How to Charge a Dead Car Battery Using Jumper Cables

If your car battery dies, you can give it a jump start by using jumper cables. Jumper cables are long, thin wires that are used to connect the positive and negative terminals of two batteries. This will allow the charge from one battery to flow into the other battery, essentially jump starting it. So long as you have a good set of jumper cables and another driver to give you a hand, you can charge up a dead car battery on your own.

Continue below for an instructional guide on how to jump start a dead car battery with jumper cables, plus what you can do if you are without your jumper cables.

Use jumper cables to charge up a dead car battery!
Jump Start Roadside Assistance Indianapolis Indiana 317-247-8484

Step By Step Guide to Jump Starting a Dead Car Battery

To charge a dead car battery using jumper cables, you will need:

☐ Jumper Cables
☐ Another Car w/a Working Battery

How to Charge a Dead Car Battery

Charging a dead car battery using jumper cables is a relatively simple process. First, make sure that both cars are turned off. Then, connect one end of the positive jumper cable to the positive terminal of the dead battery. Next, connect the other end of the positive jumper cable to the positive terminal of the working battery.

Now, connect one end of the negative jumper cable to the negative terminal of the working battery. Finally, connect the other end of the negative jumper cable to a metal part of the car with the dead battery (such as a bolt). This will complete the circuit and allow the charge to flow from the working battery to the weak battery.

Once the circuit is complete, start the car with the working battery. Let it run for a few minutes, then try starting the car with the problematic battery. If it starts, let it run for a while to charge up the battery. If it doesn’t start, you may need to replace the battery.

Jumper cables are a handy tool to have in your car in case of a dead battery. By following the above steps, you can easily charge a car battery using jumper cables.

How to Fix a Dead Battery Without Jumper Cables

If your car battery dies, you may be stranded on the side of the road. But don’t worry, as there are plenty of roadside assistance services in Indianapolis that can help. If you have a membership with a roadside assistance service like AAA or Allstate, simply call them and they will dispatch a tow truck out to your location to  jump start your car.

If you don’t have a roadside assistance membership, you can still call an Indianapolis tow truck for 24 hour roadside assistance services. Most tow truck companies will be able to jump start your car for a fee. Once your car is started, be sure to drive it to a nearby service station so you can get the battery tested and replaced if necessary. A dead battery is no fun, but with a little help, you can be back on the road in no time!

Looking for a fast and friendly tow truck that can help you out with a dead car battery or other minor roadside delay? Contact Zore’s Towing for 24 hour roadside assistance in Indianapolis and its surrounding counties. We serve all of Indy, including Avon, Lebanon, and Greenwood, Indiana.  

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How to Protect Your Car Battery From the Summer Heat

When you are operating your vehicle, the car engine is already generating a massive amount of heat and high temperatures, which can impact the performance of your car battery. When you throw in the variable heat of the sun during the summer season, you can expect your car battery to take on some extra load as well. If you want your vehicle to perform optimally and use its fuel efficiently all summer long, it is important that you take very good care of your car and car battery. There are some simple ways you can achieve this.

Continue reading to learn some ways you can protect your car battery from the summer heat, and who to call if you find yourself stranded on the side of the road with an overheating engine or debt car battery in central Indiana.

Indianapolis Roadside Assistance Jump Starts
Indianapolis Roadside Assistance Jump Starts 317-247-8484

Summer Car Battery Care

Most drivers assume that the winter low temperatures are most impactful to the performance and longevity the car battery, but really it is the high to pictures of the summer that can have the most impact. So many people think that the winter weather drains or damages their car batteries is because the summer heat begins the deterioration process. So, what seems like a winter car battery problem is really a summer car battery problem. For this reason, it is important to take care of your car battery by protecting it from excessive heat and high-temperatures.

Although no car battery is built to last forever and will eventually need to be replaced, there are some things you can do to protect it from premature aging. The two things to look out for are excessive heat and overcharging. These two things cause the most car battery damage in the summer season.

How to Extend the Life of Your Car Battery

Inspect your electrical system to be sure it is working at a normal rate. Undercharging will cause your battery to die, but overcharging will actually cause damage and shorten the battery’s lifespan.

If you have a fluid-cell battery, be sure it is topped off regularly. Always use distilled water when filling up your battery cells.

If you must replace your car battery, be sure to choose one of equivalent quality and that’s compatible with your make and model vehicle.

Keep the outside of your car battery clean and free of dirt, dust, debris, and moisture. If the top of your car battery gets too dirty, the dirt will act as a conductor and drain it quickly.

Use hot water to rinse away battery corrosion. Increase frequency during the hot summer months.

Signs Your Car Battery is Losing Power:

▷ Dim Headlights
▷ Dim or Flickering Interior Lights
▷ Car Accessories Won’t Work
▷ Check Engine Light is On
▷ Car Starts Slowly

Are you in need of a jump start or car battery replacement service in Indianapolis, Indiana? Contact Zore’s Towing for 24 hour tow truck and roadside assistance services you can afford. We serve all of Central Indiana, including Lebanon, Greenwood, and Avon areas.

You Might Also Read:

Why Did My Car Battery Die?
How to Tell if it is Time to Change Your Car Battery
How to Jump Start Your Car After the Battery Dies

Zore’s Towing Towing Wrecker Service Indianapolis
Zore’s Towing Towing Wrecker Service Indianapolis

The Do’s and Don’ts to Automotive Battery Maintenance

By learning the “DO’S ” and “DON’TS ” to automotive battery maintenance, you can achieve better car performance and experience fewer problems. Not only does this save money, it can prevent the frustration and hassle that goes along with battery charging, jumpstarts, and replacements. Continue reading to learn important tips for proper car battery maintenance, and what to do if your car battery unexpectedly fails and leaves you stranded.

