Running electrical components in your car when it is not running is only one way to drain the battery. Driving less often can cause the battery to run down faster because it doesn’t get regularly recharged. If you do get stranded somewhere, including at home, because of a dead battery, knowing how to jump start a car can get you on your way again.
How Quickly And Easily Connect Your Jumper Cables
If you have a friend who is willing to help you jump start your car, you can use jumper cables to transmit power from the other car’s battery to recharge your dead one. However, it is important to do this the correct way. Otherwise, you could create an unintended electrical circuit between the two vehicles. This could result in damage to car parts or injuries to you or the other driver.
Jumper cables are color-coded so that you know which end to connect to which part of the batteries. The red ends go on the positive terminals of each battery.
The other most important thing to know is that you should never connect the black end of the jumper cables to the negative terminal of your dead battery. Instead, you should connect it to a metal part of your car’s body that is unpainted and not adjacent to the battery. The metal strut that holds the hood open is often ideal because it’s unpainted and accessible.
The order in which you connect the clips to the battery is as important as making sure that the correct colors connect to the correct terminals. When connecting the red clips to the positive terminals, you start by attaching one of the red clips to the dead battery, then connect the other one to the donor battery. Connect the first black clip to the negative terminal of the donor battery, then connect the last black clip to the unpainted metal service of the car with the dead battery. When removing the clips, go in the opposite order, starting with the black clip on the unpainted metal surface of the car with the dead battery.
How To Store Your Jumper Cables
You should keep your jumper cables in your car so that you always have them with you in case your battery dies when you are away from home. Jumper cables are made out of copper, which is chosen because of its high conductivity. Unfortunately, however, copper is also vulnerable to corrosion, which can decrease the effectiveness of your jumper cables so that they do not transmit enough power.
The key to storing your jumper cables correctly is to keep them dry at all times. This prevents the insides from corroding. Before returning your jumper cables to storage after use, first clean off any dirt that they might have picked up. If your jumper cables come with their own protective bag, use this to keep them clean in your trunk.
You may not always be able to find someone willing and able to give you a jump start if your car battery dies. A jump starter is a rechargeable, battery-powered device that can provide the necessary electricity to start your car on your own. Jump starters and jumper cables are available from online auto parts stores.
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