HELP PLEASE: Cables to battery terminals? (PHOTO)

[Globug]

This will probably be simple for most of you, but I need some help.

Had to buy a new cranking battery for a 1995 Cajun Fish & Ski..

Upon putting the new battery in, I can't remember which terminal (two) other cables go on.

I also don't know what they are for.

In the photo below, does anyone know what the two cables are (besides the regular pos/neg battery cables?

And also, which terminal to hook them up to?

I tried to follow them, but it got too difficult..

 

[crb478]

Re: HELP PLEASE: Cables to battery terminals? (PHOTO)

To be safe you really need to follow them, that is the only way to be sure. If you just want an off hand opinion I would say that the single wire with the box looks like an inline fuse so it probably goes on the positive. The two wires spliced in the common end look like ground wires, but that is just a guess. If you hook them up with out verifying where they go you may do some damage to some of your electronics.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: HELP PLEASE: Cables to battery terminals? (PHOTO)

i agree black box is a fuse, goes to pos post.

 

[qbantek]

Re: HELP PLEASE: Cables to battery terminals? (PHOTO)

Suggestion: after you follow your cables and find out where to plug them, use some electrical tape and tie them down to the battery cables so you will always know where they go.

 

[The Whale]

Re: HELP PLEASE: Cables to battery terminals? (PHOTO)

I also agree with the assumptions made above. However, they are ASSUMPTIONS ! Follow the wires out to be sure, I'd hate to fry several hundreds (thousands ?) of dollars worth of electronics 'cause it was difficult.

 

[ddennis]

Re: HELP PLEASE: Cables to battery terminals? (PHOTO)

Prime example of why you should always use the correct color of wires when installing!

 

[wire2]

Re: HELP PLEASE: Cables to battery terminals? (PHOTO)

Globug, I see a layer of corrosion on most of the terminals in your picture. That will lead to electrical problems down the road.

Once you sort the proper order of the leads, clean the corrosion with a Scotchbrite pad or similar, apply a film of dielectric compound, silicone grease, lithium grease, whatever you have at hand.
Including on main battery posts/clamps.
Put lots on, assemble, wipe excess off.

 

[QuadManiac]

Re: HELP PLEASE: Cables to battery terminals? (PHOTO)

And why do I only see ONE large conductor? I would expect both a large positive and large ground (both about the size of the wire in the bottom of picture) for the starting circuit. The lug with the red shrink on it appears to have 2 smaller conductors exiting it... or is that just an artifact of the photo?

 

[Globug]

Re: HELP PLEASE: Cables to battery terminals? (PHOTO)

Thanks guys for all the advice....I'm going to follow it.

I am now guessing that the blue wires might be my depthfinder...I've got to get in the garage tomorrow and test it to see if it is working..

I assume it will go on the positive terminal if that is what it is...right?

 

[Have Fun Today]

Re: HELP PLEASE: Cables to battery terminals? (PHOTO)

Get an ohmmeter. With your wires still disconnected, check the resistance from a loose wire to an electrical device you know to be on the disconnected circuit (one that doesn't have power now...something like the radio or a running light with the bulb removed and switch on and then off). Check both wires. This can help you identify which is positive and negative without tracing the wires through the harness...a difficult if not impossible task. To be successful, you need to know which connections at the device (the light, for example) are positive and negative. Negative is always connected while the positive (light bulb) is only connected when it's respective switch is on.