Jump Starting vs Using a Battery Charger

The most prepared among us probably own a portable battery charger, since it is a handy little tool. Whether at home or out on the road, it can be used in lieu of a jump start to get your dead battery going again.

How to Use Jump Leads to Jump Start a Car

Using jump leads is actually quite simple, but the fear of getting shocked or making a mistake overcomplicates things. Once you get the hang of things, though, you can jump start your battery quickly and easily. Follow these steps on how to attach and use jump leads:

  • Ensure that both vehicles are completely switched off.
  • Pop the hood and remove any cover on the battery.
  • Be careful not to touch any metal parts when handling the jump leads.
  • Connect the red cable to the positive terminal on each battery.
  • Connect the black cable to the negative terminal on the working battery first, and then to the same terminal on the dead battery.
  • You will likely notice a small spark when the circuit is completed.
  • Wait a short moment for the battery voltages to equalize then start the car with the live battery.
  • Let it run for a few minutes, and you can occasionally gently rev the motor to ensure it remains in peak active condition.
  • It is then time to test whether or not the dead battery has absorbed enough charge to start the car.
  • If it does not start, wait a little longer and try again. If it does start, let both vehicles idle for a few more minutes.
  • Finally, disconnect the leads and take the jump-started car for a long enough ride to reenergize the battery so that you won't have the same problem when you stop again.

Prevention is better than cure, as the saying goes, so here are some tips and tricks to help you prevent your car battery from dying in cold weather, too.

What’s Different When You Need to Jump Start a Diesel Engine?

While many diesel engine vehicles sold in the USA differ from gas-fed ones in that they sometimes have two batteries instead of one, this doesn't significantly change how to start a car with a dead battery. So long as it has a manual transmission, you can still bump start a diesel without any fuss, while you can jump start a diesel by connecting the leads to either of the two batteries, since they are connected in parallel.