Jumping a Car Battery

Guess it is to minimize chance of explosion:

http://blog.motorists.org/safely-jump-start-car-dead-battery/

10) ... The reason for connecting the negative cable to ground rather than to the negative terminal of the dead battery is to minimize the chances of a spark near the battery, where there may be potentially explosive gasses. If the dome/interior light comes on in the car to be jumped, it’s a good sign the cables are connected correctly.

 

For some reason, I'm the designated jumper at every place I've ever worked. I think I've jumped at least 15 different people in the last six years.

Either I'm the only one who has cables (sometimes) or I'm the only one who knows how to use them (more frequently).

Anyway: Red-red, black-black. Start the good car, then start the bad car. Never let them touch.

Never had a single problem with that method. And like I said, I do this way more often than anyone ever should.

 

I've also had much experience with jumper cables thanks to my history of never owning a new car. I can echo the red-red, black-black advice here. Attaching one cable to a ground on the dead car is technically sound, I'm sure, but I've never heard of anyone having an explosion. I've tried it a few times and had the same problem as YankeeFan. I'm sure the problem is finding a true ground. Older cars always have a buildup of crud in the engine compartment so even if you do attach the cable to a true ground chances are the crud is preventing a good connection.

 

When I worked in Minnesota, the paper had its own portable booster pack. Pretty helpful when the temps shot down to minus 40.

Modern car batteries do no have the problems with hydrogen gas buildup as older ones did.

 

As an aside, I work with some younger people these days, and I am consistently taken aback at how few of them know how to jumpstart a car, change a tire, or drive in snow when the need arrives.

I can only figure states are getting rid of driver's ed all over the place.

 

We didn't do any of that in driver's ed. We did learn to parallel park based on a method which guaranteed we'd flunk that part of the exam.

 

I don't know if we did a jumpstart. I know we did changing a tire and driving in the snow and rain.

We did not have to do parallel parking, however.

 

Yeah, all we had to do was parallel park and drive around the neighborhood for the test. I didn't have driver's ed. I can jumpstart a car and drive in the snow, though. I've never had to change a tire.

 

Jacking up a car is harder than changing the tire.

I always get nervous as shit jacking up a car, that is why I bought the metal ramps when I change my oil.

 

The one battery tip I know: You can clean off the chalky crap that builds up on the battery posts with Coke that has gone flat.

 

I've always heard that; never tried it. Wonder if it would work with Pepsi or RC Cola? ???

 

and: when you install a new battery, coat the terminals with some automatic transmission fluid. prevents corrosion.