Battery Jump Starting 101
If you've left your headlights on over time or some other reason has caused the battery to be drained below a level sufficient to start your car here is a basic outline of how to properly jump start your car.
Position the 2 vehicles
It easiest if you position the two vehicles bumper to bumper with enough room to walk between but close enough so the cables aren't stretch taught.
Remove the keys from both vehicles
It is best to start this procedure with both vehicles turned off. Make sure in the car with the dead battery that you disconnect any phone chargers, make sure the lights of off (including the ceiling light), turn off the radio. We want all the electrical energy from the good battery going into the bad battery only and not into any other electrical components on the car with the dead battery.
Battery Polarity is Critical
All batteries provide direct current (DC) in order for the electric starter motor to turn over then engine and start the car. The battery has a positive post + and a negative post -. Direct current flows from the positive to the negative posts.
Never connect two batteries together with + to - and - to +.
It is wise to clip both ends of the cables to a non conductive material.
Using your jumper cables on the good battery first.
1) Attached the BLACK battery cable to the NEGATIVE POST - of the good battery. This way if you drop the red cable end and it touches the body of the car it won't arc and cause a spark and potential engine fire.
2)B e sure the other end of the cables aren't touching then attach the RED cable to the POSITIVE post + of the good battery. The other end of the cables should still be attached to the non conductive material.
3) On the bad battery attached the RED cable to the POSITIVE post + making sure the black clip is not touching any of the frame of the car.
Now the only thing preventing the transfer of electrical power from the running car to the dead battery is the red cable not being attached. Again because you've attached the black cable first if you should happen to drop the red cable and it touches the car frame it won't arc and cause a spark.
Before you attach the black cable to the frame of car with the bad battery, double check that you've connected everything correctly. Cross wiring a car battery can lead to extreme heat, melting of the cable insulation and potentially a battery explosion.
4) Attach the black cable to a bolt or frame part on the car with the dead battery.
Now start the car with the good battery. The running car is providing a source voltage of 13-15 volts to the dead battery. Let the bad battery set and charge for a few minutes while the other car is running. You should be able to start the car with the dead battery after a few minutes.
When unhooking the battery cables always unhook the positive (red) cable first from either car and the negative (black) cable last. Again, if you drop the cable there won't be an arc / spark created if the red cable touches the car frame.
If you're not comfortable with this just give us a call and we'll do it for you. (785) 504-1941