From what you can light a car. How to properly light a car from another car or battery? How to properly connect the wires to light the car: diagram. Can I light a diesel car? Why the battery is discharging

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Every motorist at least once faced the problem of a dead battery.

This unpleasant situation can be caused by banal weather conditions, headlights not turned off in time, or a long car parking. The availability of special wires (crocodiles) for experienced car owners greatly facilitates the task of starting the engine. This article will discuss how to light a battery from another car in a similar situation.

Absolutely any car with a charged battery can become a full-fledged donor. Thanks to these wires, you can connect a power source from another vehicle without removing it.

In order to protect the technique from various problems and not get injured yourself, you should rely on a certain order of actions, which will be discussed in more detail below.

Step-by-step process of "lighting" from another car

First, you need to determine the true causes of the inoperative engine. The starter may not show signs of life at all, and electrical appliances (headlights, on-board computer, etc.) may work properly. In this situation, the battery has nothing to do with it. You just need to get into the car and check thoroughly the entire electrical system.

If it's all about a dead battery, then all that remains is to light the battery, especially if it happened along the way.

For this you need:

Connect the battery from the donor car to the battery terminals on the inoperative car, strictly observing polarity(An important point is the correct positioning of vehicles relative to each other. The length of the wires should be sufficient with a margin, and the car bodies could not touch). It is worth paying attention to the power of both batteries, they must be identical. The positive terminals are connected to each other, but the negative terminal from the donor car is connected to the body of the recipient car (to any of its unpainted parts).
After the first step has been taken, it is necessary to secure both vehicles (with a hand brake) and turn on the ignition and electrical appliances for both cars(This is done in order to protect devices from sudden surges in electricity and their failure for this reason).
Next, the wound-up cars should be left to idle for 10 minutes at an engine speed of 1500 - 2000 rpm. As a result, the battery of the auto-recipient will be recharged a little and the ignition will be turned off for a few minutes. If necessary, this operation is repeated one more time.
As a result, the car is left working and the second car too. An important point at this stage is the absence of pressing the accelerator pedal. The motors must run smoothly, there must be no unnecessary voltage surges in the system that can damage the electrical equipment of both participants in the procedure.
It remains only to disconnect the wires from the terminals in exactly the reverse order of the connection. First, disconnect the black (-) wire, then the red (+). At this final stage, it is also recommended to include glass heaters and ventilation systems. Do this to soften the surge in power. It is better not to use the headlights at the moment, as they can simply burn out.

This scheme for reanimating a car from a car battery - a donor is fully capable and simply irreplaceable in difficult times

You can light a car from another car in some other ways:

Lighting a dead battery from a donor car with the engine running. Negative consequences can be: generator breakdown, short circuit or failure of any electrical devices in the car
The second way to light a cigarette from another battery is to move the battery to the place of a dead power source. This method only works with carburetor engines. After the engine is started, without turning off its batteries, they return to their original places, where the discharged battery begins to be powered by a running generator.

Is it possible to light a cigarette from cars of different brands?

The device of electrical systems for all cars is generally identical, but the wiring diagrams can vary significantly. To understand how to properly light a car from a car of a different brand, having studied the instructions for its operation.

There may be no consequences, but serious problems may arise, up to the replacement of a burned-out on-board computer or a fire.

This procedure has a number of features:

It is forbidden to light a diesel car from a gasoline engine(Diesel engines require significantly more electrical costs to start).
The body of a shrunken battery must be completely sealed and not be damaged.
Choose a car rationally- donor based on the volume of the engine.

What actions should not be taken during the lighting procedure

Most motorists allow this procedure to be carried out from their car only with the engine running. On the contrary, such a decision does more harm than good.

This feature can be explained on the basis that at the moment the electric charge is transferred to the car - the recipient at the terminals of the car - the donor, the charge will make a significant jump down. Due to this side effect, various overloads in the work of its electrical systems can occur. The greatest risk in this situation is the owners of injection vehicles.

Safety when lighting a cigarette from another car

It is always worth remembering that the battery is explosive and contains dangerous acid inside it. How to properly light a car and not get injured will be discussed below.

Before carrying out the operation, you must make sure that the electrolyte level is normal and that it is not frozen. The level is easy to determine visually by opening the plugs in the cans, you can also check for freezing visually.

All procedures must be performed with glasses and gloves.

Acid contact with unprotected skin may cause severe burns or a terrible allergic reaction.

Evaporating hydrogen is constantly present around the battery, so there should be no open fire or sparks nearby.

