Basic Question-Jumper machine

[Fred K OR]

When putting the jumper machine on to get rig started, is the red for to the ground and black go to the starter????? Haven't had to do this for awhile and forgot.

[Mike Peters]

Yes. Red goes to ground. Positive ground.

[burner31]

Jumper machine?
Don't get me wrong...I like that term...I'm going "start" using it

[dansluck]

They make a flashlight that will jump start your car. Its called Halo Flashlight Bolt.
Dan

[J Franklin]

It is best to remember to put the cables RED to +, & BLACK to --. Now there will be no room for error.

[aermotor]

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Whatever the color, charger + to battery negative and the other (-) to the post cable that goes forward to the starter. Unless, the battery is unhooked then charger+ to battery + and charger - to battery -. Should be clear as mud.

[aermotor]

Originally Posted by Fred K OR

When putting the jumper machine on to get rig started, is the red for to the ground and black go to the starter????? Haven't had to do this for awhile and forgot.

Correct, except if the battery is disconnected then its charger plus to battery plus and charger negative to battery negative.

[rotorwrench]

A word of caution. 12 V to 12 V and 6 V to 6 V. When running with a sub standard battery, there is a chance of generator damage if it's still original. If it has an alternator then there may or may not be a heavy load on it. It's best to charge a weak battery than to risk running with it. If the battery is bad, replace it.

[Jim/GA]

Originally Posted by Fred K OR

When putting the jumper machine on to get rig started, is the red for to the ground and black go to the starter????? Haven't had to do this for awhile and forgot.

Yes, but only if the car is still wired with "positive ground" like it was originally. That's the simple answer.

But, it was common for people in the past to rewire a Model A to negative ground, even if still 6 volts, just because they didn't know any better.

It is also very common to switch to negative ground at the same time as converting to 12 volts. Your "red to ground" above would then be incorrect.

So, not so simple answer: You really should look at the battery to confirm what you have before connecting a battery charger.

If your "Jumper machine" is an external portable jumper battery (I don't know what a jumper machine is) then it really needs to match the voltage of the battery (6 volts or 12 volts) AND you need to get the ground correct also. Don't use a 12 volt jumper battery on a 6 volt car.

Simple questions do not always have simple answers.

[Big hammer]

If you get the polarity wrong … you’ll know it immediately from the sparks!!!!! What is a jumper machine??????? A jumper box???? A 12volt jumper box will recharge a 6 volt battery! Connect it to the dead battery with lights off ( or you’ll burn out the light bulbs) and let the electrons flow from the jumper box into the dead 6 volt or 8 volt or 12 volt battery……then after awhile remove the jumper box, then you can try starting…..DO NOT try to start your car with the jumper box connected to the battery !!!!! Read the instructions for the jumper box

[SDJason]

Originally Posted by aermotor

Whatever the color, charger + to battery negative...

Are you suggesting to hook positive to negative?

[J Franklin]

+ to +, - to - always

[katy]

That's the way it goes, I'm positive.

[Keith True]

Always positive to positive,and negative to negative.Doesn't matter if the battery is in the car or not,If you connect the positive jumper to the negative on the car,you stand a good chance of experiencing exploding battery syndrome.Big noise,and can be pretty spectacular.

[J Franklin]

Battery acid in the face is no fun!

[aermotor]

Originally Posted by Keith True

Always positive to positive,and negative to negative.Doesn't matter if the battery is in the car or not,If you connect the positive jumper to the negative on the car,you stand a good chance of experiencing exploding battery syndrome.Big noise,and can be pretty spectacular.

I think where all the confusion (me included) is why does the plus battery post go directly to ground if you are not to hook up plus charger clamp to plus battery post? Negative battery post to starter is disconnected.

[Keith True]

It's positive to positive and negative to negative.In a previous post you stated,hook charger + to battery negative.That is NOT something you want to be doing.

