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#1
07-22-2006, 06:13 PM
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poles reversed on my battery!
Is this even possible? The battery was in a car that had been sitting for a few months. I charged the battery, reinstalled it, and had all kinds of funny things happen, smokeing wires, wipers not stopping. I got the car started with the battery disconnected, using jumper cables from another car. It ran ok.
So I started looking at the wires, making sure I had the polarity right. Using a voltmeter I tested the battery and it seems that the polarity has been reversed. Positive is now negative and negative is pos. I guess I may have put it on the charger wrong? Could I fix this somehow? Otherwise I need a new battery as the posts are on the wrong side now Anyone ever heard of this? Peter (scratching my head!) 
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#2
07-22-2006, 06:15 PM
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If you get the wrong battery they can have the poles reversed from what the MB takes. Get the correct battery for the car and check all your fuses.
__________________
1981 300D 147k 1998 VW Jetta Tdi 320k 2001 Dodge Ram 2500 141k 1979 300D 234k (sold) 1984 300D "Astor" 262k(sold) Mercedes How-To and Repair Pictorials I love the smell of diesel smoke in my hair 
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#3
07-22-2006, 06:55 PM
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Peter,
Thats a new one on me....I have heard of old rechargable nicad batteries reversing polarity if not charged properly but never a car battery! Get a new battery...its a lot cheaper than the damage you will do to the electronics and ignition system with a postive grounded battery. Some of my old British cars had a postive ground battery system...they were designed that way.....for no other reason than..they were freaking British!
__________________
 FREDDaily Driver: 98 E300TD 199K Hobby Car: 69 Austin Mini Past Diesels: 84 300SD, 312K 87 300SDL, 251K 94 Chev. K-1500 6.5Ltr.TD, 373K
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#4
07-22-2006, 07:06 PM
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It's certainly possible (although I've never heard of it happening) that a battery could be put in the wrong case at the factory so that the positive pole came out of the hole in the plastic case that said "Neg" and vice-versa. Depending on the car and the battery (you don't say what kind), the positive pole is larger in diameter than the negative. This is done purposely to make it harder -- but not impossible -- to get the terminals on wrong.
__________________
 "Buster" in the '95 Our all-Diesel family 1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car 2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022) Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762 "Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz." -- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970
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#6
07-22-2006, 07:15 PM
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__________________
Sonny  86 190D N/A 2.5L Auto 265k "Ruby" -Sold-  79 300D 242k "Condi" my first -sold- RIP 2013 chevy sonic hatchback - had to for work 
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#7
07-22-2006, 07:21 PM
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Sorry I left out some details
The battery was in an 82 300d, I bought it (working) with that battery in it. Now it is not possible that the battery was mis-labeled at the factory because it was in that car and working, so the cables would not have reached the terminals. The only thing I can think of is the battery was dead and I put it on the charger backwards and some how the polarity reversed?? Sounds crazy. Is it even phsically possible??
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#8
07-22-2006, 07:28 PM
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Putting the charger on the battery will not change the polarity of the battery. You would have to physically change the plates around to do that inside the battery.
__________________
1981 300D 147k 1998 VW Jetta Tdi 320k 2001 Dodge Ram 2500 141k 1979 300D 234k (sold) 1984 300D "Astor" 262k(sold) Mercedes How-To and Repair Pictorials I love the smell of diesel smoke in my hair
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#9
07-22-2006, 07:29 PM
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Hmmm
I've never heard of that happening. I would take it to the Mcparts store have them test it and see what they make of it.
__________________
Sonny 86 190D N/A 2.5L Auto 265k "Ruby" -Sold- 79 300D 242k "Condi" my first -sold- RIP 2013 chevy sonic hatchback - had to for work
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#10
07-22-2006, 07:29 PM
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Reversing a battery's polarity is dangerous
Reversing a battery's polarity is dangerous and can cause explosions and chemical burns
http://en.petzl.com/petzl/LampesNews?News=115 Reverse Polarity Batteries http://cr4.globalspec.com/article.pl?sid=06/06/12/0349222 14. WHAT ARE THE MYTHS ABOUT BATTERIES? http://www.uuhome.de/william.darden/carfaq14.htm Battery Safety http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?p=1057827
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#11
07-22-2006, 07:36 PM
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Thanks whunter
I found this 14.14. Once formed, batteries will not change polarity. If a battery is fully discharged and continues to have a load, for example leaving the headlights on, it is possible for one or more cells to reverse polarity. When the battery has been recharged with reversed polarity the polarity can change. This is referred to as "cell reversal". To change polarity, fully discharge the battery and recharge it with the correct polarity. maybe this is what happened Peter
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#12
07-22-2006, 07:40 PM
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OK so I wonder what the mystery is then.....
__________________
1981 300D 147k 1998 VW Jetta Tdi 320k 2001 Dodge Ram 2500 141k 1979 300D 234k (sold) 1984 300D "Astor" 262k(sold) Mercedes How-To and Repair Pictorials I love the smell of diesel smoke in my hair
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#13
07-22-2006, 07:55 PM
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Quote:
[Electrical things work because there is smoke in them. When the smoke comes out, they don't work anymore.]  Probably best to get a new battery.
__________________
"Buster" in the '95 Our all-Diesel family 1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car 2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022) Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762 "Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz." -- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970
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