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sparks when jump start car

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  • 28-11-2009 3:46pm
    #1
    potter on
    Registered Users Posts: 57 ✭✭


    Hi,

    I connected postive to postive, when connect negative to negative, there were sparks coming out, and leads were getting really hot. does anyone know if this is normal? and what could have caused this?

    thanks,


Comments

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    #2
    mullingar
    Registered Users Posts: 5,341 ✭✭✭mullingar


    Perfectly normal.

    All jump leads will cause a spark as this is a large electrical current (power) going through a very small point (the initial contact)

    Cheap leads WILL get warm/hot as the cannot handle the large current required by the receiving car.

    P=IR^2. Power = Current x Resistance^2


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    #3
    recyclebin
    Registered Users Posts: 3,506 ✭✭✭recyclebin


    if they wires were hot then its sounds like you connected the jump leads wrong and were shorting the battery.


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    #4
    recyclebin
    Registered Users Posts: 3,506 ✭✭✭recyclebin


    or as mullingar said the jump lead cables were too light to carry the current


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    #5
    potter on
    Registered Users Posts: 57 ✭✭potter on


    thanks guys for your replies. looks like i might need a new pair of jump leads.


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    #6
    Darragh29
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,097 ✭✭✭Darragh29


    recyclebin wrote: »
    if they wires were hot then its sounds like you connected the jump leads wrong and were shorting the battery.

    Not true. OP, disregard this advice in its totality...


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    #7
    Marlow
    Registered Users Posts: 14,555 ✭✭✭✭Marlow


    potter on wrote: »
    thanks guys for your replies. looks like i might need a new pair of jump leads.

    If you need to go out and buy new ones, don't buy it at a petrol-station. Go to one of the motorfactors or one of the farm-suppliers and get some heavy duty cables.

    The cheap cables don't last you very long, as they simply melt when tortured with too much current. Good cables will last you forever.

    /M


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