Hey!!! Have you ever been in an unfortunate situation whereby you jumped in your car to quickly attend to something of great importance to you only to discover that your battery is flat? I know that feeling. Yes, the battery is flat and the car won’t start, so now what? Well, have you heard about Jump starting a car?
What Jump Starting a Car Means?
Let’s say you went on a special occasion, and after this event, you started your car and discovered that the battery is dead. At this point, you can’t leave your car behind or tow your car due to the cost. Suddenly, you thought of something: how about I ask a vehicle owner around to help me charge my car battery by making a temporary connection from his car to my battery so it would recharge it and enable my car to crank the car engine?
Jump starting a car is not a bad idea but should be done appropriately and carefully most especially when Jump starting your car in the rain.
Is It Safe To Jump Start A Car Battery In The Rain?
As aforestated, Jump starting your car in the rain is cool when done appropriately and carefully. Below are the rules you should follow while Jump starting your car.
1)- Before you start the process, make sure your jumper cables and in good condition. If the cables are old, you should think twice before making use of them because they may damage the insulation. When the insulation is damaged, it could cause a short circuit when touched by rain. You should make sure the battery is well covered from the rain.
2)- Before you start, make sure all guidelines are followed. Make sure you put on your hand gloves, the leads should be connected rightly and both battery terminals should not be touched simultaneously. Remember, car batteries are Direct Current (DC) voltage.
How To Jump-Start A Car From Another Vehicle Guidelines
1) You should Prepare
The majority of jump leads are not long enough, so before you start, try to locate where the battery of each car is located. You can bring the cars closer so the battery will be close together. You should also note that some batteries are located at the back of the trunk. In cases like this, look under the hood, you may find the jump-start terminals.
You can proceed to have a closer look at your jumper cables. Check if it is damaged. Have a look at the plastic insulation to see if there is a cut, then you proceed to check if the clamps are attached to the cables firmly.
2) Read the manual
In every car, there is a manual that gives full guidelines on how to jump-start a car. Carefully follow the rules of the car on how to jump-start a car before you develop a fault in both cars.
3) Turn off all the electrical items
Thirdly, all electrical items in the car should be turned off. From the radio, light, air conditioning, windshield wiper, etc. This is because you will need every available current as possible since you are charging a dead battery.
4) Connect the clamps
In a battery, there are two terminals, a black terminal, and a red terminal. The same goes for the jumper cables. They are red and black. When making the connection between the cables and the battery terminal, make sure you hold both clamps tight so as to prevent them from touching any close metal accidentally.
- A) You can proceed to use the red cable to connect to the red terminal of the charged battery, then join together the other clamp to the dead battery red terminal.
- B) Use the black cable to connect the black terminal of the charged battery. You don’t need to attach the other part of the clamp to the dead battery. You can attach it to a non-moving metal component that isn’t closed to the battery so as to prevent sparks that may ignite the hydrogen gas and damage the battery.
5) Don’t Cross-Connect the Cables
While Jump-starting a car, you must not cross-connect the cables by accidentally connecting the red which is the positive terminal to the black known as the negative terminal. When you connect the positive to negative, it will cause a short circuit and it can be very dangerous.
6) Start you can with a Good Battery
- You can go on by starting the car with a charged battery and leaving it for a while. At this point, it is adding some energy into the dead battery.
7) You can start the car with a battery
- After you must have started the car with a good battery and leaving it for a while, you can start the car with the dead battery. If your car has no-fault, the car should start.
8) You can Disconnect the Cables properly
Once the engine of the vehicle with a flat battery starts running, you can proceed to disconnect the cables. Don’t just rush to disconnect the cables. Firstly, you have to remove the black cable first then remove the red one. While removing them, be very careful not to touch any metal with the clamps.
After the jump-starting, you can drive the car which has the dead battery and idle it for at least 40 minutes so it can give chance for the alternator to recharge the battery so the car can start again.
After you must have done all these, you should try charging your car battery with a car charger to avoid the repetition of a dead battery.
Can You Jump A Car In A Thunderstorm?
It is not safe to jump-start your car during a thunderstorm. When Lightning Strikes, it searches for a path (metal) to the ground. Imagine jump-starting your car and you are just close to a large metal such as your car? When in the middle of a thunderstorm your battery car battery runs down, all you need to do is to seek solace in your car and wait till the storm is over.
Final Conclusion
- Jump-starting a car is not as complex as you may be thinking. Before you start, it is recommended that you read the car manual and carefully connect the cables to the right spots.
FAQs
What happens if I cross wires?
- Crossing of wire can be very dangerous. When you cross wire (connecting the red, which is positive, to the black), it will create a circuit that will make electric current flow, causing an explosion. When making the connection to your battery, be very careful.
What are the colors of jumper cables?
- The colors are red and black. You will use the red clamps to connect the red terminal and the black clamps would be used to connect the black terminal.
Can you use a car battery charger in the rain?
- The answer is No!!! Electricity and water should be kept wilderness apart. A little quantity of water on the charges, while the charger is connected to the main voltage can get you electrocuted.
How long does it take to jump-start a car?
- After you must have connected the cable rightly and carefully, it takes only about ten (10) mins for the battery to be able to carry the engine. The most important part is the cable connection.
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