[alexiskai]

Originally Posted by aermotor

Whatever the color, charger + to battery negative and the other (-) to the post cable that goes forward to the starter. Unless, the battery is unhooked then charger+ to battery + and charger - to battery -. Should be clear as mud.

You’re describing these two as if they’re different scenarios, but they’re actually the same. Unless the starter pedal is actively being held down, the battery is not in circuit with the starter.

So if you connect another power source’s negative terminal to the post on the starter switch (or clip it to the battery cable), and that power source’s positive terminal to the chassis, the only thing in the circuit with that power source will be the battery.

If that power source is putting out more voltage than the onboard battery, power will flow into the battery. If you then press the starter pedal, you’ll get the combined amperage of the two sources.

[aermotor]

Originally Posted by alexiskai

You’re describing these two as if they’re different scenarios, but they’re actually the same. Unless the starter pedal is actively being held down, the battery is not in circuit with the starter.

So if you connect another power source’s negative terminal to the post on the starter switch (or clip it to the battery cable), and that power source’s positive terminal to the chassis, the only thing in the circuit with that power source will be the battery.

If that power source is putting out more voltage than the onboard battery, power will flow into the battery. If you then press the starter pedal, you’ll get the combined amperage of the two sources.

So. if we mark the battery negative post as plus and the positive post as minus or think that way, we are all set

[SDJason]

Originally Posted by aermotor

So. if we mark the battery negative post as plus and the positive post as minus or think that way, we are all set

[nkaminar]

Well, there is one case where you would want to hook plus to negative and that is if you are wiring the batteries in series. (Or battery and Jumper Machine in series.) This is sometimes needed if it is 40 below and you are trying to start your Diesel truck with 24 volts.

[aermotor]

Change the +mark on the battery to a - mark on the battery. What am I missing?

[SDJason]

Originally Posted by aermotor

Change the +mark on the battery to a - mark on the battery. What am I missing?

I hope this is a joke...some of your previous posts on this thread (if taken literally) would be dangerous to follow.

[aermotor]

Simple - paint the - on the battery to + and the + to -. Is a painted mark on the battery dangerous? If this is all wrong, how do I hook up a charger with a red wire/clamp and black wire/clamp, battery installed and cable attached to starter?

[J Franklin]

Originally Posted by aermotor

Simple - paint the - on the battery to + and the + to -. Is a painted mark on the battery dangerous?

That one would be!

[aermotor]

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Originally Posted by J Franklin

That one would be!

I am saying the same as Post #2. Why is that not disputed?

[J Franklin]

Originally Posted by aermotor

I am saying the same as Post #2. Why is that not disputed?

You must have missed post #5. The trouble with your post is that it is wrong and dangerous. You can put any color wire on your battery but that doesn't mean you can hook up the charger based on the color of the battery cables. red charger/jumper always goes to + on the battery. A spark can blow up the battery and you will be sorry it happened.

[aermotor]

Originally Posted by J Franklin

You must have missed post #5. Red on the charger/jumper always goes to + on the battery

How come the battery plus post goes direct to ground through the open braided cable?

Make you a deal. I will hook up my charger the way I want and you do the same. BTW with two cars I still have a garage, no blown up batteries and acid is still all in the batteries.

[J Franklin]

My post is not just to argue, it is to inform new people to + ground vehicles how to hook up a battery charger so it is done correctly. Any way it is achieved is fine with me.

[History]

Originally Posted by burner31

Jumper machine?
Don't get me wrong...I like that term...I'm going "start" using it

Had a guy from West Virginia one time ask if I had any “nipping cables” , “jumper cables” in North Carolina speak. I never did get my head around how or why they arrived at nipping cables. That’s been 30 years ago and I still have t figured out the reasoning. Not picking on West Virginia as I know folks who say hainkanade “hand grenade”, plascit “plastic”, southsquatch, “Sasquatch”, old timers, “Alzheimer’s” and on and on.



Fred K, this wasn’t a dig at you as jumper machine makes perfect sense to me.