On Fri, 19 Dec 1997, Don J. Howard wrote:
> ...When jump is needed match battery posts + to +, and - to -
> using both jumper cables. Never use the Government bumper to bumper
> recommendation. These people have no insight into how things work, they
> have decided that the remote possibility of a hydrogen gas explosion is
> more dangerous than what might happen using their "safe" method.
Don, basically I agree with you, but for two points:
1. Most of the time, it seems best to do the final connection on the car
to be started to a suitable ground on the car, away from the battery. When
jump-starting a pos. ground LBC, this would mean that the last connection
would be the + cable to the engine block or other good ground. This does
help to avoid the possibility of...
2. Hydrogen gas explosion. With today's "sealed" batteries, this is
admittedly NOT as likely to happen as in the good old days. However,
having a good friend who was very lucky in surviving an exploding battery
-- fortunately without serious injury in his case, I heartily recommend
taking this simple precaution in #1 above to avoid such an explosion. I'd
much rather risk a fried car electrical system than myself, a friend,
stranger, enemy....
3. Bumper-to-bumper really only makes sense if a: you know both cars are
the same ground and b: you somehow have a jumper set missing one of
the two cables! ;-)
--Andy
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* 10/Herald/Vitesse (Sports 6) Consultant *
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