Its a non issue really. The negative cable is grounded to some part of the chassis. Those electrodes are still making their way to the negative post.

Its just the likelihood of shocking yourself via the positive goes up if you do it second.

 

Thanks for the replies guys and sorry for taking so long to get back to you, not a lack of interest, just a very busy day!

Unfortunately I have now removed the jump leads from the car battery, but as far as I can recall, the leads were hooked up correctly (though I was half asleep at the time). The mistake I thought I made was to hook the live up last, but I suppose it's a moot point, the damage is done, whatever caused it

My main concern is damage to major electrical items like the ECU, RR and stator. I'm just hoping nothing too expensive has been destroyed.

As stated the main fuse on top of the starter solenoid is toast, replaced it with an old one I had hanging around, but I'm not sure if it's a good one, I've got a box of new ones on order, so I can replace it with a known good one.

My 'lectrickery' skills are non existent (except apparently when it comes to burning stuff and making sparks). What basic kit will I need to trace the problem, I'll buy a simple circuit tester tomorrow. The worst thing is I'm on standby at work, which makes it a bit difficult to know when I'll be able to do things. So if I don't get back, it's not because I can't be bothered.

Thanks again for the help.

 

Hooking up the leads at the wrong order only makes a small snap, I`ve given power from a lorry truck to another and we`re talking about currents that can get a wire the dia. of my index finger smoke (seen it happen) as there are 2 huge batteries that make up 24v, if you`ve had a proper shower I`m guessing the leads were the wrong way round thus shorting the batteries out, and on that situation, as in life in general, the weaker one gets pummeled. I took a quick look at the 1kf wiring diagram and seems like the 30amp fuse in the solenoid IS the bike`s main fuse so my best guess is you have a) shorted out b) flash-drained your battery. Chances are the main fuse saved your butt, that`s kinda why it`s there. So get one of them multimeters and measure the battery but I`m fairly confident it`s shorted and scrap. Get it with you to your preferred bike parts/ battery shop and have them load-test it, pretty sure the tester will show red for a short. If it IS shorted charging it makes no difference, it will not accept charge as it will go straight through the shorted cells, and attempting to charge a potentionally shorted battery is not exactly recommended anyway.

 

Steve, this thread is a mess. We're all just trying to guess what you did or didn't do and even you aren't quite sure anyway. May I suggest you call me and we can work through it together. It would be really good to catch up with you anyway.
For the record, even if you did connect the battery terminals to the wrong polarity, there is no reason why your main fuse should have blown as there was nothing actually going through it unless the ignition was turned on, which you don't think it was. Blimey, you must have been tired.
Let this be a lesson to us all, if we can't understand anything else..... don't mend your electrical system when you're tired! Mistakes are bound to happen.
I hope this isn't serious. Let's talk it through.

H

 

This, was thinking the same thing, fuse shouldn`t have blown from wrong polarity since the solenoid wasn`t pulling but it did anyway so something`s amiss...

 

So if you had the negative on first, (which is correct BTW and I'll explain why in a sec), is it possible in your tired state, that the positive end on the jumper lead touched any of the framework / metal on the bike while navigating to put it on the bike battery? Can you see any scorch marks by the battery housing anywhere?

Re negative first.. You ever put a hot positive on, then leaned against ya bike/car or had your arm resting on a front cross member in the classic lazy mechanic stance and put the positive on without the negative on first? Do it once and you won't do it again always earth the bike, car, truck, tractor, what ever first or you can very easily become the earth yourself!
Ill call the battery needing to be jumped the "dead" and the live one "hot".. so hook up for safety reasons and afford blowing $#%t up is
Negative dead to negative hot, positive hot to positive dead.
Back to your bike,
If that did happen it would explain how the 30amp could have stuffed out, or if it was on the battery itself I'm guessing the battery will be ka-rooted and you'll need a new one.

 

^^^Thats the opposite.


You can grab the positive terminal all day long so long as you're not touching the negative terminal (nor anything else that's connected to the neg. pole). If you don't have the vehicle grounded, it's not making any continuity to the negative pole, so you're in the clear. If you do have it grounded first, one slight slip of the wrench, or the lean, while you're connecting or touching the positive and you're making continuity, i.e. getting schocked.



If you're connecting the neg pole last (pos already hooked up) and you slip and hit the frame, no big deal - you're just touching ground to ground.


This can further be tested by a simple test-light. Un-connect your battery and and hook the test light to the positive. Now try and find a ground. You won't, other than the negative pole. Re-connect the ground wire to the battery. With the end of test light still connected to the positive, now try to find a ground. You'll see almost every bolt, and steel part of the bike lights up your test light.

Anytime the test light lights up, if you were touching the two points, you'd get shocked. If that 12v test light can't light, you won't be shocked.

 

This is starting to sound like a monty python sketch. Stop right there, you're setting a bad example and scare mongering all those who are not clued up on electrics.
First of all, anyone who thinks they might get a shock off a 12V battery, take a pair of jump leads, connect them to the battery and then connect the other ends to your ********* (not touching the ends together obviously) Anything? No, I thought not.
It is absolute nonsense to suggest that you can in any way get a shock from a bike or car battery other UNLESS you have wet skin or are actually introducing the electrical circuit through wounds in your body which would allow the circuit to be made through the most tissue. How likely is that?
For the record, it would take a minimum of 48V with a supply delivering at least 0.35mA to come anywhere close to delivering a fatal electric shock to even a child let alone a healthy adult.
I think what we're getting confused with here are the immediate effects of either being made to jump by sparks caused when connecting jump leads, which sometimes happens if if the polarity is correct if the battery being jumped is completely flat. The donor battery will cause a large current to flow into the flat battery which creates the spark when connected. Just be ready for it.
The second assumption I am forced to make from the above reports of being shocked by a vehicle battery is that somehow someone was touching part of the ignition circuit. Yep, that's a shock alright. If you don't what the ignition circuit is, don't mess around in the first place.
So, for everyone who may have read the previous comments about getting a shock from a 12V battery, relax, it's bollocks. Just don't try touching the terminals on your tongue.
I do agree with that one should always connect the negative lead last and disconnect it first. this reduces the chances of toughing the positive lead against the chassis and creating a short circuit. but then if you're jumping a battery the leads to the flat battery will already be connected so care is needed in any case.
Never wear rings when working on batteries. One slip and a short circuit means you're going to be cutting your bling off a very sore and badly burnt finger.

 

Thanks Henry for your very kind offer and yes it would me nice to catch up. I don't seem to have your number on my phone, drop me a PM and I'll give you a call tomorrow and I'll have time to poke around in the garage as well.

 

I remember when I was about 12 years old my Dad was working on our car and he asked me to check a wire under the dash for +12V. He handed me a pin and told me to poke the wire. I did and the result was a burn mark on my fingers. I know he didn't expect anything like that.

Electric shock? No. Electric burn? Most definitely.