Category FAQ
Are cheap jump cables bad/dangerous?
They’ll be fine as long as they aren’t damaged. I would say the biggest difference between cheap and expensive ones would be wire gauge and insulation thickness. Thicker wires with more insulation are going to last longer than cheap thin…
Can I jump start a 24V truck battery from a 12V car battery without damage to the car?
No, not normally. Attaching the 24V battery to the 12V battery could easily cause the jumper wires to spark, melt, and probably explode the 12V battery. It’s very dangerous. You’d need 2 X 12V batteries connected in series to match…
Can a portable jump starter “trickle charge” my battery?
Do not try to trickle charge your battery with a jump starter. The jump starter wasn’t made to supply that much power for that long. The cables could melt, the heat could start a fire, or the battery inside the…
Why is this the recommended order to connect jumper cables?
When “adding” the jumper cables, put the positive (+) cables on first, then the negative (-) cables. When removing the cables take away the negative (-) cables then remove the positive (+) cables. Use the basic math symbols as a…
Is there a fatal risk in jump starting a hybrid car?
Short answer: the 12V bus in a hybrid isn’t designed for jump starting. Long answer: Toyota hybrids have no alternator. The 12V bus comes from a tap on the (very expensive) hybrid inverter unit. The inverter does not have the…