why is my positve terminal getting hot? - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

drewfever1020 · 01-01-2009, 08:29 PM

on my battery iv noticed that when i unplug my battery my terminal on the positive is hot, it was never like that!
anyone?

LONGHAIR · 01-01-2009, 08:35 PM

Are you sure that it is making a good connection? Bad connections make heat.

Quote:

when i unplug my battery

Why are you "un-plugging" your battery?

bw4sale · 01-01-2009, 08:37 PM

Did you see the recent thread about what a poor connection did to my connector?

cdowns · 01-01-2009, 08:44 PM

clean tight connections are the way to go all the way thru an electrical system

heavy71chevy · 01-01-2009, 09:53 PM

sounds like the connection needs to be cleaned...id take it off and either replace it or use a bottle brush with some baking soda and light water

**special-K** · 01-01-2009, 10:24 PM

Why are you disconnecting it?Are you disconnecting it because it drains (or seems too) when sitting?An over charging system will heat up.A battery will boil.You can smell the cxooking solution when it get`s bad.This is caused by voltage regulator/alternator problems.

tim21391 · 01-01-2009, 10:44 PM

had this problem before it came to find out when i jumped another car with my truck it messed up my battery somehow and my battery would get to hot...turned it to the place got battery from got a new one free

thirdstreettito · 01-02-2009, 12:03 AM

He unplugged it to put in a hamster and wheel.

Kayotic · 01-02-2009, 12:09 AM

Could be a bad connection on the ground side. Is it only hot while cranking or does it seem to be constant? As stated above, check connections starting from the batt. terminal. Hopefully you wont have to dig to deep to find the prob. I'd hate to plug in a new batt before the problem is solved.

Back in the day I had a car I was cranking to start. Took a while and wouldn't start. By the time I opened the hood to look, my pos. terminal was hot. I grabed a fist full of the neg cable to spin the connector slightly(no tools) on the post to temp. clean. She started right up, never bothered me again.

72freak · 01-02-2009, 06:02 AM

You could also have a bad relay under the dash...one of the big ones above the fuse panel. That will cause a battery drain and the terminal and positive wires to get hot.

You can mess up that relay by using the boost part of a battery charger

**special-K** · 01-02-2009, 10:10 AM

A starter on it`s way out will draw hard enough on a battery to heat the hot side.On a diesel with dual batteries I`ve melted the post out of a battery cranking on it alot when it wouldn`t start.
Same on my bike.I went through two batteries with melted positive posts before going to a high torque starter.

ChevLoRay · 01-02-2009, 10:14 AM

Batteries that are low on electrolyte and/or in a discharging status, will heat up and smell. 27 years of experience w/electric fork lifts.....

Old Chevy Mech · 01-02-2009, 10:20 AM

Trace your positive cable, its not shorting out anywhere is it? If the cable isnt hot then disregard. If its just the terminal, clean/replace as stated above.

Frank

DB Smith · 01-02-2009, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by special-K

An over charging system will heat up.A battery will boil.You can smell the cxooking solution when it get`s bad.This is caused by voltage regulator/alternator problems.

I had this problem a while back. I hope for your sake this isn't it. The battery boiled to death and made a helluva mess. Like Special K said...you'll smell it while driving if it gets this bad.

I installed a late 70's 80 amp alternator and rewired the harness for a built in regulator, so at least the end result was an upgrade.

longhorn_SD69 · 01-02-2009, 05:01 PM

your alternator connector might be backwards take a multimeter and read your charging systme idealy it would charge between 13.5 to 15.5 volts if its charging higher than that your alternator is shorted or your connectors are backwards.... also a short some where such as your fuse board would cause the vehicle to pull more amps through your positive terminal making it get extremely hot... a good example of this is in your starter... it happened to me and i didn't notice it and it ended up blowing off my positive terminal.

01-01-2009, 08:29 PM	#1
drewfever1020 Registered User Join Date: May 2008 Location: san antonio, texas Posts: 412	why is my positve terminal getting hot? on my battery iv noticed that when i unplug my battery my terminal on the positive is hot, it was never like that! anyone?

01-01-2009, 08:37 PM	#3
bw4sale Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Hendersonville, TN Posts: 1,528	Re: why is my positve terminal getting hot? Did you see the recent thread about what a poor connection did to my connector? __________________ BRENT -'68 Stepside Project -'98 Z71 Daily Driver -Enough extra parts to build another truck and a half

01-01-2009, 08:44 PM	#4
cdowns Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: daytonabeach Posts: 22,956	Re: why is my positve terminal getting hot? clean tight connections are the way to go all the way thru an electrical system __________________ 71c-10 350/2004r/4:11 lowered3/4 longbed/dead by hurricane MEANING OF DEATH::::: SOMEBODY ELSE GETS YOUR STUFF DONT BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU THINK TAKE MY ADVISE;I DON'T USE IT ANYWAY

01-01-2009, 09:53 PM	#5
heavy71chevy Registered User Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: antreville, south carolina Posts: 873	Re: why is my positve terminal getting hot? sounds like the connection needs to be cleaned...id take it off and either replace it or use a bottle brush with some baking soda and light water __________________ "Dixie Destroyer" 71 C10 LWB Fleet Future Blown Prostreet Monster

01-01-2009, 10:24 PM	#6
special-K Special Order Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Mt Airy, MD Posts: 85,852	Re: why is my positve terminal getting hot? Why are you disconnecting it?Are you disconnecting it because it drains (or seems too) when sitting?An over charging system will heat up.A battery will boil.You can smell the cxooking solution when it get`s bad.This is caused by voltage regulator/alternator problems. __________________ "BUILDING A BETTER WAY TO SERVE THE USA"......67/72......"The New Breed" GMC '67 C1500 Wideside Super Custom SWB: 327/M22/3.42 posi.........."The '67" (project) GMC '72 K2500 Wideside Sierra Custom Camper: 350/TH350/4.10 Power-Lok..."The '72" (rolling) Tim "Don't call me a redneck. I'm a rough cut country gentleman" R.I.P. ~ East Side Low Life ~ El Jay ~ 72BLUZ ~ Fasteddie69 ~ Ron586 ~ 67ChevyRedneck ~ Grumpy Old Man ~

01-01-2009, 10:44 PM	#7
tim21391 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Salina, Kansas Posts: 1,998	Re: why is my positve terminal getting hot? had this problem before it came to find out when i jumped another car with my truck it messed up my battery somehow and my battery would get to hot...turned it to the place got battery from got a new one free __________________ 1972 C-10...402/400..flowmaster 40 series 1967 Mustang 347 stroker/C-4 1966 Mustang 289/3-speed 2013 Mustang V6/6speed w/300 ponies I may be 23, but i sure do knows 67-72s are sexy! Its not MPG its smiles per gallon! build started 11/25/08 build thread: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s....php?p=2993796

01-02-2009, 12:03 AM	#8
thirdstreettito Resident of Here Join Date: May 2008 Location: Wesley Chapel, FL, USA Posts: 7,716	Re: why is my positve terminal getting hot? He unplugged it to put in a hamster and wheel. __________________ ~Bradley~ 2004 Black GTO LS2/T56 too much to list Miss having a truck

01-02-2009, 12:09 AM	#9
Kayotic Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Lawrenceville, Ga Posts: 300	Re: why is my positve terminal getting hot? Could be a bad connection on the ground side. Is it only hot while cranking or does it seem to be constant? As stated above, check connections starting from the batt. terminal. Hopefully you wont have to dig to deep to find the prob. I'd hate to plug in a new batt before the problem is solved. Back in the day I had a car I was cranking to start. Took a while and wouldn't start. By the time I opened the hood to look, my pos. terminal was hot. I grabed a fist full of the neg cable to spin the connector slightly(no tools) on the post to temp. clean. She started right up, never bothered me again.

01-02-2009, 06:02 AM	#10
72freak Rottenwood Garage Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Marietta, Georgia Posts: 4,321	Re: why is my positve terminal getting hot? You could also have a bad relay under the dash...one of the big ones above the fuse panel. That will cause a battery drain and the terminal and positive wires to get hot. You can mess up that relay by using the boost part of a battery charger __________________ 2004 Chevrolet Suburban C1500 2001 Chevrolet 2500HD Crew 6.0 1999 Harley Davidson Electra Glide 1972 Chevrolet C-20 Custom Camper "Dump Truck" 1972 Chevrolet C-20 Suburban "Big Green" 1969 Chevrolet C-50 Wedge Hauler "Leonidis" 1966 C-10 2x4 short fleet 327 4 speed "Race Truck" 1952 Plymouth Cranbrook "Rican" (my grandfathers) 1931 Ford Model A Coupe "Black Beauty" 1930 Ford Model A truck "Club Cab" 4x4 Rottenwood Garage and Speed Shop.....where everything must be racy! *It's not just a hobby..It's a LIFESTYLE!!!* Thanks for nothing Barrett-Jackson You cant fix stupid or teach accountability! Time wasters, looky Lous and tire kickers are everywhere! Last edited by 72freak; 01-02-2009 at 06:04 AM.

01-02-2009, 10:10 AM	#11
special-K Special Order Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Mt Airy, MD Posts: 85,852	Re: why is my positve terminal getting hot? A starter on it`s way out will draw hard enough on a battery to heat the hot side.On a diesel with dual batteries I`ve melted the post out of a battery cranking on it alot when it wouldn`t start. Same on my bike.I went through two batteries with melted positive posts before going to a high torque starter. __________________ "BUILDING A BETTER WAY TO SERVE THE USA"......67/72......"The New Breed" GMC '67 C1500 Wideside Super Custom SWB: 327/M22/3.42 posi.........."The '67" (project) GMC '72 K2500 Wideside Sierra Custom Camper: 350/TH350/4.10 Power-Lok..."The '72" (rolling) Tim "Don't call me a redneck. I'm a rough cut country gentleman" R.I.P. ~ East Side Low Life ~ El Jay ~ 72BLUZ ~ Fasteddie69 ~ Ron586 ~ 67ChevyRedneck ~ Grumpy Old Man ~

01-02-2009, 10:14 AM	#12
ChevLoRay Old Skool Club Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Benton, AR "The Heart of Arkansas" Posts: 10,880	Re: why is my positve terminal getting hot? Batteries that are low on electrolyte and/or in a discharging status, will heat up and smell. 27 years of experience w/electric fork lifts..... __________________ Member Nr. 2770 '96 GMC Sportside; 4.3/SLT - Daily driven....constantly needs washed. '69 C-10 SWB; 350/TH400 - in limbo The older I get, the better I was.

01-02-2009, 10:20 AM	#13
Old Chevy Mech Keepin it runnin! Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Deep River, CT Posts: 1,036	Re: why is my positve terminal getting hot? Trace your positive cable, its not shorting out anywhere is it? If the cable isnt hot then disregard. If its just the terminal, clean/replace as stated above. Frank __________________ 1970 K-5 4X4 Blazer 1970 K-20 4X4 Long Bed "Liberty Means Responsibility, that is why most men dread it"

01-02-2009, 05:01 PM	#15
longhorn_SD69 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: smithfield, va Posts: 29	Re: why is my positve terminal getting hot? your alternator connector might be backwards take a multimeter and read your charging systme idealy it would charge between 13.5 to 15.5 volts if its charging higher than that your alternator is shorted or your connectors are backwards.... also a short some where such as your fuse board would cause the vehicle to pull more amps through your positive terminal making it get extremely hot... a good example of this is in your starter... it happened to me and i didn't notice it and it ended up blowing off my positive terminal. __________________ Good Wood Last edited by longhorn_SD69; 01-02-2009 at 05:02 PM.

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