As a driver, you should know how to use jumper cables!

Several months ago, on a Sunday morning, I found that my car wouldn’t start. I parked my car on a slight incline, so the car slid toward the road when I put the car in gear. I managed to stop my car on the shoulder of the road. When I asked the supervisor in my apartment complex to help me out, he brought jumper cables because he knew it was from lack of battery power. However, he asked me to charge the battery by using the jumper cables because he didn’t know how to use them. Therefore, I had to call the car mechanic and spent unncesary money to fix it in addition to replacing the batteries.

I am sure this informaiton about how to use jumper cables will be useful for the owners of automobiles. Many of you would drive in the United States except for those students living on campus because the public transportation in the United States provided is not so good as in your country.

It is recommended that you carry jumper cables in your car and know how to use them in a proper way.

Here is the link that you can refer to:  How to Use Jumper Cables

 Jumper cables are a pair of electrical cables used to start a vehicle when the battery is dead. This part is one of the most vital pieces of the auto emergency kit. Dead batteries can occur from leaving the car headlights on, cold weather or from loss of charge over time. Jumper cables consist of a pair of positive and negative electrode clamps.

Here is the video clip that you can learn more in detail:

The procedure can be summarized like the following:

Step 1: Connect red clamp to bad battery.

Step 2: Connect other red clamp to good battery.

Step 3: Connect black clamp to good battery.

Step 4: Connect other black clamp to a ground on the bad car.

Step 5: Start good car. Let charge for few minutes.

Step 6: Start bad car.

It is recommended that jumper cables should be stored in a dry bag away from sunlight. Large Ziploc bags work well for keeping jumper cables dry and protected. It is important to clean your jumper cables after use. A solution of baking soda and water can be used to wipe down the metal clamps to neutralize any traces of corrosive acid left behind after use. Once dry, the cables should be stored within the Ziploc plastic bag to keep them clean, dry and ready for next use. 

In order to decrease the chances of encountering a dead battery, it is recommended that your car battery be checked on a regular basis to ensure its charge is still good.

You should always keep in mind, “Safety and health is the number one priority!” Although your purpose of staying in the United States is to study, but there is nothing more important than your life.

Safe driving and be sure to check your car regularly!