I'm going to take off my battery tonight to do something. I'd like to know what I should remove first, the positive or negative cable. I know it's a small matter but I don't want to shock myself or blow something up. Please advise! Many thanks and appreciations!

 

First of all your battery is only 12 volts, not a big deal. Second of all im almost positive its the negative or black wire that goes off first.

 

Thank you, Mr. Russian man! I know it's only a 12-volt, but when it comes to any kind of electricity, I'm scared to death. I have a phobia of electricity, though never been shocked before.

I've seen little sparks ignited from batteries before and I'm very scared of it. What's it like to be zipped by a 12-volt? I could imagine what it's like from a 110 + volts.

Whenever I worked with a car's battery, I wore thick gloves.

 

There is no reason to worry about getting shocked form a car battery. My dad who used to be an electrician once electrocuted himself from a wall socket. Bear in mind this was back in Russia where the sockets are 220 volts. He fell back away from the socket and landed right on the couch. Keep in mind this was back when he was a kid. Like 12-13. He's fine now though.

 

er......I have been shocked with both 120, 220 and even 12....they all fu*cking hurt and "shock" you regardless...

 

Negative first...Reason being so you don't accidentally ground out the positive terminal with the wrench, which will produce quite a spark, and possibly explode the battery.

 

billmann250 is 100% correct. Always remove the negative first, install the negative last. Place the end of the negative terminal where it cannot contact the post on the battery. Remember, the other end of the terminal wire is electrically attached to the car body, so as long as it doesn't touch the post, there's no danger.

If you bridge from the positive terminal to the car body with a metal object (like a wrench) while the negative terminal is still attached, the completed circuit circuit can produce big sparks, burn marks on the car body and/or wrench, etc. The circuit creates enough heat to weld metal together, if held in contact long enough. Most of the time when this kind of contact happens, the startled mechanic jumps and breaks the contact. However, if left in contact with the body, the wrench would quickly become too hot to touch.

Removing your battery is not dangerous if done as billman250 recommends (unless you drop it on your toe); I'm not trying to scare you out of doing an easy task, just trying to emphasize that there are good reasons to remove the negative first and install it last.

Also, for this same reason always remove watches, rings, etc. before working on the car. There are stories of old-timers doing a demonstration where they put a wedding ring on a hot dog and used two wires to complete a circuit with the ring and a 12-volt battery. The ring quickly cooked the hot dog through to the center. You don't want that happening to your finger if you inadvertently bridge a hot wire and a ground.

As Sgt. Phil Esterhaus used to say on Hill Street Blues, "Hey! Let's be careful out there."

 

Been shocked - Can guarantee its not fun. Top line of a telephone pole. Was told it was a 12kbg line

Never work on your battery wearing a ring. The term arch wielding comes to mind

 

It's not the voltage that hurts or kills you. It's the amperage. Most car batteries have 600 - 1000 or more cold cranking amps. THIS WILL HURT YOU!
Defibrilators have low voltage but have very high amperage. If it's enough to shock your heart into rhythm, it's enough to shock your heart out of rhythm. Don't the let the fact that a car battery is "only" 12 volts fool you.

ps. Make sure you have your radio code before disconnecting the battery. Even better, get one of those devices that are powered by a 9V sqare battery that plugs into your accessory socket, key to accessory position and this will save your computer and radio memory.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by xviper
It's not the voltage that hurts or kills you.