Hooked battery up wrong?

[kutztownwayne]

Anyone ever reverse the wires when replacing the battery and had smoke come out the engine?

So so so so dumb, even for a rookie!

Guess I am learning that paying for your own mistakes is an expensive way to learn the ropes!

[SurfJockey]

Would some sort of in-line fuse installed between the battery, work as protection if this was ever done again?  Not a boat guy, just curious.

[SurfJockey]

Did you fry any other electronics on the boat by doing this? 

[Andys Delight]

what kind of outboard is it?  What year?  Smoke is no good.  At the least you probably fried the rectifier.  Maybe Maritime Matt can help out.   

[L.T.]

10/4 on the rectifier being rectifried 

[rugman]

Done that a few times. My Yam had a inline fuse .

[blackadder]

Hello,

As electronics is my field of work I can share this info. DC (battery) volatge is usually not destructive with small electronics as the batterys used to power them can not produce enough current to force the electrons to flow in a reverse direction in a circuit, Unfortunatly marine and car battery by design can create a high current (to start your motor)this is usually enough to force the electrons to flow in a reverse direction and cause serious damage usually to rectifiers and capacitors. You would be well advise to put a fuse in line with your ground wire that way if you do reverse the wires the fuse will blow unfortunatly you will need a amp meter to determine what your normal current flow is then get a fuse rated higher. You might want to go over all connections as you might have gotten some arcs which could weaken the connections or wires, melted the insulation or worse have welded them together.

Regards,

Chris

[kutztownwayne]

Thanks for the info so far.  The el;electronics all work, it was just the cables to the engine that were effected.  I called the local dealer I both it from and he mentioned the rectifier.  Said I can bring it in, and this isn't the first one he Had for the year like tis, so i don't feel too stupid!  Like most of you mentioned good thing I Had a fuse to the panel that everything else is connected to.  Just to keep the guy on the level, anyone know about what it should cost to replace a rectifier?Is a 100HP outboard, mercury

[Hotrod]

I'd check with Matt..  a Sponsor here first..
where are you located?

[Maritime Matt]

It happens. Merc parts go by engine serial #. Post the Ser# and I can look up the part. Approx. year of the motor?
Matt

[Hunter 2]

For future reference, Wrap several bands of red electrical tape around the positive leads on the battery cables to help identify them.