Indianapolis Roadside Assistance 317-247-8484

Indianapolis Roadside Assistance 317-247-8484

Car Battery Care

You can easily increase the performance, reliability, and life-span of your car’s battery with some simple routine care. It is important to choose a proper battery for your particular make and model vehicle. A qualified professional, such as a mechanic or an automotive parts sales associate, can help you determine the right car battery for your vehicle. Furthermore, it is important to ensure your battery is being maintained properly. As your vehicle utilizes the battery, the sulfuric acid inside will transfer from the electrolyte solution and absorb into the metal battery plates.

Once you recharge your car battery, the sulfur is transferred back into the electrolyte solution. Often times, mechanics will use an instrument called a hydrometer to measure the amount of sulfuric acid in the electrolyte solution to determine how weak or strong a car battery is at the time of inspection. A low reading indicates that the chemistry that produces electrons inside a battery is lacking.

Here are some important tips for your car’s battery:

DO:

Always Put Safety First!
Research & Understand Proper Battery Care
Choose the Right Battery Match for Your Vehicle
Buy the Highest RC Reserve Capacity or AH Amp Battery for Your Vehicle
Regularly Inspect and Maintenance Your Battery
(Especially during extreme temperature highs and lows)
Immediately Re-Charge a Dead Car Battery

DON’T:

Rush Through the Process!
Forget to Take Precautionary Safety Measures
Add New Electrolyte Acid or Water to Battery Cells
Use Unregulated High-Output Battery Chargers to Charge Batteries
Remove Battery Cables on a Running Vehicle
Postpone Re-Charging Dead Batteries
Allow Battery to Overheat or Boil While Charging

Indianapolis Roadside Assistance Services

Indianapolis Roadside Assistance 317-247-8484

Indianapolis Roadside Assistance 317-247-8484

Call Zore’s Towing at 317-247-8484 if you have a dead car battery and need a jump start or tow in Indianapolis and its surrounding areas. Our tow truck operators are fully certified, trained, and equipped to provide a wide range of affordable towing and roadside assistance services for all make and model vehicles, as well as all other motorized commodities, including motorcycles, boats, tractors, planes, duplexes, semi-trucks, and more. Call us at 317-247-8484 to request a free estimate for dead car battery roadside assistance, anytime. We operate 24 hours a day and 7 days a week!

How to Jump Start Your Car After the Battery Dies

Emergency Jump Starts 317-247-8484

Emergency Jump Starts 317-247-8484

A dead battery is not the end of the world. A quick jump start is all you need to get back on the road and on with your day. By connecting to another car engine with a set of jumper cables, you can power up your battery long enough to get it home or to a professional shop for replacement. Once you have all the supplies needed, the whole process should only take a few minutes.

Continue reading to learn the simplest way to jump start a car after the battery goes dead.

❶ Check to Make Sure it’s the Battery

Try to turn on the head lights.

Check if the lights in the dashboard turn on when the keys are in the ignition.

Try to start the car:

If it cranks quickly, it’s not the battery.
If it cranks slowly, it’s perhaps the battery.

❷ Locate the Battery

Most the time it is under the hood, however, it may be in the trunk. If you can’t find it, refer to the owner’s manual.

Identify the positive and negative terminals:

(+) is usually red
(-) is usually black

❸ Park the Cars Near Each Other So That the Jumper Cables Can Reach Both Batteries

Make sure the ignitions are off before the next step.

Make sure the cars are not touching each other.

❹ Be Sure Both Cable and Terminals are Clear of Debris and Corrosion

Remove corrosion scrap with a wire brush.

❺ Connect the Jumper Cables in the Following Order:

Connect the (+) red clamp to the dead battery;
Connect the other (+) red clamp to the good battery;
Connect the (-) black clamp to the good battery;
Connect the (-) black clamp to metal on the dead car, it could be a bolt.

❻ Make Sure the Cables are Not Tangled in the Car

❼ Start the Helper Car

Gently apply and release pressure to the gas for at least 30 seconds.

❽ After a Minute, Try to Start the Dead Battery Car

If the car does not start, check the cable connections and let the cars charge for at least five minutes before trying to start the dead car again.

❾ If the Car Still Does Not Start, You May Need to Get a Tow

❿ If the Car Does Start, Remove the Cables in the Following Order:

Disconnect the (-) black clamp on the metal on the dead car
Disconnect the (-) black clamp to the good battery
Disconnect the other (+) red clamp to the good battery
Disconnect the (+) red clamp to the dead battery
Replace rubber battery covers if applicable

⓫ Run the Recently Dead Car for at Least 10 Minutes to Allow the Alternator to Charge the Battery

It is important to have an emergency roadside assistance kit in your vehicle at all times for situations like this. Having essential safety materials and supplies on hand when you are stranded on the side of the road will help you with your car troubles, and more importantly, protect you from harm or danger.

If your vehicle is broken down and requires a tow, be sure to contact an experienced and trusted Indianapolis towing company that provides 24 hour roadside assistance. They may be able to service your car and eliminate the need for a tow. If they cannot solve your car problem, they can tow it to your location of choice.

Emergency Roadside Assistance and Towing

Zore's Towing Indianapolis 317-247-8484

Zore’s Towing Indianapolis 317-247-8484

Call Zore’s Towing at 317-247-8484 anytime to request professional and dependable roadside assistance anywhere in Central Indiana. Our friendly staff is waiting by the phones, ready to help you get back on the road, safe and sound. Request a free estimate, today.