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When Jumping a Car, Why Negative Clamp to Chassis?

Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: General Discussion
Forum Discription: General Mobile Electronics Questions and Answers
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=138559
Printed Date: May 13, 2025 at 4:47 AM


Topic: When Jumping a Car, Why Negative Clamp to Chassis?

Posted By: porschedrifter
Subject: When Jumping a Car, Why Negative Clamp to Chassis?
Date Posted: February 24, 2015 at 5:14 PM

Curious as to why it's recommended while jumping or charging a car's battery, to put the negative clamp onto the chassis and not the actual negative terminal of the battery itself?



Replies:

Posted By: i am an idiot
Date Posted: February 24, 2015 at 7:49 PM
It is recommended that the 4th and final connection be the negative connection to the chassis away from the battery to avoid a possible explosion.



Posted By: porschedrifter
Date Posted: February 24, 2015 at 8:05 PM
Ah OK. So if one was just battery tending, or in my case, having permenant leads to a quick disconnect cable coming off my motorcycle battery terminals for periodic tending, can I connect both to the neg and positive terminals?



Posted By: i am an idiot
Date Posted: February 24, 2015 at 9:44 PM
Yes.



Posted By: burntkat
Date Posted: February 26, 2015 at 11:50 AM
That will be fine, as you're not jumpstarting. There won't be a quick inrush of current (aka, spark"). All of my vehicles have these pigtails

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"Always listen to experts. They'll tell you what can't be done, and why. Then do it. - Robert A. Heinlein"


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