A dead battery can be inconvenient when it rains. You might wonder if you can jump-start your car in the rain safely.
In most cases, you can jump-start a car in the rain as long as your jumper cables are in good condition.
So first off, ensure your cables are in good working condition and the insulation is not damaged. This is crucial because water seeping into the electrical system via damaged cables might cause a short circuit.
Next, take all necessary safety measures to eliminate or limit the potentially catastrophic outcomes if something goes wrong.
Read on to learn more about jump-starting your vehicle and the special precautions we recommend when you need to jump-start in the rain.
Can You Jump a Car in the Rain?
Jumping your car in the rain isn’t the most ideal situation but it can be done safely. The moisture isn’t as important as connecting the cables in the right order.
The moisture shouldn’t be an issue, you shouldn’t be too concerned about it. Experts say jump-starting a car in the rain is safe because the voltage of a vehicle is not high enough.
Before you do it, make sure your jumper cables are in good condition and if possible, find an umbrella to shield your battery from water.
The water is not an issue as long as you do it in the right sequence, drivers need to make sure there is no water dripping on the cables.
Here is what drivers need to know when they try to jump a start in the rain:
- Prevent water from falling on the battery connections.
- Before attempting to jump-start, be sure the battery is not frozen.
- Protect the battery and be very mindful of the instructions.
- Pay attention to the order of the cable connection. The red one is positive and the black one is negative.
- After the red clamp is connected, link the black clamps.
- Connect the black clamp to the negative post on another vehicle.
- Start the vehicle and make sure you don’t cross two cables.
- Disconnect the cables safely.
- If that sounds intimidating, you need to call the experts.
How to Jump-Start a Car Yourself
Aside from taking the precautions listed above, the process for how to jump a car in the rain is the same as jump-starting a car on a sunny Springfield day:
- Face both vehicles towards each other and park. Engage the parking brake for safety.
- Open both hoods and locate the batteries. Remove the plastic hood if needed.
- Find the positive and negative battery terminals. Make sure they are free of corrosion.
- Connect the red clamp to the positive post on the dead battery.
- Connect the other red clamp to the positive post on the working battery.
- Connect the black clamp to the negative post on the working battery.
- Connect the last black clamp to an unpainted metal surface of your car.
- Start the engine of the car with a good battery.
- Try to start your engine.
Is it Safe to Jump Start a Car in the Rain?
Living in Decatur means dealing with the occasional rainy spells and surprise thunderstorms. While it’s never a convenient time for your car battery to die, it’s especially inconvenient when it happens in the rain. There are three big things to remember that will keep you safe when you’re jump-starting a car in the rain:
- Keep your jumper cables in good shape: Make sure your jumper cables don’t have any exposed wires and that they’re new enough to have proper insulation. If rain gets inside the cable, it could cause a short circuit.
- Wear protective gear: While you should always wear gloves when jump-starting a car, it’s particularly important when it’s raining.
- Stay under an umbrella if possible: Make sure it covers the battery, too.
Keep all the usual precautions for jump-starting a car in mind when it’s raining: don’t touch both battery terminals at the same time and connect the jumper cables in the correct order.
Can you jump your car in when there’s lightning?
Following the abovementioned precautions, you can safely jump-start your car during a thunderstorm. But just being outside during a lightning storm is dangerous in and of itself.
You know the drill. You must not stand in the middle of a field or under a tree. Because of these other risks, we really think that you should just wait it out.
Most storms are over in about 30 minutes. So just wait until the worst of the storm is over, and then try to start your car with a jump. After that, you will be drier, and the chances of getting struck by lightning have gone down.
Is it safe to jump-start a wet car battery?
Yes, it is safe. However, you must drain any extra water from the battery before connecting the jumper cables. Also, when attempting to jump the battery, keep it as dry as possible.
While you are at minimal risk, delicate electronics in the engine area still don’t play well with water. If you have an umbrella, use it.