Battery Terminals

[Dan Gurney]

Evening all.

'Scuse me if tis is a dumbass question...

...but we've just bought an old Tohatsu 9.8 two stroke long shaft to use on the lake boat in Ireland, and it comes with electric start. I was just wondering what would happen if one of the less technically savvy members of the family connected the leads to the wrong battery terminals? Will they just knack the starter or do something more exciting.

We have left clear instructions on how NOT to do this btw... I was just wondering.

[jyasaki]

No idea, but a bit of paint (and maybe some colored shrink tubing on cables) will enable some color coding to avoid that problem.

As will a keyed connector, but that's likely to be expensive.

jky

[Bigtalljv]

I thought marine/auto batteries had different size terminals? Might want to take a look. Somebody might have already thought of that.

Jason

[beamishken]

The terminals are different sizes but not very different so care is required
I was told by an outboard dealer it would fry part of the electrics if ever they were connected in reverse but not sure how true that is
A good colour code or large + &- markings on battery & leads to avoid it rathers than risk confirming that stuff does get fryed

[paintman]

Get one of these. Fit it to the battery terminal & just use the green bit to connect/disconnect that terminal.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ANTI-THEFT...25.m3641.l6368

[Searider]

Is the thinking that the battery will be removed for storage / charging regularly?

Could the cabling not be arranged so that there is only one way to connect it up?

For example a battery with both terminals on one side (as they generally are) with the cables only just long enough to reach into the battery box on one side, you can't install it incorrectly?

[Dan Gurney]

All good ideas chaps, specially the anti-theft thingy. It's colour coded and specific instructions have been left so I'm pretty sure it'll be fine. I was just interested really.

[1eyedjim]

Is it not easier to just remove the negative terminal and leave the pos connected.

No way to get it wrong then even if stevie wonder was connecting it

[Dan Gurney]

It would be, if the whole lot didn't need to come of the boat. It's a what they call a lakeboat. An anglers boat. So the engine comes off when it's in storage cos it's too nickable.