If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Battery cable came off!
Hi, was checking my '95 Civic 1.6L today. It was idling, and I heard
the idle sound change: it seemed higher. I stepped on the gas a bit, and I heard a soft electrical "pop" near the stereo panel. I hurriedly shut down the engine, I found that the negative battery cable had come off! (It had a quick-release connection). I connected it, restarted and found everything working fine, even checked all the stereo functions, LEDs, and the ECU. I've read that the battery acts as a big capacitor to smooth out voltage spikes. The entire episode didn't take more that 10 seconds, but I'm worried... could there be any permanent damage? |
Ads |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
Battery cable came off!
"sharx333" > wrote in message
ps.com... > Hi, was checking my '95 Civic 1.6L today. It was idling, and I heard > the idle sound change: it seemed higher. I stepped on the gas a bit, > and I heard a soft electrical "pop" near the stereo panel. I hurriedly > shut down the engine, I found that the negative battery cable had come > off! (It had a quick-release connection). I connected it, restarted and > found everything working fine, even checked all the stereo functions, > LEDs, and the ECU. > > I've read that the battery acts as a big capacitor to smooth out > voltage spikes. The entire episode didn't take more that 10 seconds, > but I'm worried... could there be any permanent damage? > For an event like that, the damage will be clear immediately. The only electrical zaps I've seen delayed failures on were lightning strikes. I've dealt with about two dozen lightning strikes (one on a bizjet, the rest at communication sites) and have come to the conclusion that although the failure rate drops off after 6 months the equipment is often never completely right again. Sounds like you dodged the bullet. Congratulations! Mike |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
Battery cable came off!
sharx333 wrote:
> Hi, was checking my '95 Civic 1.6L today. It was idling, and I heard > the idle sound change: it seemed higher. I stepped on the gas a bit, > and I heard a soft electrical "pop" near the stereo panel. I hurriedly > shut down the engine, I found that the negative battery cable had come > off! (It had a quick-release connection). I connected it, restarted and > found everything working fine, even checked all the stereo functions, > LEDs, and the ECU. > > I've read that the battery acts as a big capacitor to smooth out > voltage spikes. The entire episode didn't take more that 10 seconds, > but I'm worried... could there be any permanent damage? You read wrong. The battery reacts too slowly to absorb spikes, it lives at 12V versus your alternator's typical 13.5-14.5V, your alternator wouldn't produce a spike unless it failed spectacularly, and having the terminal come off wouldn't cause a spike either. Ultimately, cars have batteries for one purpose: starting the engine. Once the engine is running, the alternator provides for all the car's power requirements. Yes, batteries are also used to power accessories when the car is off, but the only reason they're there in the first place is to crank the starter. |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
Battery cable came off!
Matt Ion > wrote in
newsvefh.470560$R63.142904@pd7urf1no: > sharx333 wrote: >> Hi, was checking my '95 Civic 1.6L today. It was idling, and I heard >> the idle sound change: it seemed higher. I stepped on the gas a bit, >> and I heard a soft electrical "pop" near the stereo panel. I >> hurriedly shut down the engine, I found that the negative battery >> cable had come off! (It had a quick-release connection). I connected >> it, restarted and found everything working fine, even checked all the >> stereo functions, LEDs, and the ECU. >> >> I've read that the battery acts as a big capacitor to smooth out >> voltage spikes. The entire episode didn't take more that 10 seconds, >> but I'm worried... could there be any permanent damage? > > You read wrong. The battery reacts too slowly to absorb spikes, it > lives at 12V versus your alternator's typical 13.5-14.5V, your > alternator wouldn't produce a spike unless it failed spectacularly, > and having the terminal come off wouldn't cause a spike either. It absolutely would. Damage may not always occur, but there will be spikes. The battery's secondary function IS to provide a buffer for the alternator's pulses. Connecting the cables together without the battery in between is dangerous to the car and should NOT be done. You could to that n 1976, but not now. http://www.uuhome.de/william.darden/carfaq2.htm > > Ultimately, cars have batteries for one purpose: starting the engine. > Once the engine is running, the alternator provides for all the car's > power requirements. > Yes, batteries are also used to power accessories when the car is > off, but the > only reason they're there in the first place is to crank the starter. > See the above link. -- Tegger The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ www.tegger.com/hondafaq/ |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
Battery cable came off!
I'm happy to be wrong on this one, Matt. Thanks, guys. *Whew*.
Mike: Lightning strikes, really? Wow. |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Battery cable came off!
sharx333 wrote: > I'm happy to be wrong on this one, Matt. Thanks, guys. *Whew*. > > Mike: Lightning strikes, really? Wow. I've taken two direct strikes to my antenna mast in the last 5 years. No damage at all. But...I ground out my feedlines when storms are in the area. The strikes hit about 15 ft from where I'm sitting at this puter. I was sitting here both times. My mast is very well grounded, with low resistance. When a strike hits that mast, it's very quiet. Sounds about like a light bulb being thrown on the ground, and then a loud sonic boom directly overhead. Pretty wild.. But I have no trouble at all. My puter doesn't even flinch. You can set the station up for full time use, even with direct strikes, "all broadcast stations are set up this way", but it takes a detailed installation using a ground bulkhead, careful single point grounding, suppressors, etc, etc.. I'm too cheap and lazy to mess with all that. :/ I just manually ground the feedlines at the bulkhead. As far as the car, yes, it's not good to unhook the alternator while running. You got lucky. Many cars would have done a toasting of the alternator in record time. You dodged the bullet this time it seems. If it did have a problem from doing that, it will usually be blown diodes I would think. MK |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
Battery cable came off!