Lighting device (crocodiles) must be in good working order and have no holes.

It is necessary to strictly observe the polarity when connecting and exclude the possibility of mutual contact of different terminals.

Before starting the procedure, you should pay special attention to the tightness of the body of a shrunken power source; in the event of mechanical damage or cracks, the procedure cannot be carried out. It is also necessary to study the indicators of the capacity and density of the battery. How to check the battery density can be found on the Internet. Timely maintenance of batteries of modern car brands will save you decent money and always be confident in the reliability of your vehicle.

Almost every car owner was faced with a situation when the car's battery was discharged after an overnight stay in frosty weather. The most effective way to start the car is by lighting it from another battery. At the same time, it is important to properly light a car from another car and not damage the electronic and electrical circuits of both cars.

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Signs and Causes of Battery Discharge

Signs of a low battery level in a car are:

sluggish operation of the starter, while the control lamps of the car shine very dimly;
with a large battery discharge, the current is not enough even to turn the starter;
when you try to start the engine, the solenoid relay crackles, and all the lamps on the instrument cluster go out.

Similar symptoms are observed with insufficient contact of the on-board network wires at the battery terminals. Therefore, first of all, it is necessary to check the reliability of the installation of these elements on the battery.

The video from the channel VAZ 2101-2107 REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE demonstrates the procedure for measuring battery leakage current.

The reasons for the discharge of any battery are:

Insufficiently efficient operation of the generator - a weakly tensioned belt, failure of the components of the generator itself.
Damage to electrical wiring, due to which there is an increased consumption of electricity. In this case, the battery can be discharged even in a car with the keys removed from the ignition lock.
A common cause of discharging is additional signaling, which consumes a lot of current due to design features (for example, two-way communication systems) or due to improper installation.
With infrequent use of the machine, a gradual self-discharge of the battery occurs. Therefore, it must be periodically removed from the car and charged from a special charger.
Over time, a lead-acid vehicle battery ages and begins to lose its capacity due to irreversible chemical processes taking place in it. In winter, as the ambient temperature decreases, the drop in capacity increases even more. The service life of modern batteries rarely exceeds 4-5 years.
A deep discharge, which is extremely harmful to the battery, can occur due to the dimensions lamps left on, the interior lighting or the radio tape recorder.

Ways to start a dead battery

A reliable way to start a car with a dead battery is lighting up - supplying voltage to the on-board network from another source. Such a donor can be a battery installed in another car or in a special portable device called a Jump Starter (booster). In many large cities, services have appeared that offer the service of a car mechanic's departure with the possibility of lighting a car from a booster device.

Booster model Telwin Speed Start 1212

The automatic booster is a compact device with a built-in lithium-ion battery capable of delivering starting current from 400 to 4000 A (depending on the model). Such a starter battery is capable of giving at least 20-40 starting pulses, but this depends on the degree of battery charging and starting conditions.

An alternative way is to start the engine with a dead battery from the tug. But this option is only suitable for cars with a manual transmission. It is strictly forbidden to tow cars equipped with automatic transmission.

Requirements for wires for lighting

A special cigarette lighter is used to connect the battery terminals. It consists of thick wires with clamps at the ends, with which the cables can be picked up to the battery terminals. Since a high current flows through the wires between the batteries when starting, they heat up to significant temperatures.

Therefore, the cables must meet the following requirements:

Only copper stranded conductor is allowed.
The cable cross-section for starting a standard gasoline engine with a cylinder capacity of up to 1.5 liters must be at least 16 mm2 (corresponds to a diameter of 4.5 mm). For universal wires, the cross section is about 70 mm2 (diameter 9.5 mm).
The wires must have insulation resistant to temperature extremes. Silicone is considered a suitable material.
The optimal length of the wires is about 2 meters, since this will allow the engine to be started from a car parked at a long distance. In this case, it is necessary to ensure a low voltage drop - no more than 2.3 V for every 1.5 meters of wire at a current of 200 A (or 1.3 V at a current of 100 A).
The cable and alligator connection must have a reliable electrical contact and not serve as a place for voltage drop or overheating. Ideally, the joint should be solid or well-soldered tin solder.
The wiring must be guaranteed to operate at a current of at least 200 A - the minimum threshold for lighting cars. To do this, there must be sharp teeth on the working part of the clamps, which will ensure reliable contact with the battery terminals.

