What could be worse than walking out to your car after a long day of work only to have a dead battery. Maybe you left an interior light on or your battery has simply reached the end of its life. Either way, car batteries don’t typically give you signs of trouble until it’s too late, and then your car just won’t start.
So no matter how old (or new) your car is, owning a working set of jumper cables — and knowing how to use them — is a must. First you need the right pair of cables. When you really need them, any set is better than none at all, but if you’re buying new jumper cables, Popular Mechanics suggests ones that are 4 to 6 gauge and at least 20 feet (6 meters) long.
Those extra-long cables will come in handy and make connecting batteries easier if you can’t put two cars directly next to each other. Also look for jumpers with thicker cables and heavy clamps. They’ll be more durable and last longer. Let’s learn how to use jumper cables in the right way.
How to Use Jumper Cables, Follow These Tips:
- Get both cars ready. Place each car in park or neutral, turn them off, pull the parking brake and pop the hood. The cars should not be touching.
- Your jumper cables have 4 sets of clips or alligator clips. Red is positive and black is negative. Here’s the correct order for your jumper cables:
- RED to DEAD: Connect the red clip to the positive terminal on your dead battery.
- RED to DONOR: Connect the red clip to the positive terminal on the donor vehicle’s working battery.
- BLACK to DONOR: Same car! Connect the black clip to the negative terminal on the donor vehicle’s working battery.
- BLACK to METAL: Back to the dead battery. Connect the black clip to an unpainted metal part of the dead car (like a bolt or bracket) that is not directly next to the battery.
- Start the engine of the working car and let it run 1-2 minutes.
- Start the car with the dead battery and allow it to run 1-2 minutes so it can recharge.
- Remove the cables in reverse order and start driving your resurrected vehicle for 30 minutes so that it can recover for next time.
If your car battery is frequently dying, it might be time for a new one.
How to Disconnect Jumper Cables?
As soon as both vehicles are running, you can disconnect the jumper cables. Remove the clamps one at a time, in the opposite order you placed them. Start with removing the black cable from the engine block, and then remove the other black clamp from the working vehicle. Then remove both ends of the red cable, ending with the clamp attached to the dead battery.
After disconnecting the jumper cables, you can turn off or re-park the vehicle you used to start the dead battery. However, you should allow the other vehicle to continue to run. Let it idle for a half-hour to recharge the battery. You can also drive it around the block a few times to help the battery regain a charge.
What Happens When You Put On Battery Cables Wrong?
Attaching the jumper cables incorrectly could lead to serious problems. Some of the most common issues with putting on jumper cables include:
- Putting the black and red jumper cables in the wrong positions: If you connect the jumper cables to the wrong sides of the battery, you won’t be able to start the dead vehicle. Always make sure that the red cables connect to the side of the battery that features a plus (+) sign.
- Attaching one of the black jumper cables to the dead battery: When you try to turn on the vehicle, sparks can appear, potentially reacting with or igniting flammable substances. Always connect the second black cable to a grounded metal part instead.
- Neglecting to attach one of the jumper cables: If one of the jumper cables isn’t in place, the process won’t work correctly. If the dead battery still won’t start, double-check that you’ve attached all four ends of the jumper cables correctly.
When Should You Try To Start The Dead Vehicle?
After connecting all four ends of the jumper cables, turn on the working vehicle. Leave it in park and allow it to idle for at least a minute. Then attempt to start the other vehicle. If a dead battery was the issue, then the second vehicle should turn on right away.
When Do You Disconnect The Jumper Cables?
As soon as both vehicles are running, you can disconnect the jumper cables. Remove the clamps one at a time, in the opposite order you placed them. Start with removing the black cable from the engine block, and then remove the other black clamp from the working vehicle. Then remove both ends of the red cable, ending with the clamp attached to the dead battery.
After disconnecting the jumper cables, you can turn off or re-park the vehicle you used to start the dead battery. However, you should allow the other vehicle to continue to run. Let it idle for a half-hour to recharge the battery. You can also drive it around the block a few times to help the battery regain a charge.
How Do You Jump A Car Battery Without A Second Car?
If another vehicle isn’t available to start the dead battery, you may be able to use a jump box if you have one on hand. Also known as a battery pack, this handy piece of equipment can easily replace the second vehicle.
Just hook up the jumper cables to the dead battery and the jump box, and try starting the vehicle. When it starts, remove the cables and allow the vehicle to idle.