QA

How To Install A Car Battery Correctly

When installing a car battery which terminal do you connect first?

“Positive first, then negative. When disconnecting the cables from the old battery, disconnect the negative first, then the positive. Connect the new battery in the reverse order, positive then negative.”.

What happens if you connect the negative terminal first?

It is only a safety issue. If you first connect the negative cable, then when you connect the positive cable there is a chance the wrench will complete a circuit between the battery and the chassis of the car. This will at a minimum generate a spark, but that spark could eject molten metal toward you causing injury.

Why do you remove the negative terminal first?

The reason they say to remove the negative first is because it is safer for you. The negative cable in all modern cars is attached to the chassis of the car. SO when you put your wrench on the negative post to loosen it, and the wrench hits the chassis, nothing happens.

What happens if you disconnect the positive terminal first?

If positive terminal is removed first then chances of a spark are more if this terminal touches the body through the metal spanner or wrench you are opening with is grounded accidentally and may end in flames because lot of combustible material is around. And chances of this accidental touch are very high.

What happens if a wrench touched both battery terminals?

As long as there’s not bad burn marks or any bubbling of the battery and the car still starts you’re fine. All that actually went down was there was a complete circuit and it just got the wrench hot and probably took out a few pieces of metal. You should be fine.

Do you hook up red or black first?

Attach the red jumper cables first. Start by clamping one red cable to the positive side of the battery that won’t start. Then attach the other red clamp to the positive side of the working battery. Next, clamp one black cable to the negative side of the working battery.

Do you attach red or black first?

Connect the positive terminal first. Attach the red (positive) terminal to the positive battery post. Tighten the terminal with a wrench. Repeat the process with the black (negative) terminal.

Is it OK to just disconnect the negative terminal?

In order to disconnect the battery, all you have to do is remove the cable from the negative port. If the cables do make contact or even get close, it could do a number of harmful things to your car, including frying your alternator, damage the cables, or worse, cause serious injury to yourself or others.

Do I need to disconnect both battery terminals when charging?

Yes, disconnect both + and – terminals and then charge by connecting the charger wires in order of Red for + and black for -, do not interchange. It’s not required but often recommend.

Can a battery drain with the negative cable disconnected?

Be safe: always disconnect negative first. Disconnected either terminal will prevent drain, as stated already. A battery tender is another safe way to maintain the battery.

How do I know if my alternator is disconnecting my battery?

First, open the hood and start the engine. Remove the negative battery cable with the engine running. The alternator is likely to be damaged if the car stalls or stalls. This is because the alternator does not produce enough electricity to keep the engine running on its own.

Is it better to disconnect the positive or negative battery cable?

Negative first It’s important to disconnect the negative side of the battery first, otherwise you can cause an electrical short if the positive is removed first.

What should you not do when changing a car battery?

Never connect any cables that shouldn’t be connected. That means avoid swapping the wrong battery cables and battery posts or putting the cables anywhere they’re not supposed to go. Be careful when removing the old battery. If it’s damaged and/or leaking, you may want to let a professional do the work instead.

What happens when you touch the positive and negative on a battery?

Originally Answered: What happens when you touch a positive to a negative car battery? Huge sparks and possibly significant damage to the vehicle’s electrical system if the battery is connected when it is shorted. Damage to the battery or a nasty explosion is also possible.

What happens if the positive terminal touches metal?

So when a “piece of metal” touched the positive post—-that piece had to be connected to ground. You thus functionally “shorted out” the battery, if not corrected, this will damage the battery and could cause a fire.

What happens if you touch battery cables together?

Whenever you touch the battery cables together and drain the capacitors the clock will lose its memory, the radio stations will need to be reset, all fault codes will be cleared, the outside temperature may take some time to relearn, any systems with security codes will need to be reset and the computer will need to Apr 23, 2018.

Why don’t you connect the negative when jumping a car?

Quick Tips: Jumping a Battery Never connect the black cable to the negative (–) terminal on your dead battery. This is very dangerous, as it could result in an explosion.

When jumping a car What goes first?

The safest order to attach the jumper cables is as follows: Attach one red jumper cable clamp to the positive terminal on the dead battery. Attach the other end of the same cable, the second red jumper cable clamp, to the positive terminal on the working (live) car battery.