What happens if you mix up the battery terminals on the car

Most car owners are confident that battery - a simple device and problems with its use should not be. The only mistake waiting for drivers is the possibility of confusing the terminals when charging or installing the battery on the engine. In modern cars, the positive terminal is larger in size, so even when installed in complete darkness, it can be easily detected by touch.

However, you can get into an unpleasant situation when installing a battery on an old-style vehicle, as well as when charging or lighting a cigarette.

Read more here: how to properly light a car from another car.

Alligator clips are the same size, so they can be easily connected to the plus and minus. The consequences of polarity reversal vary depending on the circumstances and vehicle model.

Consequences of incorrect connection of the battery terminals on the engine

The saddest scenario is the launch Engine with an incorrectly connected battery. The scale of the "disaster" depends on the reaction speed of the driver and the car model. The following problems may arise:

1. Closure. In 100% of cases, starting the engine with an incorrectly installed battery is fraught with a short circuit. Sparks appear at the joints, clicks are heard and even smoke comes out. Further development of events depends on the attentiveness and speed of reaction of the driver. If you immediately turn off the ignition and stop the engine, you can get by with "little blood": the wires will melt, and then the fuse will burn out. In this case, it is sufficient to replace the fuse and wires.
2. Ignition. Ignoring sparking leads to a fire under the hood. Thin wires melt and ignite quickly. Given the close proximity of gasoline and oil, the risk of fire is extremely high.
3. Breakage of the ECU. Failure of the electronics is an equally serious consequence of a connection error. Left without an electronic "brain", the car will simply stop working. ECU repair threatens the car owner with serious material costs.
4. Reduced battery power. If the battery plates are incorrectly connected, they will enter the process of "overdriving" and begin to crumble. The consequence of this negative process is a drop in battery power.
5. Failure of the generator. In the best case, the diode bridge will first burn out if it is installed on the generator. If not, reversed polarity will result in generator burnout. The battery light on the panel will light up. This will mean that the generator needs to be replaced.

Incorrect battery connection when charging

The likelihood of incorrect connection of the terminals while charging the battery is much higher. Than when installed in the engine, since there is no visual difference between the terminals of the "chargers". The development of events in this case may be different. In quality charger the fuse will blow and the process will abort on its own. All that remains is to change the fuse and charge the battery if connected correctly. Using a cheap Chinese charger will lead to its complete failure.

In some cases, the fuse does not help and charging continues. If an error is detected in a timely manner, it is enough to change the polarity and continue the charging procedure.

In a fully charged battery, an internal process of "reversing" takes place. Naturally, it is impossible to connect such a unit to the engine. The error can be corrected by completely discharging the battery by connecting an autolight or dimensions. Once the battery is completely discharged, it is charged with the correct polarity.

If you confuse the terminals during the "lighting" of the car

Connection error during lighting is the most difficult case, which can end up in trouble for both vehicles. Every car will experience a double impact: on the wiring and on the system at the same time. If lighting is carried out with the engine running, the generator will additionally suffer.

Failure to observe the polarity can lead to failure and even explosion of a battery of lower power. If you do not react within 4-5 seconds, the battery will not even have enough strength to start the engine. Any electrical appliance can also be affected: air conditioning, window lifters, radio tape recorder, signaling etc.

The consequences of errors when connecting the terminals do not bode well in any case. Even a second hitch can lead to the failure of several components of the car, so you should be extremely careful when connecting the battery.

Questions and answers:

In what order should you connect the terminals on the battery? It depends on how the battery is installed. The main thing when connecting the positive terminal is not to close it with the connected negative (do not touch the car body).

What to connect plus or minus in the battery first? In order not to accidentally close the electronics (tightening the nut, you can touch the body), when connecting the terminals, it is better to first put on the positive and then the negative terminal.

How to connect the charger to the battery correctly? First, the positive terminal is connected, then the negative terminal. Check the tightness of fixing the "crocodiles" (so as not to spark), then plug the charger into the socket.

How to disconnect the battery in the car? The terminals can sour, so so that the key does not catch on the grounded body, it is better to first remove the negative terminal, and then twist the positive one. Then unscrew the battery fasteners.