How stupid can I be??

**izup69** · 08-20-2010

Ok let me start out by saying today I'm installing my 3000 watt system in my car. I put my head-unit in works great really f'in loud w/o subs. So I switch over my battery terminals to the decent kind instead of the crappy flat aluminum ones that was on my car. I go to start it up after I get my 0 gauge wire ran (oh yeh ran into alot of problems with that but they where ez fixes) anyway on with the story. Go to start the car all it dose is kill all the electronics like it should to get max volts to starter then nothing no clicks nothing. So after I took off my positive cable and cleaned/put the power wires in a better spot on the clamps like 15 times to get a better connection (I only changed the positive for now will get to the negative latter today) Needless to say by this time I'm po'ed off b/c just spent the past 3 hours running all the stuff and now my car wont start. Then I noticed something I HAD THE CAR IN 1ST GEAR!!!! I put it there so I had more access to the head-unit. Then after I put it in park it just clicks like 600 times then nothing. Figuring it was still a bad connection I moved the positive cable on the battery for the 600000th time still just clicks. At this time I remember my negative is still loose (on the battery with connection just not tightened down) Got all that done and found out my battery was dead b/c this hole time the car wont start it is raining outside so I'm soaking wet and I was blaring music. I found out it was dead because I looked at my DIC and noticed it said 9.4 volts battery. Hooked up the battery charger let it charge for about 10 min and the car starts. WOOT now I just gota wait for the amp to arrive via ups and it will all be hooked up.

**QUICKSILVER462** · 08-20-2010

YEa, I had a similar thing happen to me after changing a couple light bulbs in the dash, I removed the dash bezel, but to give more clearence to get to it, I pulled the shifter all the way back, and forgot it was not in PARK when I tried to start the car after putting it all back together. So then I was freekin out that I screwed up sumthing with the alarm or antitheft system and spent another 3 hours on the internet and in the car trying to figure it out. It was not untill I did a "security" check, that I noticed that, while sitting there behind the whell, staring at the security light, that I look over to the P R N OD D 2 1 that the number "1" is lit up.
So, I put it in park, and it started. Maybe they could have put some sort of buzzer that would sound off if the car was attempted to start in gear, along with not actually turning over.

**TLSheff** · 08-20-2010

been there, done that, face-palmed 500 times before the day was over

**matt5112** · 08-20-2010

9.4 V = perma damage to that battery lol

**GrandPrixSE** · 08-22-2010

Well I know how it all goes.. But when I hooked up my stuff, I decided to unhook the battery

I used to own a Saturn SL and that car was "ok", but kept eating belts each month... blah, but I installed 2 12" subs and a 1500 watt amp (could only afford small time stuff), and decided to visit my brother where he worked (Gas Station). I swear I only sat out in the car for 30 mins playing music (not running the car), but then I facepalmed because I was not only out there for more than 2 hours, I killed my battery.... So yea, learned not to do that anymore LOL.

**izup69** · 08-24-2010

yeh my batt was completely history already so don't really care about running it down to like 1v lol. Need to upgrade to optima yellow top for the higher sustained voltage. But I gota wait till after my birthday don't know how much money I'm going to blow this weekend