• Got the Contributing Memberships stuff finally worked out and made up a thread as a sort of "How-To" to help people figure out how to participate. So if you need help figuring it out, here's the thread you need to take a look at -> http://www.corvetteflorida.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3581 Thank you, everyone! Rich Z.

Need C3 Electric System help! ( shocking )

77andOrange

77andOrange

New member
Any help/tips would be SO appreciated.

I left my keys in the car and drained the battery. The lights still worked, but not enough juice to turn. So, I go to jump it.

I attached the cables like I have thousands of times before: One end to my Audi A3, and the other to the Corvette. Turned key only to hear clicking, and then noticed smoke coming off the cables as they started melting very fast. I grabbed the cables, and burn my hand. The cables were completely melted.

I then hook the battery up to a charger. The display on the charger showed that it charged up to 100% (after 20 or so hours).

I go to re-connect the battery and I forgot that positive terminals go first, and I connected the ground first. When I connect the positive, sparks flew everywhere and I heard a 'snap' sound from the dash area. I tried to start and now everything was dead. no beep, no click, no lights. Just darkness.

I took the battery out and charged it up again, and still appears to charge.

MY QUESTIONs : (finally!)

Should I try to hook up the battery again? I'll do positive first this time. Did I completely fry my electrical system? Is it just a dead battery?

What should I do next?
 
I have connected battery cables and jumper cables both ways with no difference either way (you can hook them up in either sequence, just not backwards, like pos to neg). The only thing that can cause melting battery cables and hugh sparks is either a very large electrical load is turned on or a large direct short that is not blowing a fuse. If either is happening, you can get the results you are describing, but it has to be a 1) large electrical load (over 30-40 amps) and has no fuse protection, and from your description of events, it could be an energized and locked up starter. You could try disconnecting the main power wire at the starter and see if the problem still exists, but I would not fool around with this one. If you do not understand auto electric or don't have the right troubleshooting tools, take it somewhere. This is how fires start, and corvette fires usually burn to the ground, as fiberglass is extremely hard and sometimes impossible to put out. :NoNo:
 
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thanks

Yeah, after burning my hand I am kinda scared to go lookin for wires in that mess. Thanks for the advice. I am going to just take it to the local goodyear repair place and have them fix it for me.

I had planned to install a new exhaust manifold this weekend. :( Oh well, I'll be happy to just drive it at this point.. all 180 horses.
 
Unless you know the guys at Goodyear, I would look for a someone very familiar with Vettes or at least an electrical specialist. Just my 2 cents
 
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