Car help question

[Levo-Lon]

[QUOTE 3494815, member: 9609"]Why ?
total agreement with the first bit, but never heard the second bit before, I regularily work on hgvs and can't think of any reason why you would need to specifically remove a watch or bangle before disconnecting a battery. I never wear a watch or jewellery of any sort ever, and agree it would be pretty stupid to do so when working on big machinery, but don't see any specific dangers if you are just disconnecting a battery.

Obviously the following would not be a good idea, but I doubt that's a bag of spanners she's clutching, or shes on her way to fit a new battery

http://www.teluguone.com/vanitha/content/wearing-multiple-bangle-bracelets-71-29917.html[/QUOTE]

my dad put his arm down the front of the engine on his pug 305 many yrs ago.
his watch arched on the alternator and the strap turned red!! Melted his skin like cheese.. he should have seen a plastic surgeon but he just wears the scar..very dangerous to have metal things near car electrics

 

[young Ed]

[QUOTE 3494815, member: 9609"]Why ?
total agreement with the first bit, but never heard the second bit before, I regularily work on hgvs and can't think of any reason why you would need to specifically remove a watch or bangle before disconnecting a battery. I never wear a watch or jewellery of any sort ever, and agree it would be pretty stupid to do so when working on big machinery, but don't see any specific dangers if you are just disconnecting a battery.

Obviously the following would not be a good idea, but I doubt that's a bag of spanners she's clutching, or shes on her way to fit a new battery

http://www.teluguone.com/vanitha/content/wearing-multiple-bangle-bracelets-71-29917.html[/QUOTE]
agreed, after all your skin/flash is conductive so if you were to touch something electrified weather it be with a steel rod, a gold watch or your bare skin you still get zapped
i could understand removing jewellery for spinning/moving machinery and stuff so that it doesn't get caught, same for loose clothing but a battery isn't spinning round hopefully
Cheers Ed

 

[young Ed]

my dad put his arm down the front of the engine on his pug 305 many yrs ago.
his watch arched on the alternator and the strap turned red!! Melted his skin like cheese.. he should have seen a plastic surgeon but he just whears the scar..very dangerous to have metal things near car electrics

simple solution to preventing that, pocket watch
i have one in my pocket right now and always carry one outside of school but am considering getting another for school
Cheers Ed

 

[Levo-Lon]

I'll let you tell him that Ed

 

[Profpointy]

[QUOTE 3494301, member: 45"]And don't lick the terminals.[/QUOTE]

Well if you can lick both at once, you must be popular with the ladies

 

[Levo-Lon]

Well if you can lick both at once, you must be popular with the ladies

lol that's just reminded me of several funny tales...

 

[MrPie]

Reminds me of the time I needed to change a dead battery on my TVR Chimaera. Halfords we're offering free battery installation with the purchase of one of their retail batteries, which sounded like a bargain as the battery is housed in the passenger footwell and is a biatch to swap. They took one look at the TVR and immediately declined to do any work on it, coz TVR's are 'special' and if they messed up the installation they would not accept any liability. Er, it's just a car and it's a simple battery change Dude, what could possibly go wrong? Nope refused to do it. Think I would have refused too......was 'oribble!

 

[Levo-Lon]

Bit like changing a headlight bulb in a mk2 Megane..manual says remove bumper!!
There is a small acces point on the inner wing but its a shitter to do..halfords..hmmm

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Reminds me of the time I needed to change a dead battery on my TVR Chimaera. Halfords we're offering free battery installation with the purchase of one of their retail batteries, which sounded like a bargain as the battery is housed in the passenger footwell and is a biatch to swap. They took one look at the TVR and immediately declined to do any work on it, coz TVR's are 'special' and if they messed up the installation they would not accept any liability. Er, it's just a car and it's a simple battery change Dude, what could possibly go wrong? Nope refused to do it. Think I would have refused too......was 'oribble!

When I had my KA I was in Halfords having a bulb changed, I'd changed one myself a couple of months earlier and was disinclined to do it again, whilst I was there a bloke in a large 4x4 pulled in wanting a bulb changed, the Halfords bloke declined and I heard him tell the bloke to go to the dealer, apparently there was to much dismantling involved.

 

[MarkF]

Totally simple job but for the unsure or plain cack handed, the RAC price sound OK to me. Man (wages), van, (tax, fuel, insurance, residuals etc), back up (office 24/7), for the £100, what do people want?

 

[young Ed]

we popped into halfords to get some bulbs and the halfords free fit declined to replace the headlight bulb in a ford mondeo, went home and dad did it in a couple of minutes
when i get my 45 year old land rover at 17 halfrauds monkeys won't be within a mile of it and cleaning etc will all be done by my self
Cheers Ed

 

[subaqua]

If it's the original battery that's a good age ! Usually about 8 yrs for a lead acid battery then the plates will start to be shorted by the sulphides dumped in the electrolyte . As said before earth cable first, then positive.

I can vouch for the poster who said their dad got a horrible burn from the alternator, I too have had that on a pinto engine in a Capri. Some of my earlier vauxhalls had Lucas alternators that put out close to 200V before they went to the regulator mounted on the wing. That hurts too. As does holding the end of the king lead from the coil and your brother cranking the engine over when you checking for a spark .

 

[Spinney]

Last but one time my car had to be rescued (although prob 20 years ago now), the AA towed me from Killin to Perth, diagnosed a buggered water pump, drove me to Halfords so I could buy the new pump, fitted it for free and took me for a short drive to test it before sending me on my way. Four of them gathered round for the diagnosis and fitting - I think they were bored and please to have something to do!

i.e. no charges for fitting at all.

Admittedly, the way rescue organisations charge for things may well have changed since then!

 

[Andy_R]

[QUOTE 3495809, member: 45"]I once wired a battery in my mini backwards. New alternator needed.[/QUOTE]
Did it start whizzing around left and right with sparks coming out of the aerial...I'm imagining Dodgem car here......

 

[Profpointy]

Bit like changing a headlight bulb in a mk2 Megane..manual says remove bumper!!
There is a small acces point on the inner wing but its a shitter to do..halfords..hmmm

I had to replace a headlight bulb on my SAAB. Had to take the grill off, and part of the wing, which didn't altogether surprise me it being a luxury car and what not. Then found the other one had blown as well, so car then un-drivable, so cycled to Halfords for new bulb - which they kindly offered to fit for me - maybe lycra clad motorists pop in all the time. Very sporting of him to pop up to my house to fit I thought, but politely declined.

Anyhow, on starting to fit the 2nd one, ah, what's this little clip for? I'd taken half the car apart needlessly and fitting was actually perfectly sensible