> I left the car for a few days, with the battery disconnected. When I went
> out yesterday to test some circuits, the battery was completely
> dead.
So the battery wasn't dead, but after you left it disconnected for a few
days, it was. I'd say you've got a bad battery.
> I had
> left on the ignition switch, which was turned to the on position
> so I could
> push the car into the garage. So, I put the charger on overnight.
> When I attempted to connect the positive cable to the battery,
> there were a
> lot of sparks, and a bit of smoke began to come out of the connections at
> the alternator. I quickly disconnected again.
Now you've got a bad alternator too.
> Question is where to start diagnosing? Would it have been possible to have
> connected the charger up incorrectly (red to negative)?
Sure, it's possible. It's even marginally possible you actually put a
reverse charge on the battery, but I don't think it's likely.
> Doesn't seem like
> the charger would even work, with the battery ground connected.
The charger has no way to 'know' which side of the battery is connected to
your car. Same charger will work just fine on positive ground TRs.
> Besides,
> that would be such an unmanly thing to admit to!
If it walks like a duck ...
> Did disconnecting the positive cable when juice was flowing through the
> system short out something?
I'd say that was more likely. Don't know for certain, though.
> Any comments/ideas appreciated.
Have I flogged a cheap DVM from HF lately ? I'd start by checking out the
battery, to see what it's putting out. If it's been reversed, or won't hold
a charge, replace it. Then disconnect the alternator, make sure the wires
can't touch anything, and power up the rest of the car to make sure
everything else is OK. You can even troubleshoot your starter problem at
this point, since you should be able to start and run the car without the
alternator. It varies of course, but a fully charged battery should be good
for at least a couple of starts and an hour's running without lights &
accessories.
Then disconnect the battery, connect the alternator, and connect the battery
again. If it still smokes, or doesn't charge, a rebuilt alternator is
called for.
Randall
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