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Learning how you can jump-start a car battery isn’t difficult, but it can definitely be intimidating for first-timers. Here are a few of the reasons why your battery might have died and some tips for jumping starting your battery that will help you go back on the road right away.

Why did my battery die?

The absolute most common reason for a dead battery is leaving your lights on all night long, but that’s not necessarily the only way to drain your battery. Other culprits can include an interior light that doesn’t turn off because of a faulty door latch or trunk switch, a faulty alternator, or perhaps a poorly installed stereo system, subwoofer, or car alarm that may be leeching power through a short circuit. If you find your battery is constantly dying on you, it’s worth going to a professional to diagnose the problem.

Choose the right tools for the job

There are two basic tools used to jump-start a car battery.

The first is standard jumper cables, which are intended to connect your car’s electrical system directly to that of another vehicle nearby, allowing you to use its juice in order to get your engine going. You’ll have to choose the right length of cable; standard units force you to park face-to-face. That’s not always possible on a busy highway, where it may be safer to park nose-to-tail and use a set of extended cables. Thicker cables, noted by their lower gauge size, will also transmit electricity more efficiently, which makes for easier jump-starting. Finally, solid copper clamps always beat copper-plated clamps as the latter design (Sugg.: because the plating) can subside in time and significantly reduce your ability to jump-start a car battery.

Another option is a portable power pack, which is a self-contained battery you can keep charged in your trunk or garage. The pack may be connected to your car’s battery and save you from needing to wait for a rescue.

Making the connection

Irrespective of whether you use cables or a power pack, learning how to jump-start a car battery requires you to understand how to make the right connection with your vehicle’s electrical system.

Always connect the positive terminals first. Then connect the negative terminals, starting with the working battery.

Although you are likely acquainted with the concept of connecting the positive terminals and negative terminals together using jumper cables, it’s a smart idea to clamp to the chassis of the car being jumped started rather than the dead battery’s negative pole. This provides you with a stronger ground– the battery itself needs to ground out through the chassis, so you are eliminating the middleman– and ensures that any sparks that might fly are located far away from the battery, which may be venting flammable gases.

If you are using a battery pack, you’ll follow the same steps: positive cable to the positive terminal, negative cable to negative terminal or ground pole/chassis. Lastly, ensure that the pack is on and ready when you crank the ignition on your vehicle.