How to Jumpstart a Car with a Jump Starter: Rescue a Dead Battery in An Easy Way
There are many instances wherein you will be confronted with the need to revive an old battery, such as when you have accidentally left your car’s lights turned on. A dead battery can be a huge problem, especially for novices. However, as long as you have jumper cables, it will be easy to remedy the situation and bring the battery back to life.
Thinking of how to jumpstart a car with a jump starter? Clueless about how to do it right? No need to worry! I got you covered in the rest of this post. Keep reading and I will share the easy steps to follow. You will realize that it is not that difficult at all!
What You Will Need to Follow this Tutorial
To follow the steps that I will discuss below, there is basically one thing that you will need:
- Jumpstarting Kit (complete with the cables)
Step-by-Step Guide on How to Jumpstart Car with a Jump Starter
Before anything else, the first thing that you need to do is to make sure that the problem is with the battery. There are some situations wherein the source of the problem could be other parts. To know if the battery is the one that needs to be fixed, here is what you need to do:
Via: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87Zgq7wsi24
- Test the lights. If the lights are bright, there is no problem with the battery. On the other hand, if the lights are dim or if they won’t turn on at all, it is most likely that the battery is the culprit.
- Start the car and look at the dashboard to see if it lights up. Test the stereo as well. If you notice flickers, the problem is most probably with the battery. Otherwise, if it does not turn on at all, you might want to check the ignition switch first.
- Start your car. If it is cranking quickly, a dead battery is not the problem. If it is cranking slowly or if it does not crank at all, this is the time that you can blame the battery.
Once you are sure that the battery is the problem and there is a need to jumpstart, here are the simple steps that you should follow:
- Get your jumpstart kit ready. Many products are available, but not all options are the same. Like in the case of other car accessories and tools, look beyond price. Consider technical specifications and the ruggedness of the design, among others.
- Next, open the hood of the car and look for the battery. Its position will vary depending on the vehicle that you have. In most cases, however, you can find it between the firewall of the passenger compartment and the engine.
- Connect the cables in your jumpstarting kit. Make sure that the latter is turned off before you proceed. This will prevent sparks that can easily scare off many, especially if it is your first time to try jumpstarting a car’s battery.
- Connect the clamps to the right terminal of the battery. As common sense would dictate, positive should be clamped on the positive terminal and negative on the negative. The red jumper cable is the one that you should connect on the positive terminal and the black jumper cable is for the negative terminal.
- Once the cables are connected, turn the unit on. By this time, it should start cranking the battery.
- Start your car. At this point, the battery must have been already charged.
- Disconnect the jump starter from the battery. Before you recharge it to 100%, you have to wait for at least ten minutes, giving it time to cool down.
For a visual guide on how to jumpstart a car with a jump starter, this short video below will help:
In the steps above, we have discussed how to use a jump starter and not the traditional jumper cables, wherein you will need another car on standby. A jump starter is a more modern alternative and offers many benefits, such as being more user-friendly and portable. For this reason, it is a better solution compared to jumper cables.
Pro Tips
While jumpstarting a car might seem easy in theory, it is important to note that risks are also involved. In this case, to be assured of your safety, here are some of the most important things to keep in mind:
- See to it that everything is turned off, including the jump starter, lights, and stereo. To be sure, take off the keys from the ignition.
- The positive and negative clamps should not be in contact with each other in any way.
- When jumpstarting your vehicle, the right location is necessary. One thing that you should avoid is doing it near places with anything flammable or combustible.
Aside from these safety precautions, below are other tips that you have to be aware of:
Via: http://www.bestekcorp.com/product/car-jump-starter/10000mah-portable-Car-jump-starter.html
- Choose a powerful jump starter or battery pack. More often than not, the bigger and heavier the product is, the more powerful it is. It will have a higher voltage, making it easier to revive your battery.
- After jumpstarting, it will help to keep the vehicle running for up to 30 minutes. This will be instrumental in achieving the peak condition of the battery.
- Keep the jump starter charged. You will never know when you need it. It can be frustrating to find out it is not charged when most needed.
- If the jump starter is not working, the problem could be with the cables. Check their tightness.
- Always follow the instructions from the manufacturer. Lead acid batteries can be prone to explosion. Although the latter rarely happens, it pays to be safe than sorry.
- A lithium-ion battery is better than lead acid when choosing a jump starter. Lithium-ion can offer more benefits, such as being more portable and having higher energy density.
Conclusion
Now that you have reached the end of this post, I hope that you are already aware of how to jumpstart a car with a jumpstart. The process is pretty straightforward; all you will need is a reliable jump starter. Nonetheless, be sure to take safety precautions to eliminate any risk that could possibly emanate.
Did you enjoy reading this post? Is there anything else that you would like to add? Do not hesitate to leave a comment below.
