One thing that all drivers should learn how to properly is how to jumpstart their vehicle. While it may seem easy to grab the jumper cables and start connecting, they can be dangerous if you don't use them correctly. Here are some of the most common mistakes that people often make regarding jumper cables:
- Storing them incorrectly - Like the car battery, jumper cables can corrode in certain conditions. When they start to break down, you should throw them out instead of attempting to use them. Please remember to store these cables in a dry and closed area to preserve them.
- Failing to properly connect the clamps to their connection points - Making the wrong connections can lead to accidents like fires and explosions. In other words, you could damage your vehicle even more if you don't know what you're doing. Please remember to clamp the clips in the following order:
- Red to dead
- Red to donor
- Black to donor
- Black to bare metal
- Doing it with no gloves or protection for the eyes - When working on any powerful part of your car, it is vital to do so with protection. Both gloves and goggles will keep any chemicals away from making contact with your skin and other body parts.
- Jumpstarting near an open flame -The hydrogen gases within car batteries are highly flammable, so please keep any source of open flame away from you and the donor car.
- Never jumpstart a battery with cracks or leaks - You shouldn't bother to revive a battery with cracked areas with battery acid leaking out. It does no good, and you're better off calling for a tow.
We hope you learned a thing or two about jumpstarting cars today. As long as you steer clear of these mistakes, you should be capable of jumpstarting your battery. If you need a battery test or replacement, we welcome you to Taylormade Automotive. Please give us a call or visit soon!