Hooked my battery up backwards, now car wont start

[jerrysworld]

Hello,

I have a 1969 F250. I recently had a bad battery, it was not holding a charge. I changed it out, but like an idiot connected the positive side to the ground and the negative side to the positive side. I connected the battery backwards. One of the small wires coming off the starter solenoid began to spark and smoke, and I disconnected the battery immediately.

I have since hooked up the battery correctly, changed the starter solenoid, and the 4 gauge wire that runs from the battery to the starter solenoid. I haven't changed any other wiring, because it seems like it will be a pain the rear. To be honest, all the wires looked decent still, with only a little slight melting of the insulation around one of the small wires running into the starter solenoid. I tried to jump the car again, thinking maybe the battery would be dead (?), and that didn't work. I am getting no power, anywhere. no headlights, no turn signals, nothing. I do not have a voltmeter, but I will later today.

All the fuses under the dash are good. I assumed there is another fuse under the hood, or a fused connector somewhere, but I can not find it.

Someone also recommended the voltage regulator, but I haven't tried that yet. Would that be a good next step?

[HIO Silver]

I do believe you "smoke-checked" the fusible link(s). .. it worked exactly as designed.

Replace it.

[jerrysworld]

that was it.

Rewired everything from the battery to the starter solenoid, alternator, and voltage regulator. Started right up.

I will never do that again.

[HIO Silver]

that was it.

Rewired everything from the battery to the starter solenoid, alternator, and voltage regulator. Started right up.

I will never do that again.

yeah, one time is usually all it takes to learn from.

STORY: I was about 13 and my dad ran down the battery on our '79 VW Rabbit. He busted out the jumper cables and hooked it up to our '74 Nova. Well, it arced and sparked when connecting it to the dead VW and I said, "you're hooking it up backwards". He stopped with one of the clamps in his hand, gave me a dirty look that told me to back off, and I said "OK" and walked around the corner of the garage and waited. He got the jumper cable hooked up through all the arcing and sparking, climbed in and cranked on the ignition..... KA-POW! the VW battery blew up.

I walked back and said, "I told you so" and went inside the house. He didn't talk to me for a few days.

[crazyhorse]

quote="HIO Silver"]

that was it.

Rewired everything from the battery to the starter solenoid, alternator, and voltage regulator. Started right up.

I will never do that again.

yeah, one time is usually all it takes to learn from.

STORY: I was about 13 and my dad ran down the battery on our '79 VW Rabbit. He busted out the jumper cables and hooked it up to our '74 Nova. Well, it arced and sparked when connecting it to the dead VW and I said, "you're hooking it up backwards". He stopped with one of the clamps in his hand, gave me a dirty look that told me to back off, and I said "OK" and walked around the corner of the garage and waited. He got the jumper cable hooked up through all the arcing and sparking, climbed in and cranked on the ignition..... KA-POW! the VW battery blew up.

I walked back and said, "I told you so" and went inside the house. He didn't talk to me for a few days.[/quote]

Mr HIO, I got a kick from reading your last sentence.[
I can see this in my mind happening & the look he probably gave you.