We’ve all had it happen — just when we’re in a hurry, we find out that our car is dead. There’s no one else around to help, and the auto club is more than an hour away. Well, if you have a battery charger, it’s fairly simple to go ahead and jumpstart your car’s battery, even if there’s no one else around to help you. Here’s how to jumpstart a car with a battery charger.
How To Jumpstart A Car With A Battery Charger
1. Make sure your car is turned entirely off. Removing the keys from the ignition ensures it’s completely off, and not just dead.
2. Open your hood using the hood release lever inside the vehicle.
3. Verify that your charger is turned off and is not plugged into an electrical outlet before you begin. Place it away from the vehicle, but close enough to connect the cables.
4. Take the positive clamp from the charger and attach it to the positive terminal on your car’s battery. This should be marked with a plus (+) sign, and is often colored red so you can identify it more easily.
5. Take the negative clamp from the charger and attach it to the negative terminal on your car’s battery. This should be marked with a minus (-) sign, and is often colored black so you can identify it. This should provide the power needed to jumpstart the vehicle.
6. Adjust the voltage on the charger. If unsure, consult with the owner’s manual for the best results. A slow, or trickle charge, will usually give you better results.
7. If your charger has this option, decide whether you want it to shut off automatically when the battery is charged.
8. Wait the amount of time indicated by the manual for the type of charger you have and the voltage selected. Attempt to start the car.
10. Turn the charger off and unplug it before removing it.
11. Disconnect the battery charger – first remove the negative clamp from the battery, and then remove the positive clamp.
That’s it! Get in, and you’re ready to go.
Need More Help?
If you need any help, or have any other questions, TalkLocal has professionals who can help. We will connect you with a towing service who can help you restart your car, or bring it to a mechanic.
