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.
