Date:         Tue, 21 Sep 2004 19:56:31 -0500
Reply-To:     Jim Felder <felder@KNOLOGY.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jim Felder <felder@KNOLOGY.NET>
Subject:      Re: Q: Battery Disconnect Sequence?
Comments: To: Jack <john.cook58@VERIZON.NET>
In-Reply-To:  <4150690A.6483.1DAC9C9@localhost>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed

It's not the sequence.

On any car but old english ones, the negative is the ground, and it's
strapped to the car frame somewhere. So you could say that everything
on the car is "negative" that is connected to the frame by even a
fastener. If you take the positive cable loose, it stands every chance
of hitting one of these negative frame or body members (engine too,
everything) and you'll get a big hot spark in the best-case scenario.

Letting the negative cable hit anything but the positive terminal, and
nothing will happen.

Jim

On Sep 21, 2004, at 8:46 PM, Jack wrote:

> Ok, I need help.
>
> In several manuals, including a Ford Owner's manual (forgive me) and a
> Haynes repair manual, I've noticed that they specify that the negative
> battery cable must be removed first when disconnecting the battery.
> Why???
>
> What possible difference can it make which terminal is disconnected
> first???
>  When I first ran across this, I ignored it as a harmless error by
> someone
> who didn't understand electrics, but now I find it in "professional"
> references.
>
> Help!  What am I missing?
>
> //Jack
>