How to jump start a car battery
In the “things we should already all know but probably don’t” category, eHow has a tutorial (with pictures) for jump-starting your car.
Jump Starting A Dead Car Battery: A Few Precautions
Line both cars up so the batteries are as close as can be. Make sure the cars are in park, and both cars are turned off, and not touching each other before you connect the cables. Actually one of them is already off, or you wouldn’t be in this predicament right? Make sure all headlights, blinkers, car radios and A/C’s are off, radar detectors are unplugged, cell phones unplugged, everything off. Unplug all accessories from cigarette lighters and other power sockets from both cars. Jump starting a battery can crank 300+ volts through your system and the transients can destroy equipment. These voltage spikes are caused by inrush current, into the inductances in your electrical system.
Familiarize yourself with the Positive (+) and Negative (-) terminals of both car batteries so you know exactly which one is which. All batteries are clearly marked so if you can’t find it, it’s probably under 1/8″ of caked on corrosion around the terminals. Wipe off any battery acid that may have leaked.
If the battery is cracked and liquid is leaking out, DO NOT go further! Bite the bullet and go buy another battery and swap it out. If you try to jump start a battery with a crack in it, it will explode, and battery acid will dissolve your eyes (on the positive side though, it does get the red out). It makes no sense to jump a cracked battery, it will die in a few minutes.
Try to clean off any corrosion around the dead battery terminals, and if you have tools, loosen the wires from the terminals, clean them off, then retighten the wires to the shiny posts. Corroded posts prevent the power from getting through the cables and into your battery to revive it. If you have a file handy, try to file the metal battery posts until they are nice and shiny. In a pinch use pliers to clamp down and scrape off corrosion too as the metal is somewhat soft.
Usually the positive battery cable is red or orange, and usually the Negative (-) or ground cable is black, but always check for yourself to be sure.
Tags：Automobile car battery