Battery cable query

[Steve in VA]

All this talk of batteries. Recently I've had neighbors replacing batteries in vehicles and equipment and I've noted they all do it the same way: positive cable removed first and relanded last. This runs counter to the way I was taught. I was taught ground first off and last on. That way if the tool contacts the ground to the chassis, nothing happens: no arcing.
So for removal: ground off first, positive off last.
Installing: positive first, ground last.
Anybody else do it like this?

 

[Geo-TH,In]

All this talk of batteries. Recently I've had neighbors replacing batteries in vehicles and equipment and I've noted they all do it the same way: positive cable removed first and relanded last. This runs counter to the way I was taught. I was taught ground first off and last on. That way if the tool contacts the ground to the chassis, nothing happens: no arcing.
So for removal: ground off first, positive off last.
Installing: positive first, ground last.
Anybody else do it like this?

Remove negative first when removing and attach negative last when installing.
That prevents sparks if your wrench accidentally touches the frame when removing the positive terminal

 

[woodbutcher]

Same here, Steve.

Butch

 

[Steve in VA]

Remove negative first when removing and attach negative last when installing.
That prevents sparks if your wrench accidentally touches the frame when removing the positive terminal

See, now that's how/why I was taught but when I explain that rational to the neighbors, they blink their eyes and tell me they never heard that. Perhaps a lost art.

 

[Hemmjo]

See, now that's how/why I was taught but when I explain that rational to the neighbors, they blink their eyes and tell me they never heard that. Perhaps a lost art.

A LOT of the REAL arts are being lost.

 

[olddavid]

That's the way I was taught ground of first and back on last.

 

[rrlund]

I don't know what positive or negative have to do with it. Depends on whether you're talking positive or negative ground. Ground off first, yes.

 

[Steve in VA]

I don't know what positive or negative have to do with it. Depends on whether you're talking positive or negative ground. Ground off first, yes.

Yes, I realize that but by the time I inserted all the caveats, the thread became really complicated. I own 2 that are positive earth.

 

[rrlund]

Yes, I realize that but by the time I inserted all the caveats, the thread became really complicated. I own 2 that are positive earth.

Ya, Oliver never went to negative ground until the mid 60s when they went from generators to alternators. There were manufacturers who had negative ground generator systems, but a fair number were positive with generators.

 

[Jim.ME]

Grounded cable is first off and last on.

 

[Russ from MN]

Ground first off, last on, + or - doesn't mean anything!

 

[drsportster]

Every mechanic knows ground off first keeps from shorting out the wrench.

 

[chvet73]

Our age group must be the last ones that were taught to do it right.

 

[504]

Shorting out your wrist watch against a piece of sheet metal and they will learn how to do it correctly

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

I don't know what positive or negative have to do with it. Depends on whether you're talking positive or negative ground. Ground off first, yes.

Because 99.99999% of the things people work on are negative ground, and using the term "ground" confuses people.

If they chuff it up on a dead 6V battery, no harm no foul.

 

[kencombs]

More important thing is to always disconnect the ground cable when doing any work on the electrical system. Even if not working on the battery, no one wants to short their wedding ring, wrench and chassis together when removing a starter. DAMHIKT. Same holds true when working on the dash panel, ammeter etc.

If you do that everytime, ground disconnected first and last you'll be fine.

 

[leroy in ne]

More important thing is to always disconnect the ground cable when doing any work on the electrical system. Even if not working on the battery, no one wants to short their wedding ring, wrench and chassis together when removing a starter. DAMHIKT. Same holds true when working on the dash panel, ammeter etc.

If you do that everytime, ground disconnected first and last you'll be fine.

60 years ago when I started as flunky in shop, I opened my tool box and head mechanic grabbed my 5/8 combination wrench and started wrapping tape on handle portion. Then he said always disconnect ground but when you don't this may save me cutting your ring or watch band off before a Doctor trip. I.ve never forgot that especially after he showed me his scarred finger. Mine are all kept today yet and probably haven't pulled a starter in 30 years.

 

[john in la]

Glad I don’t have one of these 12,000 volt cars where you have to worry about shock from taking the battery lose.

 

[cumminstinkerer]

Older fellow I worked with at Case, always wore a crawler band, thats what I call them, watch, he reached into an 1845c one day to do something, been to long ago to remember, somehow he got that watch band across the positive starter lug and the chassis, burned the Heck out of his wrist in that neat track pattern and completely blew the face off the watch, even melted the watch hands. The amazing or less than intelligent part is as soon as his wrist healed up he had a brand new crawler track watch, and of course didn't take the time to pull the ground off of a battery before doing most simple tasks where he was reaching right back into that same area, more I think on it I think he was changing the engine oil and doing something with the filter!

 

[zuhnc]

When I started out in generator repair work, I was cautioned to not wear any rings, watches, hanging jewelry, etc. Doesn't take much to short out the generator AC leads, or damage some expensive DC control board. No rings/jewelry, etc. to this day.

Catching a ring on a piece of rotating machinery is no joke either.