When the car battery dies, there is a need for jump starting the battery. But we can come across many problems during this jump starting process. Once you jump start the car and stop it in the middle of your journey, you may have to repeat the jump start process all over again. To sort this, you may have to keep the battery running all the time. This is practically not possible. Here are a few things to keep in mind when you have to jump start your car battery.
Whenever we deal with any mechanical operations, it is always important to take precautions. One of the most important consideration is to know which cable has to be connected to the battery first during the jump start process.
Do you hook up positive or negative first when jump starting a car?
When you connect cables to a car battery, you should always connect the positive terminal first, then the negative and the ground. If you connect negative first, there are chances of short-circuiting.
Note that, Red cable is positive (+) and Black cable is negative (-). Never connect the red cable to the negative battery terminal. Connect the red cable to the positive terminal and the black cable to the negative terminal. If you reverse the polarity, there are several damages which can be caused to the battery, such as:
- The battery might explode.
- Holds a temporary charge on the battery. (Battery doesn’t start again once you switch the battery off).
- Chances of the acid leak.
In order to jump start your battery, you need to connect the battery to the second vehicle to charge it.
To make connections properly follow the following steps:
- Take all the necessary cables beforehand before starting the connections.
- Use the second vehicle as the one that has is a charged battery and make sure to park the vehicles and keep it in neutral mode.
- Now connect both the car’s battery with the red clips to the positive terminal first and then connect black clips to the negative terminal.
- Attach the other battery’s negative terminal to unpainted metal.
- Start the engine.
Choosing the best battery jump starter is very important. Let’s look at the factors to be considered while buying the best battery jump starter.
- Choose the type of jump starter that you want- there are three types of jump starters: jump cables, battery charger, and portable jump starter.
- The size of the jump starter- it is preferable to use a small jump starter to be able to store it in the love box and use it during emergency situations.
- Charging specifications- better the amp better, more effective is the jump starter.
- Customer reviews
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Your car won’t start. What now? It might seem like your battery is dead, but if the lights and electrical systems are still running, your battery might just need a jump start. Follow these steps to give your
battery a boost and get back on the road. Learn the simple steps to jump starting your vehicle battery. Jump-Starting Your Car: Complete Instructions Using Jumper Cables
How to Jump Start Your Car Battery
STEP 1: Find Jumper Cables (Jump Leads)
Read and follow the Safety and Handling Information on this website and with the jumper cables. You'll need a set of jumper cables and another vehicle with a charged battery. You can find cables in auto parts stores, at gas stations or just about anywhere you buy car parts.
STEP 2: Park the car that needs to be jump-started next to a car with a good battery.
Park the car with the good battery next to the car with the dead battery. Pull the car close enough so that the cables will easily reach from the battery of one car to the battery of the other. Shut off both engines and prop open the hoods or trunks, depending on where the batteries are located within the vehicles.
STEP 3: Find the Red (Positive) and Black (Negative) Battery Terminals
Find the batteries and their terminals. Each battery has two metal terminals. One is marked positive (+), the other negative (-). There are also positive and negative cables in the jumper cable set. The red one is positive (+), the black one is negative (-). Never connect the red cable to the negative battery terminal or a vehicle with a dead battery.
STEP 4: Dead Battery: Identify a metal ground
Identify a metal ground within the vehicle with the dead battery. You can use the metal frame of the vehicle.
STEP 5: Dead Battery: Attach the Positive Jumper Cable Lead to a Positive Terminal
Connect a positive cable clamp to the positive (+) terminal of the dead battery.
STEP 6: Good Battery: Attach the other Positive Jumper Cable Lead to a Positive Terminal
Connect the other positive cable clamp to the positive (+) terminal of the charged battery.
STEP 7: Good Battery: Connect the Negative Jumper Cable Lead to a Negative Terminal
Connect a negative cable clamp to the negative (-) terminal of the charged battery.
STEP 8: Dead battery: Attach the other Negative Jumper Cable Lead to a Metal Ground
Connect the other negative clamp to the metal ground of the vehicle with the dead battery. You can use the engine block or another metal surface of the vehicle away from the battery. This is the last connection you need to make.
STEP 9: Dead Battery Vehicle: Start the Car
Start the car with the charged battery. Wait one or two minutes and try to start the car with the dead battery.
If the car starts:
Remove the black negative clamp from the ground of the vehicle needing the jump.
Remove the black negative clamp from the assisting vehicle.
Remove the red positive clamp from the assisting car.
Remove the red positive clamp from the formerly stalled vehicle.
If the car doesn’t start:
Wait a few moments and repeat Step 9.
We recommend fully charging your battery at the first opportunity after its being jump-started.