How to Use Jumper Cables Safely

You’ve likely been in a situation when your car wouldn’t start when you put the key in the ignition. It seems that this happens in the most inconvenient of times, like when you are on your way to work or headed to an important appointment. While this can be a pain, having a set of jumper cables can help prevent this from becoming a major headache. It’s a great idea to keep a set in your car for moments like this, whether it’s for your own car or to help jump start someone else’s. However, it is important to make sure you know how to use jumper cables correctly. Using them incorrectly can be dangerous and sometimes deadly. Here are a few steps to make sure you are using your jumper cables safely and effectively.

If your car is dead, the first thing you are going to need is a second car to give your car a boost. Park the booster car so that the two vehicles are close to each other, and then turn the engine off. Be sure that the two cars are not touching. Take out the jumper cables and connect the red clamp to the positive terminal on the dead car’s battery, which has a plus sign by it. Connect the second red side to the other car’s positive terminal. Next, take the black clamp and connect it to the booster car’s negative battery terminal, which has a minus sign by it. Clamp the other black side to a metal surface on the dead car. A good place to do this would be on a screw or bolt. Make sure that the cables aren’t touching the engine on either vehicle.

Once you have the jumper cables properly connected, start the booster car. Let it run for a few minutes, and then try starting the dead car. After letting it run for a few minutes, disconnect the black cable from the dead car’s battery and disconnect the black cable from the other car. Finally, remove the red cable from the booster car, then do the same with the other car.

Following these steps exactly will help ensure that you are using jumper cables safely. If you follow these steps and your car still will not start, then it is likely that the issue is not with the battery. Calling a tow truck or mechanic would be a good next step.

Prevent yourself from getting stuck on the side of the road. Keep jumper cables in your trunk wherever you go. Not only can this keep you from being stranded, it can also be helpful if you need to help start up someone else’s car. Visit this website for more information.

Reasons to Invest in a Jump Start Kit

There is little more frustrating than having to be somewhere at a specific time, jumping in your car, and the car won’t start. If you’re lucky, your car died in a populated place where maybe someone has a jumper cable that they can use to help you get your car going again. What do you do if your car has died in your driveway and none of your neighbors are home? What if you’re all alone in a parking lot? What if your car is parked so awkwardly that there is no feasible way to hook up a traditional jumper cable between your battery and another car battery? That’s when you need a jump start kit.

Jump start kits are basically portable batteries that you can hook up to your car to give it some extra juice to get started. This means you don’t have to rely on anyone else to get your car started for you. The kit usually comes with clear instructions on how to use it. As long as you keep the kit in your car and fully charged, you should be able to start your car yourself. It doesn’t matter if there are hundreds of people around or you’re all alone.

You also don’t have to worry about where you’re parked when you have your own kit. Traditional cables require that the batteries of the two vehicles be within a certain distance. If you can’t get the cars very close and the cable isn’t long enough, you’re usually out of luck. Since you there is no reason to have another car help you jump start your vehicle when you have a jump start kit, it matters less where and how your vehicle is parked.

Jump starting a vehicle can be tricky if you don’t know what you’re doing. In fact, if you do it in the wrong order or attach the clamps to the wrong area, the car giving you the jump start could suffer some serious damage. It’s doubtful that you’re looking to ruin another person’s vehicle when they are just trying to help you out. With a kit, there is less chance of damaging your vehicle. Because you are not hooking up your car to another vehicle’s battery, you don’t have to worry about accidentally frying a nice person’s vehicle.

If you have ever suffered the stress of a dead car battery, finding someone to help you out, making sure your car was accessible, and worrying about performing the jump correctly, you could probably benefit from a jump start kit. To learn more about a battery store in San Diego, please visit this website.

Tips On Choosing a Battery For Your Golf Cart

Golf carts require the same kind of maintenance as your regular car, and occasionally, replacement parts may be needed.  When shopping around keep in mind these tips on choosing a battery for your golf cart.

1.   Choose a Battery With a Long Life Cycle.

Because golf carts are completely electric vehicles, find one that can handle being charged and discharged as many times as possible before needing to be replaced. In addition to the life cycle, the range it can travel before requiring a charge is also important information to avoid getting stranded.

