Ford 800 battery melt down

Ford 800 battery melt down! I just purchased a Ford 800 and it had a nearly dead battery. So I bought a new 6 volt battery. Seller told me it was a negative is the positive stystem. So I connect the ground cable to the positive terminal and the cable that goes to the starter to the negative. I did this and it didn't start. After a while of trying to start it and the engine turning over and over, the starter stopped and didn't do anything. I looked at the battery and the end of the cable from the starter was melted right off - disconnecting the cable from the battery clamp. So what went wrong here?

Sounds like you cranked it too long and the starter got hot and quit, since heat dramatically increases the resistance in the start circuit. If you are very lucky, the starter quit because the cable melted off, rather than the starter itself melting internally. Happens to most of us, believe me.

Ben

So did I hook it up correctly? Do I dare hook it up the same way and try again?

The advise was correct, the old 6 volt systems were positive ground. Sounds like you connected it correctly.
Even if it were connected wrong, the problem you had would not have been caused by reversed polarity.

Could have been a bad connection in the cable end, or too small cable. The 6 volt system requires large
cables, size 0 or bigger is preferred. Probably won't find them at the auto supply, need to go to a truck
supply or order them.

But when you get it cranking again, find out why it didn't start! Extended cranking can damage the starter.

I don't know if those a pos. ground, but if it cranked something was right. Try to determine if the engine is getting gas, spark etc. just don't crank longer than 20 or 30 seconds and allow cool down time between. Feel the starter with your hand---anything beyond warm is too much. And make sure ALL connections are CLEAN and tight. Good Luck.

Ben

As Steve said below,you may have had too small of battery cables-6 volts are positive ground and 6 volt cables are much larger diameter than 12 volt.The size is almost as big as your finger-0 or 00.So,you had a bad connection and/or too small of a cable;to make up for the lower voltage you need more amperage which requires larger cables.Also,did it crank slow-too small of cables would not have carried enough amperage to the starter and you also would have had too low of voltage to the ignition coil.Mark

Yes you hooked it up right but likely you have either held the starter button down way to long or it has auto type battery cables on it which are way to small or you burned out the starter

> Seller told me it was a negative is the positive stystem. So I connect the ground cable to the positive terminal and the cable that goes to the
starter to the negative.

Whew, that's a little confusing in the first sentence, but I think you got it right.

The six volt gas tractors were indeed wired up with a positive ground system.

The starter itself doesn't care, and you could actually reset a generator (not an alternator!) to work either way, but normally they are positive
ground.

The positive battery terminal goes to ground.

The negative battery terminal goes to the starter.

As the others say, one of these happened:

1. You held the starter down too long. At 6 volts, they draw twice the amps of a 12v system, and that amp load overloads things, you can't
overdo the cranking on the old 6 volt setups or something overheats and melts.

2. A tired worn out starter draws more amps, and will overheat something.

3. Dirty poor connections or cables offer more resistance, and will overheat quicker.

(You see the common thread here, less voltage, means more amps, and more amps can cause bigger heat load in a shorter time when
something isn't right....)

4. Undersized wires, as mentioned. Less voltage, more amps, needs a bigger wire.

Paul

You have a bad cable the starter doesent care which is ground but your generator and regulator do.

3X poor connection. battery did not melt down. One connection melted due to heat from resistance at that spot. Too small a path due to loose, coating or design.

Thanks to everyonee for your input. I got my question answered. Really appreciate all the input. Happy Trails!