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? How to light a car from the battery of another car.

A discharged battery is a problem that car owners often face in the winter, after a long period of inactivity. But the trouble happens at other times, if you leave the car with working lights, radio tape recorder, and other devices.

To start the car in such a situation, connect another battery using wires. The procedure is called lighting a cigarette. In order not to harm another car, you need to know how to properly light a car with a dead battery.

To start the engine of a car with a dead drive, contact a neighbor in the parking lot or the driver of a passing car.

To avoid unforeseen situations, take into account safety rules and recommendations:

1. The procedure is carried out only with a working motor, battery, when there are no problems with the electrical circuit and devices. This means that the battery is discharged due to prolonged inactivity or forgotten lighting, headlights turned on.
2. If the systems that use electricity are working, there is another problem and it is not storage.
3. Lighting is only suitable for cars with power plants of a similar volume. You cannot carry out the procedure for a crossover, SUV, using a small car battery. The reason lies in the different starting currents, and for a large car, the figures are higher.
4. Diesel models do not light up from versions with gasoline engines. Because a diesel engine needs more starting current than a gasoline engine.

When the ambient temperature drops to -20, the procedure is often useless. In the rain, exclude the possibility of excess moisture entering the terminals, wires. In a hot period, before lighting a cigarette, check the electrolyte level if the battery is serviced.

An insufficient level affects the charging process. Therefore, after unsuccessful start-up attempts, two batteries sit down.

In what cases it is not worth lighting a cigarette:

• when there is a smell of gasoline under the hood;
• if the battery is drained as a result of numerous attempts to start the car;
• damaged wiring or wires covered with dirt.

In any of the situations, an attempt to start the car will be unsuccessful and will lead to problems with a working battery.

The owners of modern cars often have a question - is it possible to light a car with a gun? Since the automatic transmission is not connected with the generator and the drive, the procedure is performed observing safety rules.

It is noteworthy that not every car model can be used for such manipulations. On some machines, no undesirable consequences arise, while on others the elements of the lighting system burn out, the motor control unit fails. The possibility of carrying out manipulations is indicated in the operating instructions.

Before lighting a cigarette, they are convinced of the serviceability of a car with a discharged drive, a similar volume of engines and the same type of fuel for the cars used. If you need to light a car with an automatic transmission, the scheme does not differ from working with a car with a manual transmission.

Having prepared protective gloves and special wires, proceed to the connection:

1. The donor car is driven closer, but it does not come into contact with the car where the drive is discharged.
2. Having muffled the donor motor, the systems that consume energy are turned off, the terminals are removed from the serviceable battery.
3. The wires used for connection are made with terminals. They are designated by color, where red means connection to "+", and black, colorless to "-".
4. Before connecting, be sure to disconnect the negative terminal of the discharged drive. This reduces the load on the battery of another car.
5. Using a wire, connect the positive terminals of the batteries.
6. A black or colorless wire intended for the negative terminals is connected to the "-" of the donor battery. The other end must be connected to the metal element of the patient machine.

It is important to connect the wires separately to avoid short circuits. Do not allow the wires and moving elements of the car to come into contact.

After successful connection, the system is left for a minute. Then the car with a discharged battery is started, the engine is allowed to run for 5 - 10 minutes. During this time, the engine warms up to 50 degrees, maintains a steady speed. After that, disconnect the wires in reverse order, starting with "-".

It is not always possible to light a cigarette from the battery of another car and start the engine the first time. The attempt is repeated no more than two times. Further repetition is meaningless. Another option of lighting is allowed here.

The engine of the donor machine is started, it is allowed to run for 15 minutes to recharge its own battery.

1. Having driven up to the car with a discharged drive, the engine is turned off.
2. The terminals are removed from the battery requiring charging.
3. Connect the wires for lighting. The plus of a charged battery is connected to the plus of a dead one. And the minus of the charged with the minus of the shrunken.

After connecting, start the car with a working battery, maintaining low revs. The circuit is left running for 10 minutes. At the same time, they do not turn on the energy consumers on the machines. Then the donor motor is turned off, the wires are disconnected in the reverse order.

When choosing such a scheme, the energy is not spent on starting the starter, but on recharging the battery. This method is also used. But here it is important to exclude the contact of the wires, which can lead to a short circuit.

If none of the schemes gave the proper results, then there are problems with the starter or wiring and the help of service experts is required.

