Cold Climate or Old Car, Learning to Jump Start Your Car
Have you ever been in a situation where your car’s battery died and you were left stranded? This can be the case when the temperature rises and the mercury soars. Regardless of how well you maintain your battery, the elements of nature can wreak havoc on its useful life and performance. The last thing you would want is to be in the middle of nowhere with a vehicle that just won’t start. You will come across many horror stories of motorists who spent hours standing by the side of the road before receiving any help.
Well, this part is exactly where learning the process for car battery jump start can prove handy. This simple skill is vastly underrated and car owners only understand its importance when their car battery gives way. Of course, the performance of your car depends significantly on how well you maintain it. Jump starting won’t make a difference if you don’t top up the fluids or maintain the necessary air pressure in the tires. Well, more on that later. Here, let’s learn how you can go about jump starting your car.
Know Your Car Battery
You need to know the type of battery in your car before you head out on a drive. There are different types of batteries on the market and jump starting each one requires a slightly different method. However, if you are unaware of the type of car battery you are dealing with, you won’t be able to jump start it quickly enough.
Moreover, believe it or not, some drivers don’t know the location of the battery. Some cars feature batteries located under the seat, and you need to know how to access it to be able to jump it.
Get Help
The only limitation of car battery jump start is you need a second car with an active car battery for the process. You have to run a set of jumper cables from the engine of the second car to the battery of your car to restore power.
Hence, you need to inform someone that you require assistance. It is a good idea to have an emergency contact in this regard, in case you find yourself in the middle of nowhere with no prospect of immediate assistance.
Remove the Cover
A large number of cars today come with batteries that feature a cover. You have to remove the cover before you can see the terminals on the car battery. The battery features two terminals and you need to know the positive side and negative side. The design is similar to the standard AA batteries you use at home in your TV remote. The (-) and (+) signs indicate negative and positive respectively.
Learn about the Color Codes
As a rule of thumb, when it comes to car batteries, the color of the cable can indicate positive and negative. Black is generally the color of the negative cable, while red denotes positive. You have to connect the appropriate jumper cable to the terminals. The red cable will attach to the red cap and the black cable to the black cap.
Connect the Cable
Connect the jumper cable to the engine of the second car. Both cars should be turned off at this point. Once the cables are connected, you can start revving the engine and do so for at least a minute. The dead battery should receive a sufficient charge. Check the stalled battery by revving the engine. Do remove the cables before you do this though.
Maintain Some Distance
Make sure you maintain some distance between the two cars when revving up the engine. In case the cars are touching, there is the risk of a collision. Moreover, the proximity of the batteries can disrupt the passing of the charge through the cable.
Turn Everything Off
As mentioned, you need to turn both cars off in order for the jump start to work. Not only this, you need to make sure that every accessory in either car is turned off, which includes the infotainment system, AC, and even the lights. Double check the electronics, especially in the stalled car, before you start jumping.
Remove Corrosion
Before you connect the cables to the posts on the car battery, make sure there is no corrosion. Rust and corrosion can inhibit the power the battery receives. Regular maintenance will prevent corrosion in the first place. In case you notice any corrosion, clean it offer before you attach the cables.
These are some steps you can follow for jump starting your car, regardless of the reason the battery died on you. A good idea for you is to have a professional demonstrate this process so that you can get firsthand experience. Conversely, you also have the option of watching YouTube videos of people jump starting their cars and simply mimicking what they do.
