You turn the key to ignition, but your car doesn’t start. That means the car battery is no longer alive. Now, what are you going to do?
People face the dead car battery problem, especially those living in colder regions, and it’s common. But the good news is you can easily revive a dead car battery with the help of a jump starter.
This post will guide you on everything about a portable jump starter to recharge your car battery.
How Does a Jump Starter Work?
A jump starter gives an amperage boost to your car battery. When you turn the key to start your car, your battery lacks enough charge to power the engine. As a result, your car doesn’t start.
Your car battery must have 12.2 V or 75% charged to start a car engine. Once it revs, it’s the alternator’s job to recharge the battery when you depress the accelerator.
Now, if your car battery doesn’t hold enough charge, you have to recharge it with the help of another vehicle.
Instead, you can get a jump starter and easily charge the car battery. It’s one of the most useful items in your car tool kit. You can easily start your car again by giving enough juice to the car battery to start the engine.
However, it’s a myth that a jump starter recharges your car battery. We’ll discuss that later.
Jumpstarting With a Portable Jump Starter
A portable jump starter comes with a built-in battery. When you properly establish a connection, the jump starter directly transfers charge from its battery to the dead car battery.
That charge is powerful enough to revive the car battery.
After giving the juice to the discharged battery, it can crank the engine and start the vehicle.
Once your car starts, always connect the portable jump starter to its charger since it has transferred a big portion of its battery’s charge to the dead battery.
Jumpstarting With Another Vehicle
If you don’t have a portable jump starter in the emergency tool kit, you can’t start your car without the help of another vehicle.
All you need is a battery of either similar or greater charge. If you try to jumpstart your car with a less powerful battery, your car will not start.
Moreover, there is a chance of explosion if the dead battery is too old or frozen.
Steps to Use a Portable Jump Starter to Start a Car
You have understood how jumpstarting works. Now, let’s see how to use a portable jump starter to start your car with a low or dead battery.
- First of all, turn off your car and take out the keys.
- Now, take the red cable and connect it to the positive terminal of the jump starter’s battery. You might also find two exposed battery terminals. That’s where you have to clamp the jumper cable.
- Connect the black cable to a non-conductive area. That will work as an earthing station. You can also connect the black cable to the car engine block, away from the fuel compartment and the battery.
- Now, connect the red cable to the dead battery’s positive terminal.
- Similarly, the black cable will go to the negative exposed terminal of the portable jump starter’s battery.
- After establishing the connection, turn on the jump starter.
- Now, wait and don’t start your car yet. Let the jump starter’s battery allow some charge to flow to the dead battery. It’s not recharging but making way to successfully jumpstart your car.
- After that, start your car.
If your car starts, well and good. You can now remove the cables in the same sequence. Next, pack the jump starter and connect it to charging if it shows a low battery.
If your car doesn’t start, try starting it 3-4 times. If it doesn’t show any result, your car battery is either fully drained or damaged.
In that case, you have to visit an automobile shop. Their crew will examine what’s wrong with your car battery.
Besides, always read the instructions manual with the portable jump starter. Some manufacturers might follow different methods to use their jump starter accessories.
How to Know if Your Car Battery is Dead?
A car battery doesn’t instantly die unless it suffers serious damage. It runs for 3-5 years under normal conditions. These conditions include:
- Driving frequency
- Weather
- Temperature
- Charging and more
However, you might see the following signs if your car battery is losing its charge:
- Weak performance of electrical components (stereo, GPS, lights, etc.)
- Car struggles to start in cold weather
- A battery sign is lit on the dashboard
Contact a car battery expert if you are confused about whether the alternator is not charging the battery or the battery is at fault. They will do the needful.
Jump Start Safety Measures
Since jumpstarting connects two batteries, there’s more chance of creating electrical sparks. Therefore, remember the following safety precautions while jumpstarting your car:
- Never jumpstart frozen, damaged, or leaked batteries. They could explode.
- Never jumpstart a dry battery.
- Always park the car in an open area. Ventilation is necessary to mitigate the risk of explosion.
- Consult your car manufacturer if you have an electronic car. Things work differently when the mechanics of a car change, including jump starting.
- Always read the instruction manual before jumpstarting your car.
You can contact the retailer or manufacturer if your portable jump starter is malfunctioning. In addition, you might avoid the repair cost if the accessory’s warranty is valid.
Conclusion
Jumpstarting your car in case of a dead battery is the easiest and fastest way to hit the road again. Connecting the jumper cables to the portable jump starter and your car battery takes only a few minutes.
However, it’s important to know in what sequence the cables should be connected.
You don’t need any help from another vehicle or person to jumpstart your car. Therefore, get your portable jump starter now from the Best Avehicle and never stop your journey due to a dead car battery.
