Experiencing a dead battery can be a frustrating and all-too-familiar situation for truckers - turning the key only to be met with silence. But don’t worry, knowing how to jump-start your vehicle can save you time, money, and of course a great deal of stress. Are you aware of the best ways to jump-start your vehicle? Not sure what is the best way to do it? We got you covered! If not, don’t worry! Here, we’ll share expert tips and step-by-step guides to jump-start your vehicle or car.
That’s why Amigo Tyres - a leading provider of truck tyres in Rocklea - decided to come up with an extensive guide explaining everything you need to know about jump-starting your vehicle during emergencies.
Understanding Your Truck's Battery
First, let’s learn a bit about your truck’s battery before diving into the jump-start process. Most of the trucks use a 12-volt & 24-volt lead-acid battery, which provides the necessary power to start the engine and run the essential system. Knowing what kind of batter your vehicle is embedded with will make it easier to troubleshoot and jump-start effectively.
Here are several factors that can make your battery lose its ability to hold a charge:
- Age
- Extreme weather
- Parasitic drain
- Corrosion
Now, let’s learn about the essential tools required to jump-start the vehicle!
Jump Starting Vehicle: Essential Tools
Below are the essential tools you need to jump-start your vehicle:
- Jumper cables: Always look for heavy-duty cables with a minimum gauge of 4 AWG for trucks.
- A working battery: It can be used from another truck or car with good battery health.
- Safety gear: Gloves and safety glasses can provide additional protection while jump-starting your vehicle.
Safety is a crucial aspect while dealing with electrical systems and batteries. The below safety tips will help you safely jump-starting your vehicle:
Check damage: Inspect both batteries and cables before looking into any visible damage or leaks.
Avoid sparks: Always keep metal objects away from the battery terminals to avoid short circuits.
Choose a well-ventilated area: Batteries release harmful gases, especially during jump starting. So, it’s advisable to choose an open or a well-ventilated space, allowing these gases to disappear.
Wear safety gear: Wear gloves and goggles to protect yourself from any potential battery sparks.
We are done with our prevention tips. Now let’s discover a step-by-step guide to jump-start your truck or car.
Jump Starting Vehicle: Step-by-Step Guide
Follow the below step-by-step guide to jump-start your vehicle properly:
Park the vehicles: The first step is to bring the functioning battery close to your truck while maintaining a difference of about 18 inches apart. Make sure that both engines are removed along with all electrical components.
Connect jumper cables: Start by opening the hoods of both vehicles to access the batteries. Identify the positive (+) and negative (-) terminals of the battery, often marked by red (positive) and black (negative) colors.
Link the Positive Terminals: Take the red (positive) jumper cable and fix its one end at the positive terminal of the flat battery. And then, fix the other end of the cable to the positive terminal of the live battery.
Link the Negative Terminals: Now, take the black (negative) jumper cable and fix one end of it to the negative terminal of the working battery. The other end is then connected to an unpainted surface of the incapacitated vehicle located far from the battery, this aids in grounding the bond safely.
Start the working vehicle: The next step is to start the vehicle with a good battery and let it run for a few minutes. It will allow the dead battery to gain some charge. Make sure both vehicles are on neutral while jump-starting the vehicle.
Start dead truck: After waiting for a few minutes, it’s time to start the vehicle with the dead battery. If it doesn’t start, wait for a few more minutes and try again. Make sure to keep all electric equipment off while jump-starting your vehicle.
Disconnect cables: Once your truck starts, it’s time to disconnect the cables in reverse order. Disconnect the black cable from the dead truck first before removing it from the good battery. Disconnect the rebel cable from the good battery first and then from the dead battery.
Let your vehicle run: Let your truck with a dead battery run for at least 20-30 minutes to allow the battery to charge further. If your battery continues to lose charge, get your battery and charging system checked.
Jump Start Vehicle: Prevent Future Battery Issues
Considering the below tips will help you avoid future battery problems:
- Check your battery connections and clean the terminals regularly to prevent corrosion.
- Get your vehicle's battery tested every 4 to 6 months, especially before extreme weather seasons.
- Always turn off lights, music systems, and other accessories when the engine is off.
- It is best to invest in a portable battery charger or jump starter to keep in your truck for emergencies.
Jump Starting Vehicle Wrapup
We hope that the above article helped you learn everything about jump-starting your vehicle on your own. Jump-starting your vehicle is a straightforward process if you follow the steps and take safety precautions.
Got any queries to ask about truck tyres? Contact us today to get them answered by our tyre experts.