How to jumpstart a car?

Question

Someone explain. My mom is a retard lol.

I keep proving her wrong about how to jumpstart a car and she thinks im lying and doesnt know what im doing.

You put positive on positive of live and dead battery. And negative on the live battery and then put the negative on a engine block?

Answer 1

This will work, but I just hook up the neg to both batteries, never a problem......########

Answer 2

The correct and SAFE way to jumpstart a car:

1 - Pull cars close enough together to connect the cables, but don't let the cars touch each other.

2 - If battery on DEAD car is frozen, don't try to jump it. It could explode.

3 - Identify the positive and the negative terminals of each car's battery. The positive terminal is most likely connected to the car's starting/charging system with a red cable, and the negative terminal is connected to the body/frame of each car.

4 - Once you start clamping cables to terminals, make sure you don't let the other (unconnected) ends of the cables dangle and touch any part of the car's engine or body - you could get a dangerous spark that way.

5 - OK - now connect positive to positive, and negative to ground, like this:

A - Start by clamping the positive (usually red, but could be yellow) cable to the positive terminal of the DEAD battery. Clamp the other end of the positive cable to the positive terminal of the LIVE battery.

B - Stay there with the LIVE battery and clamp the negative (black) cable to the negative terminal of the LIVE battery.

C - Then go back to the DEAD battery and clamp the negative cable NOT TO THE NEGATIVE TERMINAL, but to a clean (unpainted, nongreasy) metal part of the engine, such as a bolt head or bracket, in the DEAD battery car. Do not clamp the negative cable anywhere near the battery or any moving parts. And DO NOT ATTACH THE NEGATIVE CABLE TO THE NEGATIVE TERMINAL OF THE DEAD BATTERY because the battery terminal could spark and ignite hydrogen gas directly over the battery. Many people do this part wrong, and it's very dangerous. Even if you've gotten away with doing this before, never do it again!

D - So, put simply, you're basically working in a square, but you are the one moving in a square, the cables are not. The cables go only from one car to the other in a STRAIGHT LINE (positive to positive, then negative to negative) and NEVER CRISS-CROSS OR GO SIDEWAYS. You start by clamping the Positive DEAD to the Positive LIVE, then stay with the LIVE car and clamp the Negative LIVE to the Negative Ground of the DEAD car. So you've gone from 1 up to 2, then from 3 back down to 4.

6. Now, start the LIVE car, let it charge the DEAD car for 15 seconds, then try to start the DEAD car. If it doesn't start, shut off both ignitions, make sure the cable clamps are making good contact, and then try again. When the DEAD car has been brought back to life and starts, wait to remove the negative cable (about 15 seconds or so) to make sure it doesn't stall.

7. Disconnect the cables in the reverse order:

A - First remove the negative cable from the grounded metal part of the (formerly) DEAD car.

B - Next remove the negative cable from the GOOD battery.

C - Then remove the positive cable from the GOOD battery (don't touch a metallic part of either car with the clamp of the positive cable).

D - And last, remove the positive cable from the (no longer) DEAD battery.

Simple, huh? Copy this and put it in your glove compartment right next to the flashlight because you KNOW this is going to happen in the dark - :)

Answer 3

What everybody says is okay to jump start a car. But on newer cars, don't have the car with the good battery idling, turn it off. On older cars, it's okay to have the car with the good battery to idle or rev up a little bit. One the new cars, it is not a good idea to have the car with the good battery idle because if for some reason a voltage spike happens going to the old battery, you can damage some of the sensors or even the ecu and that spike can also go backwards, so becareful. In newer cars there are a lot of electronics that are susceptable to voltage spikes. Hook it up like you normally would and let the voltage settle for about 30-60 seconds and then try starting the car.

Answer 4

Good job, dude. However, it doesn't have to be the engine block, just a metal ground away from the dead battery. Also, leave the car with the good battery off and do not run the engine. Too many sensitive electronic circuits. good luck.

Answer 5

I put positive on live, positive on dead, neg on dead( neg clipped to cable of opposite end for safe keeping) then to engine block of running vehicle. But yeah. You don't need to have the negative and positive on the posts of both. And you are CORRECT in putting the positives on first. Once they are secured, no sparks or surprises. She's not retarded. She's just an idiot. Don't feel bad, my mom has the same affliction.

Answer 6

Well.... You can connect the battery the same way on each battery, terminal to terminal.

If the car is manual, turn on ignition, you can put the car in second gear, get the car rolling with clutch down and release when you have some speed. The car will run without battery if alternator is good too.

Answer 7

Jump start sounds like a kick starter for a motorcycle. Anyway, if you try to hook them wrong you will get a lot more sparks than you anticipated and probably fry your computer : (

You are right to attach the black ground cable last to the block, because it can spark and cause a explosion of the battery fumes !

Answer 8

turbocivic89 is right . but you should disconect the batt. on the good side... It can damage your alt. if your going to turn that car off any way... If there is a spike it can still burn a good alt. and then youll have 2 dead cars!

Answer 9

Are you smarter than a fifth grader.