# Silly... Backwards jumper cables...sort of **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [September 14, 2017, 7:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/silly-backwards-jumper-cables-sort-of/107795 "2017-09-14T19:17:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MarkyMayhem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90db22/32.png) [@MarkyMayhem](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MarkyMayhem)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2017, 7:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/silly-backwards-jumper-cables-sort-of/107795/1 "2017-09-14T19:17:49Z")
1996 Integra. Dead bat not chargeable factory battery(or at least VERY old) Have a battery that fits but the + and - are reversed. And its almost dead & was abused a bit. Went to jump the car off the plain battery with cruddy aluminum cables. Hooked up backwards. Yea. Like a momo… Anyway - noticed quickly. Cables got kinda melty. Flipped them around correctly, checked for blown fuses. Tried to start the car. All the dash lights operated properly & car cranked like it had an almost dead battery (which my ‘good’ battery is/was) I think I’m fine, given no blown fuses & cranking… Please tell me its OK - and not to be a dummy. 👌 Grabbing a new battery shortly Thanks all! -Mark ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2017, 7:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/silly-backwards-jumper-cables-sort-of/107795/2 "2017-09-14T19:42:36Z")
If it cranked and everything worked, you got away with it. Oftentimes it blows the main fuse, which is obnoxious, but you’d know because nothing would work. ---
**Author:** ![MarkyMayhem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90db22/32.png) [@MarkyMayhem](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MarkyMayhem)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2017, 7:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/silly-backwards-jumper-cables-sort-of/107795/3 "2017-09-14T19:59:40Z")
Well everything works except for the fact that the car didn’t start but two dead batteries will do that. I was thinking I probably got away with it when I checked the fuses including the big hundred amp one under the hood. On my way to get a proper new battery now -M PS - ANYONE can make this bonehead move. I needed to move the car to avoid a street cleaning ticket, it was early, etc - and I (thought) I checked twice specifically to make sure I wasn’t going to do what I did… Don’t be me kids! ---
**Author:** ![BillRussell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/billrussell/32/3179_2.png) [@BillRussell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/BillRussell)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2017, 10:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/silly-backwards-jumper-cables-sort-of/107795/4 "2017-09-14T22:43:34Z")
> [@markvickroyjr](#): > > Don’t be me kids what does this mean? ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2017, 10:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/silly-backwards-jumper-cables-sort-of/107795/5 "2017-09-14T22:49:20Z")
We hear of this problem here all the time OP, so you aren’t the only one who has done it. If it cranks ok, you’ve got that going for you. There are still a few more hurdles you may have to jump though, with a new battery it may crank but won’t start, and it may crank and start ok, but the alternator may not charge the battery. There’s not much you can do at this point but press on with a new battery and cross your fingers that will be all you need. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2017, 10:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/silly-backwards-jumper-cables-sort-of/107795/6 "2017-09-14T22:50:47Z")
> [@BillRussell](#): > > what does this mean? I expect OP meant to type “don’t be mean kids” ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2017, 11:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/silly-backwards-jumper-cables-sort-of/107795/7 "2017-09-14T23:37:05Z")
“don’t be me, kids.” i.e. “don’t do what I did.” ---
**Author:** ![MarkyMayhem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90db22/32.png) [@MarkyMayhem](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MarkyMayhem)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2017, 1:19am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/silly-backwards-jumper-cables-sort-of/107795/8 "2017-09-15T01:19:42Z")
ShadowFax for the win! gotta suss the comma ---
**Author:** ![MarkyMayhem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90db22/32.png) [@MarkyMayhem](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MarkyMayhem)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2017, 1:22am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/silly-backwards-jumper-cables-sort-of/107795/9 "2017-09-15T01:22:59Z")
also I should say that I’ve already posted about this vehicle I just rebuild the distributor and the car runs fine in the alternator charges properly or at least it did before my snafu. did not make it out to grab a battery today I will be purchasing one tomorrow and crossing my fingers ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2017, 3:01am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/silly-backwards-jumper-cables-sort-of/107795/10 "2017-09-15T03:01:44Z")
Just be sure to do it quickly, because a drained battery can kill a good alternator. ---
