how long should jumper cables be left on?

Question

When jump-starting a car is there a time limit to how long they should be left on? Is there a minimum or maximum time?

Answer 1

"Connecting Jumper Cables

In the world of automotive emergencies, motorists need to learn certain procedures for "safety's sake." Two of the most valuable lessons, changing a tire and hooking up jumper cables are best learned before an emergency arises, according to the Car Care Council.

The process of boosting a battery is especially important in cold weather. Jumper cables or cables on a portable battery booster should be connected properly to avoid sparks, which can cause an explosion of the hydrogen gas emitting from a battery. Beyond this, an incorrect hook up can damage critical, and expensive, electronic components.

The procedure is simple:

Connect the positive (+) clamp to the positive terminal of the healthy battery and the other positive clamp to the corresponding terminal of the dead battery.

Next, the negative (-), or ground, terminal on the good battery and, finally, the negative clamp to the engine block, frame or other grounded metal as far as possible from the battery. You want to avoid sparks in the vicinity of the explosive hydrogen gas that emits from the battery. Do not connect it to the ground terminal (negative).

When using a portable battery booster, the process is much the same.

Connect the positive clamp of the booster cable to the positive clamp of the dead battery. Then connect the negative cable to the engine block or other grounded metal away from the battery.

The Council offers an additional suggestion: if you are buying jumper cables or a portable battery booster, buy the best quality you can afford. Look for well-insulated clamps and 8-gauge wire. (Note: the lower the wire gauge number, the heavier the gauge.) Under the heavy electrical load of boost starting, lightweight cables may not be able to deliver enough current to start some engines. In fact, they have been known to melt in the user's hand.

If your battery is three-years old or older and you haven't had it checked, it's a good preventive measure to do so, suggests the Council. A battery's power is reduced as the temperature drops. And that's when the engine's starting demands are greatest."

Answer 2

Portable Jumper Cables

Answer 3

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
how long should jumper cables be left on?
When jump-starting a car is there a time limit to how long they should be left on? Is there a minimum or maximum time?

Answer 4

Once the car you are trying to jump has been started, they can be removed. It should not take long at all for the other battery to give enough of a charge to the dead battery to start the engine and begin recharging the dead battery. In most cases, the jump will work immediately. After that, the cables should be removed immediately. Make sure you connect them properly and avoid having the opposite polar ends of the cables touch when removing them, as it can be dangerous.

Answer 5

Denise Tania:
The jumper cables should be left on the battery for 5 minutes,until you feel your battery is charged,if by then your car is not started,check your alternator to and make sure its working properly.

Answer 6

You can leave them on with the car your trying to jump start unstarted for as long as the wires in the jumper cables can handle the load. You should check the wires to see if they are heating up, and remove them when they start to feel warm. You can let them cool down and reapply them.
If you get the jumped car started, you should remove the jumper cables.

Answer 7

Well...how long does it take to get your car jump started???

Remember to connect black to black, red to red, that is negative to negative and positive to positive. Make sure you ground the car to a piece of metal rather than the last negative terminal.

If your battery is low, a few cranks should do the trick. If your starter motor is shot, and no noise, clicks, nothing happens, forget it. Otherwise, you should be running quickly. Leave car running for half an hour or so, you can drive during this time, to fully recharge your battery!

Answer 8

After the dead battery is charged, keep that car running for at least 10 minutes, to re-charge the battery fully (before turning it off). The jumper cables can be removed immediately after the dead-battery starts.

Answer 9

Let the jumper car idle for 2 minutes and have the jumpee car try to start. Jump the car and take them away. Most cars will jump quickly unless the battery is flat out grounded dead.

Answer 10

Leave them on long enough to start the car. Maybe a couple more minutes after. That's all you really need. Shouldn't take more than 10 minutes to get it started. If it does, your battery may not be able to store any energy = need new battery.