Step By Step How To Use Jumper Cables With Pictures

There are times when a battery in a vehicle has such a low charge and in an emergency needs a jump start from another vehicle.

This is done with jumper cables that hook to the battery on a vehicle with a good battery to the vehicle with a dead battery.

Using jumper cables to jump start another vehicle is not difficult but can cause damage if done wrong.

Things to Remember When Jump Starting a Car or Truck

The cables must be hooked up Positive-To-Positive and Negative-To-Negative.
All jumper cables will have a RED cable that is hooked up to Positive and a Black cable that is hooked up to Negative.
Each Battery will be clearly marked with – (Negative) and + (Positive) symbols.
Make sure the negative clamps are never touching anything and free from touching the other clamp or grounding to the body of the vehicle.

Step By Step How To Use Jumper Cables With Pictures

Connect the Negative clamp to the Negative battery terminal on the good battery.

Connect the Negative Black Clamp to the Negative battery terminal to the vehicle with the bad battery.

The jumper cable clamp should now be hooked up negative-to-negative, positive-to-positive from the good battery to the bad battery.

After the jumper cables are hooked up correctly, start the vehicle with a good battery. Let it run for 5-10 minutes, so it charges the dead battery.

Once the other vehicle starts remove the cables in reverse order Negative-Negative, Positive-Positive.

Summary
Giving a vehicle a jump start is easy to do as long as care is taken along with certain precautions.

Any time an electrical current is used, there is a possibility of sparks or damage. This is because Positive and Negative can never touch.

Jump starting a car or truck is done all the time; simply be sure to follow the correct steps and stay safe. If in doubt, always call a professional.