What is the correct way to connect car battery cables?
2 Answers
Car battery cables should be connected positive to positive and negative to negative. Battery cable connection procedure: First, clamp the red cable of the jumper wire to the red positive terminal of the "disabled vehicle". Then clamp the other end of the red cable to the red positive terminal of the "rescue vehicle". Clamp the black cable to the black negative terminal of the "disabled vehicle". Next, clamp the black cable to the black negative terminal of the "rescue vehicle". Start the engine of the "rescue vehicle" first, then start the engine of the "disabled vehicle". If the disabled vehicle still cannot start, check whether the metal contact parts have poor contact. Cable removal procedure: First, remove the black cable from the "disabled vehicle". Then remove the black cable from the "rescue vehicle". Next, remove the red cable from the "rescue vehicle". Finally, remove the red cable from the "disabled vehicle".
I usually drive a private car and have replaced the battery cables several times, so I’d like to share some safety tips. First, find a dry place to work—avoid areas near puddles in the garage. When removing the old battery, use a wrench to loosen the black negative terminal first, and only after it’s disconnected should you handle the red positive terminal. Why this order? If you touch the positive terminal first while the negative is still connected to the car body, a short circuit could occur, causing sparks. When installing the new battery, reverse the order: tighten the positive terminal first, then securely fasten the negative terminal. Make sure the terminals aren’t rusty—if there’s oxidation, lightly sand them clean with sandpaper to avoid poor contact and slow starts. Last time, I almost connected them backward carelessly but stopped in time; my neighbor once reversed the connections and fried the electronic display, costing an extra thousand bucks in repairs. Also, wear insulated gloves to prevent shocks, and avoid using excessive force with tools to avoid snapping the cables. After the job, start the car to test—if the headlights turn on, you’re good. Proper battery connections extend battery life, saving hassle and money.
