The jumper cables are one of the basic tools that you should carry in your car, but if you are not sure which ones to buy, here we tell you what you should know about them.
One of the most common breakdowns that a car can have is running out of battery, either because its useful life has expired or due to some carelessness of the driver by leaving the lights on all night, for example.
1. Procedure for switching power to another vehicle
The first thing you should know is how the cables work to pass current . In a brief explanation, what they do is form an electrical bridge that sends the necessary energy from one battery to another.
You must have two cables, a positive one that is red and a negative one that is black, and follow these steps:
Line up the two vehicles, either side by side or facing each other so that the batteries are as close as possible but not touching.
Open the hoods and place the positive cable on the positive pole of the vehicle without current and then place the other end on the positive pole of the car with load. Next, grab the black cable and place one of its ends on the negative pole of the battery that is charged, while the other end goes on a metal part of the vehicle without current, preferably not painted.
Do not put the tip on the battery because if there is a spill of hydrogen that usually happens in damaged batteries , it can cause an explosion.
Put the gearbox in neutral, engage the parking brake, and make sure the lights, sound system, and other functions are off.
The next point is to start the car’s engine with load for a few minutes so that it works and the battery is properly charged and then start the vehicle without power.
Crank it up for about five seconds and let it rest another 20; repeat the action about three or four times and once you have charged, turn on the lights or some electrical function to reduce the impact of the load change and that the electrical system or the car’s computer is not damaged when removing the cables.
If after several attempts the car does not start, the problem may not be the battery and it corresponds to another element, remove the cables and better call a tow truck.
If the charging worked, it’s time to remove the cables, which you should do in the reverse order of how you connected them.
Although it is a very simple process, you must follow some safety measures since you are working with electricity.
Make sure that the jumper cables are in good condition and are not too thin because it can get hot when you want to start the vehicle and generate a short circuit.
Check that the batteries are of the same voltage and that the cables are placed correctly because if you put them upside down, the cars can suffer damage to an electrical component.
It is recommended that the cars face each other so that the cables reach from one battery to another without excessive tension, but make sure that the vehicles do not touch as there could be a short circuit.
Do not even think of smoking while charging the battery and do not do this procedure if it is raining. In case of very cold weather, check that the battery fluid is not frozen.
Lastly, once you’ve arrived at your destination with the car charged, keep it running for a few minutes but with the lights off so that the battery charges enough to start the car the next day.
2. What is the price of the cables to pass current
Buying jumper cables does not require a large investment as they are very affordable and you can find some from $150 although there are some models that exceed $5,000, it all depends on the gauge of the cables, the length, the Amps and even the presentation.
Along with the cables, it is advisable to buy some gloves as they will serve as protection when charging the battery.
3. What are the best cables to pass current
According to some popular sites such as Amazon or Mercado Libre, among the best evaluated cables to pass current are a 3-meter Truper brand model that costs $259, or a 6.1-meter-long Bohr brand for rough use and that are used for cars. , SUVs and trucks; the price is $429.
4. Where can I buy cables to pass current?
Nowadays it is very easy to buy cables to jump current and you can find them in supermarkets, in department stores, in specialized stores of parts and tools or online.