What will happen if
wires are hooked up backwards to battery (reverse polarity) on small !6 HP BRIGGS_STRATTON engine. Will it just not start or will something more dangerous happen? If it does turn, fire & then falter does that mean as far polarity goes that things are correct & problem is elsewhere?

On 5/27/16 1:47 PM, Frank Thompson wrote:

What will happen if
wires are hooked up backwards to battery (reverse polarity) on small !6 HP BRIGGS_STRATTON engine. Will it just not start or will something more dangerous happen? If it does turn, fire & then falter does that mean as far polarity goes that things are correct & problem is elsewhere?


If the starter turns the engine in the correct direction ( same as if
using rope starter). then polarity is OK. (If wrong, it would turn
backward, assuming the starter drive would even catch).

On Friday, May 27, 2016 at 2:06:51 PM UTC-4, Retired wrote:
On 5/27/16 1:47 PM, Frank Thompson wrote:

What will happen if
wires are hooked up backwards to battery (reverse polarity) on small !6 HP BRIGGS_STRATTON engine. Will it just not start or will something more dangerous happen? If it does turn, fire & then falter does that mean as far polarity goes that things are correct & problem is elsewhere?


If the starter turns the engine in the correct direction ( same as if
using rope starter). then polarity is OK. (If wrong, it would turn
backward, assuming the starter drive would even catch).

And to answer the rest of the question, hooking it up backwards could
probably damage the charging circuit or any other electronics, depending
off course on the actual design.

On Fri, 27 May 2016 11:13:58 -0700 (PDT), trader_4
wrote:

On Friday, May 27, 2016 at 2:06:51 PM UTC-4, Retired wrote:
On 5/27/16 1:47 PM, Frank Thompson wrote:

What will happen if
wires are hooked up backwards to battery (reverse polarity) on small !6 HP BRIGGS_STRATTON engine. Will it just not start or will something more dangerous happen? If it does turn, fire & then falter does that mean as far polarity goes that things are correct & problem is elsewhere?


If the starter turns the engine in the correct direction ( same as if
using rope starter). then polarity is OK. (If wrong, it would turn
backward, assuming the starter drive would even catch).

And to answer the rest of the question, hooking it up backwards could
probably damage the charging circuit or any other electronics, depending
off course on the actual design.

That is usually the case if it has an alternator style charging
system, that is usually just a couple extra coils in the stator, under
the flywheel. It blows the diodes and may burn out the stator itself.
You can usually get by with a $3 bridge block for the diodes but the
stator is a proprietary part.

http://www.amazon.com/TOOGOO-Single-.../dp/B008DEU18G

On Fri, 27 May 2016 15:00:18 -0400, wrote:

On Fri, 27 May 2016 11:13:58 -0700 (PDT), trader_4
wrote:

On Friday, May 27, 2016 at 2:06:51 PM UTC-4, Retired wrote:
On 5/27/16 1:47 PM, Frank Thompson wrote:

What will happen if
wires are hooked up backwards to battery (reverse polarity) on small !6 HP BRIGGS_STRATTON engine. Will it just not start or will something more dangerous happen? If it does turn, fire & then falter does that mean as far polarity goes that things are correct & problem is elsewhere?


If the starter turns the engine in the correct direction ( same as if
using rope starter). then polarity is OK. (If wrong, it would turn
backward, assuming the starter drive would even catch).

And to answer the rest of the question, hooking it up backwards could
probably damage the charging circuit or any other electronics, depending
off course on the actual design.

That is usually the case if it has an alternator style charging
system, that is usually just a couple extra coils in the stator, under
the flywheel. It blows the diodes and may burn out the stator itself.
You can usually get by with a $3 bridge block for the diodes but the
stator is a proprietary part.

http://www.amazon.com/TOOGOO-Single-.../dp/B008DEU18G

I'm against doing it backwards, but it's not always a disaster. In
the 100 times I've jumped my car or others, ONCE I got it backwards
for a second or two and the other car wasn't hurt. Don't rely on
this, but don't assume it's been damage either.

On Fri, 27 May 2016 18:19:27 -0400, Micky
wrote:

On Fri, 27 May 2016 15:00:18 -0400, wrote:

On Fri, 27 May 2016 11:13:58 -0700 (PDT), trader_4
wrote:

On Friday, May 27, 2016 at 2:06:51 PM UTC-4, Retired wrote:
On 5/27/16 1:47 PM, Frank Thompson wrote:

What will happen if
wires are hooked up backwards to battery (reverse polarity) on small !6 HP BRIGGS_STRATTON engine. Will it just not start or will something more dangerous happen? If it does turn, fire & then falter does that mean as far polarity goes that things are correct & problem is elsewhere?


If the starter turns the engine in the correct direction ( same as if
using rope starter). then polarity is OK. (If wrong, it would turn
backward, assuming the starter drive would even catch).

And to answer the rest of the question, hooking it up backwards could
probably damage the charging circuit or any other electronics, depending
off course on the actual design.

That is usually the case if it has an alternator style charging
system, that is usually just a couple extra coils in the stator, under
the flywheel. It blows the diodes and may burn out the stator itself.
You can usually get by with a $3 bridge block for the diodes but the
stator is a proprietary part.

http://www.amazon.com/TOOGOO-Single-.../dp/B008DEU18G

I'm against doing it backwards, but it's not always a disaster. In
the 100 times I've jumped my car or others, ONCE I got it backwards
for a second or two and the other car wasn't hurt. Don't rely on
this, but don't assume it's been damage either.
There is a big difference between cross connecting 2 batteries and
putting reverse current directly into the diode array.
That is the forward direction for them and all the battery has to
give, goes straight to the stator coil. I am not sure about lawn
mowers but boat manufacturers usually put a fusible link in the diode
array but it is a distinction without a difference because you still
have to replace it.

