Car jump services provide an effective means to restore power when your battery goes dead. However, you must follow all necessary procedures to prevent further damage to yourself and the car.
Please bring in a friend with a working vehicle close but not touching your dead one, then attach the black jumper cable clamp to a clean metal surface on their car.
Jumper Cables
Jumper cables are two clamped wires with spring-loaded metal connectors at either end, featuring red and black clamps to indicate where they should be attached, as well as their polarity (red indicates positive, black indicates negative). When connecting jumper cables, ensure both vehicles are in a place that allows easy access to their battery terminals while power is turned off and keys removed before connecting jumper cables.
Locate both battery terminals of each vehicle and note which is marked with a plus (+). Use the red clamp of the jumper cable to connect the positive terminal of the dead battery with the positive terminal of the assisted battery or exposed piece of metal in the engine; click the red clamp of the black jumper cable with the negative terminal of the assisted battery or exposed metal part of the disabled car chassis, away from engine/carburetor/fuel injection system for maximum safety.
Once all four cables have been connected, start the engine of one car and allow it to run for several minutes while its battery charges in the other vehicle. At that point, stop both engines and disconnect each cable in reverse order from where they were initially connected to avoid accidental arcing between the metal parts of each machine and battery terminals.
Consider both gauge and length when purchasing jumper cables. A larger gauge means thicker insulation that helps protect both batteries and engine components from superheated arcs that could otherwise cause severe damage and winter temperatures where wire insulation becomes fragile and could break. Furthermore, thick insulation also makes jumper cables more flexible, making them easier to work with and less likely to tangle – a bonus if you live in frigid climates where freezing temperatures could pose an additional danger. Look for jumpers with high-temperature ratings so they are resistant to the damaging effects of sulfates in automotive battery acid!
Jumper Cable Clamps
Clamps on each end of a jumper cable are spring-loaded and feature color-coded clamps: red denotes positive (+), and black stands for negative or grounding terminals (-). When properly utilized, jumper cables provide a safe method of transferring electrical energy between batteries or from one car to another.
When using jumper cables, it is vitally important that your hands and eyes are safe from electrical shock by wearing gloves and safety goggles. In addition, make sure your working vehicle has a working battery and is parked safely away from other vehicles or objects that might suddenly move around you.
Start by opening both cars’ hoods and locating their battery terminals, then connect one end of your jumper cables using its red clamp to the positive terminal of a dead battery by loosening any plastic covers on positive terminals; make sure the red clamp does not touch metal or the black clamp on the other end, then wiggle the wires to ensure secure contact between red clamp and positive terminal of dead battery and red clamp of one jumper cable end.
Connect the black clamp of the jumper cables to either the negative terminal of a working battery or to an unpainted metal part in the engine block of your booster car. Do not connect it directly to a dead car battery, as this could spark and start fires; use an unpainted bolt head as an alternative ground point on its frame instead.
Once all connections have been made, start the working vehicle and allow it to idle for two to three minutes – this should help the dead battery gain enough charge so that it creates. Once it does, disconnect the jumper cables.
When disconnecting jumper cables, always work one clamp at a time. Attempting to remove multiple wires at once could result in electrocution, so it is best to work on each vehicle one at a time. Be careful as you work; keeping cords away from moving parts such as fans and belts could result in electrocution.
Jumper Cable Connections
Jumper cables are insulated wires equipped with alligator clips designed to connect a car battery with another energy source – usually another battery or source with the same voltage, such as an outlet in a garage. To avoid vehicle or battery damage as well as serious personal injury, be sure to follow all manufacturer’s instructions when using high-quality cables.
Before connecting the cables, both cars should be in the park and powered off to prevent electrical current from flowing between them. Locate each battery’s terminals to note which are positive and harmful. It is also wise to inspect batteries for cracks or leaks as these could present hazards that could cause an explosion if jumper cables were misused.
Once the cables have been joined, it is wise to direct them away from moving parts like fans and belts on both cars to decrease the chances of accidentally shorting out one engine or sparking hydrogen gas released during a jump-start. Your owner’s manual may offer guidance as to the optimal sequence for connecting cables aimed at mitigating such risks.
Once positive connections are complete, an individual should begin by starting the engine of a functioning car and allowing it to idle for approximately two minutes so a small charge may trickle into the dead battery. After doing this, they should attempt to start up their quiet car; if this does not succeed, then its battery may no longer be salvageable and may need to be jump-started directly instead of via another means such as jump starting.
To avoid electrical sparks, never attach the last black jumper cable clamp directly to the negative terminal on a dead battery. Instead, for safety’s sake, this clamp should be connected securely to an engine block component such as a bolt or screw. In certain circumstances, however, removing plastic covers from positive battery terminals before connecting this clamp may be necessary before linking them both securely.
Jumper Cable Disconnections
When disconnecting jumper cables, ensure they are disconnected in the opposite order as when attached. Otherwise, an unexpected spark could damage both vehicles. When taking this step, be particularly wary when disconnecting black from the negative terminal of the battery; pulling too hard could spark fire! Also, don’t touch either engine with a red jumper cable clamp unless necessary!
Assuming your car and the person driving it are parallel or facing each other, open both hoods to identify batteries marked with plus or minus symbols on their posts, then connect one positive (typically red) jumper cable from one car to the positive terminal on another; attach another black cable between their negative terminal on both vehicles, with one end attached to an unpainted metal surface of your frame or body of both cars for easy connection of jumper cables.
Start the working car and let it run until the battery receives an adequate charge, at least 20 minutes. Disconnect and carefully unhook both jumper cables – black first, followed by red ones – taking care not to touch any part of either vehicle’s engine or electrical systems during this process.
Jump-starting a car should only ever be seen as a temporary solution, and even if it does start back up, it could quickly die again once you turn it off due to not having had enough driving for its alternator to charge its battery back up again. Therefore, some driving will likely be necessary to recharge its power reserves.
Car jump service professionals use specialized tools to clear away corrosion from battery terminals before connecting a jumper cable, but you can do the same yourself using wire brushes, baking soda, water, or an automotive solvent.
