Jumper Cables - Black to Black or Black to Engine Block?

[GasX]

Do you connect the jumper cable to the dead battery's negative terminal or the engine block?

Instructions always say engine block, but there are so few spots the cables will grab onto...

 

[akshatp]

Engine block if possible...

 

[Baked]

Call AAA and see what the guy does. I've always done it to the battery.

 

[Toastedlightly]

Only risk is explosion due to built up hydrogen.. unlikely, but could happen.

 

[BriGy86]

as far as I know black is only the ground so it shouldn't matter, but I am by no means a car guy so check with other people

 

[JackBurton]

I believe it goes to red. :evil:

 

[FoBoT]

usually the frame, but sometimes not
if the hood has been open for a bit, the hydrogen should have floated away

 

[Toastedlightly]

Originally posted by: FoBoT
usually the frame, but sometimes not
if the hood has been open for a bit, the hydrogen should have floated away

Yea, isn't it the ground to engine hook up last so that A: spark is away from battery and B: so that the air clears out?

 

[drum]

i've always used the battery

/doesn't make it correct

 

[Howard]

Positive to positive, negative to bare spot on chassis (away from battery)

 

[misle]

Isn't the chassis / frame / engine block all grounded to the negative terminal of the battery? If so, it shouldn't matter which one the black connects to.

 

[Viperoni]

Originally posted by: misle
Isn't the chassis / frame / engine block all grounded to the negative terminal of the battery? If so, it shouldn't matter which one the black connects to.

It is, but there'll be more resistance so there's not as much current being drained from the good car, plus there won't be any spark upon contact that would be near the battery.

 

[TackleDummy]

Originally posted by: Howard
Positive to positive, negative to bare spot on chassis (away from battery)

That's how it should be done. I have seen it work with it attached to the battery though.

 

[OrganizedChaos]

it'll work work both ways but making the last ground connection to the engine block is safer. although unlikely a battery explosion will SERIOUSLY fvck you up if your standing over it.

 

[jadinolf]

Originally posted by: JackBurton
I believe it goes to red. :evil:

You're bad.:evil:

 

[outerheaven]

I usually connect to the engine frame or anything with rust. Anything with rust gives you a good idea that it's well grounded.

 

[d3n]

Originally posted by: outerheaven
I usually connect to the engine frame or anything with rust. Anything with rust gives you a good idea that it's well grounded.

sounds like you need some sacrificial anodes

 

[fitzov]

On at least one occasion I got a better jump when grounding to something other than the battery.

 

[Whisper]

Originally posted by: Howard
Positive to positive, negative to bare spot on chassis (away from battery)

This is what I've always done. Plus, it's also what those nice little directional illustrations on the cables themselves show; can't go wrong with that.

 

[rudder]

Ground it to your finger.

 

[iamwiz82]

I always use the frame or block.

 

[AnonymouseUser]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82
I always use the frame or block.

 

[chairbornrangerx]

hook up the red clips on the jumper cables to both the red terminals on both batteries (order is irrelevant). Then hook up the black end of the cable to your good batteries black terminal on the battery. Then with the black jumper cable clip on the end with the bad battery, hook it to the engine block or frame.

 

[Aharami]

the one time I had to jump, i used the negative battery terminal. it worked fine. But as others have said, its safer to go with engine block or frame

 

[j00fek]

Originally posted by: Mwilding
Do you connect the jumper cable to the dead battery's negative terminal or the engine block?

Instructions always say engine block, but there are so few spots the cables will grab onto...

rofl, never seems to amaze me. common sense would say: red on red black on black.

i love cars