"sharx333" > wrote in message
oups.com... > I'm happy to be wrong on this one, Matt. Thanks, guys. *Whew*. > > Mike: Lightning strikes, really? Wow. > Yep - mostly mountaintop sites, two or three a year since I moved to the mountains. For some reason the storms prefer holidays and my anniversary! Mike |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
Battery cable came off!
"Matt Ion" > wrote in message
newsvefh.470560$R63.142904@pd7urf1no... > sharx333 wrote: >> Hi, was checking my '95 Civic 1.6L today. It was idling, and I heard >> the idle sound change: it seemed higher. I stepped on the gas a bit, >> and I heard a soft electrical "pop" near the stereo panel. I hurriedly >> shut down the engine, I found that the negative battery cable had come >> off! (It had a quick-release connection). I connected it, restarted and >> found everything working fine, even checked all the stereo functions, >> LEDs, and the ECU. >> >> I've read that the battery acts as a big capacitor to smooth out >> voltage spikes. The entire episode didn't take more that 10 seconds, >> but I'm worried... could there be any permanent damage? > > You read wrong. The battery reacts too slowly to absorb spikes, it lives > at 12V versus your alternator's typical 13.5-14.5V, your alternator > wouldn't produce a spike unless it failed spectacularly, and having the > terminal come off wouldn't cause a spike either. > > Ultimately, cars have batteries for one purpose: starting the engine. > Once the engine is running, the alternator provides for all the car's > power requirements. Yes, batteries are also used to power accessories when > the car is off, but the only reason they're there in the first place is to > crank the starter. The problem is that alternators are very inductive. Without a battery, changes in current produce wild fluctuations in voltage; suddenly reducing the current draw by half should roughly double the voltage for a moment. At low current I would expect the alternator and regulator to go into oscillation without a battery to stabilize it. Mike |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
Battery cable came off!
Tegger > wrote in
: > Matt Ion > wrote in > newsvefh.470560$R63.142904@pd7urf1no: > >> sharx333 wrote: >>> Hi, was checking my '95 Civic 1.6L today. It was idling, and I heard >>> the idle sound change: it seemed higher. I stepped on the gas a bit, >>> and I heard a soft electrical "pop" near the stereo panel. I >>> hurriedly shut down the engine, I found that the negative battery >>> cable had come off! (It had a quick-release connection). I connected >>> it, restarted and found everything working fine, even checked all >>> the stereo functions, LEDs, and the ECU. >>> >>> I've read that the battery acts as a big capacitor to smooth out >>> voltage spikes. The entire episode didn't take more that 10 seconds, >>> but I'm worried... could there be any permanent damage? >> >> You read wrong. The battery reacts too slowly to absorb spikes, it >> lives at 12V versus your alternator's typical 13.5-14.5V, your >> alternator wouldn't produce a spike unless it failed spectacularly, >> and having the terminal come off wouldn't cause a spike either. > > > > It absolutely would. Damage may not always occur, but there will be > spikes. > > The battery's secondary function IS to provide a buffer for the > alternator's pulses. Connecting the cables together without the > battery in between is dangerous to the car and should NOT be done. You > could to that n 1976, but not now. > > http://www.uuhome.de/william.darden/carfaq2.htm > > >> >> Ultimately, cars have batteries for one purpose: starting the engine. >> Once the engine is running, the alternator provides for all the car's >> power requirements. >> Yes, batteries are also used to power accessories when the car is >> off, but the >> only reason they're there in the first place is to crank the starter. >> > > > See the above link. > > > To clarify;the alternator generates AC voltage which is rectified to pulsating DC,and the ONLY thing that smooths it to reasonably pure DC is the battery. Otherwise,your car radio would be buzzing in tune with the engine RPM. -- Jim Yanik jyanik at kua.net |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
Battery cable came off!
"Michael Pardee" > wrote in
: > "sharx333" > wrote in message > oups.com... >> I'm happy to be wrong on this one, Matt. Thanks, guys. *Whew*. >> >> Mike: Lightning strikes, really? Wow. >> > > Yep - mostly mountaintop sites, two or three a year since I moved to the > mountains. For some reason the storms prefer holidays and my anniversary! > > Mike > > > Try Central Florida,the lightning capital of the US. Also,the power density of Florida strikes are on average twice that of northern lightning strikes. I've had a pine tree about 300 ft from my apartment(tallest in the area) get struck(and killed) while I was watching. The bolt travelled right down the side,blowing a channel of bark off the tree. It took out a surge protector on my phone line and my modem,didn't harm the phones or the TeleZapper. -- Jim Yanik jyanik at kua.net |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Recharging Battery? | Nino NoSpam | Honda | 12 | July 10th 06 04:50 PM |
2000 Honda Accord EX - Cold start problems (parasitic battery draw) | [email protected] | Honda | 3 | December 11th 05 02:33 AM |
Neon battery cable | Don Stauffer | Technology | 6 | May 29th 05 04:01 PM |
battery cable replacement: fair price? | sinister | Technology | 11 | May 2nd 05 01:05 PM |
74 Cutlass with starting problem | Amanda Robin | Antique cars | 12 | October 26th 04 02:46 AM |