On the top of the battery, locate the connector that has a black cap or minus sign near it (the positive terminal will feature a red cap or a plus sign). Use a socket wrench to loosen the negative connector by turning counterclockwise. Once it's loose, disconnect the negative connector by pulling it off.
Will the Car Battery Drain if the Negative Cable Is Disconnected? A car battery will self-discharge at a rate of 5-15% per month with the negative terminal disconnected. However, the alternative option of leaving the battery connected while it isn't being used will drain at close to 20% per week.
If you plan on storing a vehicle for an extended period, it's advisable to disconnect at least the negative terminal from your car battery. This prevents unnecessary battery drain, as a fully charged battery can hold its charge for 6-12 months if you do this.
Technically, nothing will happen if you disconnect the positive terminal of your car battery first. However, if you short it out, a lot will happen. Depending on what you short the battery with, you might see sparks, be burned by conductive material, or even experience a battery explosion.
However, DO NOT disconnect the positive terminal before the negative one. Doing so can cause an electrical short. Always disconnect the negative battery terminal first.
This is for safety. Imagine if you disconnect the positive terminal first and, while you're doing it, your metal tool comes in contact with some part of the car that is grounded. You now have a short circuit that can cause a large spark, weld the tool to the car, or start a fire.
It's true: disconnecting your car battery is always a good idea if you plan on putting your car in storage. The car will use up the battery for no good reason if you leave it connected. Disconnect the negative cable first, always, then disconnect the positive cable second.
Disconnecting the negative (chassis lead) will protect the electrical side of the battery. Removing the battery and storing it inside will protect the physical battery.
What may drain a car battery when it's off are things such as interior lights, door lights, or even bad relays. While your engine runs, the alternator recharges the battery — which is why you typically don't have to worry about the battery dying while you're blasting the radio on your drive to work!
It's important to disconnect the negative side of the battery first, otherwise you can cause an electrical short if the positive is removed first.
If you know you won't be using your car for a while or won't be able to recharge it weekly, it may be best to disconnect it completely from the vehicle. When stored properly out of the car in a secure place, a detached car battery has the chance to last up to six months.
Removal of Old Battery
Remove the negative (-) terminal first. This precaution is necessary to avoid damage to wiring and the battery by accidentally grounding tools. Remove the positive (+) terminal.
The negative () cable is the ground cable; it is always connected to the frame or body metal and can safely be disconnected first with no chance of causing sparks. By the same token, always reconnect the positive cable before connecting the negative cable.
It is not a problem. The reason they say to remove the negative first is because it is safer for you. The negative cable in all modern cars is attached to the chassis of the car. SO when you put your wrench on the negative post to loosen it, and the wrench hits the chassis, nothing happens.
Yes, batteries self discharge, but the process is very, very slow if only one terminal is connected. Faster is the vehicle draws some small current from the battery as most do.
When installing the battery in the vehicle, the red cable must first be connected to the positive terminal. Then, the black negative cable is connected to the negative terminal.
Attach the red jumper cables first. Start by clamping one red cable to the positive side of the battery that won't start. Then attach the other red clamp to the positive side of the working battery. Next, clamp one black cable to the negative side of the working battery.
Disconnect your battery terminals before leaving – this prevents your battery from losing charge. Remember, you just need to disconnect the negative terminal. Make use of a trickle charger – which gives your battery a consistent minimal charge.
Tip #1: Never connect the black cable to the negative (–) terminal on your dead battery. This is very dangerous, as it could result in an explosion.
But what happens if you've not been driving for a month, two, or more? Most likely, your battery becomes flat or dead.
The average car battery should last about three years, but the general range of a battery's lifespan is two to six years. You can also gauge a battery's life by its warranty, which you can usually find on the battery case or label.
At least 5 minutes or quicker if you disconnect both terminals and hold them together. Make sure that nothing touches the battery terminals. But remember that when you do this the whole system resets and the car will run rough for a while until the computer relearns parameters.