General view of wires for lighting

The consequences of trying to light up with wires of inadequate quality will be very sad. In the best case, the cables themselves will burn out, in the worst case, all the wiring under the hood of both cars may catch fire.

Safety engineering

Before starting work, you need to remember the basic nuances of how to properly light a car from another car.

Regardless of the time of year, when performing lighting, you must follow the rules:

Before starting the start, you must remove the keys from the lock and open the doors in a car with a dead battery. This is necessary in order to avoid the involuntary closing of the central lock when voltage is supplied to the on-board network from the donor.
The voltage of the batteries and the on-board network of cars must be the same - 12 or 24 V.
The negative "crocodile" from the donor battery should be attached only to the engine crankcase or to an unpainted car body element with a dead battery.
Before lighting a cigarette, it is necessary to check the condition of a dead battery. If it freezes, the procedure is prohibited, as this may cause the destruction of such a battery. The check is carried out visually through the plugs in the upper parts of the battery cans. The frozen electrolyte looks like a fairly liquid jelly. This test cannot be performed on maintenance-free batteries.

How to properly light a car

Most car owners do not disconnect the wires from the donor car battery. Problems usually do not arise, but to fully guarantee the preservation of the functionality of the electronics, it is better to remove the wires from the battery terminals.

Before starting work, it is necessary to establish the type of vehicle electronics.

Release before 1990

The simplest electronic circuits are used on cars with a carburetor fuel supply system or the first injection systems, including foreign cars produced before the early 1990s. Such cars can be safely lit without removing the battery from the donor car.

To start the engine, follow these instructions step by step:

Place cars nearby, bodies should not have points of contact.
Do not turn off the donor engine.
Connect the positive terminals first and then the negative terminals.
The donor driver needs to maintain an increased speed of up to 2-2.5 thousand rpm to ensure the operation of the battery charging system.
The owner of the second car must wait a few minutes for the battery to start charging.
Start the engine and disconnect the terminals, first negative and then positive. If, after several attempts to start the engine, it does not work, then it is necessary to check the ignition and fuel supply system. In some cases, the car is started with the discharged battery removed, which is connected to the on-board network later.

Connection diagram for lighting, indicating terminals and connection points

Issue 1990-2000

With the advent of injection engines, the number of electronic units in the circuit of cars has sharply increased, which react very sensitively to sudden changes in voltage in the on-board network.

If the battery has sat down on a release car before the beginning of 2000, then the connection procedure is as follows:

Place the vehicles side by side, bringing the engine compartments as close as possible. Car bodies should not touch.
Muffle the power unit of the donor vehicle.
Disconnect the wires from the battery terminals on the donor.
Connect the positive terminal of the discharged battery with the positive terminal of the donor battery.
Connect the negative terminal of the donor to the body or to the crankcase of the engine of another car. The bodywork must be free of paintwork. When this wire is connected directly to the negative terminal of a dead battery, all the energy of the charged battery will go to recharge.
Wait a few minutes for a small recharge of a dead battery.
Switch on the ignition and try to start the engine. If several attempts to start do not lead to success, then stop further attempts to start the engine.
In case of a positive result, it is necessary to warm up the unit and recharge the dead battery a little.
Stop the engine after 6-8 minutes of operation.
Disconnect the negative and then the positive wire.
Try to start the engine from the native battery and let it run for 10-15 minutes to fully warm up the engine and start charging the battery.
At the end of the trip, check the condition of the battery and electrical wiring, fully charge the battery with the charger.
In case of constant repetitions of the problem, you need to more carefully check the wiring for leaks or replace the battery.

Release after 2000

The optimal procedure for starting a modern car with a diesel or injector from a battery or booster is as follows:

Place the battery or booster device next to the vehicle. When starting from the booster, you should carefully study the manual for its operation.
Connect the wires in the sequence - the positive pole from the donor to the positive terminal of the car, and then - the negative wire to the engine crankcase.
Start the unit and let it run for 5-7 minutes without disconnecting the booster or the second battery.
Turn off the engine and disconnect the negative wire, and then the positive wire.
Remove the booster device or additional battery and start the engine from the standard battery of the machine.
After the end of the trip, recharge the battery and check the operation of the on-board network.

