Negative terminal and cable too hot to handle

Celtichawk

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Okay everyone I got starter installed and then new battery last night. For now went with Walmart special and put it in boat this morning. Later to find that my boat did start and run for brief moment and I shut it down (not hooked to water). I tried to start one more time without priming carb since its been sitting awhile and after a few tried negative cable fell off battery but it didn't come loose. What happened is it go so hot it melted the solder off the terminal, the one using wing nut. Caused the bolt to come completely out of solder and cable fell off. Wtf is this, bad ground? Keep in mind it didn't seem to start real easy kind of had a dead spot but much better with new starter and battery. Positive cable was a little warm too but not to the point of melting terminal. So what do I look for is it a bad ground/dual battery switch box? Help?!

Also what is the best way to fix that terminal now? Can I heat it up put bolt back on and solder bolt back to spot? Or just change wires to use the larger battery terminal now?

Ill post photo later but I'm on phone but assuming you get the idea
 
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Re: Negative terminal and cable too hot to handle

The connector was not crimped correctly or the connector was dirty and that caused it to heat up due to resistance. Nothing surprising it happens all the time on large electrical wires carrying hundreds of amps. I would replace the cable but you can crimp on a new end if getting the wire is a problem then replace the cable at a latter date.
P.s as Don use to say to everyone "get rid of the wing nuts"
 

Celtichawk

Chief Petty Officer
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Messages
564
Re: Negative terminal and cable too hot to handle

The connector was not crimped correctly or the connector was dirty and that caused it to heat up due to resistance. Nothing surprising it happens all the time on large electrical wires carrying hundreds of amps. I would replace the cable but you can crimp on a new end if getting the wire is a problem then replace the cable at a latter date.
P.s as Don use to say to everyone "get rid of the wing nuts"

Yea I'm not a huge fan of those wing nut hookups especially with that kind of electricity flowing through. I was told by my buddy, that Walmart will return battery since it was less then 24 hours old and I have receipt plus it has a free 12 month replacement. True or you guys think they will determine it to be a fault of my boat wiring? Is the battery no good?

If they wont return is battery still good? I can just replace cable and hook it up with the larger post instead?
 
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Re: Negative terminal and cable too hot to handle

oh my bad its the terminal on the battery that failed first. Just exchange it they shouldn't have a problem with that.
 

Bondo

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Re: Negative terminal and cable too hot to handle

Okay everyone I got starter installed and then new battery last night. For now went with Walmart special and put it in boat this morning. Later to find that my boat did start and run for brief moment and I shut it down (not hooked to water). I tried to start one more time without priming carb since its been sitting awhile and after a few tried negative cable fell off battery but it didn't come loose. What happened is it go so hot it melted the solder off the terminal, the one using wing nut. Caused the bolt to come completely out of solder and cable fell off. Wtf is this, bad ground? Keep in mind it didn't seem to start real easy kind of had a dead spot but much better with new starter and battery. Positive cable was a little warm too but not to the point of melting terminal. So what do I look for is it a bad ground/dual battery switch box? Help?!

Also what is the best way to fix that terminal now? Can I heat it up put bolt back on and solder bolt back to spot? Or just change wires to use the larger battery terminal now?

Ill post photo later but I'm on phone but assuming you get the idea

Ayuh,.... Ya Didn't clean the terminal, nor the wire end, That's why it did that,...

Resistance equals Heat,...
Even a brand new battery has a film of corrosion on the terminals, that's why ya sandpaper 'em, 'n grease 'em,...
 

Celtichawk

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Messages
564
Re: Negative terminal and cable too hot to handle

Ayuh,.... Ya Didn't clean the terminal, nor the wire end, That's why it did that,...

Resistance equals Heat,...
Even a brand new battery has a film of corrosion on the terminals, that's why ya sandpaper 'em, 'n grease 'em,...

Actually they said no they will not replace my battery due to the terminal melting, but the good thing it was only the terminal end with wing nut, so I still have the larger post. I bought two new cables from autozone tonight and going to re-wire the ground and positive cable from starter to battery see if that helps plus I will clean those battery terminals.
 

