mikestash

Anyone have any suggestions on where to connect the ground when jumping? Hood latch?

I can't find any grounded unpainted metal that I am 100% sure of.

Mike

David in LA

Unfortunately I just had to do this last Saturday. I used the nut on the trunk floor that holds down the battery strap.

Red rooster

The battery has two terminals , + and - . Put your jump leads on those terminals for best effect . Be sure to get your jump lead polarity correct !

All the best

Geoff

black ice

You want to hook up the negative terminal on the weak battery car to the chassis ground, not the battery. Reduced chance for sparking at the battery when you complete the circuit and reduced chance of explosion. Battery acid on you is a bad thing.

Dave

TMc993

+1...I've seen it happen and it's not pretty. Even if no one gets hurt, it's a bitch to clean up.

Terry

Marlon

Before you jump it, you might want to consider removing the battery cable terminal ends and cleaning the posts and terminal clamps with 400 grit sandpaper. Get them nice and snug when you bolt the cables back on the battery posts - not too tight or you can shear off the nuts. That way you are assured of a good current path when you get it going again. I actually used my 993 to jump my Range Rover twice this weekend! Voltage meter indicated 12.4 volts on the Rover - I finally figured out (a buddy suggested it) that my terminals were not tight on the Range Rover - took them off, lightly sanded, re-connected and wa-la. (The battery is a Die Hard and is less than a year old) Once again the 993 comes thru.

Mark in Baltimore

Yes, please don't hook the negative jumper cable to the weak battery; use a contact point away from the battery.

GMS

I don't believe in jumping cars (assuming the battery is dead).
Charge and check the battery first and the car will start, batteries tend to last about 4 - 5 years.
If the battery was dead, find and repair the fault.
If the car had sits around long enough to allow the battery voltage to drop, install a battery maintainer.

Seen too many "reverse connection" issues and faults caused by jumping cars that have problems, rather than repair the faults.

richardew

I use the latch for the hood release.

jhubs

I assume that you are talking about the latch on the car not the trunk lid. Correct?

Thanks

Red rooster

Sorry , assumed you knew the correct jump lead connect order .

Geoff

Reddy Kilowatt

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?

os993

Ok, I've jumped my car many times and I always use the weak battery negative terminal when jumping. Is this really a bad thing? Man, I didn't know this was such a no-no.

Is it more dangerous to hook up weak negative terminal or more dangerous not finding an alternative negative ground point? Never really gave this issue much thought.

David in LA

Yeah, that's a big no-no...most times its harmless but every once in a while...

The worse that happens if you connect to a bad ground for the negative cable is you don't complete the circuit and can't jump the car...better than potentially having battery acid in your face IMHO.

Rinty

A few years ago, I was jump starting my BMW R 100 RS motorcycle, and just as I was connecting the clamps, my wife walks up and says: "Guess who was arrested at work today?" There was an accompanying flash as I reversed the terminals, and I yelled: "A-aaargh!"

I thought that would cost me a 150 dollar diode board plus labour, but, luckily, the ignition key was still turned off, and there was no damage.

Rinty