In what cases it is impossible to light a cigarette

It is not allowed to start the engine of one car from the on-board network of another in the following cases:

Do not light a car with a smaller battery. A difference of up to 15% is permissible, otherwise a rapid discharge of the donor battery will occur.
Battery voltage mismatch. Do not connect 12 and 24 volt batteries to each other.
The appearance of a smell of burning wiring or fuel is a signal to terminate the procedure until the reasons for its occurrence are clarified.
It is not recommended to use cars with automatic transmission as a donor because of the risk of damaging the control unit. On such cars, it is necessary to disconnect the battery from the mains and only then try to light another car from it.
A gasoline engine must not be started from a diesel vehicle battery.
It is forbidden to use connecting wires of small cross-section and cables with damaged cores or insulation. The use of such wiring will lead to a short circuit and failure of the electrical systems of both vehicles.

Many manufacturers prescribe in the on-board literature a ban on the use of a car battery as a power source for another car. If such information is provided, then it is better not to use your car as a donor, since you can lose warranty service for the car in case of a breakdown due to this procedure.

Let's analyze in detail and step by step how to light a car. These steps will come in handy in order to start your car without ruining or burning anything.

So, in order to light a car, you will need: wires for lighting and a donor car from which you will light your car.

Donor search and preparation for connection

Step 1. Find a donor car.
It is easy to do this in any city, since the world is not without kind people.

Open the hood of your car. Stand next to the car. Pick up the lighting wires and show them to the drivers of passing cars.

You can ask a neighbor in the parking lot or call your acquaintances or friends and ask them to light their car. Even if you don't have lighting wires, brake your cars anyway and ask to light your car. Many drivers carry wires with them and will help you.

Step 2. Show the driver of the donor car where you have the battery under the hood (which side).

This is necessary in order for the driver to drive his car on the side (where he has a battery) as close to your car as possible.

Step 3. Check on your car that the alarm is disabled (disable by pressing the button on the remote control). Turn off the ignition on your car and turn off all consumers: heated glass, stove fan, lights, headlights, etc.

We connect cars

Step 4. Tell the driver of the donor car to turn off his engine, turn off the ignition, and open the hood of the car.

Step 5. Take the wires for lighting the car with clips ("crocodiles") at the ends. Note that there are two clips on each wire. Most often, the wires for lighting the car are of a different color (so as not to confuse the polarity), usually red and black. The black wire is needed to connect to the "-" negative terminal of the battery (the so-called ground). Red goes for the "+" positive terminal of the battery. On the battery, the positive terminal is usually a red cap.

If there is no cap, then find the red (pink) thick wire that fits the battery.

Step 6. Take the red wire in your hands and cling to the "+" positive terminal of the donor car battery with one crocodile clip. The second clamp at this time (while connecting to the terminal) must be in your hand (IMPORTANT: you must not touch the plus clamp to other parts of the car). Then connect the second clamp of the red wire to the "+" positive terminal of your vehicle.

Step 7. Take the black wire in your hands and hook it with one clamp to the "-" negative terminal of the donor car battery. Then hook the second clip to the exposed thick metal of your car's engine.

If it is difficult to find open metal under the hood of your car (covered with a casing, there is only one plastic around), then in this case you will have to connect the wire clip to the "-" negative terminal of your battery. This should be done very carefully, with outstretched arms and as far away from the battery as possible. Why? When the battery terminal clamp is touched, a spark runs through.

This spark can ignite the hydrogen mixture that is released from under the battery cover. This is rare, but it does happen, so stay away to avoid splashing from the battery.

We start our car

Step 8. The wires are connected. The donor vehicle is muted. We checked that everything is connected correctly. The ideal option is for the donor car driver to wait 5-10 minutes. This time is most often enough for your battery to charge a little from someone else's battery (take charge). But usually people don't have free time (and so thanks for helping). And not everyone will agree to give up all their battery power.

Therefore, after connecting the wires, you get into your car and start it (by turning the key or pressing the button). If you have a car with a manual transmission, be sure to depress the clutch (this will make it easier to start the engine). Do not crank the starter for more than 20 seconds. If the car does not start, then wait 20-30 seconds and turn on the starter again.

Why won't the car start?

The most common reason your car won't start (the starter motor turns easily, not with difficulty) is that the spark plugs are flooded with gasoline (gasoline engine). In order to blow them out, modern injection engines have a special spark plug blowing mode. You just need to press the gas pedal all the way and, keeping it pressed, crank the starter for 10-15 seconds.

Fuel will stop flowing into the engine and the spark plugs will dry out. Then you wait 30 seconds and start your car again.

The car started

Step 9. Your car's engine has started. GREAT! Release the clutch pedal carefully (gearshift in neutral if you have a mechanic). They let go. Include the dimensions on your car (this must be done so that there are no power surges when disconnecting the clamps). Get out of the car and go to the hood.

