Jump starter how does it work

Having been bitten by the car bug at a young age, I spent my formative years surrounded by Studebakers at car shows across Quebec and the northeastern United States. Over ten years of racing, restoring, and obsessing over automobiles lead me to balance science writing and automotive journalism full time. I currently contribute as an editor to several online and print automotive publications, and I also write and consult for the pharmaceutical and medical device industry.

Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Skip to content Having a portable jump-starter in your car can mean the difference between being stranded and making it to your destination safe and sound during the winter months. How do these jump-starters work? And if you have any other questions, please ask in the Comments at the end of this post. Go here for more information. Portable or battery jump starters come with their own internal battery.

You simply connect the two clamps to the battery terminals, red to positive and black to negative. Press the On button on the jump starter, then start your vehicle. Once the car starts, switch the jump starter off, disconnect the red positive clamp then disconnect the black negative clamp.

They are designed only to provide the high current a car needs for starting. Related questions — How do I use a portable jump starter? A high quality jump starter will maintain its charge indefinitely.

Look for a similar specification when buying. Generally, the more you pay the higher the quality. This is important, as lead-acid batteries used in most vehicles can give off explosive gases. This means if you connect the clamps to the wrong terminals, the jump starter will show a fault light and will not operate.

Do not crank the engine for more than 5 seconds. If you have to readjust the jumper clamps, turn the car and jump starter off first. Only then should you try to improve the connection. After the engine starts, turn the jump starter off. Then, remove the negative black clamp followed by the positive red clamp. Now, safely store the portable jump starter.

You can remove those embarrassing protective glasses now. After the clamps have been removed, allow the vehicle to idle for several minutes before taking off.

Now you can go home to safety. Most portable jump starters will plug directly into an AC outlet. Recharge the unit for at least 3 hours. Some units will require hours for a complete charge. Turn the car off. Make sure the battery charger is off and unplugged. Connect the red clamp to the positive terminal. Once both clamps are connected, plug in the charger to an outlet. Turn on the plug-in vehicle battery charger. The battery will start charging. Leave the charger on overnight.

In the morning, turn off the charger. Since the jump starter only puts out a base peak amperage, it will not charge your battery if you keep it plugged in for a length of time.

You have one shot of starting the battery. However, dirty or corroded battery terminals may prevent a good connection for the alligator clamps and hamper the jump starter from transferring its optimum peak amps.

Taking care of your battery and battery terminals is as important as caring for your jump starter pack. Keep the jump starter stored in a cool dry place when not in use. Do not leave it in your car especially in extreme cold conditions as it can drain the jump starter and compromise the plastic clamp wire covers. Keep the jump starter charged to optimize the peak amp output in the event you will need it.