How to Connect an External Power Source to a Car?
2 Answers
Clamp one end of the red wire to the positive terminal of the dead car's battery. Clamp one end of the black wire to the negative terminal of the dead car's battery. Start the rescue vehicle and let the engine idle to charge the dead car's battery for a while, then attempt to start the dead car.
Before my last road trip, I specifically researched external power sources for cars. There are basically two connection methods: For low-power usage, just buy a car inverter and plug it into the cigarette lighter, but keep the power under 150 watts. I usually use it to charge drone batteries or laptops. For high-power needs, you have to connect directly to the battery. You’ll need a professional battery clamp inverter—first, turn off the engine, open the hood, locate the battery, then clamp the red clip to the positive terminal marked with a '+', and the black clip to the negative terminal or a grounding point on the car body. Remember to add a fuse in between to prevent short circuits. A critical reminder: don’t let metal tools touch both terminals while connecting, or you’ll see scary sparks flying. During camping, I’ve used an 800W electric cooking pot without issues, but always disconnect immediately after use, or the battery will definitely be dead the next day.
