Hooked up the battery wrong

[DougS550]

So I replaced blown fuses for the radio and put in a new powermaster alternator. The Radio works fine. However, the system still says charging system service now. So I'm not sure where to go with that next.

That seems to be a hard faults. Need to have them reset. Autozone use to reset hard faults with a OBDII scanner. If not go to Ford.

Sponsored

 

[ORRadtech]

Our cars have a battery management system that regulates charging. Among other things there are sensors in each battery cable. It seems likely to me that something in the BMS isn't working properly. Why exactly that might be I don't have enough experience with it to guess but maybe that will give you a direction to look.

 

[Rapid Red]

So I replaced blown fuses for the radio and put in a new powermaster alternator. The Radio works fine. However, the system still says charging system service now. So I'm not sure where to go with that next.

Did you have the alt tested or just replaced it ? Was it verified as not having output?

Follow the wiring see what's next in line. Or get hold of a block digram for the charging system. Charging systems have a fairly standard circuit design .

Otherwise just shooting in the dark, a costly rout to go. Or give it to Ford or some other trusted mech.

Thank goodness the circuit protections were in place, this could have been a nasty event.

 

[Rapid Red]

Our cars have a battery management system that regulates charging. Among other things there are sensors in each battery cable. It seems likely to me that something in the BMS isn't working properly. Why exactly that might be I don't have enough experience with it to guess but maybe that will give you a direction to look.

Please explain other then a huge diode what type of " battery cable sensor " you speak of. It would only take one diode BTW . However it would be the size of a coffee can to handle the amperage a battery can store.


I'll give you, possible fusible link but that's off the table cause the car has power.

 

[ORRadtech]

I'm sorry, as I said above, I have very little experience with battery management systems. I know the mustang has one and I know it uses current sensors that I believe are in both positive and negative battery cables and that one (maybe more?) of the computer modules use that information to control charging and battery usage.
I found this which seems like a decent explanation of how bms works. But it's not specific to the mustang or even ford.
https://www.samarins.com/glossary/battery-sensor.html
Also, as I said above, I was just hoping to give the OP a direction to look since that's what he asked for.

 

[Rapid Red]

I'm sorry, as I said above, I have very little experience with battery management systems. I know the mustang has one and I know it uses current sensors that I believe are in both positive and negative battery cables and that one (maybe more?) of the computer modules use that information to control charging and battery usage.
I found this which seems like a decent explanation of how bms works. But it's not specific to the mustang or even ford.
https://www.samarins.com/glossary/battery-sensor.html
Also, as I said above, I was just hoping to give the OP a direction to look since that's what he asked for.

No worry just something I had not heard before .

 

[i8iridium]

There's two fuses that are directly tied to the alternator in the battery junction box under the hood. A Jumbo 275A fuse for the main charging power wire and a 10A fuse at F36 for the charging controller on the alternator itself. There's a good chance one of those is blown. It doesn't appear there's any fusible link on the main charging power wire. I'd check both of those fuses. Honestly, I'd check every single fuse in the vehicle. That's the first point of reverse polarity protection in most systems.

 

[beetle6986]

Problem solved.... The fuse box in the engine bay has a fusable block with 3 terminals on the side of it. The first connection is from the battery. The second connection went to my alternator and the intercooler pump. There was no continuity between the 1st and 2nd terminal as the 275 amp fuse in the block was blown. I ordered the part, but it will take a week to get it. To get things working until then, I got a 250 amp mega fuse at the parts store. I attached the mega fuse to the 1st terminal and moved all the wires from the 2nd terminal to the other end of the mega fuse. That resolved everything.

 

[i8iridium]

Problem solved.... The fuse box in the engine bay has a fusable block with 3 terminals on the side of it. The first connection is from the battery. The second connection went to my alternator and the intercooler pump. There was no continuity between the 1st and 2nd terminal as the 275 amp fuse in the block was blown. I ordered the part, but it will take a week to get it. To get things working until then, I got a 250 amp mega fuse at the parts store. I attached the mega fuse to the 1st terminal and moved all the wires from the 2nd terminal to the other end of the mega fuse. That resolved everything.

Looks like i posted just a hair too late! Glad you got it fixed!

 

[Rapid Red]

The crowd roars happy camper you are> Don't you ever do that again . LOL

 

[Soulja4187]

You just saved yourself $2515.01! If you would have taking it to the dealer they probably would have told you that you blew your engine

 

[ice445]

Problem solved.... The fuse box in the engine bay has a fusable block with 3 terminals on the side of it. The first connection is from the battery. The second connection went to my alternator and the intercooler pump. There was no continuity between the 1st and 2nd terminal as the 275 amp fuse in the block was blown. I ordered the part, but it will take a week to get it. To get things working until then, I got a 250 amp mega fuse at the parts store. I attached the mega fuse to the 1st terminal and moved all the wires from the 2nd terminal to the other end of the mega fuse. That resolved everything.

Glad it wasn't terminal (ha)

 

[Soulja4187]

So what happened to the old alternator? Was it fried or was it still good?

 

[beetle6986]

The crowd roars happy camper you are> Don't you ever do that again . LOL

You don’t have to say that more than once! As someone that spends a lot of time wrenching on cars, I felt like an idiot and was so pissed at myself.

You just saved yourself $2515.01! If you would have taking it to the dealer they probably would have told you that you blew your engine

I can only imagine what the bill would have been!

So what happened to the old alternator? Was it fried or was it still good?

I think the old alternator is fine. Although I haven’t tested it yet. The powermaster wasn’t exactly a direct bolt on like shown in the CJ pony video. The part numbers were the same, but they moved the mounting point on the alternator for the power cable. It’s right behind the one alternator mount. I had to remove the mounting stud from the block Just to get the alternator into position. I also had to cut one of the mounting tabs on the harness and bend the harness clamp just to reach the new mounting point. Even with doing all that, there is still tention on the harness to the alternator. I’m not real happy about that and thought about returning the power master. You can see what I mean in the pictures.

 

[Rapid Red]

You don’t have to say that more than once! As someone that spends a lot of time wrenching on cars, I felt like an idiot and was so pissed at myself.

I can only imagine what the bill would have been!

I think the old alternator is fine. Although I haven’t tested it yet. The powermaster wasn’t exactly a direct bolt on like shown in the CJ pony video. The part numbers were the same, but they moved the mounting point on the alternator for the power cable. It’s right behind the one alternator mount. I had to remove the mounting stud from the block Just to get the alternator into position. I also had to cut one of the mounting tabs on the harness and bend the harness clamp just to reach the new mounting point. Even with doing all that, there is still tention on the harness to the alternator. I’m not real happy about that and thought about returning the power master. You can see what I mean in the pictures.

Pretty sure you can clock the alt, most can be.

Found this, it will give you the idea

Sponsored