HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2007-10-25, Page 22Kaboom!
That’s the sound a battery can
make if you connect booster cables
incorrectly when jumpstarting a
car.
Fortunately, with a bit of hook-up
savvy and a set of high-quality,
eight-gauge wire booster cables,
you can safely jumpstart a car and
avoid explosions.
Start by inspecting the dead
battery. Is it cracked or leaking
fluid? If so, don’t even try to boost
it. Get a new battery.
If your dead battery looks
outwardly healthy, next make sure
that all lights and accessories on
both vehicles are off. Turn off the
engine on the good car and hook up
the booster cables as follows:
1. Connect one end of the positive
(+) cable to the positive (+) post of
the dead battery.
2. Connect the other end of the
positive (+) cable to the positive
(+) post of the healthy battery.
3. Connect one end of the negative
(-) cable to the negative (-) post of
the healthy battery.
4. Connect the other end of the
negative (-) cable to a metal part of
the dead car’s engine—a shiny
piece of metal (avoid oil or grease-
covered surfaces) on the engine
block for instance. (The engine
block is the main part of the
motor). Be sure the cable will clear
anything moving when the car
starts. Do not attach the negative
cable to the dead battery. Doing so
could explode the battery if sparks
ignite hydrogen gas emitting from
the battery.
Next, start the engine on the good
car, and then start the dead car.
Disconnect the cables in reverse
order.
When using a portable battery
booster, connect the positive clamp
of the booster cable to the positive
clamp of the dead battery. Then
connect the negative cable to the
engine block or other grounded
metal away from the battery.
Car Care Canada suggests that
you check your battery if it’s three
years old or older.
Cold weather will reduce your
battery's power and make your car’s
engine more difficult to start, so a
strong, healthy battery is a necessity
in winter.
PAGE 22. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2007.
If your car battery is dead or even
weak, you’re not going anywhere. It
is the leading cause of starting
trouble, whether because of lights
left on, a charging system problem
or other cause.
Sometimes it is just that the
battery has outlived its usefulness.
But even at best, a healthy battery in
27°C weather has only half of its
output when the thermometer dips to
below zero.
When shopping, remember that a
battery is rated by cold cranking
amps (CCA), indicating its power
and the reserve capacity rating (RC),
which indicates how long your car’s
accessories can run and still have
enough power to start the engine.
Since starting a car in cold
weather can take up to twice as
much current to turn over a cold
engine, cars in colder climates
would benefit from a higher CCA
rating. Check your owner’s manual
for the original equipment
manufacturer’s (OEM) minimum
requirements needed for your car
and select the battery adequate for
your needs.
Buying one with an excessive
CCA rating may be a waste of
money.
In every situation, more RC
(reserve) is better, like a little extra
in the checking account. The size
and number of plates in a battery
determine how many amps it can
deliver. By having more and/or large
plates, you can increase the normal
life of the battery. This is what
distinguishes a three-year from a
five-year warranty battery.
Battery manufacturers build their
products to an internationally
adopted Battery Council
International (BCI) group number
based on the physical size, terminal
placement (where you connect the
cables to the battery) and terminal
polarity. BCI and the battery
manufacturers offer application
guidelines that contain the OEM
cranking amperage requirements
and group number replacement
recommendations by make, model
and year of car and battery size,
CCA and RC specifications.
How to jumpstart your car, and do it safely
Leasing has become a popular
way of acquiring a vehicle. For
those who face the decision
regarding turning the vehicle in at
the end of a lease versus taking
ownership, Car Care Canada offers
a suggestion: Invest in a
comprehensive inspection by an
independent expert before the lease
has expired. This is especially
important in the case of a high
mileage vehicle.
A vehicle with 80,000 km or more
may need maintenance and repair
work that can add hundreds of
dollars to the cost of acquisition.
The checklist should include such
parts as drive belts, brake pads,
filters and fuel ignition system
components.
While few, if any, of these
components will need attention on
most lease-end vehicles, the
possibility of excessive wear or
damage does warrant a close
inspection. Even in early stages of a
lease, a damaged rubber CV boot,
for example, can soon lead to
expensive repairs.
Remember batteries are rated
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