Pitfalls of Trying to Jump Start Your Car's Battery
When you’re having car trouble, your first instinct may be to check the battery, call a friend, and pull out your jumper cables. Unfortunately, it’s common for vehicle owners who don’t jump start on a regular basis to do more harm than good. If you’re wondering why you should call a professional towing service for jump start assistance instead, here are a few pitfalls you could encounter.
3 Ways Jump-Starting Your Car Battery Can Go Wrong
1. Battery Damage
To successfully jump start a car battery, you’ll connect it to a working vehicle battery using special cables. Once attached, a powerful electrical surge will move from the functioning device to the other to start the car in need. However, when done improperly, that surge of electricity can overpower one or both batteries, resulting in damage that requires a new piece of equipment altogether or lets dangerous hydrogen gas escape.
2. Broken Cables
Your car produces plenty of heat when operating. When a battery at a high temperature is connected to jumper cables, that surge of heat can melt the clamps. Melted clamps or cables that have experienced an extreme surge of electricity won’t function properly.
3. Alternator Issues
In addition to damaging your battery and jumper cables, an improper jump start that doesn’t perfectly connect one device to the other can lead to an electrical surge going straight to the alternator. By overpowering the alternator, you’ll experience power issues, which may damage the car to the point it won't restart, even with a brand new battery.
Mt. Burney Towing is a family-owned and operated tow truck company that has been serving residents throughout Shasta County, CA, for over 27 years. If you’ve been in an accident or your battery dies and you need a reliable jump start or tow in a timely manner, call today at (503) 335-3333 to connect with this experienced and efficient auto towing team. For more information on their vehicle recovery and lockout services, conveniently available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, visit their website.
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