battery shorting out

[getsome]

hello all, changed my battery terminals today for some nice new shiney ones went to check to see if surf started (because my son wont leave me alone until i let him play in it while im working! turning on all lights, window wipers, push the horn just as i put the live terminal on!!! little p#*?k, really hurt my head) any way went to turn it over and glow plug relay clicking random on off and battery started to cook itself like a cross connection, checked terminals where wired correctly and they were, really confused so could anyone help please?

[Albannach]

Check again, make sure you have the batteries on the right way too, they are handed.

[getsome]

just checked and everthing is as it should be, everything works ie central locking electric windows etc, when i turn the key all lights light up until the last click before she starts then all lights go out across the bottom and the engine light and turbo light dim and the battery cooks! weird!!

[Albannach]

If all you've done is changed the battery terminals, then that's your problem. Lights motors etc will all work, no mater how the batteries are connected. Go back out and check that both battery positive terminals are on the inside, not the cables, the actual batteries.

[getsome]

have checked and battery pos is on inside (closest to engine) the neg is closest to bodywork as neg is connected to body via 4" lead, i forgot to mention it had a turbo timer installed so i removed it, but this was a simple task of unplugging the timer and connecting remaining plugs together (i hope!!) really appreciate your quick response mate thanks

[malxwal]

You may not have made a good connection with the new terminals, so when trying to draw a large current (ie starter) it's kicking off. I had a vehicle with that problem once, most confusing...the connection between the actual cable to the starter and the battery terminal had, absolutely out of the blue, begun to fail. Had to fill the connection with solder... everything worked except starter..

[blackpoolsparks]

do you have the dual battery set-up? (the winter pack)

[Albannach]

The OP clearly says 'cross connection', no mention of bad connections. Although I can see why it could be bad connections, high current stuff not getting enough power.

[getsome]

whats puzzling is the battery cooking itself only on the last click, the charge indicator is normal then when key is on last click the charge indicator falls and the battery starts to smoke? that would seem to me as a short circuit? i have double and triple checked the terminals and is ok, the plugs that where connected to the turbo timer only fit together one way so no probs there, is there any way whilst changing the terminals something could blow and cause the short circuit??

[getsome]

this is a single battery set up.

[Albannach]

It's impossible to diagnose this any further without seeing it. But you can be 100% sure of the fact you've done something wrong.

[getsome]

yeah i know thanks mate!! really thought this was a straight forward job, but ohhh noooo, thanks again for everybodys help and if discover the prob ill be sure to let you all know.

[mud skipper]

is it a new battery?

[getsome]

no its the one i got with it, prob needs a new one though, dont suppose anybody knows why the battery is smoking and when key turned i can hear the battery bubbling!

[malxwal]

If you've ONLY replaced the battery terminals, and everything was running fine beforehand, it can only be incorrect or bad connections. The battery bubbling would suggest trying to draw far too much current from it, like a seized starter or engine..
As Albannach says, there's only so much you can diagnose online..