If your battery is dead and you can’t start your car, a jump
start may help get you back on the road. Jump starting a car with cables or
with a jump box can be relatively easy, but there are a few safety tips you
need to be aware of.
Connect good quality copper cables to the positive terminal
of the dead battery first, then to the positive terminal of the good battery
second. Then connect the negative terminal of the good battery.
The last connection should be the negative cable to the dead
battery, but DON’T connect directly to the negative terminal on the dead
battery. The last connection should be made to an engine or chassis ground as
far from the dead battery as possible.
Lead-acid batteries produce hydrogen gas, which are
sometimes present near the surface of the battery. It is normal for there to be
a small spark when you complete the jumper cable connection and this spark
could ignite the hydrogen gasses and cause an explosion. (Yes, your car battery
can explode.)
Most newer cars have a special ground and power connections
built away from the battery just for the purpose of jump starting. Check your
owner’s manual for the exact location of these connection points.
Once your connection is complete, start the car with the
good battery and allow it to run for two to three minutes to build up a surface
charge on the dead battery, and you should be good to go. Leave the good car
running until after the car with the dead battery starts.
Great tip about not connecting the last connection to the negative terminal. I see this done all the time. Usually nothing happens, but it is always a good idea to stay cautious. Last thing you would want is something to explode in your engine. That would be a bad day for sure!
ReplyDeleteI always hear the same thing, but I have never actually seen a battery explode or catch on fire from connecting a negative cable to the battery. To me it sound like the same myth of not talking on your cell phone while refueling car. Nevertheless, I follow practice of connecting the negative cable to the chassis.
ReplyDeleteCar battery explosions are no myth. The video below shows a demonstration of a car battery explosion caused by sparks from a grinder, and you can see how little time it takes. The spark from connecting the cables can cause the same type explosion, and you'll be standing right over it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_TnsHu2u4c
ReplyDeleteI've been working on cars for over 30 years, and have had this happen just once. That's all it take to gain a new respect for the battery.
The wire gauge for the jumper cables is important as well. If the wire isn't thick enough, it may not pass enough current to jump the battery.
ReplyDeleteSeth is right...nothing usually happens, but it is still a good tip because when something does happen it goes really bad.
Those warnings are there for a reason.
You never want to see an accident involving a battery, coolant, fuel, or anything that lifts a vehicle up.
It happens once and you could be injured, horribly disfigured, or dead.