By Catherine Posted June 26, 2018 In Uncategorized It’s happened to all of us. You put your key in the ignition to start ‘er up, and nothing happens. No one wants to be stranded at the hands of a dead battery. The good news is that it is an easy fix. Jumpstarting your ride takes mere minutes, so you can be on your way in no time. In this post, we’ll go under the hood to give you two ways to Jumpstart your car battery. Reasons for Dead Batteries Yup, you hear that term thrown around often (heck, we used it in our opening paragraph). But if you use your car regularly, your battery’s probably not really dead—just low on juice. Many older batteries can’t hold their charge like they used to (it happens to the best of us). So, leaving power-consuming accessories like the headlights, interior lights, or radio on after you’ve turned off the engine can drain the battery. If that happens, you’re going to have to get a jumpstart. Car-to-car Jumpstart If your car battery’s “get up and go” has “got up and went,” you’ll need to recharge it. One of the best ways to do this is with help from another vehicle. Once you’ve gotten hold of someone with a vehicle, it’s time to get to work. Step 1: Position both vehicles close enough to ensure the cables can reach. Don’t forget to turn off both engines to prevent any possible damage to the electrical systems. Step 2: Dig out your trusty jumper cables and connect the two ends of the red cables or positive clamp to the positive terminal of the good battery and the dead battery. Keep in mind, however, the battery or/battery terminals will often be covered with a plastic encasement, so be sure to remove this before you attempt to attach the cables. Step 3: Connect the black cable or negative clamp to the negative terminal on the good battery. Secure the remaining black cable to a grounding point—an unpainted bolt or a part of your vehicle’s chassis. Step 4: Start the working car first, and then try to start your car. If it starts, remove the black cable from the grounding point first, and then unclamp the rest of the cables. Step 5: Take your pal out to lunch for a job well done. Portable Jump Starter Your neighbour or your friend is not always going to be there to bail you out when you need a jumpstart. Fortunately, if you’re stranded somewhere with a dead battery, there is a great option that can save you a lot of stress and headaches down the road. A portable jump starter is a handy tool that can kick start your sluggish battery when it refuses to turn over. When it comes to using a portable jump starter, it is fairly similar to jumpstarting from another car. First, turn off all power-consuming accessories. Next, connect the cables as you would with the car-to-car method above. Finally, start your car. If you followed the instructions properly, you should be good to go. If you need to Jumpstart your car battery, it isn’t rocket science—it just takes a little know-how. Understanding how to jumpstart your vehicle will save you time, money, and a big pain in the neck later. Stuck on the side of the road without a friend or a portable jump starter? If you are in Langley or Surrey, BC, or nearby, contact Clover Towing today!
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