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Battery problems - 1999 Rover Mini Cooper


saab
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Oh dear what have I done? Mrs S tools about in an old Mini and recently the battery went flat - not for the first time. Tried charging it up but it wouldn't hold a charge so I decided that the battery was dead and needed replacing.

Bought a new one from Halfrauds - fairly certain the right one and popped it in the car just as I had done man times with the old one. This time however I noticed the one of the two red cables connected to the positive terminal was flapping about and not connected to anything. It may well never have been connected, but I just happened to notice it this time and connected it up to a bolt which looked like the cable had been connected to. Then I connected the terminals up - a bit of sparking which I put down to some protective oil on the terminals became lots of sparking and lots of smoke. In a panic thinking the car was about to burst into flames I rolled the car out of the garage and managed to disconnect the battery (burning my hand in the process) - the cable from the positive terminal is totally fried and now I don't know what to do - I'm concerned that when i try and sort the problem out the same thing will happen and not being able to stop the smoke next time and the car going up in flames.

I'm rather clueless when it comes to car electrics (as you may have realised) and I'm sure someone will look at this and shake their head in despair. Pics are below. The main questions are - what should (if anything) the long red cable from the +ve terminal be connected to? (the pics show the bolt I connected it to - nearest the end of the cable) - and secondly is it likely that any damage to anything else electrical has been done?

And I suppose thirdly - is anyone in the market for a car like this - my missus says she won't drive it again she was so scared by what happened.

Thanks for your help.

Jamie

1100155-DSC00079.JPG

1100156-DSC00078.JPG

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[ QUOTE ]

Oh dear what have I done? Mrs S tools about in an old Mini and recently the battery went flat - not for the first time. Tried charging it up but it wouldn't hold a charge so I decided that the battery was dead and needed replacing.

Bought a new one from Halfrauds - fairly certain the right one and popped it in the car just as I had done man times with the old one. This time however I noticed the one of the two red cables connected to the positive terminal was flapping about and not connected to anything. It may well never have been connected, but I just happened to notice it this time and connected it up to a bolt which looked like the cable had been connected to. Then I connected the terminals up - a bit of sparking which I put down to some protective oil on the terminals became lots of sparking and lots of smoke. In a panic thinking the car was about to burst into flames I rolled the car out of the garage and managed to disconnect the battery (burning my hand in the process) - the cable from the positive terminal is totally fried and now I don't know what to do - I'm concerned that when i try and sort the problem out the same thing will happen and not being able to stop the smoke next time and the car going up in flames.

I'm rather clueless when it comes to car electrics (as you may have realised) and I'm sure someone will look at this and shake their head in despair. Pics are below. The main questions are - what should (if anything) the long red cable from the +ve terminal be connected to? (the pics show the bolt I connected it to - nearest the end of the cable) - and secondly is it likely that any damage to anything else electrical has been done?

And I suppose thirdly - is anyone in the market for a car like this - my missus says she won't drive it again she was so scared by what happened.

Thanks for your help.

Jamie

1100155-DSC00079.JPG

1100156-DSC00078.JPG

[/ QUOTE ]Oh dear.... ermmmm have you tried posting on a mini forum?

Mini is a 1999 mini too and is hunky dory.

Riz smirk.gif

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All sorted but boy do I feel stupid. The AA bloke arrived andfortunately he had worked as a Leyland mechanic for years so knew his stuff, but he had no idea what the stray cable was, but suspected it might have been used to power an amp or something similar at some stage. Basically by connecting it up to the bolt I had effectively joined the two terminals of the batt - with predictable consequences. He checked over the electrical system and everything seems fine - the earth connection needs replacing but it's still ok until I get a chance to change it.

I did also post the question on a Mini forum as you suggested and got some good advice immediately.

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