Thread: Reversed battery terminals/polarity

Originally Posted by Blknight.aus

I might have a suitable alternator you can come grab. Bring the dead one with you for comparison purposes.

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Thanks guys! I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one around!

Originally Posted by StuRR80

Thanks guys! I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one around!

Still like to know how you got the different size terminals onto the battery posts, Regards Frank.

Originally Posted by Tank

Still like to know how you got the different size terminals onto the battery posts, Regards Frank.

Frank, not all batteries have different size terminals for pos and neg.

Originally Posted by Tank

Still like to know how you got the different size terminals onto the battery posts, Regards Frank.

Originally Posted by loanrangie

Frank, not all batteries have different size terminals for pos and neg.

Well, they jolly well should.

It would stop people who can't tell the difference between a + and - or who can't distinguish red from blue, from connecting their battery the wrong way.

Originally Posted by loanrangie

Frank, not all batteries have different size terminals for pos and neg.

That's right. There's little difference in the size of the terminals and the cables aren't colour coded either...... Yes the terminal had coloured caps but they were removed before the battery made it to the vehicle. And the vehicle IS 30 years old so nothing's ever very standard. If you own a Land Rover, you should know that Frank.

Originally Posted by loanrangie

Frank, not all batteries have different size terminals for pos and neg.

LoanR, I have 37 old batteries sitting outside and I went out and checked, and every single one had a larger post for the + terminal than the smaller - post, even the ones with flat sides and holes drilled for attaching leads. Also had a look in the local parts shop while buying some oil, every single set of Battery terminals had the larger hole for Positive and smaller for Negataive, this also included made up leads and terminals, so your batteries with same size posts seem to be few and far between.
Point I'm trying to make is about the claim that some posters on here have claimed that they have connected their terminals up opposite to norm and have had no problems. In my experience most battery leads are only just long enough to reach their correct posts, so I would like to know how they managed to fit pos to neg by mistake. In most cases it would neigh on impossible to do inadvertantly and HTF does a pos to pos/neg to earth system work on the opposite hand, regards Frank.

Originally Posted by StuRR80

That's right. There's little difference in the size of the terminals and the cables aren't colour coded either...... Yes the terminal had coloured caps but they were removed before the battery made it to the vehicle. And the vehicle IS 30 years old so nothing's ever very standard. If you own a Land Rover, you should know that Frank.

How about some pics, you know the rules on here "it didn't happen without pics" Regards Frank.