On Friday, May 27, 2016 at 8:48:25 PM UTC-4, wrote:
On Fri, 27 May 2016 18:19:27 -0400, Micky
wrote:

On Fri, 27 May 2016 15:00:18 -0400, wrote:

On Fri, 27 May 2016 11:13:58 -0700 (PDT), trader_4
wrote:

On Friday, May 27, 2016 at 2:06:51 PM UTC-4, Retired wrote:
On 5/27/16 1:47 PM, Frank Thompson wrote:

What will happen if
wires are hooked up backwards to battery (reverse polarity) on small !6 HP BRIGGS_STRATTON engine. Will it just not start or will something more dangerous happen? If it does turn, fire & then falter does that mean as far polarity goes that things are correct & problem is elsewhere?


If the starter turns the engine in the correct direction ( same as if
using rope starter). then polarity is OK. (If wrong, it would turn
backward, assuming the starter drive would even catch).

And to answer the rest of the question, hooking it up backwards could
probably damage the charging circuit or any other electronics, depending
off course on the actual design.

That is usually the case if it has an alternator style charging
system, that is usually just a couple extra coils in the stator, under
the flywheel. It blows the diodes and may burn out the stator itself.
You can usually get by with a $3 bridge block for the diodes but the
stator is a proprietary part.

http://www.amazon.com/TOOGOO-Single-.../dp/B008DEU18G

I'm against doing it backwards, but it's not always a disaster. In
the 100 times I've jumped my car or others, ONCE I got it backwards
for a second or two and the other car wasn't hurt. Don't rely on
this, but don't assume it's been damage either.
There is a big difference between cross connecting 2 batteries and
putting reverse current directly into the diode array.
That is the forward direction for them and all the battery has to
give, goes straight to the stator coil. I am not sure about lawn
mowers but boat manufacturers usually put a fusible link in the diode
array but it is a distinction without a difference because you still
have to replace it.

cross connecting 2 batteries can cause both to explode...... its to be avoided at all costs

On Friday, May 27, 2016 at 6:19:42 PM UTC-4, Micky wrote:
I'm against doing it backwards, but it's not always a disaster. In
the 100 times I've jumped my car or others, ONCE I got it backwards
for a second or two and the other car wasn't hurt. Don't rely on
this, but don't assume it's been damage either.

Maybe you've had really old cars without computers.

I jumped a coworker's car. I hooked up the cables correctly, then she took a look and said I had them backwards, and switched them. In her defense, the negative wire had red insulation though it was marked negative.

When I touched my battery there was a loud pop and her car went totally dead, and needed an expensive computer chip replacement before it could be started. That pop was instantaneous, no chance to realize we had it wrong.

On Mon, 30 May 2016 08:42:53 -0700 (PDT), TimR
wrote:

On Friday, May 27, 2016 at 6:19:42 PM UTC-4, Micky wrote:
I'm against doing it backwards, but it's not always a disaster. In
the 100 times I've jumped my car or others, ONCE I got it backwards
for a second or two and the other car wasn't hurt. Don't rely on
this, but don't assume it's been damage either.

Maybe you've had really old cars without computers.

Yeah, you're right. I apologize..., It was a long time ago. Even
then they threated you that you'd burn out something (I forget what?
It wasn't that the battery would spark and melt. It was about a
semiconuctor. It couldnt' be the diodes since there whole purpose is
to reject backwards current.

I jumped a coworker's car. I hooked up the cables correctly, then she took a look and said I had them backwards, and switched them. In her defense, the negative wire had red insulation though it was marked negative.

Red insulation... That's terrible. Someone should paint it black.

When I touched my battery there was a loud pop and her car went totally dead, and needed an expensive computer chip replacement before it could be started. That pop was instantaneous, no chance to realize we had it wrong.

That's a shame. Was she mad at herself.


My friend left me some jumper cables with a light in the middle, t
hat has something to do with not connecting them backwards, though I
haven't looked at it. Does it work? Other than that, they're
cheap cables compared to my 16' heavy duty. But then again I don't
need jumps since I got Priority Start. Maybe other people will.

On Sun, 05 Jun 2016 03:06:31 -0400, Micky
wrote:

Yeah, you're right. I apologize..., It was a long time ago. Even
then they threated you that you'd burn out something (I forget what?
It wasn't that the battery would spark and melt. It was about a
semiconuctor. It couldnt' be the diodes since there whole purpose is
to reject backwards current.


I find it hard to believe they did not put a 10 cent diode in that
power feed.

On Sunday, June 5, 2016 at 11:48:35 AM UTC-4, wrote:
On Sun, 05 Jun 2016 03:06:31 -0400, Micky
wrote:

Yeah, you're right. I apologize..., It was a long time ago. Even
then they threated you that you'd burn out something (I forget what?
It wasn't that the battery would spark and melt. It was about a
semiconuctor. It couldnt' be the diodes since there whole purpose is
to reject backwards current.


I find it hard to believe they did not put a 10 cent diode in that
power feed.

Yeah, that's what I thought. It cost several hundred for the computer chip replacement.