The Non-Mechanic's Guide to Jump-Starting a Car Battery

The Non-Mechanic's Guide to Jump-Starting a Car Battery

Car batteries can lose their ability to crank an engine for several reasons. When they do, a quick jump-start will help recharge them. The key is to follow a methodical process in order to ensure your personal safety while avoiding electrical problems.

You have probably heard that an automotive battery can potentially explode. This is true, which is the reason you should wear protective goggles while changing, cleaning, or jump-starting one. The danger is due to hydrogen gas contained within the unit. It can be ignited by an errant spark. That said, the danger is slight; exploding batteries are extremely rare.

In this article, you'll discover the step-by-step procedure for properly jump-starting your car's battery.

Preparatory Steps

A jump-start requires two vehicles, your own and the jumper - or booster - vehicle. Park the booster vehicle with its battery as close as possible to your own without the cars making contact. Then, turn the ignition off (as well as the radio and other devices) and set the parking brake on both automobiles.

Take a look at your jumper cables. One will be attached to a red clamp and the other will be attached to a black clamp. Ideally, the cables should be heavy-duty and the metal clamps should be completely clean of corrosion.

Next, take a look at the posts on both batteries. One will be positive and the other will be negative. The positive post should have a plus ("+") sign and the negative one should be marked with a minus ("-") sign.

Making The Connections

First, connect one of the red clamps to the positive post on your dead battery. Make sure the connection is secure. Then, connect the other red clamp of the jumper cable to the positive post on the booster car's battery.

Connect one of your jumper cable's two black clamps to the negative post on the booster car. Then, connect the last remaining free clamp to the hull of your vehicle or to a metal ground somewhere on the engine.

Sending The Charge

Start the jumper vehicle and let it idle for two or three minutes. Then, start your own automobile and let it idle. If your engine refuses to turn over, turn it off. There are likely other problems that need to be resolved. If you're persistent and keep trying to turn your engine over, you might cause damage to your starter.

Assuming you're able to start your vehicle, disconnect the clamps of your jumper cables in the same order that you connected them. Then, either connect the battery to a charger or drive your car for approximately twenty minutes before turning the engine off.

Batteries occasionally lose their charge and need to be jump-started. It's a simple procedure, but it must be performed according to the guidelines above in order to ensure your safety and that of your vehicle.

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