2.   Be Aware of What Specifications You Need

Not every model uses the same battery, so be sure to know what size, voltage, and other specifications are relevant to the make of your golf cart. You may also want to consider how the weight of your battery will affect the cart. Be sure to look into how much your vehicle requires when shopping around. You can determine the number of volts by counting the number of caps on the top of the battery and multiplying by two. For example, four caps on the top means the battery is 8 volts.

3.   Understand the Maintenance You May Need

Be aware of what kind of service your battery will need to keep running smoothly.  Water consumption is a major factor, and it’s important to understand the requirements of your vehicle.

Your individual needs will vary when looking for a new battery. Be sure to balance your initial costs with the overall costs you may accrue in the future. Talking to an expert about what your battery can do for you will help get you on the move. Visit this website for more information on golf cart batteries in San Diego.

Easy Battery Recycling

Do you want to keep those growing piles of batteries out of the landfill? Make recycling easy by setting up a battery tub like this one at home or work. Once it’s full, take it to a nearby recycling center.

7 Reasons to Recycle Your Battery

If you’re sitting on your car battery wondering what to do with it, consider recycling. Chances are high that there is a recycling facility somewhere near you, and here are seven good reasons why you should recycle your battery.

1. It Won’t Sit on Your Property

If you’re not using your battery and it’s just taking up space. Turn it over to be recycled and free up that space for something else.

2. Avoid Adding to the Landfill Problem

The landfills already have enough garbage going into them every day. Recycling your battery keeps them from adding to that problem.

3. Avoid the Spread of Harmful Chemicals

Batteries contain chemicals such as sulfuric acid that can corrode items and get into soil and water. Recycling the batter keeps these chemicals from getting where they shouldn’t go.

4. Reduce the Spread of Harmful Metals

Batteries contain mercury, zinc, lithium, and lead, which are harmful when consumed and dangerous if they get into water. Recycling your battery keeps these metals where they should be.

5. Materials Are Used in Other Products

Usable materials in your recycled battery can be put to use in other products, including sunscreen and dietary supplements.

6. Create Less Expensive Batteries

Recycled batteries can be used to create batteries that cost less money.

7. You’re Helping the Environment

Keeping old batteries away from soil and water is good for you and the environment. To learn more about  battery recycling in San Diego, please visit this website.

Car battery care tips

The battery in a car cranks the engine when the key is turned in the ignition. So, no matter how well the car is maintained. If the battery is not treated correctly the car will not get on the road.....read more

What is the Purpose of a Cranking Amp?

What You Need to Know About Cranking Amps

When you car battery needs to be replaced, you’ll want to know what the best options are. When you first hear about the cranking amps test, or a battery earning a CA rating, it might seem unfamiliar. What is the purpose of a cranking amp? To answer this, it helps to understand the tests that are used to give these ratings.

How CA Ratings Measure the Reliability of Your Battery

Cranking amps ratings, abbreviated as CA, are tests used to determine the amount of current discharged, measured in amperes, at 32° F for a duration of 30 seconds. This may seem confusing at first, but these tests offer a lot of useful information.

• Setting Quality Standards for the Industry

The Battery Council International (BCI) has determined guidelines for manufacturers based on the results of certain tests that allow for quality standards in the industry. Tests like these ensure that all products are made well and

• Determining How Well a Car Can Start in Any Conditions

Since the CA rating is based off the freezing temperature of water, it can help you learn about how cold it has to be before your car has difficulty. Cold temperatures can make your battery less effective because it reduces the speed at which certain chemical reactions occur. 

• Helping Consumers choose which battery is right for them.

So, what is the purpose of a cranking amp? Because these ratings determine the range of temperatures that your car will be able to start in, you may be able to make a better decision about what will be the best option for your specific needs. For example, people living in milder climates have different needs than those who live in areas with harsh winters. You can learn more about what CA rating is best for your vehicle by contacting a battery specialist. Visit this website for more information on battery replacement in San Diego.