Car battery

blahblahbla · 28-05-2011 7:36pm #1

I bought a portable power station and engine started , the model is Streetwise Accessories. Its basically a portable battery that can jump start a car when its battery dies.
Here is a link to the product :
http://www.streetwizeaccessories.com/car-accessories-details/0/All-Categories/19/Portable-Power-Stations/0/all-categories/3/1130/Portable-Power-Station-&-Engine-Starter-with-LED-Work-Light/

My problem is with the instructions, it tells me to attach the red cable to the positive battery terminal but it tells my not to attach the black negative to the negative terminal in the battery instead attach it to a non moving metal part of the engine.

That doesn’t sound right to me , Ive jumped started cars before with portable batteries and normal jump cables and have always attached the negative to the negative.

Does anyone have any experience with one of these power batteries?

I don’t want to blow my battery or electrocute myself if I have to use this battery, the instructions are very unclear.

Technoprisoner · 28-05-2011 7:38pm

perfectly normal to earth the block or body of the car

Merch · 28-05-2011 7:49pm

Im never amazed that most people dont realise you are NOT supposed to attach the neg lead to the neg terminal on the boosted battery but to a metal part of the car elsewhere.
Hydrogen gas is exhausted by the battery and can ignite, so while it probably wont happen, it can.

If you do as you have been doing, a spark will occur at the battery. It will start your car, assuming a fire hasn't broken out.

The instructions sound clear and accurate to me. Just because previous instructions have not included this or they were not seen does not mean it is not the case.

blahblahbla · 28-05-2011 7:49pm

Technoprisoner wrote: »

perfectly normal to earth the block or body of the car

What do you mean by "the block"?
When you say body of the car do you mean the bonnet or something ?
If I do this will the bonnet be dangerous to touch?

Is it wrong to link both negitives together when jumpstarting, will this damage my car? this is what Ive done up till now.

si_guru · 28-05-2011 7:50pm

The block is the engine.

blahblahbla · 28-05-2011 7:51pm

Merch wrote: »

If you do as you have been doing, a spark will occur at the battery. It will start your car, assuming a fire hasn't broken out.
QUOTE]

I didnt relise this, When I did my driving test my instructor told me to link the negs and thats the way my ol fella does it,

Whats a good part of the car to attach the black end?

jimmyw · 28-05-2011 8:01pm

As stated already, the reason you dont put the neg cable on the battery itself is to avoid sparks while making the connection igniting any gas that surrounds the battery.When you put the neg connection on the ENGINE BLOCK of the car with the flat battery (thats the best not the car body), it wouldn't become live so you are quite safe.This is the proper and safe way to connect a power pack or regular jump leads for that matter.

jimmyw · 28-05-2011 8:07pm

blahblahbla wrote: »

Merch wrote: »

QUOTE]

Whats a good part of the car to attach the black end?

Any bolt or metal part or on some cars there is a ring on the engine too

JMSE · 28-05-2011 8:50pm

what they want you to do is to be as far away from the battery as the leads will allow in case the battery blows for whatever reason, its good practice thats all, putting the clamp on the negative is normally fine but when you observe the proper way you really make it look like you know what you are doing and then your friends will make sure to call you again and that might not be the best thing. Jump starting a renault for the first time a year or two ago had my neighbour rightly flummoxed, there I was attaching both clamps to places where no battery could be found and yet the car started.

Car battery

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