cheap connector saves car

John ED Renstrom

PCS Member
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had a little problem crop up bringing the 63 back into the garage today. we were out and about for a run around to mix up the fresh fuel I put in the car.
I noticed that there were the quick clamps on the battery ends I have figured to make permanent ones when I get up in that spot . but tell then these have been working. when a went to move the car in I could not start it. figured the battery had gone down. as I came around I noticed the smoke. the draw from the starter was enough to melt some rubber. the car has been sitting were it was for at least a half hour. so remember what they say nothing more permanent then a temporary repair. but that ain't going to happen again. now the rest of you get out and make sure your batterys are tied down.
 

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Yikes, lucky the ol girl didnt start on fire. I hear ya about the temp repairs being permanent.

Lets see some more pics of the resto.
 
the dual batteries are standard ambulance set up. I don't know how long the battery has shorted out on the 1/4 in bolt. but it was cherry red when I opened the hood and moved it away. it melted the ground off the other battery and was going threw the case on this one. I knew it was loose but never thought of it grounding out. needless to say this is in front of the battery cut off. so my shutting them off did no good. the smoke was from the rubber around the cable. Ben many a weld job in the wild done with two batteries. as there was nothing around this one except the battery we got lucky. here is a picture of the car just before I walked out to try and start it. snap it then went out to get the car. I would say opening the door and setting in the car wiggled things enough to short it out. thats how fast it heated up the bolt and melted the battery ends. the 2x4 will keep it from sliding over for now and when I get up there we'll put it in right.
 

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shorting out

I had something similar when the cable rubbed through the insulation where it ran over a metal bracket holding the battery in. I've since used a cable protector on the bracket to make sure it can't happen again and rerouted things so minimize any friction or chance of abrasion.... you can't be too careful with electricity!
 
I think Brendan just passed my place on his way to South Dakota :)

hope he gets here I can use a little help. but it's under control. when I opended the hood and that rod was starting to go yellow I think a had a EXLAX moment. but luckly the battery end had melted and I could slid the battery way.
 
Paul called me about this in the morning. I was busy replacing a storm door that was destroyed this week in a windstorm. I know Ed has things under control. Must admit the cherry red color was interesting, but if I was doing this myself I would be sitting on the garage floor amidst a pile of parts lost in space! :4_11_9: Good save Ed!!
 
Thanks for all the pics. Being an ex-tech on caddies & ambulances, I WOULD REMOVE BATTERIES RIGHT AWAY! ALSO REPLACE ALL BAT CABLES! WITH THIS
INCIDENT YOUVE ALSO PROBABLY BURNED SECONDARY WIRING PLUS LEECE-NEVILLE ALTERNATOR DAMAGE. ALL......WIRING SHOULD BE GONE OVER EXTREMELY CAREFULLY & WITH TESTORS. WIRING HARNESS & FIREWALL PASS-THRUs also COULD BE BURNED.
THIS CAR SHOULD BE MOVED AROUND ON DOLLIES TIL ALL FIXED! ITS A BIG THREAT TO GARAGE BLDG.& OTHER CARS. (EX-FIRE OFFICER & CURRENT MEMER) GOOD LUCK !
 
we have lucked out big time on this one. as the short was in front of the cut off switch nothing else was affected. the other battery was only on for a vary brief time. visual doesn't show any other damage and the charging system is is still working normally. so far.

but it does show just how fast things can happen. the amp draw in the two batteries even at 12 volts is impressive. the 00 cables for the batteries handled the current load with out melting down. which only proves what has been said all along. use a big cable. had these been a #4 the red hot cable going threw the car and back out to the other battery and ground would have fried everything in the car. had the battery that grounded out been a good battery and up to power things might have been different to.

then of course my only reason for posting this was to show how important it is to secure things in a car. I know this battery set up was this way when Brendon got the car. how long before that is anyone's guess. I did not look under the hood at mt laurel. but I did when I get the car and saw that it could happen and said to my self I'll take care of that when I get there. it's been around the block here a half dozen times. what caused it to shift or how many time it has and gone back I can't say. but how easily we see things and dismiss them tell latter. like that power steering hose is leaking. we need to get to it someday. been many a pro car burnt up in a parade when it cut loose spraying hot oil over the hot exhaust. things happen fast. don't put off simple maintenance till latter and if someone does something shaky to your car ask that it be corrected. booth the batteries in this car are loose. they won't be when it goes home.
 
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