Flat Battery? Jump Start a Car with Jumper Cables

Batteries - 05 May 2020

During the lockdown period you may have experienced a flat battery when you wanted to pop out for groceries. A car that stands idle for a lengthy period can result in the battery losing its charge. This battery is not necessarily ‘dead’, but merely ‘flat’. As long as you have access to a second car and a pair of jumper leads, it’s quick and easy to get going again.

To begin, park both vehicles close enough for the jumper cables to reach between each of the cars’ batteries. Ensure the following:

1. Vehicles are in Park or Neutral position
2. All lights are switch off
3. Accessories are unplugged
4. Hand brakes are engaged

Connecting the jumper cables

Jumper cables consist of a red and a black cable. There are two clips on each. The red lead must be connected to the Positive terminal and black lead to the Negative terminal.

Instructions:

1. Clip one side of the black cable to the negative terminal of the good battery
2. Clip one side of the red cable to the positive terminal of the good battery
3. Clip one side of the black cable to the negative terminal of the flat battery
4. Clip one side of the red cable to the positive terminal of the flat battery
5. Start the car that will be doing the charging and let run for about five minutes
6. Switch on the receiving car to see if it starts.
7. Once started, reverse the order to disconnect the jumper cables
8. Let the receiving car run for a few more minutes or drive it around the block a few times

Watch the 2-minute demonstration to see how easy it is to jump start a car with jumper cables:

Disclaimer: This information is for educational or informational purposes only. We do not make any warranties about the completeness, reliability, and accuracy of this information. The views expressed in this article are the views of the author and not necessarily the views of Supa Quick.