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Your car’s battery is a crucial component that you need to take care of. However, regardless of how efficiently you maintain it, the battery may still lose its charge and will be required to be replaced with a new one as time goes by.
While the process of replacing a battery can be daunting, having access to the proper tools and the right knowledge can make it streamlined for you. One of the most important aspects of doing so is connecting and disconnecting the terminals.
There’s a proper procedure that needs to be followed to make sure you don’t damage the electrical system or cause any personal injury while connecting and disconnecting the terminals. It’s essential to know which terminal to connect to and disconnect first.
In this blog post, we’ll be exploring the correct order of connecting and disconnecting car battery terminals to help you change the battery with ease. So, make sure you keep reading to get the job done in no time.
Which Car Battery Terminal You Should Connect First?
It’s recommended to connect the positive terminal (red) first, followed by the negative terminal (black). This helps you minimize the potential risk of electric sparks that may cause serious damage to your car’s battery or other crucial electric system components.
This also helps you make sure that the electrical system is grounded, which also reduces the risk of personal injury. After you’ve securely connected the positive terminal, you can proceed to connect the negative terminal and make sure both of them are tightly connected.
Why Should You Connect the Positive Terminal First?
Many people often have a misconception that it doesn’t matter which terminal is connected first – however – it’s crucial to follow the right order of connecting the terminals for safety purposes. It not only minimizes the risk of electrical sparks but also reduces the risk of personal injury.
Since the negative terminal is mainly connected to the car’s frame and body that works as ground, connecting it first may result in electrical shock when the positive terminal is accidentally touched. This can be easily prevented by connecting the positive end first.
What Could Possibly Happen If You Connect the Negative Terminal First?
Connecting the negative terminal of the battery can be quite dangerous as it creates a circuit between your car’s frame and the battery. This means, if you accidentally touch the positive terminal of the battery, an electrical spark may occur.
This could potentially lead to damage to the battery as well as the other components in the electrical system of your vehicle. It also increases the risk of electrical shock as the negative terminal is connected to your car’s frame and acts as ground.
How To Replace Your Car’s Battery Properly?
Here’s a step-by-step guide that will help you replace your car’s battery with ease:
Make The Necessary Preparations
Firstly, you have to gather all the required tools and equipment such as a wrench set, a new battery, pliers, and so on. Then, make sure that the vehicle is turned off and you have removed the key from the ignition, and then locate the negative battery cable.
Disconnect The Negative Terminal
Now, use a wrench or plier to loosen the nut or bolt that’s holding the negative battery cable to the terminal. Then, carefully remove the cable from the terminal and place it somewhere aside, and make sure you’re not touching any metal parts of the car.
Disconnect The Positive Terminal
Take your wrench or plier again to loosen the positive battery cable as well and disconnect the positive terminal likewise.
Remove Your Old Battery
Once you have disconnected both the negative and positive terminals, you have to loosen the nuts or bolts holding the car battery in place and then simply lift it out of the car.
Install The New Battery
Now place the new battery in your car and make sure that it is securely placed and that the cables are able to reach the terminals properly. You should also consider cleaning the battery terminals and the cable connections using a wire brush to make sure that the connection is secure.
Connect The Positive and Negative Terminals
After placing the new battery in place, connect the positive terminal first and then connect the negative terminal. Make sure that you tighten both terminals with the help of a wrench or pliers for effective installation.
Which Terminal You Should Connect First While Jumpstarting a Battery?
While jumpstarting a battery, you must connect the positive cable from the booster car to the positive terminal of your dead battery. Then, you need to connect the negative cable from the booster car to an unpainted metal surface on your car.
Doing this will allow you to minimize the risk of sparks and electrical shock which will make sure you do a safe and successful jumpstart. Once you have successfully connected the cables, start the booster car and let it run for a while.
In case the dead battery starts, allow the two cars to keep running for a few minutes before you disconnect the cables in the reverse order (first negative, then positive).
What Could Happen if You Put Battery Cables on The Wrong Sides?
When jumpstarting a car battery, putting the cables on the wrong side can result in potential damage to the battery as well as other components. This may likely create a direct short circuit that can cause sparks, damage the car’s electrical systems or even start a fire hazard.
It may also start a spark near the battery that can easily ignite any flammable gases that might have accumulated near the car battery. That’s why it is essential to connect the write cable to the right terminal and prevent any security
Final Words
Replacing a car battery is easy, provided that you know the right steps to do that. We hope the aforementioned information helps you replace your car battery with ease and clear your confusion about the battery terminals.
