small arc would indicate a small current draw and could possibly be completely normal for your car. For instance, you mention it is a 70 Charger, it most likely has an electric clock in the dash. The clock will ALWAYS draw a small amount of current (if it is working properly).

The proper way to troubleshoot this problem is to first identify HOW MUCH current is being drawn and then secondly, identify WHAT is drawing it. Using a DMM (digital multimeter) in the CURRENT mode will tell you how much current. After you have the DMM in circuit and it is showing you the amount of current draw, then you can systematically disconnect ONE electrical item at a time until your DMM no longer shows the current draw. Now you have identified the SOURCE and the AMOUNT of the current draw.

PS. When you are ready to sell, PM me and send a couple photos. Always wanted a 70 Charger.

 

[cwhubb]

it's a small spark that looks like a sparkler but really small, i always keep the neg disconnected when not using the car, it doesnt normaly do this

 

[Mopars & Missiles]

it's a small spark that looks like a sparkler but really small, i always keep the neg disconnected when not using the car, it doesnt normaly do this

If you have a clock, it should make a small spark when you connect the cable. Maybe you just didn't notice it before? :confused:

 

[Hemi Rebel]

Are you connecting it? Or just touching it to the battery post and getting a spark and then pulling it away? I assume that if you do put the battery terminal on its ok or we would all be responding to a thread titled my dash is on fire. Like mopars and missiles said. You have current flowing somewhere. Before you even get into hooking an amp meter up in series to check for how much current is flowing, see if you can see anything on in the car. Radio. Dash lights trunk light. Does it have a glove box light? Or, if you hook it up and see smoke. Well, then, you found it!

 

[Mopars & Missiles]

...i always keep the neg disconnected when not using the car...

BTW, that is a good practice, I do the same thing.

 

[cwhubb]

I pulled it away when it sparked, I'll check to see if somethings on before starting, hopefully I get no smoke lol

 

[khryslerkid]

Leaving one post verses the other helps with not creating electrolysis? I don't remember how it goes. There was some kind of device I read about once to stop electrolysis, (car rusting).

Can anyone elaborate on this?

 

[WileE]

Help, I had the rally dash out of my 70 charger, reinstalled it and now when I connect the neg battery post it sparks, what side of the amp meter does the red wire connect to? what about those two brown wires with the female connectors? I'm about to pull the plug on this car and sell it, it's driving me nuts

The condition you describe is irreversible. There is no solution known to mankind. You will spend endless days & nights trying to fix the impossible. There, now that I've saved you valuable time, why not just sell that car to me real cheap ?

 

[Mopars & Missiles]

There, now that I've saved you valuable time, why not just sell that car to me real cheap ?

Sorry, I have first dibs. See my first post above! :headbang:

 

[nm9stheham]

It could simply be that the door is open and the dome light is drawing the current.