Jump starting a car - without blowing things up

lucalux

Just need a bit of reassurance here..

My car is dead as a dodo, I left the headliner light on the other night. Battery was definitely low and needed replacing. It definitely will be replaced before the end of the month.

I have jump started cars loads of times, but I am aware that using more modern cars, there's maybe other things to be aware of when doing it.

Mine's a Corolla 2004 and the only car I have access to right now is an Audi A6 estate, 2018.
Reeally don't want to mess up this car in any way!

Is there anything I need to know apart from:

All elecs off.
Red on Flat Battery, other Red to Donor Battery
Black on Donor Battery, other Black to Bare Steel on Flat Car

Start donor car, start dead car, let run for 5mins... Right?

Saw someone kill their car's battery, trying to jump someone else's flat battery once. I just want to avoid that at all costs
Anything else I'm missing, be glad to know thanks!

L

alan4cult

Yep sounds right.

Most of the issues arising when starting a newer car from another car. But that 2004 will start up no issue.

Consider getting a battery pack or a trickle charger and charge the flat battery as another option.

lucalux

alan4cult wrote: »

Yep sounds right.

Most of the issues arising when starting a newer car from another car. But that 2004 will start up no issue.

Consider getting a battery pack or a trickle charger and charge the flat battery as another option.

Thank you so much for your reply!

Great, I did think it was more likely to cause problems if I was jumping the new car, but once I don't damage the Audi I'm safe ha!
The Corolla can take more abuse at it's age

Will be replacing the battery as soon as I can, but not for a week at least, so hoping it's not dead dead.

I do have a trickle charger somewhere in the shed now that you mention it, (the head's not working at all today) but not sure that it still works. Will root it out.

I'll try the jump-starting first for handiness sake. See how that goes.
Fingers crossed, and thanks very much again!

L

zg3409

Assuming jump leads are red and black, beware the colour of the connection on the car itself may be black for +. You need + to +, double check. Black on good car to battery. Black on bad car to good bare metal on chassis. Typically I have a second person ready to start bad car as soon as possible and leave good engine running.

I take off the leads as soon as car starts, it can die again sometimes, but leaving them.on is not good for battery nor jump leads.

Then go for a 30 minute drive at least.

lucalux

zg3409 wrote: »

Assuming jump leads are red and black, beware the colour of the connection on the car itself may be black for +. You need + to +, double check. Black on good car to battery. Black on bad car to good bare metal on chassis. Typically I have a second person ready to start bad car as soon as possible and leave good engine running.

I take off the leads as soon as car starts, it can die again sometimes, but leaving them.on is not good for battery nor jump leads.

Then go for a 30 minute drive at least.

Great thanks, I suppose I would always check to a point, but you're right, far better to go by + and - and not rely on colours.
I'll be triple checking everything this time, it's my Mam's car I'm using to jump mine and so she'll freak if I mess it up.

I would have always left the leads on for a minute or two, but good to know, I'll try for getting it first time eh!
Some things online say to turn off both cars to take off jump leads after starting.. I've never done this though..
This is where the doubts come in ha!

It's a 30 minute drive to town, so I hope that should be OK, but if it dies again I'll have the leads in the car and will be able to find someone fingers crossed!

CoBo55

Leave the heater fan on 1 or 2 on both cars, the motor will soak up any surge rather than it damaging an ECU. Leave both cars connected together for about 10 minutes before attempting to start the corolla. The final clamp to put on should be the earth to the engine block on the corolla. You'll hear the engine dropping on the Audi as it detects the extra load of the flat battery and starts to charge it. Don't rush it, let the corolla battery build up a bit before starting it.
In summary,
Start Audi, positive on Audi then positive on corolla.
Negative on Audi at battery then negative to metal on corolla. Be firm and quick when putting on this clamp as the circuit is being created and you don't want any hesitation or excess sparking causing surges.
Clamp to the engine on the corolla not the car body.

lawred2

jesus what have I been doing?

whenever I've jump started a car - I've just connected red to red and black to black..

Am I lucky to be alive?

Esel

lawred2 wrote: »

jesus what have I been doing?

whenever I've jump started a car - I've just connected red to red and black to black..

Am I lucky to be alive?

A spark next to a battery could cause any battery gas which might be present to explode. Connecting the last negative to an earth point away from the battery negates this possibility.

zg3409

lawred2 wrote: »

jesus what have I been doing?

whenever I've jump started a car - I've just connected red to red and black to black..

Am I lucky to be alive?

Its less likely to start and overloads the bad and good battery. Not ideal
The aim if connecting to chassis is to jump starter motor, not battery, so that car starts. It also reduces the rate at which the bad battery charges, as if it charges too quick the jump.leads can melt or the bad battery can be damaged, and the good battery.

biko

Many many videos on this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9Cpngug8Oc

lucalux

biko wrote: »

Many many videos on this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9Cpngug8Oc

Thanks a mill. Lots of videos but had a specific question about modern cars. Just being careful

btree

I saw Lidl had the pulse battery charger a few days ago for 29 EUR so if they are still selling you could purchase and charge this dead battery then it should be grand.

lucalux wrote: »

Just need a bit of reassurance here..

My car is dead as a dodo, I left the headliner light on the other night. Battery was definitely low and needed replacing. It definitely will be replaced before the end of the month.

I have jump started cars loads of times, but I am aware that using more modern cars, there's maybe other things to be aware of when doing it.

Mine's a Corolla 2004 and the only car I have access to right now is an Audi A6 estate, 2018.
Reeally don't want to mess up this car in any way!

Is there anything I need to know apart from:

All elecs off.
Red on Flat Battery, other Red to Donor Battery
Black on Donor Battery, other Black to Bare Steel on Flat Car

Start donor car, start dead car, let run for 5mins... Right?

Saw someone kill their car's battery, trying to jump someone else's flat battery once. I just want to avoid that at all costs
Anything else I'm missing, be glad to know thanks!

L

CJhaughey

Most batteries these days don't release hydrogen gas like the older free acid batteries.
If you are a certain age you will likely remember the corrosion and verdigris on the terminals caused by acid vapour and hydrogen gas.
The main reason you don't see it as much these days is because the battery lids have a labyrinth seal and the vapour recombines and drips back into the cells.
So unless the Alternator is wildly overcharging the battery its unlikely that you will blow the battery up with a hydrogen explosion these days.