Grounded Out Battery?

[SRim23 5,000+ posts]

Ok, this is what happened. This weekend my Stinger SPV35 died, it is used as my starting battery. I decided to try and charge it back up, see if I could buy a few more weeks before I buy a new one. Its about 4 years old so its probably about time. I charge it up, and its starting the car beautifully. I then close my hood and thats when my day got bad. Keep in mind this is the first time I've ever taken this battery out of this car, it was installed when I bought it 3 years ago. It's not a direct replacement and there had to be some modifications to make it fit.

After a few hours I go back out to the car and see if its holding the charge. Turn the key, nothing happens. I pop the hood and I see a burn mark on my hood, I must not of put it back in the right spot and the terminals were touching my hood! So obviously I'm guessing I grounded out my battery, although no fuses blew whatsoever. I bought a new Yellow top and now all is good. I drove it around a few hours yesterday and today with no issues.

To add, today I hear a scraping noise under my car. The cover to my catalytic converter had rusted and is dragging the ground. I then notice that the O2 sensor cable has been frayed. I turn on the car and the Check Engine light is on, and the Battery Light...... My owner's manual says if the battery light is on, the battery isnt charging.

Is it possible I did damage to my alternator when I grounded out the battery, or did possibly grounding out the O2 sensor trip the battery light and maybe it will turn off eventually?

I don't have a DMM and my cousin who's a mechanic will be checking out tomorrow. I just figured I'd get some opinions.

CLIFFS: Grounded out battery, bought new one. A day later my converter shield falls off and frays O2 sensor wire. Battery light and check engine light come on. Is alternator damage, or did batt light get tripped when O2 sensor possibly blew?

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[Stalin-ohaulic]

It is absolutely possible and even likely that you damaged your alternator by shorting your battery. Also, what fuses were between the two posts of your battery to cause them to blow? NONE. How could a fuse blow when the two posts of your battery were directly connected by your hood?

 

[SRim23 5,000+ posts]

It is absolutely possible and even likely that you damaged your alternator by shorting your battery. Also, what fuses were between the two posts of your battery to cause them to blow? NONE. How could a fuse blow when the two posts of your battery were directly connected by your hood?

When I said no fuses blew, I meant any fuses in the car. I thought maybe it would send power through the rest of the electrical (power through system, power to the car). I meant none of those fuses blew.

If I damaged the alternator, why did the light just turn on? Why'd it wait a day? Thats mostly why I'm confused I guess.

And and Im not positive that BOTH touched, I'm absolutely sure that the Positive touched.

 

[Stalin-ohaulic]

When I said no fuses blew, I meant any fuses in the car. I thought maybe it would send power through the rest of the electrical (power through system, power to the car). I meant none of those fuses blew.
If I damaged the alternator, why did the light just turn on? Why'd it wait a day? Thats mostly why I'm confused I guess.

And and Im not positive that BOTH touched, I'm absolutely sure that the Positive touched.

When the positive terminal touches ground, it is the same as if both leads on the battery touch. The battery dumps as much current as possible through this. No current would be available to go anywhere else.

Your alternator did not wait a day. Your battery was damaged because they are not made to dump their charge that rapidly. It probably was drawing so much current for so long, your alternator blew trying to charge it.

 

[SRim23 5,000+ posts]

When the positive terminal touches ground, it is the same as if both leads on the battery touch. The battery dumps as much current as possible through this. No current would be available to go anywhere else.
Your alternator did not wait a day. Your battery was damaged because they are not made to dump their charge that rapidly. It probably was drawing so much current for so long, your alternator blew trying to charge it.

right, but it is now a new battery and its been 2 days since that happened and the light just came on today... thats what I meant by waited a day. ive driven the car a couple times since saturday, and the light just turned on today. could it of been blown since saturday, and just now the light turned on?

EDIT: My cousin just told me the light wont turn on until the voltage drops... Looks like I probably fried my alternator.... Well that sucks!

 

[SRim23 5,000+ posts]

Nevermind!! I just had a lightbulb pop in my head and realized, I checked the fusebox under my hood, but didn't check fuse box under my dash... Alternator fuse is under my dash...

It was fried, replaced it and now the light went off and all is good!!!! thats a load off my mind... didnt have the money to spend on a new alty!!!!

 

[audiolife 5,000+ posts]

Nevermind!! I just had a lightbulb pop in my head and realized, I checked the fusebox under my hood, but didn't check fuse box under my dash... Alternator fuse is under my dash...
It was fried, replaced it and now the light went off and all is good!!!! thats a load off my mind... didnt have the money to spend on a new alty!!!!

I have actually seen someone who burnt a hole through their hood with a battery. He had big terminals with the plastic covers and it made it hard to shut the hood (actually dented the hood) so he removed the protective covers ....

 

[SRim23 5,000+ posts]

I have actually seen someone who burnt a hole through their hood with a battery. He had big terminals with the plastic covers and it made it hard to shut the hood (actually dented the hood) so he removed the protective covers ....

now thats just pure stupidity.. mine was just a simple mistake. im just glad i blew up a battery that i intended on replacing anyways, and not a new battery.. then id be really mad at myself!

 

[psychoacoustics 10+ year member]

It is absolutely possible and even likely that you damaged your alternator by shorting your battery. Also, what fuses were between the two posts of your battery to cause them to blow? NONE. How could a fuse blow when the two posts of your battery were directly connected by your hood?

ok so how would he have damaged the alternator ?

going on your reasoning about fuse's nd connecting a battery to the hood?

 

[Stalin-ohaulic]

ok so how would he have damaged the alternator ?
going on your reasoning about fuse's nd connecting a battery to the hood?

Did he pop the fuse on the alternator charging wire? Doesn't that prove that when the vehicle was started that too much current was drawn through it? Surely you're not serious.

 

[audiolife 5,000+ posts]

now thats just pure stupidity.. mine was just a simple mistake. im just glad i blew up a battery that i intended on replacing anyways, and not a new battery.. then id be really mad at myself!

Wasn't calling you stupid, just letting you know people have done far worse than you. The hole left melted hood on top of his battery:laugh:. What is scarey is that is not the worst I have seen.

 

[BrownVanMan 10+ year member]

right, but it is now a new battery and its been 2 days since that happened and the light just came on today... thats what I meant by waited a day. ive driven the car a couple times since saturday, and the light just turned on today. could it of been blown since saturday, and just now the light turned on?
EDIT: My cousin just told me the light wont turn on until the voltage drops... Looks like I probably fried my alternator.... Well that sucks!

battery light comes on when voltage is to low IE no charging.

 

[Chrispy 10+ year member]

So the OP popped his Alt. Fuse so if that wire hadn't been fused would he of fried his Alt.? I ask this because not many people fuse at the Alt. when they do the Big 3.