Thinking about how to properly light a car from another car, they are considering different options for schemes.

It is important to remember in the process:

1. Engines are only started one at a time, simultaneous starting is dangerous.
2. Provide power separation, otherwise the donor machine's electrical and electronics will be severely hit by a sudden, unplanned load. This is accompanied by the failure of the electronics. And sometimes the car stops moving normally, the dynamics falls.
3. If a new battery is installed in the car, the systems are working properly, the patient car does not use up its entire charge.

When disconnecting the terminals, it is important to reduce the voltage peaks. Therefore, on a car that needed recharging, they include a heated rear window, a blower fan. But it is not recommended to turn on the optics. A power surge will damage the light bulbs.

After starting the car with a discharged drive, it is advisable to continue driving for 30 minutes. This is required to charge the drive.

The new machines are equipped with electronic systems that have not been used before.

Therefore, it is worth considering whether it is possible to light a cigarette modern cars without examining the connection diagram. After all, the methods used 20 years ago can harm the vehicle today.

In addition to choosing a suitable wiring diagram, experts advise choosing the right wires.

What to look for:

1. The cost of such accessories varies from 200 to 4000 rubles. You shouldn't choose the cheapest options. The optimal price for a 3-meter wire starts from 800 rubles, and for a 5-meter wire - from 1200.
2. The cross-section of the core and the material matter. The absence of energy losses during transmission depends on this. Excessive heating and fuming are excluded.
3. The braid should not be rigid, it will crack when the temperature drops.
4. The design of the clamps matters. The best option is a copper construction, equipped with strong springs, corrosive teeth.
5. The reliability of fastening the wire in the clamps determines safety.

Experienced car owners advise against considering wires less than 3 m in length. Since the batteries are sometimes located on different sides of the car. And there is not always enough space to drive closer. Observing the rules and recommendations on how to properly light a car, it is easy to help another driver and avoid unwanted accidents.

Modern car owners are spoiled by progress and many, not only do not know what condition their battery is in now, often they do not even know where it is. So the question is,becomes especially relevant, since the charge of the on-board battery is still consumed and can let the driver down at any time. Let's understand the question in more detail and try to answer all the questions.

Problems especially often arise during cold weather. Everyone knows that the battery charge is consumed much faster in frost and the battery may refuse to start the engine at the most unexpected moment. And if you add to this the lack of battery maintenance, the risk of problems increases even more.

In addition, drivers of a stalled car should be prepared for the fact that not every driver will agree to become a "donor" and give a "light" from his vehicle... This is often due to the fact that although the process with knowledge of technology is quite simple, ignorance of basic rules will lead to the fact that a short circuit will damage the electronics of the car. Few are willing to risk their transport for help. It used to be easier with this question, cars were more modest, and drivers were more attentive to technology.

Nuances associated with the condition of the vehicle

Here are some rules, which must be followed without fail if you nevertheless decide on the process.

• Only a serviceable car can be recharged. Before trying to correct the situation in this way, check if the headlights, heated rear window or radio in the car are working. If the listed devices perform their functions, it means that the battery was not the cause of the problem and “lighting” will not help.
• It is better to abandon the procedure if the stalled car has run down the battery with long attempts to start. Usually in this case, there is a distinct smell of gasoline under the hood. Dirty wiring or damaged wires can also cause failure. In this case, there is every chance not only not to provide the necessary assistance, but also to plant the donor battery.

Technical features

Be sure to consider the size of the onboard battery and the type of engine before starting the process.

• Before "lighting", check the volume of the batteries. Assistance can only be provided to batteries of equal or similar volume. This is due to the fact that, and a small car will not help a multi-liter engine.
• The same rule applies to the type of engine. Thus, a diesel engine should never be “lit” from a gasoline car. The current required to start the first is much higher.
• Help at low temperatures (from -20 degrees) in most cases will not bring the desired results.

If you still managed to light the car, and it started, do not turn off the engine and try to drive a greater distance at normal speed (idle time in a traffic jam with the engine turned on is not taken into account) so that the on-board battery can gain a charge. If this is not possible, fill it up as soon as possible.

How to properly light a car from another car: step-by-step instruction

And now we will analyze the detailed step-by-step instructions for "lighting up" a vehicle. We draw your attention once again so that situations in which there is a need to start from a donor do not arise, keep an eye on your battery. Nowadays there is rarely a driver willing to help.

