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Hooked up Battery and accidently Reversed Polarity

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Old 04-24-2017 | 10:01 AM
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Default Hooked up Battery and accidently Reversed Polarity

I did the most stupid thing this morning– In fact I’m too embarrassed to really say that I did this – So be easy on me folks.
I accidently hooked up the battery wrong – positive to negative and negative to positive. When I hit the power on/off switch – the big circuit breaker popped on the engine. I shut everything off and reset the circuit breaker – pushed it in. Not knowing that the reversed polarity was the issue. – I turned it on again – with the same results.
I correctly hooked up the battery and now I have NO power anywhere. I didn’t have the key in the engine or ANYTHING like that – didn’t try to start NOTHING like that.
What did I screw up ?
I can’t put in words what kind of Idiot I feel like.
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Old 04-24-2017 | 10:04 AM
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Im not sure of your set up, but if its factory Mercury there will be a fuse down on the starter that supplies voltage to the top of the engine, it may of blown..and YES, it can be a mo fo to get to
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Old 04-24-2017 | 10:41 AM
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[QUOTE=F

F-2 Thank you so much

Just got off the phone with the marina

a) Blew out the solenoid to the starter
b) Fried the battery

Should be around $300.00 for new battery (1000crank amps) labor and $30.00 part solenoid

Thank the Lord that was all there was.

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Old 04-24-2017 | 12:40 PM
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I'd be surprised if that fuse is not blown.
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Old 04-24-2017 | 02:46 PM
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All that responded - thank you so much - I'm not a mechanic-- URGH

The solenoid to the starter was fried and yes the Fuse took one for the team. The battery was something that was a little more expensive at the Marina but they were able to get this in and out in a couple of hours - it was worth every penny.

Again guys thank you for your inputs.

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Old 04-24-2017 | 03:08 PM
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You did get lucky. You should see what happens to some cars when this happens. Big ol' OMG !
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Old 04-25-2017 | 06:38 AM
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Glad it worked out for you. Chances are you won't do that again, but I would rig the battery cables better to avoid the possibility of that happening.
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Old 04-25-2017 | 07:07 AM
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Originally Posted by Dave M
Glad it worked out for you. Chances are you won't do that again, but I would rig the battery cables better to avoid the possibility of that happening.
The long and short of this entire mess was me not taking time to do the work. I have everything color coded and I was in too much of a hurry to think first. I will say this much on the top of the positive terminal I'm going to cut a cross in it and fill it with some white nail polish. Belt and suspenders

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Old 04-25-2017 | 11:08 AM
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Better check your alternator too , unless it has a fusible link, the alternator is most likely fried too.

Don't ask me how I know.
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