What's worked for me:
> #6 = cheap, but usable, #4 = good, #2 (or lower) = expensive but best
> source engine running, connect + to + at battery terminals
> connect - at source battery terminal
> raise source engine to 1500 RPM+
> connect - to dead car chassis 2 foot or more from battery
> wait ~30 seconds then start dead engine
> disconnect chassis clamp then other 3 - in any order
Hydrogen buildup is why chassis connect last, disconnect first.

 

There are two quite different jumper cable uses, the first is in starting a car that has a battery that is down just a bit too far to start the engine. For these sorts of uses the lighter cables will provide enough boost to start the car quickly, in just a very few seconds. The other situation is cranking a car with a very low battery, or maybe even a failed battery. IN these cases the cables will be supplying most of the cranking current, and the cranking time will be at least ten seconds and in many cases repeated tries of cranking 15 seconds may be needed. IN those cases the light weight jumper cables will overheat and probably fail. I have seen those cables abandoned in snowbanks at parking lot edges several times.
In the first case it is not likely that any amount of hydrogen is released, and so the sequence is not so critical. And I am still wondering as to exactly when all of this hydrogen is released, and by which battery it is being produced. It seems that there is a whole lot of fear being spread because of a lack of accurate information.

 

Jumper cable quality is pretty bad now, cheap exports are using aluminum wire that is copper-coated. In cold weather, the PVC insulation gets hard and breaks. It does give extra cooling lol steaming wires if under #6AWG.
I still have my home made #4AWG copper welding cable ones, great for boosting V8's at -35°C.

Some (older) cars grounded the battery to the block, newer ones to the body. It varies.
When the final booster connection is made, there is a current spike. If you clamp to the engine block/alternator this causes a voltage spike on ground there due to the wiring and connector resistance. This is not great for ECU's. I'm now going post to post, I and leave my park lamps on to give some load for damping of transients.
Hydrogen build up is only a problem if the battery is frozen. You can also shake the car, push down on the bumper to get bubbles out, and wait a bit. Once I had a guy wave a lighter over top his battery to see the + and - markings. I freaked out and never ran away so fast. Battery explosions are absolutely a nightmare.

 

Well I know the Longer the Jumper Cables you will get a Voltage Drop.

What is a good Jumper Cable Length to Stick with?

 

What is a good Jumper Cable Length to Stick with?

Length is a compromise. You don't want it to be too long, but you want it to be long enough to be useful.

 

What should a good Jumper Cable Length be?

What should I Look for?

 

What should a good Jumper Cable Length be?

What should I Look for?

Well here is how I figured it when I made mine. My truck has the battery on the driver's side. My wife's truck on the passenger with a few feet spacing between both trucks I wanted to go from battery to battery. I also used quality welding cable for current carrying ability.

Ron

 

What should a good Jumper Cable Length be?

What should I Look for?

Jumper cables need to be long enough to reach from the supply battery to the battery being boosted. I have a set about 24 feet long, #6 wire. That is for jumping the car ahead of me. I also have a set 6 feet long, for jumping the car next to me.. And sometimes I carry a cheap set to give to some unfortunate person with a weak battery who will need a jump start next time.

 

Here is a Video of a Battery Hold Down.
I know it is a Strap that goes over the Top Center of the Battery to Hold it in Place.

But the the Front and Back of the Hold Down I can not See what they are Bolted to?

Can you Tell Me?

 

Here is a Video of a Battery Hold Down.
I know it is a Strap that goes over the Top Center of the Battery to Hold it in Place.

But the the Front and Back of the Hold Down I can not See what they are Bolted to?

Can you Tell Me?

The basic flaw of yootoob videos is that they leave stuff out, and half of them are fake.
The battery hold down bars that go across the top of the battery, as well as many of them that go around the whole upper edge of the battery, tie to the support platform underneath the battery. That platform mus extend beyond the edges of the battery to allow attachment of those hold-down bolts.
The poorer designs use threaded holes to retain the bolts, while the better designs have clearance holes toallow hooked ends of the retainer rods to hold in place. That part is overlooked in the video because there was not enough light to show it, nor enough camera skill to get it into focus.. Besides that, the creators of the video were just to lazy to show the details.

 

I use 30AWG solid copper jumper cables.

Hundreds of them, conveniently encased in a single jacket.

 

Here is an example of wife's truck, a 99 Tahoe.



The battery is anchored at the base using a common design hold down clamp system. Over all of my years there have been plenty of cars and trucks including some with 6 volt systems and generators pre dating alternators. There have been likely a few dozen methods to secure a battery in a vehicle. As long as the battery is secured it really matters not how it is secured or tied down. If one chooses to remove and or replace their battery they only need to see how it is secured and remove it. This is not complicated. Oh yeah, some Buick automobile models have the battery under the rear seat for what they call weight and balance considerations. BMW and others also use this practice. When a battery is in a difficult to access location manufacturers normally provide a convenient place where jumper cables can be used. This is where a savvy individual consults their owners manual.

Ron

 

Some locations for hold-down threaded fasteners are much more convenient than others, and some are far MORE prone to corrosion than others.
IN ADDITION, many battery makers include features at the lower edge of the battery that allow hold down clamps to be far from the top and thus distant from the corrosive conditions near some vent caps. But those locations may be a real point of confusion for some folks.

 

IN ADDITION, many battery makers include features at the lower edge of the battery that allow hold down clamps to be far from the top and thus distant from the corrosive conditions near some vent caps. But those locations may be a real point of confusion for some folks.

That's what I just posted an image of. The battery is clamped at the base.

Ron

 

That's what I just posted an image of. The battery is clamped at the base.

Ron

Thatimage in post#72 only shows the bolt, not the clamp, the battery cable is blocking the view of the clamp completely.

 

Thatimage in post#72 only shows the bolt, not the clamp, the battery cable is blocking the view of the clamp completely.

Well if it wasn't raining I would take better pictures. Look real hard, you can make out the clamp, real, real hard. Use your imagination. Anyway I can't figure out how a thread has now gone 76 post on something which is not that complicated.

Ron

 

Neither of my two cars has accessible batteries. Both supply at least one terminal (+) and one supplies both terminals in the area you used to find the battery. I think the days of connecting to battery terminals will soon be over.

Bob

 

Neither of my two cars has accessible batteries. Both supply at least one terminal (+) and one supplies both terminals in the area you used to find the battery. I think the days of connecting to battery terminals will soon be over.

Bob

On the bright side batteries don't need servicing as much as they once did. I can't recall the last time I had to "jump" start a car or truck. Wife's truck the old '99 Tahoe lets you know if lights are left on and my truck automatically does everything including turning lights off several min after ignition is turned off. I have also noticed a 5 year battery last 5 years just about down to the day and today's batteries seem to work just fine right till they don't. Years ago a battery beginning to fail was more noticeable in advance. Today it seems they work on Wednesday and need replaced on Thursday.

Ron

 

Ok I Thing I Understnd now?

The Battery Sits in a Tray Made into the Car Body.

Outside of the Tray on the Flat Body of the Car is the Bolts for the Hold Down Strap.

Or does the Hold Down Strap get Bolted to the Battery Tray?

Thanks again.

 

Ok I Thing I Understnd now?

The Battery Sits in a Tray Made into the Car Body.

Outside of the Tray on the Flat Body of the Car is the Bolts for the Hold Down Strap.

Or does the Hold Down Strap get Bolted to the Battery Tray?

Thanks again.

The layout all depends on the model of car or truck. There is likely a dozen different configurations to secure a battery in an automotive application.

Ron