If your car battery has gone flat, it can be frustrating, but fortunately it is a situation you can handle yourself with the right knowledge and equipment. Follow this guide to safely charge your flat car battery so you can quickly get back on the road.
What you will need:
- Jump leads
- Another car with a fully charged battery or a portable battery charger.
- Tools (depending on your vehicle type, you may need tools to access the battery).
- Gloves and safety glasses (for safety).
Step-by-step Guide to Jump Starting with Jump Leads
Step 1: Preparing both cars
- Park the car with the fully charged battery close to the car with the flat battery, but make sure they are not touching.
- Switch off both cars and remove the keys from the ignition.
- Check the battery voltage (if possible). Both cars must have 12-volt batteries for this method to work.
Step 2: Connecting the jump leads
- Put on gloves and safety glasses to protect yourself from any sparks.
- Start with the red (positive) clamp on the jump lead. Attach it first to the positive (+) terminal on the flat battery.
- Attach the other end of the red (positive) cable to the positive (+) terminal on the fully charged battery.
- Now take the black (negative) clamp and attach it to the negative (-) terminal on the fully charged battery.
- Connect the last black (negative) clamp and attach it to the negative (-) terminal on the flat battery.
Step 3: Start the car with the full battery
- Start the car with the charged battery and let it run for a few minutes. This gives the flat car a boost of energy.
- Then try to start the car with the flat battery. If the car starts, let both cars run for 5-10 minutes to charge the battery in the flat car a little.
Step 4: Removing the jump leads
When the car with the flat battery has started, it is important to remove the cables in reverse order to avoid sparks:
- First remove the black (negative) clamp from the car that has just been started.
- Then remove the black clamp from the car that supplied the power.
- Remove the red (positive) clamp from the car with the fully charged battery.
- Finally remove the red clamp from the car that has just been started.
Step 5: Let the car run
After starting the car, let it run for 15-20 minutes or take a short drive. This will help charge the battery so it is ready for the next start.