You have probably been there when you are finally done after your long working hours and you want to get home, but just as you get into your car, the car won’t start. A jumper cable is a handy option in such situations, but often you won’t have another person around to jump-start your car. As a result, jump starters are a better option than jumper cables. Although the idea behind using a jump starter is the same as conventional jumper wires, there are a few more measures needed to ensure that this portable device operates without a hitch. Read on to learn how to use a jump starter safely and effectively jumpstart your vehicle.
In this article:
2. Jumpstarters vs Jumper Cables
3. Precautions While Using A Jump Starter
4. Safety First
6. Key Steps For Safe and Effective Jumpstart
1 What Is A Jumpstarter?
A portable jump starter is a powerful battery pack specifically designed to boost a vehicle’s discharged battery without the help of another car or power source. It is a portable device that allows you to jump-start a vehicle by outputting a large amount of power on impulse, which is enough to kick-start a dead battery. After the car is turned on, the alternator starts to charge the dead battery.
Jumpstarters these days come with additional features such as an LED flashlight, USB output ports for charging phones, etc. They can also feature a 12-volt/10-amp port for powering tire inflators and accessories, reverse polarity protection, home, and car rechargers, and a storage case.
2 Jumpstarters vs Jumper Cables
Jumper cables have existed since automobiles came into existence, and they have been used for jump-starting your car. They are not necessarily the safest or most convenient and have their own limitations, such as having a donor vehicle with a good battery and a long enough cable, and are not really of any use if you are stranded in the middle of an empty highway and have no one to help.
However, when it comes to jump-starters, they eliminate all these issues along with extra features such as auxiliary lights, chargers, etc. These features make jumpstarters better than jumper cables.
3 Precautions While Using A Jump Starter
Jumpstarting your car can be dangerous, and it is crucial that it be done properly and that every necessary precaution is taken to avoid injury or damage to your vehicle. It is always recommended that you read your car’s manual as well as the manual of your jump starter and work accordingly. However, some of the important safety precautions are listed below.
4 Safety First
Before using your jump starter, make sure you take all of the necessary safety precautions to ensure that your car battery, car, you, and your equipment are all safe. But don’t hesitate and just follow the 4 safety instructions listed below.
- Make sure that your vehicle and the jump starter are completely off before starting the whole process of jump-starting your vehicle.
- For safety reasons, it is recommended to turn off your ignition and take your keys out.
- Never connect the red and black (positive and negative) clamps, and make sure they don’t come into contact with any kind of electric conductor, even by accident.
- Make sure that there are no liquids or flammable items near your car or the jump starter during the process.
5 3 Checks Before Your Start
After you have followed the safety instructions, there are 3 more final checks you should do to be prepared for any situation.
- Make sure you keep your jump starter fully charged and close by at all times so that when in need, you don’t get stranded. Trying to jump-start a dead battery with a dead battery can lead to a lot of frustration and confusion.
- This may sound obvious, but it is critical to check the jump starter’s condition on a regular basis. To begin, ensure that the terminals are not rusted or frayed. Check if the battery has not swollen up. It is recommended that you do this on a regular basis so that it does not come as a surprise when you need it the most.
- What is the voltage of the vehicle or system you are trying to jump-start? It is critical, both for the success of the jump-starting effort and for your safety, that you fully understand the vehicle or system you are jump-starting as it pertains to voltage. Failure to properly match the jump starter and system voltage can result in very dangerous conditions.
6 Key Steps For Safe and Effective Jumpstart
- Always wear protective gear
When working around batteries, wear protective eyewear. Also, never wear rings or other metal items that are good conductors of electricity, as they could cause a short if they come into contact with the battery, resulting in serious injury.
- Review the potential cause for the no-start condition
Was there a drain, such as a light or other load, that caused the starting battery to be depleted? If this is the case, address the issue and give the battery several minutes to recover before attempting a jump start.
- Make sure that your jump starter is configured properly
For example, check if the vehicle/system that has to be jump-started is compatible with your jump starter. For example, you need a 12V Jump starter for a 12V car battery.
- Establish your vehicle connection
Start by first connecting the positive (red) clamp to the vehicle’s positive battery terminal or an alternate starting point (as recommended by the vehicle’s manufacturer), always taking care to prevent the leads from getting in the path of any moving engine parts. When making the positive connection, it is a good practice to rock the clamp on the terminal to penetrate any corrosion that may be present.
- Next, complete your vehicle connection
Connect the negative clamp (black) to a proper vehicle ground (an unpainted heavy metal connection, such as the vehicle frame or an engine ground). Never connect the ground to the carburetor, fuel lines, sheet metal, painted surfaces, or any moving part. It really should be to a vehicle frame ground, engine ground, or manufacturer-specified ground starting point.
- If your jump starter is equipped with an ON/OFF switch, now is the time to turn it to the ON position.
- Attempt to start the vehicle
Once the jump starter is turned on, attempt to start the vehicle. Hopefully, the vehicle will start right away. If not, remember, every jump starter has a duty cycle. After 3 seconds of cranking, if the vehicle doesn’t start, stop. Wait 2-3 minutes and attempt the start again. Also, remember that the problem may not be the battery – there could be another reason why the vehicle won’t start, and a jump starter will not solve those problems.
- Once the vehicle has started, begin the disconnect process
First, disconnect the Negative (black, -) clamp from the vehicle ground, remembering that you are connected to a live battery, and care should be taken not to allow the clamp to touch the vehicle or the positive lead once it is removed from the vehicle ground. Properly secure the negative clamp to the unit.
- If your jump starter is equipped with an ON/OFF switch, now is the time to turn it to the OFF position.
- Disconnect the Positive (red, +) clamp from the vehicle’s positive battery terminal or alternate starting point. Properly secure the positive clamp to the unit.
- Once the jump-starting process is finished, check the jump starter for corrosion.
Corrosion that may have transferred to the clamps or other wear and tear must be addressed before putting it away. Corrosion can be wiped off the clamps with a shop towel to avoid rust, discoloration, or other deterioration. Also, the unit can be cleaned with a warm cloth if necessary.
- Finally, charge the unit prior to storage.
Keeping your unit fully charged is the best way to get a long life out of it. Storing the unit in a discharged state for a long period of time will reduce battery life.
7 Are Jumpstarters Safe?
As far as portable jump starters are concerned, they are perfectly safe, with the one caveat that you still have to follow all the correct procedures. Even though some jump starters will not allow current to flow if the terminals are incorrectly connected, it is better to be safe than sorry.
8 Troubleshooting Tips
What if, even after 5 or more attempts at jump-starting your vehicle, it still won’t start? There are a couple of things you can do to fix this situation.
- The first thing you can do is turn the jump starter off and then fix the positioning of your clamper cables. Sometimes, they may be a little too loose or not set in the right position.
- Try putting your black clamp on another part of your car’s frame for more stability and support. Tighten the clamps against the positive end of the battery terminal by twisting them.
- If none of those options work, your battery may be too dead to fix. Possible reasons for its death may include corrosion, acid leakage, or busted electrodes from within the battery itself. The best thing you can do at this point is to get a hold of a reliable towing service and get yourself and your car to safety as quickly as possible.