Step 10. You start to disconnect the wires. Do everything in reverse order. Disconnect the "-" negative terminal of the black wire from your vehicle, then from the donor vehicle. Disconnect the "+" positive terminal of the red wire from the donor vehicle and then from your vehicle. Be sure to thank the person who helped you)).

Step 11. Run your car's engine for at least 10 minutes before driving so that your battery can be recharged from the generator during this time. Warm up your car's engine well and then shut it off. The car must start again.

Why didn't the car start?

If the car does not start, then, most likely, problems with the car generator (does not give charging) or the battery is so old that it does not accept charging (does not charge), which means it is time to change the battery.

Therefore, there is no point in lighting the car, since you will get on the road and will not be able to start again without assistance. I already talked about operating a car in winter, so I hope you remember what you can and cannot do with a car in winter.

Can I light a car with a gun?

Yes, you can, without a difference, which is an automatic transmission or a manual transmission, because this is a type of transmission of your car, and not an engine.

Can I light a cigarette when the car is running? Yes, you can, but only on old Russian cars without electronics, and if everything is done correctly. On modern cars, you cannot light a cigarette from a running car!

If you have a modern car, then do not let the engine light when the engine is running, otherwise you can damage the electrical equipment of your car. Why? When another car is lit from your car (you are an auto-donor), then at this moment there is a strong voltage drop in the network of your car.

If the engine of your car is started at this time, then at the moment of the voltage drop there will be a sharp load on the generator. Such a stressful shock can deactivate the electrical equipment of your car (generator, block controller, etc.).

Therefore, you do not need to give a light from a running car. Even on an old car, so that the generator does not fail, before lighting up from a running car (auto-donor), it is necessary to turn on the headlights on it so that the bulbs (which are easier and cheaper to replace) would burn out from power surges (which are easier and cheaper to replace) than an expensive generator ...

Starting the engine through "lighting": what is this method?

It is especially often necessary to resort to "lighting" in the cold season.

The term “lighting up” means using another vehicle to start the engine on your vehicle, in which the battery has been discharged. To carry out this method of starting the engine, you must first find a car and an owner who would agree to help "light up". However, the consent of the second owner of the car is not enough. It must meet certain conditions.

It is interesting! To "light" your car, you need to find the vehicle in which it is installed. If the car, from which it is planned to "light up", has a battery of smaller capacity, then the start may fail, and as a result, it will be necessary to "light up" 2 cars.

Before you start looking for a second car from which you can "light up", you should make sure that the problems with starting the engine are connected precisely with the discharge of the battery. For this, there are several signs that will help make sure that the problem is in the battery discharge:

When the key is turned in the ignition lock to start the engine, the lights on the instrument panel disappear. When the engine starts, the starter tries to turn on, but the lack of battery current leads to unsuccessful attempts. If such a symptom is found, then there is no need to carry out subsequent attempts, since the automotive electronics is quite sensitive, and a failure and failure can occur.
If the battery is completely discharged, then when the ignition is turned on, the indicators on the instrument panel will light up dimly or not at all.
Clicks and crackles are heard from the engine compartment when the key is turned to start the engine.

Most modern cars have on-board computers that show the voltage on the battery when the ignition is turned on. If the car does not have an on-board computer, it is recommended to install an electronic voltmeter, which will be an assistant to the car owner. It is possible to determine the malfunction of the battery by the readings of the voltmeter. If the readings on the device when the ignition is turned on are less than 11.9-12.0 V, then it will be impossible to start the engine, especially in the winter season.

A yellow icon on the dashboard that glows after starting the engine indicates that the battery needs to be charged

It is interesting! When the ignition is switched on, the battery icon on the instrument panel lights up. The glow of the indicator does not mean at all that the device is discharged. When the engine starts, the indicator always goes out, unless there is no charge from the generator.

If it is impossible to start the engine due to the discharge of the battery when you are at home, then for this you can connect the charger and recharge the battery. Another thing is when there is no charger, and you urgently need to start the engine. In this case, you will need to contact a neighbor or call a friend who would help you “light a cigarette”. Only here one problem arises when the car is parked in the garage. To begin with, you need to push the car out with your own hands in order to fit it to the vehicle from which you plan to "light up". It is dangerous to "light" in a garage, as the accumulation of gasoline vapors can lead to an explosion from the slightest spark.