Celtichawk

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Re: Negative terminal and cable too hot to handle

They also tested battery and its rated at 750 but they said machine showed it at 830 so better then the label said and it was good still.
 

bonzoscott

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Re: Negative terminal and cable too hot to handle

It may be a good idea to clean (sand paper - wire brush) connections on the other end of the cables too. I disconnect battery after every trip (parasite electronics) and keep a piece of sand paper next to battery for next trip. I don't think we have to get rid of the wing nuts: just use pliers - holding the sand paper down...
 

Celtichawk

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564
Re: Negative terminal and cable too hot to handle

It may be a good idea to clean (sand paper - wire brush) connections on the other end of the cables too. I disconnect battery after every trip (parasite electronics) and keep a piece of sand paper next to battery for next trip. I don't think we have to get rid of the wing nuts: just use pliers - holding the sand paper down...


Well I think it will be better in the long run to just hook it up on larger posts much like a automobile. Question though if my ballast resister is not hooked up and engine starts would this have anything to do with the resistance? Just figured with the name ballast resister maybe it would :)
 

Celtichawk

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Re: Negative terminal and cable too hot to handle

photo.JPG

Photo #1 You get the idea, and can see the post has been melted.

photo(1).jpg

Photo #2 Found this paper work in the bag on the boat, and seems like its exact to what my wiring should be and kind of is, with the exception my ballast resister is not hooked up.
 

Celtichawk

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Re: Negative terminal and cable too hot to handle

Just seems odd because original owner said he did not have these issues. So my guess ballast resister is removed as discussed in a another thread for reasons of maybe electronic ign which may not be but I still need to investigate.
 

Celtichawk

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Re: Negative terminal and cable too hot to handle

So is it just connections then? Figured photo my help! Also what about this wiring schematics is it what it should be? If my boat was converted to a electronic ignition would the ballast resister be bypassed? What other reasons why a ballast resister be disconnected?
 

Bondo

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Re: Negative terminal and cable too hot to handle

Just seems odd because original owner said he did not have these issues. So my guess ballast resister is removed as discussed in a another thread for reasons of maybe electronic ign which may not be but I still need to investigate.

Ayuh,.... That's because You put the battery in, 'n didn't get a Clean, Tight connection on that post,...

The battery burnt up where in did, because That's Exactly where the Problem was,...

Yer ballast resistor is NOT part of this equation,...

Does it have electronic ignition,..??
 

dingbat

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Re: Negative terminal and cable too hot to handle

A boat is no place for wing nuts. Double nuts or Ny-locs
 
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Re: Negative terminal and cable too hot to handle

ballast resistor is old school and designed for point ignition and a coil that does not have a internal resistor. If you still have points see if the coil has a label that says internal resistor. The ballast resistor will not affect the battery but a loose or dirty connection will.
 

Celtichawk

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Re: Negative terminal and cable too hot to handle

It's a Mallory distributor is all I know right this moment I will pull cap off tomorrow and see if it had points!
 

bonzoscott

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Re: Negative terminal and cable too hot to handle

It's somewhat common to burn / melt the terminal because of the wing nuts. You can go with the auto style lead clamp on the other post, but boat cables have the eyelet terminals. Of course, you can cut that off strip and put the lead clamp on, but you open yourself up to corrosion issues at the terminal. Just maintain it.
 

Celtichawk

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Re: Negative terminal and cable too hot to handle

Well the ones I bought at auto zone had the cables with the eyelet on one end which will work perfect for connecting to starter and Bolting ground to engine block. Then the other end of cables have the larger auto lead hookups so I will not need to splice or cut off any portion of the cables.
 
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Celtichawk

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Re: Negative terminal and cable too hot to handle

Okay everyone thanks for all your support once again!!!! Installed those cables today and now it has the auto connections on the larger terminal, turned key, engine cranked right over fast like it should! Within a few seconds varooooooooommmmm!!! Damn engine sounded like a Nascar super stoked!! Since boat in storage and no access to water right then I shut it down immediatly. No more shorts we are good to go. I have to replace my A frame jack then I can pull boat out of storage and in front of my house to run on hose next week.

With any luck I will be out on the Ocean in a few weeks!

Moderators if you want to close thread feel free.
 

NYBo

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Oct 23, 2008
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Re: Negative terminal and cable too hot to handle

Glad you got it fixed. However:
Since boat in storage and no access to water right then I shut it down immediatly.
:eek: Don't do that anymore! It doesn't take long to ruin the impeller when it's run dry like that.
 
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