Topic

When I went into the garage today I got quite a , and looking back count myself lucky that the whole garage didn't burn down with the loss of the newly finished MG, my beloved mini Cooper, several bikes and various other items that would taken an age to replace and cost a small pile .

I need to go into town so was going to take the TF, but then my daughter announce that she and a friend wanted to go to the cinema, and she wanted to go into the mini.
The fluids needed to be checked, so I went to the garage whilst I still had time, and found the cable to the battery maintainer broken. I immediately thought bloomin' kids must have snagged it whilst getting their bike out or something.

But then I noticed the cable was melted and the back of the mini look like...

...fire, expletives, fire, I shouted, and every one comes for a look (as can bee seen in the reflection).
On opening the boot I found damage to the carpeted boot lining around the petrol tank...

...and the base (taken out of the car in this picture)...

Anyway, I got very lucky, as there was no damage to the paint work, once I'd cleaned the black dust off.

There is smoke damage to the light cluster lens, the boot stay cable is melted, the burns in the carpet, and I need a new battery maintainer. So I expect around £100 of unplanned costs, but none of it's urgent stuff so I can hold off till this winter.
The good news, besides the fact the garage and it's contents didn't burn to dust, is the car started first time, so my daughter and her friend, got to ride into town in the Cooper after all .

It must have been caused by damage to the battery maintainer cable causing a short, I will be carrying out regular checks of the cable in future, and I suggest you do the same if you have one!

That was a very lucky escape.

Obviously the mini is hacked off at all the attention the TF's been getting. A fortunate escape - but also a fantasy garage replacement opportunity lost.

Another car with the battery as far away from the starter you can get. I am always worried about the TF's cable chafing somewhere hidden, the potential of max battery current shorting out on an unfused heavy cable is quite scary; you were very lucky.

Brian.

A lucky escape indeed.

My battery maintainer actually lives under the F which lives outside. I have an extension lead running from the house to under the boot, then the maintainer lives in an adapted milk carton under the car and then the leads to the battery go up through the front bay.

BarryD wrote: wrote:

Obviously the mini is hacked off at all the attention the TF's been getting. A fortunate escape - but also a fantasy garage replacement opportunity lost.

She's irreplaceable. If I list her I'd go of cars....


....for a week or two


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Badger wrote: wrote:

Another car with the battery as far away from the starter you can get. I am always worried about the TF's cable chafing somewhere hidden, the potential of max battery current shorting out on an unfused heavy cable is quite scary; you were very lucky.

Brian.

Batteries in the boot seem to be a modern trend also. The XF, and the Chrysler 300c I had before it, both have boot mounted batteries and they are so large I'd need my engine crane to lift them out. Lol.


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