**Author:** ![MarkyMayhem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90db22/32.png) [@MarkyMayhem](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MarkyMayhem)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2017, 3:15am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/silly-backwards-jumper-cables-sort-of/107795/11 "2017-09-15T03:15:03Z")
it’s sat for about a year and a garage I rebuilt the distributor after I blew out the coil testing the car before I bought it drove it a couple miles home and idled it with the deadest battery but it’s probably run a total of 15 minutes or so since I bought it hopefully not enough to hurt the alternator I did throw a multi-meter on it while I was running and got 14.2 volts or so so I’m thinking everything should be good however I didn’t get a chance to put the new battery in today hopefully it starts tomorrow ---
**Author:** ![MarkyMayhem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90db22/32.png) [@MarkyMayhem](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MarkyMayhem)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2017, 3:20am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/silly-backwards-jumper-cables-sort-of/107795/12 "2017-09-15T03:20:43Z")
just to clarify you weren’t trying to say that letting a car sit with a bad battery will hurt the alternator were you? I doubt it but if so that’s just silly. I suspect you meant I shouldn’t be driving it and jumping it repeatedly which I’m not. you are correct if you meant driving with a bad battery and constantly jumping things can kill an alternator. I learned that the hard way as a Young Man unfortunately LOL i.e. - not my daily, yet. Gonna soup up my lil zippy Paseo and daily the Acura once I get it’s front end all sorted. Selling my truck to finance… Us silly car guys… ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2017, 1:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/silly-backwards-jumper-cables-sort-of/107795/13 "2017-09-15T13:41:38Z")
No, sorry, I wasn’t clear. I meant that if you jumpstart the car and then drive around too long on a badly drained battery you make the alternator work too hard, and eventually it gives up. Paseo eh? AKA the Toyota “This should have been the 3rd generation Honda CRX” car. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![MarkyMayhem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90db22/32.png) [@MarkyMayhem](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MarkyMayhem)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2017, 2:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/silly-backwards-jumper-cables-sort-of/107795/14 "2017-09-15T14:30:23Z")
You got it! I sussed out what you meant, after using the old noggin" for a sec. Toyota Paseo - what the Tercel should always have been… If I had unlimited free garage & lift space… B18 (the big Honda Civic swap) (comes from my Acura) in a Paseo. LOL 145hp in a Paseo would be F.U.N. - but having swapped stuff before - well, I’m not gonna do it! DD the Acura & throw money & blood in the Paseo “One piece at a time, and it didn’t cost me a dime”! -M ---
**Author:** ![MarkyMayhem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90db22/32.png) [@MarkyMayhem](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MarkyMayhem)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2017, 10:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/silly-backwards-jumper-cables-sort-of/107795/15 "2017-09-15T22:44:54Z")
I happen to live in a city where there are riots today over a verdict and believe it or not Walmart nowhere near downtown closed early so once again no battery but I did use my other car to jump the Acura and it starts runs and goes into gear so I guess I got away easy. Now I just need to replace the driver side upper control arm clean all the leaves out of the inside and from under the hood and probably clean A Rat’s Nest from the blower motor I turned the car on and it had the fan going I switched it from recirculate to not recirculate and I got a face full of crud from the vents very much decreased air flow from the vents and it sounded like there might be a live gerbil in the blower motor. I had to reset the maintenance light which required looking at the dash and someone’s already been at it underneath at some point so hopefully that won’t be too much of an issue. Or I could just cut a hole in the cage with a hole saw and blow the crap out and plug it up. This ride although it has low miles is pretty ghetto my buddies wife dinged it pretty much everywhere you could the door lock doesn’t work the sunroof doesn’t work the driver side window doesn’t open there’s no stereo and the AC doesn’t work. It almost makes me want to keep my truck… ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2017, 11:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/silly-backwards-jumper-cables-sort-of/107795/16 "2017-09-15T23:10:50Z")
If you’re measuring 14.1 volts at idle at the battery posts, alternator damage or damage to the wiring/fusible links between the alternator and battery is very unlikely. Sound like you are good to go. ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2017, 6:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/silly-backwards-jumper-cables-sort-of/107795/17 "2017-09-16T18:33:52Z")
Lots of stores besides walmart sells batteries. I would have no problem buying a used battery on Craigslist for $35. ---
**Author:** ![MarkyMayhem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90db22/32.png) [@MarkyMayhem](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MarkyMayhem)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2017, 5:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/silly-backwards-jumper-cables-sort-of/107795/18 "2017-10-04T17:02:14Z")
Ha… Cavell - genius… First battery - $40, CL find, dead cell. Got my $$ back, and a “free” core for my time. Found a local guy, works at a good shop - sells 2 year old or so fleet batteries all sizes, $30 each, load tested in front of you. $30 sure beats $90! Thanks - I dunno why but I never would have though of that. -Mark