You do not need to be a genius to figure out how to jump start a car’s battery. You simply need a car with a well-functioning battery and jump starting cables. Connect positive to positive and negative to negative. Unfortunately, things may not always go as planned. There are some instances wherein you might not do it the right way.
What happens when you jump start your car the wrong way? Damage to different car parts can occur. The battery, jumper cables, car electronics, fuses, and sensors could sustain some damage. Don't forget yourself; burning yourself could also occur.
That being said, jump starting your car isn't normally dangerous. We will explore how to stay safe and avoid dangerous situations. In addition , we'll discuss what to do when an accident happens.
Check out this video below for some common things that will happen if you don’t jump start your car correctly:
What Happens When You Jumpstart Your Car The Wrong Way: A Guide for Novice Drivers Jump Starting the Wrong Way: The ConsequencesDamage to ComponentsDamage to BatteryDamage to Jumper CablesDamage to AlternatorHow to Solve any Problems CreatedTips When Jump Starting your CarSteps to TakeAdditional TipsConclusionEach car is a little different, but each has fuses that help protect the car. If an accident does occur, most of the time you don't need to be concerned for your safety. The car may sustain some damaged, but nothing serious usually occurs that would lead to serious harm.
In the short video above, damage occurred to the fuse. Luckily nothing else seemed to be damaged. Some cars have spare fuses, so checking you owners manual might be helpful.
Damage to the electronic could be worse if more power was added. That's why the 1st step to jump starting is to turn off both cars and remove the keys.
Jump starting the car the wrong way will cause less damage when the cars are off. Switching the color, putting the red cable on the black (negative) battery terminal and black cable on the red (positive) terminal, can send power where it's not suppose to go.
The electrical system may be damaged, including sensors, and fuses. The good news is that they can be replaced and no permanent damage is done.
If a battery was connected momentarily the wrong way during a jump start, their will likely be a small amount of damage. But, if the connection persists for a while, the electrical current doesn't have anywhere to go, and damage to the battery is likely to occur.
The result of incorrectly connected batteries is that heat is created, gases are generated, and dangerous situations can occur. In this case, I am referring not only to the dead battery that is being jump started, but also to the battery from the rescue car as well.
The result of these two batteries connecting the wrong way could melt/damage either battery. If you have lead-acid batteries, which is the most common type of car batteries, hydrogen gas could be discharged.
This happens when the casing of the battery cracks a bit because of the pressure of the hydrogen gas. If gas escapes it could explode in this type of situation. If you notice any dangerous situations, get far away (100 ft+) from the cars as soon as possible.
Most people will notice a larger spark when connecting the wrong way (possibly a smaller spark when connect correctly) and decide not connect the cables that way anymore. This dangerous situation usually won't occur with most people.
Like the previous situation, incorrect contact with a jumper cable between two battery for a time will heat up your jumper cables. The wires will heat up and may get damaged.
Strong cable may handle the heat better, but some lightweight cables could start to melt/burn when exposed to this amount of heat. The clamps will get hot and the solder might not hot the wires securely anymore.
If you notice heat from the cables, it's best to disconnect them safely and recheck for the correct and secure connections.
Sometimes a car has some components that might be on during a jump start. Lights may be on or a stereo. A component that is on might be using the alternator. The alternator can then get a surge or power that can cause damage.
Because of the high electrical current, which can be too much for many parts of your car to handle, the alternator could overheat. When there is an issue with an overheating alternator other part may be affected as well, if using the alternator.
It's a good idea to make sure that everything is turned off and anything that might be connected directly to the battery terminal, such as a car alarm, is disconnected.
To sum up, turn everything off no matter what it might be, disconnect any device that may be connected to the battery, and be aware of items that may be automatically turned on in some situations, such as a radiator fan to cool your car after it is turned off.
If your car won’t start, put safety first and you'll save yourself large repair bills and you'll make sure no harm comes to you or anyone else.
From the short video shown in the introduction, one solution is to change the fuse.
The fuse can get burnt because of the extreme heat resulting from the surge of electricity. You'll need to check your fuses and select the fuse(s) that may be associated with the car battery. In most cases, it is the powertrain fuse.
In some cases, the fuses may not be the only electrical part affected. If the alternator is damaged, it may need to be replaced and it could affect components that were connected to it.
If the electrical current is able to get to the car's computer system, you may need to replace that as well.
Sometimes the battery is also damaged and no longer functions. It will need to be replaced as well.
In most cases jump starting a car will be safe to do, but to prevent any problems follow the guidelines outlined below:
Avoid
When you jump start your car the wrong way, there are many things that could possibly happen. The battery, jumper cables, and electronics will be damaged, including the fuse and the sensors. There is even a risk of explosion when the problem is at its worst. Nonetheless, most of the time, the problem won’t be too severe and nothing that could cost an arm and leg.
Once you realize that you did the wrong thing, you may be able to fix the problem on your own. In most instances, you need to check the fuse. Chances are, one of them is burnt. You can buy a replacement for this and your car will be up and running in no time.
Have you ever tried using a battery charger to get your car to start? This might help you figure out if your battery is salvageable or not. If your still not sure why your battery is dead, try reading this article.
