What order take jumper cables off?

Answer 1

Because of the potentially severe hazards due to improper use of battery cables and automotive batteries, this answer will be comprehensive, not just for the removal of the cables. First, auto batteries contain Sulphuric Acid which can blind you, or burn your skin off. Second, auto batteries create and vent off Hydrogen gas which is highly explosive, and which can be ignited by even the smallest spark. Because of this it is very important to attach and remove jumper cables in a precise sequence which follows: 1. Locate the vehicle with the good battery close enough for the jumper cables to reach, but do NOT ALLOW the vehicles to be in contact with each other. Be careful to route the jumper cables so as to avoid any possible contact with the moving parts [fan blades, moving belts, etc.] of either vehicle, and you be careful to keep your body parts and clothing well clear also. 2. Securely attach one of the jumper cable's positive cable clamps [red] to the "good" battery's positive terminal [marked with a plus symbol [+] or the letters POS [for positive] embossed in raised letters next to the positive terminal. The negative terminal will be identified with a minus [-] symbol next to it. 3. Securely attach the other end of the positive cable to the positiveterminal [+] of the "dead" battery. 4. Securely attach one of the negative jumper cable clamps [black] to the negative terminal [-] of the "good" battery. 5. Securely attach the other negative jumper cable clamp to a heavy metal grounded part of the engine [NOT to the negative terminal of the "dead" battery!!!] This final connection could create a spark, and you do not want that spark to be right at either of the batteries where it could ignite Hydrogen gas. 6. IF the engine of the vehicle with the good battery was not left running, start the engine of vehicle with the good battery. The good battery and the alternator of the running engine will now be charging the bad battery. 7. Allow the bad battery to charge for at least 2 or 3 minutes, and then start the engine with the bad battery. 8. While leaving the engine with the bad battery running, remove the jumper cables in the exact OPPOSITE order of installation, again being very careful to stay clear of the fan blades and belts of the running engines.