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Electrical: Engine Starting, Charging
Jump-Starting Procedures. When jump-starting a car with a dead battery, the
proper procedures to ensure personal safety and car reliability are:
1. Ensure that the cars are not touching to prevent unwanted ground/earth
paths. Do not allow the cable clamps to touch each other.
2. Put out cigarettes before opening the hoods. Wear safety glasses in case a
battery explodes (more common than you would think!)
3. Turn both cars' ignitions "off".
4. Connect one end of red wire to positive (+) bad car battery terminal
5. Connect other end of red wire to positive (+) good car battery terminal
6. Connect one end of black wire to negative (-) good car battery terminal
7. Make last connection with other end of black wire to bad car engine ground
point (such as a lift metal hook) away from the battery. This eliminates
sparking near the bad battery, which may be outgassing hydrogen and could
explode. Do not attach the cable to the negative terminal of the dead
battery.
8. Start good car engine. Stand away from the batteries.
9. Start bad car engine
10. Turn on both car headlights (see below)
11. Disconnect in inverse order, being careful to keep cables and clamps from
touching.
[Tip from Paul] The book "Bosch Fuel Injection Systems" by Charles Probst notes
that after the jump and before cable removal one should put a load on the car by
turning on headlights or the rear window heater. A lightly loaded car may
experience a spike AFTER you remove the jumper cables since the regulator was
set to supply a heavy load. You instantly switched from a heavy to light load and
the voltage may spike. You may damage your fuel injection computer with this
spike. Avoid it by engaging a load.
Note: You can print these instructions out, xerox onto a plastic sheet, and mount it
near your car battery for on-site reference.
file:///C|/Users/Steve/Documents/Volvo%20FAQ%20Updated/ElectricalStarting.html[01/13/14 10:02:47 PM]
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