Positive Terminal Disconnected Before Negative

[Colin747]

I went out to start my 350 this morning, turned the key and nothing happened. Had a look at the battery and the positive terminal seemed to have worked lose, I pushed it back on and the car started fine so off I went. Just as I got into work I remembered that you're always supposed to disconnect the negative first.

 

Is there any chance this could have caused any damage etc? Or is there anything I can do to check/minimise etc.

[Strudul]

It's only a safety precaution (in case you short it accidentally).

[coldel]

It should be ok - your car is grounded via the negative cable, so removing that first will mean no chance of a short. Assuming you didnt push the positive back on with a metal spanner or anything?

[Colin747]

Assuming you didnt push the positive back on with a metal spanner or anything?

 

haha nope, I just pushed using the plastic cover that's on the positive.

 

Thanks for your help guys.

[ZMANALEX]

It will; be fine just make sure that they are both now spanner tight and not just pushed down.

[Spoons]

The reason they say to disconnect the negative first and then last when re-fitting. It's because the negative is the low tension side of the circuit and as stated stops/reduces risk of any voltage spikes that will blow fuses etc. If your car functions as normal you will be fine, usually the worse you can do is pop fuses.

[gsexr]

The reason you disconnect the negative first is so you don`t create a short with the spanner when you disconnect the live if you accidentally touched it against the bodywork whilst still touching the live terminal of the battery.

[veilside z]

I remember doing that once ... Connected the live last, whilst still clutching the spanner, and then an almighty arc flash, and burnt a hole the inner wing.

[Olly350z]

I too have have done this myself many a time over the years. What a shocling experience