Jump starting a car

[Sal Lubrano]

Always woundered why car manuals say to place the plus on one car to the plus on the other while the neg goes to the battery and to the body on the other. Why not neg to neg? Isn't it the same thing?

 

[David65]

Keeps any sparks away from the battery.

http://www.cartalk.com/content/columns/Archive/1997/June/06.html

 

[jpratt]

Keeps any sparks away from the battery.

http://www.cartalk.com/content/columns/Archive/1997/June/06.html

Bingo.

 

[zeus87gn]

...never thought of it that way, but it is d@mn good information to know. You certainly don't want sparks near a battery.

I have seen the fcty hood of a 68 Camaro get blown slam off the car by an exploding battery. Not a pretty sight. It was caused by those clamp on battery terminals that were corroded...and arced when my friend tried to start it.