No restraint

No mercy

At least from those of us who have never made any boneheaded mistakes...I
hear a resounding silence.

Mike

> From: Maynard Southard <echomhs@GIS.NET>
> Reply-To: Maynard Southard <echomhs@GIS.NET>
> Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2002 17:22:06 -0400
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Yikes, Crosswired Battery!
>
> Bonehead here!  I just replaced the battery in Reinhardt and, using my
> incredible brain and magnificent manual dexterity, I managed to attach my
> positive cable to the negative terminal of the battery and then started to
> hook
> the ground cable to the positive terminal.  The quick zap I heard must have
> triggered my own neuron synapses and I realized that I had committed the
> automotive equivalent of shooting myself in the foot.  I corrected my wiring
> and the starter worked and the engine started, but my red alternator light
> will
> not extinguish.
>
> With minimal laughter, could someone tell me what I have done and if I can
> remedy things?  The Diesel Vanagon does not have a computer, so I don't think
> I
> fried anything real important (the ignition key was not on or even in).  Have
> I
> toasted my alternator?  Can I replace anything to restore its virginity?
> Thanks for any restraint you may exercise in responding!
>
> Maynard Southard  (OvO) '79
> '86 Double Cab Diesel "Col. Potter"
> '82 Westy Diesel "Reinhardt"
> '82 Vanagon GL Diesel "Sluggo"
> '93 EV GL "Klinger"
> '00 Golf GLS TDI "WooHoo"
> '84 Jetta GL TD "Donor"
>