How to jump start a car with booster cables or jump leads. Start a flat car battery made easy!, by POUSE around the HOUSE on YouTube. 3 min 37 s.
- Video length
- 3 min 37 s
- Time to do it
- 10 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Park the donor car close to the flat car so the leads reach both batteries. Make sure the two cars do not touch and both engines are off.
Open the bonnet on both cars and find the battery. Look for the positive terminal marked with a plus sign and the negative terminal marked with a minus sign.
Connect one end of the red lead to the positive terminal of the flat battery. Connect the other end of the red lead to the positive terminal of the charged battery.
Connect one end of the black lead to the negative terminal of the charged battery. Connect the other end to a bare metal bolt or bracket on the engine of the flat car, away from the battery.
Start the engine of the donor car and let it run for a minute or two. This sends charge through the leads to the flat battery.
Try to start the flat car. If it does not start, wait a few more minutes and try again.
Once the flat car is running, switch off the donor car. Remove the black lead from the engine of the flat car first, then from the charged battery.
Remove the red lead from the flat battery, then from the charged battery. Keep the lead clamps apart so they cannot touch.
Drive the car for at least 20 to 30 minutes to recharge the battery, or take it to a garage for a check.
Tips and common mistakes
Never let the red and black clamps touch each other while any lead is connected.
Do not lean over the battery while connecting or disconnecting the leads.
Check that the two cars have the same voltage, usually 12 volts, before you connect anything.
If the battery is cracked, leaking or very old, do not jump start it. Call a breakdown service instead.
Questions
Can I jump start a car with a dead battery on my own?
No. You need a second car with a charged battery or a portable jump starter pack. A single set of leads will not work without a power source.
Why connect the black lead to metal instead of the battery?
The last connection can spark. Clamping to bare engine metal keeps the spark away from battery gases, which lowers the risk of a small explosion.
How long should I leave the cars connected?
Run the donor car for one to two minutes before trying to start the flat car. If it still will not start, wait a few more minutes and try again.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
