How to jump start your battery right
If your car has a dead battery, and you are stranded somewhere, one of your options is to jump start your car. The problem is, if you do it wrong, you could fry your car, and/or the car that is jumping yours. This means there is a risk. How would you like to ruin your car over a left on light? It is not an appealing option. So, the following are some tips for maintaining your car, and maintaining your battery, and jump starting without ruining your car or the charged battery.
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First, always do what you can to keep your car battery in good repair so that you are not plagued with dead batteries, as you won't have to worry about jump starting your car if you never have a dead battery. To keep it in good repair just make sure you clean the battery often, as a dirty battery may drain. You also want to make sure you clean the terminals or posts well. Corrosion, dirt, and debris can mess with the battery juice, or cause the battery to drain. Also, make sure you replace your battery when you need to. Some of the warning signs include damage, cracks, bulges, or just a battery that doesn't seem to hold a charge.
However, if you are past the point of taking precautions, and are at the point where you need to jump start your car, here are the steps to doing it properly so that you can rest assured you won't blow up your car.
1. Turn both cars off. This is a safety precaution, and a wise move.
2. Connect positive end to the positive on the dead battery. If you need to clean the terminal first to ensure a good connection, do so.
3. Connect the positive end to the positive end of the charged battery. Same thing on this one, if you need to clean the terminal go for it.
4. Connect the negative cable to the negative terminal on the charged battery.
5. Attach the remaining negative cable to a metal part on your car engine, far away from the dead battery. This is going to act as a grounder, and so try to find an unpainted metal portion of your car, but make sure you are no where near the dead battery.
6. Try to start the dead car. Sometimes a battery needs just a little juice from a charged battery, if that is the case, you won't even have to start the cars, which can be much safer.
7. Start the charged car if the dead battery would not start on the previous step.
8. Try starting the dead car again. At this point the car should start for sure.
9. Once started, disconnect the cables in the opposite order.
10. If the battery won't charge, then get a new battery.
11. After it does start, be sure to drive at least 5-10 minutes to give the battery time to charge so you don't have to jump it again.
