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Pertronix Warning

  • Thread starter Thread starter DougF
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DougF

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Just a word of caution when working on or setting up your electronic ignition. Do not allow the negative wire to get near the positive terminal of the coil. The insulation is inadequate and allows arcing.
Ask me how I know.
 
Kind of like when my ratchet handle hit the positive cable connection on my starter last week when I was retorquing the last intake manifold nut?

After 40 years of working on cars I felt like and (AND WAS) an idiot when I then reached down and grabbed the extension and burned the skin off the edges of three of my fingers. The socket stayed hot for another twenty minutes.

Memo to self (and all):

DISCONNECT POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE WHEN WORKING NEAR OR ON ANY ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS.
 
That's why racing emergency switches are so useful when screwing....
 
I had pulled the distributor. The wires rearranged themselves and I didn't pay attention after everything was strapped back together. When I turned the key, I had a very short light show.
 
Brosky said:
...DISCONNECT POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE WHEN WORKING NEAR OR ON ANY ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS.
Click to expand...

Actually disconnecting the ground cable is adequate and perhaps easier. Personally I never tighten the ground side battery cable, makes it easy to just twist & lift it off.
 
Gentlemen,

Please forgive and old and obviously senile guy who leaves things connected when he shouldn't.

My car has a quick disconnect on the NEGATIVE cable. I KNOW that the NEGATIVE cable should be disconnected, which is why the quick disconnect is there.

Why I typed positive, when I wanted to type NEGATIVE is as much a mystery as why I didn't reach over and give the disconnect two turns before starting the job.

Is there any real wonder as to why I burned my fingers?????
 
Ok, since we're talking about stupidity, perhaps I've missed something along the way....aside from convenience, why is the negative side THE preferred side to disconnect?
 
So when you take off the negative and you happen to touch ground at the same time you wont have any sparks flying.

Don
 
As my dear friend Tom softly and subtly reminded me, "Always disconnect the negative first. Otherwise you could complete a short circuit from any grounded part to the positive post and even have the possibility of blowing the battery up."
 
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