"Kelly Jones" wrote: I wouldn't worry too much about the battery for the
reasons stated above.
The point of disconnecting the battery is to protect the electronics.
Most electronics are not designed for reverse polarity. The possibility
exists when welding for forcing current back through the "wrong" side of
the battery - not normally a problem as that's how battery chargers work.
The issue is the potential for allowing the current through the
electronics first. (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Do you disconnect the battery before attaching a charger? Try to visualize
a path that would send current backwards through an electronic component.
Say your radio is turned off, but receiving 12v standby current. You start
welding. Because you have not properly routed your ground return cable, a
surge reaches the battery ground through the frame and pushes current
BACKWARDS through the battery and out to the radio. Your current surge
would have to be more than 12v for this to happen. That's probably more
than half your arc voltage being spent in the return circuit. You wouldn't
be welding--you would be scratching your head.