# Crossed wires **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [February 12, 2008, 7:39am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/crossed-wires/10564 "2008-02-12T07:39:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![inhermosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@inhermosa](https://community.cartalk.com/u/inhermosa)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2008, 7:39am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/crossed-wires/10564/1 "2008-02-12T07:39:55Z")
a friend jumped my 76 ford truck and swithced the +&- wires. the black wire going to the starter melted and broke. I took the battery ourt and charged it. how do i go about figuring out what was damaged and what needs to be replaced? should i just replace the wire? ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Russell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Bill\_Russell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Bill_Russell)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2008, 12:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/crossed-wires/10564/2 "2008-02-12T12:16:17Z")
battery is probably toast. Most all electronics is protected against this (I believe), so I’d give it a try. Story from the past, I had a MG1100 that I did that to; it started and ran with the reversed battery! battery was toast, all else was OK, there was an advantage to cars before all the electronics were added! ---
**Author:** ![Opera\_House](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@Opera\_House](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Opera_House)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2008, 2:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/crossed-wires/10564/3 "2008-02-12T14:16:55Z")
The alternator represents a short with reverse polarity. The heavy wire from the alternator will have a fuse or link that will open. ---
**Author:** ![Skypilot](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/skypilot/32/237_2.png) [@Skypilot](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Skypilot)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2008, 4:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/crossed-wires/10564/4 "2008-02-12T16:50:56Z")
I would replace the starter wire and install battery and try to start it. As Opera House said there are fusible links in this system so you may have to replace them also if it doesn’t start. As also stated your alternator may be shot so you may want to have this tested after you get it running again. ---
**Author:** ![inhermosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@inhermosa](https://community.cartalk.com/u/inhermosa)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2008, 6:54am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/crossed-wires/10564/5 "2008-02-13T06:54:31Z")
Thanks to all three of you for your help. I forgot all about fused links. Thank you very much for your help - now it’s time to get busy…