It is recommended to resort to the "lighting" procedure in all cases when the battery is discharged, but an urgent need to start the engine. The "pusher" method of starting the engine is unacceptable, especially for injection vehicles. There is not always the availability of free space "for the pusher", as well as people who would help. Hence it turns out that every motorist should always be ready to "light" if not his car, then to help a friend.

What is needed for the procedure: how to choose the wires?

The car from which it is planned to carry out "lighting" is called the donor, and the second - the recipient. To connect the donor to the recipient, you need the appropriate wires. Regular wires will not work, so do not try to start with them.

Why do we need special wires for "lighting"? During "lighting" (when the engine of the second car is started), a large amount of current is consumed. It exceeds the battery capacity by 5-7 times. If the wires have a small and insufficient cross-section, as well as if there are signs of damage, then the consequences can be unpredictable. In order for motorists to imagine the danger of using the wrong, old and low-quality wires for "lighting", it is necessary to say about the possible consequences:

the inability to start the engine of the second car;
melting insulation and electric shock if you hold onto the wire;
sparking, ignition and failure of electronics and electronic devices.

Failure to comply with instructions and safety rules when "lighting" a car can lead to dire consequences

It is interesting! It is contraindicated to use starting wires, if even one of them is faulty "crocodile" (latch or clamp) and the integrity of the insulation is broken.

The battery discharge situation is unpredictable, and it does not depend on which model of your car. Sooner or later, you will need help starting the engine by lighting it up. To carry out such actions, you need to purchase the appropriate wires. These wires are called "wires for lighting a car" or "starting wires".

Wires for starting the engine by "lighting"

These products are two wires, red and black. The ends of these wires have crocodiles for connection. The length of the wires affects the cost of the product, as well as the voltage loss, but its minimum value is 1.5 meters.

It is interesting! You can not "light" a gasoline car from a diesel engine, and vice versa. A diesel engine consumes more energy than a gasoline engine, so an attempt may end in failure at best, and at worst, electronic failure.

When choosing wires, it is important to consider the following criteria:

Cross section... The main parameter, the value of which should not be less than 12-15 mm.
Length of the product... The longer the wires, the easier it is to connect them to the donor. The optimal length is 2-3 meters.
Voltage loss... At 100 A, the loss should not be more than 1.3 V, and at 200 A, no more than 2.3 V every 1.5 meters of the wire. The longer the wire length, the higher the voltage loss, therefore it is not recommended to buy products longer than 4 meters.
Wire section material... High-quality wires are made only of copper, since this material has high conductivity. Aluminum wires will cost several times cheaper, but at the same time they will be ineffective, since they will have significant voltage losses.
Places of connection of clips (crocodiles) with wires. These places must be securely crimped and also soldered. If the clamps with the wires are one piece, then this is even better.
Clamps. They must be made of copper, and also have a reliable spring for good pressure.
Maximum current strength. This value should be at least 200A, since when the motor is started for a short time, a current flows through the wires 5-7 times more than the battery capacity.

Can I make starter wires for a car by myself? From a security point of view, this is not recommended. From the point of view of economy, you can make wires yourself, but subject to the following factors:

use thick wires for manufacturing, the cross-section of which should not be less than 10-12 mm;
the wire material must be copper;
on the insulation there should be no places for its integrity violation;
the length of the wires (each) should not be more than 2 meters;
connect the wire to the clamp not only by crimping, but also solder using tin;
perform reliable insulation of the soldering points.

Only then can you use homemade wires to "light" the car. However, you need to use them when the need arises, and not constantly, not forgetting that this is homemade.

Homemade wires for "lighting": during the manufacture of all conditions are met

How to properly "light" a car from a donor: step by step instructions

After you have purchased the appropriate wires for "lighting", you can proceed to the procedure itself. It's time to learn how to properly "light" a car from another car.

Preparing for "lighting a cigarette"

Lighting should be done in stages and preparation is initially undertaken. To do this, follow these steps:

Place both vehicles at a sufficient distance so that the wires are long enough to connect them.
Connect the wires with the donor engine turned off. Both vehicles must be locked with the parking brake, the gearshift levers in neutral, and the ignition off.
It is important to observe the polarity when connecting the wires. The red wire is for the plus terminal, and the black wire is for the minus terminal. Before connecting the clamps of the wires to the donor battery, you need to make sure that the second ends of the clamps do not touch each other and do not lie on the body of the second car. This will lead to a short circuit and damage to the donor car battery.
Before carrying out the "lighting" procedure, you need to make sure that the voltage on both batteries is the same value (6, 12 or 24 V).

