That the car battery is discharged just when you are about to leave is, by far, one of the most unpleasant situations in which we often do not know what to do. For this reason, today we will tell you everything you need to know to pass power to a car from another car.
How to transfer current from one car to another?
Jumping power to a car seems like a relatively simple task, but the truth is that it must be done correctly, to avoid causing damage to the car’s computer that is passing the power.
To pass current to a car in the correct way, you must have a positive cable and a negative cable, colored red and black respectively . Naturally, both cables must be in perfect condition.
How to pass current correctly?
To jump-start a car, you must make sure to line up both cars at a height where they are as close to each other as possible . The reason they need to be close enough is because the cables are typically short distances.
The red (positive) cable should be connected to the discharged battery and then to the charged battery . Next, you need to place the black cable (negative or ground) on the charged battery and then on some metal part of the car that won’t start. Please note that it is not recommended to connect directly to the battery.
Finally, the loaded car is started for a couple of minutes, and then the unloaded car for another couple of minutes . The above should be enough to pass current properly. After confirming that the car has charged, the cables can be removed in the reverse way to how they were initially placed.
Some recommendations to pass current
To pass current to a car correctly, you must take into account a series of vitally important indications. The most important of all is to never perform this procedure while it is raining, as the consequences could be deadly.
If possible, use insulating gloves to carry out this process and always be careful not to touch the battery terminals or the cable clamps with your hand, always handling the cables from the isolated parts of the cable.
Also, you should avoid performing this procedure while you are smoking or drinking alcohol. And, of course, you must keep the car with the discharged battery on because there is no certainty that, after turning it off, it will turn on again.
Finally, it is important to remember that this procedure can be done sporadically . If you have to do it frequently, it is likely that the battery or the charger is failing, in this case you should take it to a mechanic to have it checked. If the battery is failing, it is best to opt for a new battery .
Why does a battery discharge?
It is not always easy to identify the reasons why your car battery is discharged. There are multiple alternatives based on different scenarios . Among the most common reasons are the following:
1. The car has not been used for a long time
One of the most common reasons why you have to give power to your car is because, after a long time without using it, the battery discharges. This happens because, due to lack of use, all the components of the engine end up atrophying.
The best recommendation to avoid this problem is to start the engine at least once a week . Thus, all the components will enter heat; regardless of the time of year.
2. The lights stayed on
Surely it happens to you that you park the car and, without realizing it, leave the lights on. As a consequence, when it is time to turn it on, you are surprised that the battery is discharged, because the headlights of the car consume more voltage.
3. The battery has exceeded its useful life
Like any other component of the car, the battery also has a time limit of use . When this period of use is exceeded, it will lead to consequences such as having to pass power to your car. The only way to solve this problem is to buy a new battery on the market.
