Glowing earth clamp

[rob501]

Had my battery checked out, plus alternator at Halfords today, all ok,  my battery warning light keeps coming on and off.  Notice my earth clamp is glowing where its joined both earth straps.  Whats causing this and how do I cure it?  Any ideas cheers

 

Rob501

[Old Peter]

Hi Robert and welcome to the club.

 

I am not an electrical expert, but that sounds serious, and I would take out the battery, and clean up any connections and then get some expert advice.

 

Those with more electrical savvy than me will advise.  Bertieboy knows a great deal about X Types, and there are several members with great electrical expertise.

 

Peter.

[rob501]

Thanks Peter, taken battery off the car, cleaned the terminals, will contact local garage who has been looking after our family cars for a few years. 

[Raistlin]

Robert, a glowing terminal, wire, earth point or whatever else is caused by the heating effect of too high a current. I suspect that a wiring joint is loose and causing an over current or contamination is causing the same thing. I think that cleaning your terminals and securing them tightly will solve that problem. I think the battery warning light may well be as a result of the same thing.

[KEN33Y]

Both terminals require cleaning and I would also check the earthing point to chassis, current flows from positive to negative however electron flow on Direct Current flows from Negative to positive, for the earth strap to be glowing it sounds to me as if you have a floating negative (insecure connection to earth) either on the battery terminal or the main earthing point causing a resistance to the electron flow hence the heating up of the strap.

[rob501]

Thanks to all you chaps, I will be taking the clamps off and cleaning them and then retighten them. Hope this clears the problem.  Not using the car till I have sorted this one out as I think there is a risk of a fire breaking out either from the heat from the lead in close proximity to the battery, or a spark.  Will also check the contacts on the other end of the cables.

 

Happy driving

 

Rob