Carrying out the terminal connection procedure

The wiring diagram is as follows: the red wire clamp is connected to the "plus" terminal of the donor's battery, and its other end to the positive terminal of the recipient's battery. Similarly, we connect the black wire clamp to the minus terminal of the donor battery, and the other end of the black wire to the metal casing (block) of the engine (closer to the starter). It is recommended to connect each wire separately to avoid a short circuit when the second clamps of the red and black wires touch.
It is important to take into account that the black clip is not connected to the negative terminal of the discharged battery. Consider another important point that when the engine is started, the pulleys and the fan will rotate, so the black wire must be positioned so that it does not come under the influence of these elements. This clamp should still be positioned as far away from the fuel system as possible, as the slightest spark could ignite.
Wiring diagram for "lighting"
After that, the engine of the donor car is started. Let the engine run for at least 5 minutes to recharge the battery. Consider the ambient temperature conditions. The colder it is outside, the longer you need to let the engine run. To speed up charging, you can increase the number of revolutions to 2-3 thousand.

Test run of the motor

During the operation of the donor car engine, the dead battery is recharged. The longer the recharge time (engine operation), the higher the likelihood that the recipient's motor will be started the first time.

When you are ready to try to start the engine on a car with a dead battery, you must turn off the engine on the donor vehicle and turn off the ignition.
The ignition is switched on on the second vehicle, and we try to start the engine. If the engine does not start, then a second attempt can be performed only after the donor vehicle recharges the battery. Let the engine run again for at least 10 minutes.
After a second attempt, the motor should start. If this does not happen, then repeat the recharge manipulation again. Once the engine is running, you can disconnect the wires.

First you need to disconnect the black wire, which is attached to the negative terminal of the recipient's battery. Next, the second clamp of the black wire from the donor's battery is disconnected. In a similar sequence, the red wires are removed. Experts say that there is no difference in the sequence of disconnecting the wires, the main thing is to disconnect the negative (black) wire first.

The sequence of removing the wires after "lighting": the most important thing is to disconnect the negative wire first

As soon as the engine of a car with a dead battery is started, you do not need to turn it off. Now you should let the battery recharge, so try not to turn off the engine for 30 minutes. If, after recharging the battery, an attempt is made to start, but the starter turns, and the engine does not start, then this means that the recipient's car is faulty. It is necessary to carry out diagnostics and identify the cause of the engine malfunction.

Video: how to properly "light" a car

Mistakes when "lighting up": how you can not carry out the procedure

When performing the "lighting" procedure, you can make a number of mistakes that will lead to irreparable consequences. It is better to familiarize yourself with these errors immediately on the computer screen than during the startup procedure. Initially, it is proposed to watch a video material, which provides instructions for starting the motor.

The differences between the described instruction and the one presented in the video material are that a test start of the recipient car is performed while the engine of the donor vehicle is running. This option is unacceptable for the following reasons:

The load on the generator increases, since it needs to be charged twice as much due to the voltage drop. This could damage the alternator on the donor vehicle.
When the engine of the recipient car is started with the simultaneous operation of the donor motor, the voltage of the circuit will increase, so the fuses may blow, and in the worst case, the electronics may fail.

The instruction from the video material is relevant for carburetor-type cars. Many motorists are accustomed to this starting method, so they may wonder why it is necessary to turn off the donor engine before starting the recipient's engine. Even if you are accustomed to this method of "lighting" on carburetor-type engines, it is recommended to use exactly the method described in the material. This will prolong the life of the generator and also avoid blowing fuses.

Let's highlight the main mistakes that are made by motorists in the process of "lighting" the engine:

Carrying out the procedure with the donor motor running, as already mentioned above.
The ignition on the donor vehicle or electrical appliances does not turn off.
"Lighting" is carried out from a battery of lower capacity. Such a battery will never be able to start a more powerful engine than that installed on the donor.
Failure to follow the sequence of actions, as well as violation of instructions.
The use of poor quality wires, which can cause serious consequences.
Failure to comply with safety rules.

Moreover, mistakes are made not only by beginners in this business, but also by experienced drivers who have not once had to "light up" cars. Safety precautions when "lighting" a car reads as follows:

The battery is an explosive device. To avoid an explosion, all actions must be performed strictly according to the instructions.
Before performing "lighting" it is necessary, and whether he is frozen. To do this, unscrew the plugs in the cans, and then visually inspect the internal filling.
Evaporating hydrogen is located near the battery, therefore the presence of an open fire, sparking and smoking are strictly contraindicated.
Make sure the clamps are in good condition.
Work with gloves and, if necessary, protective goggles.

