It's not uncommon for drivers to encounter a dead battery when out on the road. That’s why it’s important to be prepared by having a jump starter stowed in your trunk. So when you need to jump-start your vehicle, you can do it without flagging another car or waiting long for help to come.

How a Jump Starter Works

It is a device designed to provide a large amount of power to kick-start a dead battery and turn over the engine. At its core, a portable jump starter has a battery, a pair of alligator cables, and a charging port.

Once the cables are connected to the right battery terminals, it outputs its peak or cold-cranking amperage (CCA) to the dead battery. The larger the unit, the higher the amperage it can supply every time. To get a compact vehicle up and running, the minimum required is 150 CCA. But to jump-start bigger vehicles or during cold weather, you may need as much as 450 to 600 CCA. 

Units with lithium-ion batteries are smaller than those with standard batteries; however, that doesn’t mean they can’t handle vehicles with large displacement engines. They have enough energy capacity for multiple starts under certain situations. 

Remember that a jump starter is only as good as its charge. It must be fully charged or holds enough power to revive a dead battery, giving you only one to two chances in doing so. Most devices lose peak amperage for every attempt. The same happens if your unit has extra features that can drain its stored power.  

How Does a Professional Jump-Start a Vehicle?

While auto repair technicians can jump-start your automobile with a portable pack, they're more likely to connect your dead battery to another vehicle to provide the necessary boost. First, they will connect the red cable to the dead battery’s positive terminal and the live battery’s same terminal. They will then clamp the black cable to an unpainted metal part of the engine block or chassis, attaching the other end to the good battery’s negative terminal. 

They will start the car with a live battery, letting it run for a few minutes before starting the one with the weak or dead battery. With a portable jump starter, they will only switch on the unit. If the vehicle doesn't crank up, they’ll check the connections and try again. When disconnecting the cables, they will do it in reverse order, unclasping the black negative lead first.

If you find yourself stranded somewhere in the Piedmont Triad Area without a jump-starter in tow, turn to Garrett’s Towing & Recovery for 24-hour roadside assistance. Based in Thomasville, NC, they’ve provided towing, jump-starts, and tire changes throughout the region since 1969. Call (336) 476-3153 to request help or check out their service details online.