Idiotic jump starting error

[Jek318is]

Hi

No excuses really (ok, maybe one - it was dark!), but I made the incredibly stupid mistake of connecting the jump leads in reverse polarity while 'helping' a friend jump his car.

Am I likely to have damaged anything while doing so? Car starts and runs ok, I've yet to check all the fuses but will do so tomorrow.

Yours shamefully,

Jek

[EThreezero]

Probably more likely harming your mates motor if you went wrong on your own battery but i wouldnt worry about it geezer most have done that at some point, myself included and in my experience no adverse effects beyond a blown fuse have arisen, wakes ye up though

[spp320i]

It could be worse, I remember a few years ago when a mate tried to jump start his car off a taxi that was picking up a housemate, and my dumb friend put the lead on the taxi's battery, then connected it to the other terminal on the same battery!!

No damage though, just a few sparks and a p1ssed off taxi driver!

[daimlerman]

You were very,very,lucky.My dad did this a while ago and his car battery exploded...
Check when you attach leads from car to car that polarity is carefully correct!

[Daf318is]

I bet those leads got warm , you may find you have cooked your jump leads though - and they may not be as effective as they once were!

[spp320i]

I bet those leads got warm , you may find you have cooked your jump leads though - and they may not be as effective as they once were!

Good point that! I managed to melt my way through 2 sets of jump leads when trying to get my mrs' golf started after it had been standing for about a year!

I now have some seriously heavy duty ones...!

[DanThe]

Heavy duty jump leads are the type that blow batteries given the chance, I suppose the good thing about the cheapo poxy leads is they will just melt and fall apart if connected wrong

[Morat]

I've done it a few times now. Nice lot of sparks and melty plastic on the lead clips. That damn battery lead LOOKs like it was red, but wasn't....

[spp320i]

Heavy duty jump leads are the type that blow batteries given the chance, I suppose the good thing about the cheapo poxy leads is they will just melt and fall apart if connected wrong

The downside is that the cheapo leads melt a bit too easily. Spent about 2 minutes trying to jump the mrs' car and started finding plastic sh1t melting onto my hands!!