The main stage

The lighting process can be divided into two parts. The main part of the process includes the following actions, which in a favorable situation are enough to start a stalled car

1. Before starting the process, turn off the ignition in both vehicles. Ignoring this advice will lead to the fact that the short circuit will damage the on-board electronics, which are by no means cheap.
2. After both cars are muted, you can start connecting. The red clip must be attached to the "+" terminal, and then the other end of the wire to the "+" of the donor.
3. The minus of the donor must be combined with the mass of the recipient. That is, to bare metal, nut or exposed thread as far away from "+" as possible. If you connect the minus with the minus, and not the mass, then the entire charge will go not to start the engine, but to charge the dead battery. Thus, it is possible to refuel a little the volume of a dead battery. But in severe frost and in the case of a deep discharge, this option will not work.
4. Now we are trying to start the recipient's motor. If everything is in order, then it should start, and the question exhausted.

Additional actions

The car will not start, which means that the donor charge is not enough to start. Then we proceed.

1. We start the donor engine and wait about 15 minutes to replenish the battery charge a little. We jam the car and only after that we try to start the recipient car.
2. It is strictly forbidden to simultaneously activate the engines of cars, this, at best, will lead to the fact that the fuses will blow. You can try to connect the minus to the wire going to the corresponding terminal. In this case, the entire charge will be directed to the starter.

After the car that was lit up, you need to disconnect the wires in the reverse order. First, remove the "-" from the mass and then from the donor battery. Then we remove the “+” from the donor and finally remove the “+” from the recipient.

When carrying out manipulations, be extremely careful not to allow a short circuit. Damaged electronics will cost significantly more. It is also worth understanding that the "lighting" technique is relevant for past years, when most of the country drove Zhiguli and Moskvichs, today it can harm a vehicle.

These are the main guidelines for... Take care of your battery and do not allow it to completely discharge. Also, do regular maintenance, as dirt and oxide on the terminals lead to rapid self-discharge and damage to the battery itself. Simple rules for caring for a vehicle will help the car owner avoid unnecessary problems with starting and further spending money on premature battery replacement.

Winter came to us imperceptibly, and with it severe frosts. Not only people, but also cars were not ready for this. And if it is enough for a person to get a winter jacket from the pantry, then everything is much more complicated with the car. In the morning, most of them simply refuse to start. There are a huge number of reasons for this, but the solution that most often helps is one - "lighting" from another car. However, not everyone knowshow to properly light a cigarette from another car, therefore, we will consider this process in more detail.

Reasons for a poor start

Poor starting of the car engine in cold weather may be a sign of some kind of malfunction. The most common ones:

1. The battery on the car has run out. Causemost often in this, since the charge is not enough to start the motor. To solve this problem, you need to charge the battery. In most cases, this helps;
2. Defective car battery... If recharging does not help, then the battery has become unusable and needs to be replaced. It's better not to delay with this. Also, a signal about this will be ifcar battery drains quickly.

There are many more reasons, but only these can be solved by "lighting".

Even if you know the whole process and follow the instructions, nothing will work without the right wires. Their role is very important. What are neededbattery charging wires?

Initially, you need to understand what is their role in this matter. They must transfer charge from one battery to another with minimal losses. This can only be ensured by wires with a large cross-section.

If it is small, then progress will be minimal, or there will be no progress at all. Clamps also play a significant role, they are popularly called (crocodiles).

They must be of high quality and fit well on the terminals. The loss of voltage is also worth knowing. With a length of 1.5 m, it should not be more than 1.2 V.

You also need to know the cross section. For copper wires, 16 square millimeters are optimal. You can choose more, but less is not recommended.

It is not advised to choose aluminum wires, since from high voltage they can begin to melt and damage the outer sheath, which will lead to a short circuit when in contact with the body. The conductivity of such wires is much less than that of copper.

Let's fix the information on how to properly light a cigarette.The right wire for lightingmust be made of copper with a cross section of at least 16 square millimeters. Also, the clamps should be soldered to its ends, and not just crimped.

How to properly light the battery

Initially, it is worth noting that you cannot light a car if there is a smell of gasoline in the engine compartment. Also, if after several attempts the car still does not start, then you should not try again - it will not help, and the second battery may also be discharged.

For such recharging the car from the batteryit is recommended to choose a car with approximately the same engine displacement.

The whole process:

1. