*solved* Battery terminals sparking when touching battery

[DontPressureMe]

88 chevy k2500

just as title says, when i try to connect my terminals to my battery. an arc weld will start melting the terminals off and the battery connector.
tried with 2 batteries
and replaced the terminals (not the wire)
and it did the same things.

anything specific to look for ?
i looked up and down the negative and positive battery wire and didn’t see anything out of the ordinary.


please explain like im five

 

[DontPressureMe]

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i’ve replaced the exposed wires

 

[454cid]

Take a look at each wire, and see where they go. Black negative cable should go to ground. Factory would be to the engine... I think mine goes to the alternator bracket, but block/head/frame should work. There's also a small diameter wire going to the body. The red positive cable will go to the solenoid on the starter, and there is another that goes to the underhood fuse box, and one to the alternator. Check to see that the smaller positive wire (charge wire) that goes to the alternator isn't rubbing and grounding out on some random part.

 

[WICruiser-97]

If you are getting that much current draw you have a short circuit somewhere. Try disconnecting the large red wire from the starter, if that does not change anything, track the smaller red wire (probably to the alternator) and disconnect that. If either of those is not an indication of the problem I believe there is another red wire that goes to the fuse block. I am guessing that either our starter solenoid or your alternator has an internal short.

 

[PlayingWithTBI]

On an 88 the smaller red wire goes to the power distribution block on the right side firewall. Then a wire goes to the alternator, another goes to the fuse block inside the cabin under and to the left of the steering column (there are no fuse blocks under the hood). I've heard of someone mistakenly hooked up a ground wire to that junction block. Otherwise, you can pull the wire to the alternator there and check with an Ohm Meter. If nothing, then pull the wire going to the battery. If nothing happens, then try the starter cable. If you still have a short. then pull each wire, one at a time, on the junction block to see which one is the culprit.

 

[DontPressureMe]

Positive battery cable was shorting on by the starter.

 

[WICruiser-97]

Thanks for letting us know.

 

[Erik the Awful]

Good find! If your battery cable terminal ends aren't heat-shrinked to the insulation, I highly recommend it. It'll give you better protection against shorts and prevent corrosion back into the cable.
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FPKVMTW/