Only after observing all safety rules, you can start work.

How to remember the lighting algorithm: a memo for motorists

After reading the material or watching the video, it immediately becomes clear what the procedure is. However, once in such a situation, everything is immediately forgotten. The person begins to panic, which often leads to the commission of rash actions. To start the engine, you need to rest and follow the “lighting” procedure in accordance with the instructions.

If you forget the order of actions, as well as the correct connection of the wires, then there is a hint in the form of an algorithm.

Memo to motorists on "lighting" a car

Briefly, the instruction is the following steps:

Switch off ignition on both vehicles, as well as related electrical appliances.
Connect the wires observing the polarity and sequence as shown in the photo above.
Run the donor engine for at least 5 minutes.
Turn off the donor motor and turn off all associated electrical appliances.
Attempt to start the recipient's engine.
After starting the motor, remove the wires in the reverse order of connection.

To carry out this procedure, it is not necessary to understand the principle of operation correctly. However, be sure to follow the sequence of actions in the instructions. If you understand the principle, then it will not be difficult for you to correctly and safely "light" the vehicle.

In conclusion, it is worth noting that you can "light" only the car on which the battery is discharged, but at the same time it is serviceable. If the car has stood with a discharged battery for several weeks, then it is irrational to start the engine by "lighting" it. Such a battery will not be able to receive a charge, so in this case only a purchase will help.

Which connect "in parallel" the terminals of the batteries of two cars - yours and the "suffering". That is, plus to plus, minus to minus. Just? Not really. In any case, any publication on this topic immediately generates a flurry of controversy and comments - they say, everything is wrong, everything is wrong!

Myth 1. Neighbor refuses to light a cigarette

It's not about greed - he fears for his car. Because servicemen and electricians of all stripes tell him in one voice, they say, don't do this. Say, your car was not designed so that someone would cling to wires for, and even connect with it is not clear where ... There are plenty of scarecrows about how, after such operations, the standard electronics of the donor machine failed. How true they are all, in this case, does not matter: just do not be surprised that the neighbor does not want to take risks.

In the old days, such an operation was in the order of things. Muscovites lit up from Zhiguli - and that's okay. But that was a very long time ago, when cars were incomparably simpler. And today they have become akin to a computer and therefore too pampered. And the risk of damage from power surges is really great.

Myth 2. Lighting a car with a disconnected on-board terminal of the donor car

It's much safer to light a cigarette. But even in this case, the greedy neighbor can be understood. Firstly, on many cars they are hidden under plastic shields, and today you cannot find a suitable tool in the average trunk. And secondly, many modern cars categorically do not tolerate even a short-term battery disconnection. After that, the owner will have to contact the service, losing time, money, and if not at all lucky, then the guarantee. We are talking, of course, about machines of a high price category, but not everyone wants to carry out such experiments, even on inexpensive machines. What if they also became moody?

Myth 3. The sequence of actions when lighting a car

It is necessary to connect the external battery in parallel to the standard one - this requires thick connecting wires. Thin ones are absolutely useless to start.

The sequence is as follows:

Connect the positive (+) jump lead to the positive (+) lead of the donor booster battery and then to the positive (+) lead of the discharged battery.
Connect the negative (-) cable to the negative (-) terminal of the booster battery, and then to the engine block of the stubborn vehicle. While it is best to grab onto the lifting eye to raise the powertrain, it is usually easy to find. As a last resort, if there is no access to the "metal", connect it to the (-) terminal of the battery of the dying car.
Make sure the cables do not touch the fan blades or other moving parts of the motor.
Try to start a moody motor. If it "worked" - disconnect the "negative" wire (first from the capricious car, then from the donor battery), and then the positive wire in the same sequence.
Let the revived car run - in general, do not jam it right away. Without a recharged standard battery, he will not have life anyway. Later, it would be good to understand the reason for the death.
And if there are no normal thick wires? Jokes are jokes, and finding them today is a big problem. What is on sale is 99.9% disgusting Chinese ephemera with thick insulation and tiny wires inside (see photo below). In extreme cases, if the thick wires have not been found, you will have to use what you have, but the "pleasure" will have to stretch for at least 15-30 minutes, until the charges of the two batteries are a little equal. After that, you can try to start the engine.