I learned from my grandfather, back in the 60's. He was a heavy-equipment mechanic and he insisted that I learn HIS way of doing things when I was learning to drive and learning how to fix automotive stuff. My father was less anal about the negative-connection, but I respected my grandfather's experience and skill. I don't know if more modern sealed batteries are less dangerous in this regard, but it's an easy rule to remember and follow so I still do it.Integral said:I have always connected the negative terminals, never had any problem. In the days of metal bumpers you could just touch bumpers and run a jumper lead only between the positives , in many cases it is easier to get to frame connections then the battery, in reality it does not make any difference. Just get the best connection you can.
I think you may have tumbled to the problem that made the old-timers come up with the frame-to-frame rule. If the person with the dead car is anxious to get moving and removes the ground clamp from the negative terminal first, there could be a "pop".pallidin said:Also, I thought that lead acid cell batteries emit hydrogen only during charging. So, doesn't a dead/weak battery have nearly zero hydrogen gas discharge above it when connecting jumper cables?
spenson said:Hmm, that's interesting. I always thought it was to add a bit more resistance to the circuit. Never considered the explosion aspect. Looking through a couple of Google searches I actually found an incident of someone blowing the top off their battery because of this.
Sakha said:So eventually if you charge a lot your battery you will end up with no hydrogen and no power right?
You top off the cells with distilled water, not more acid.Sakha said:Distilled water? Dont those batteries have sulfuric acid in the small vents?
turbo-1 said:You want your negative connections (I do both!) to be on grounded metal some distance away from the batteries, so that any sparks creating when disconnecting the jumpers won't ignite hydrogen liberated by the battery.
The negative wire, also known as the ground wire, is used to complete the circuit when jumpstarting a car. It connects the negative terminal of the dead battery to a metal part of the car with a good battery, completing the circuit and allowing the flow of electricity to the dead battery.
No, it is important to use the specific negative wire provided with the jumpstart kit or a designated negative terminal on the assisting car. Using the wrong wire or connecting it to the wrong part of the car can cause damage to the electrical system.
If the negative wire is connected to the wrong part of the car, it can cause damage to the electrical system, including blowing fuses or damaging the battery. It is important to always double check the connections before jumpstarting a car.
The negative wire should always be connected last when jumpstarting a car because it completes the circuit. If the negative wire is connected first, it can cause a spark and potentially ignite any hydrogen gas that may have built up in the dead battery, causing an explosion.
No, it is not recommended to use a negative wire to jumpstart a car without a jumpstart kit. The jumpstart kit includes specific wires and safety precautions to ensure the proper flow of electricity and prevent any potential hazards. It is best to use a designated jumpstart kit or seek professional help if a jumpstart kit is not available.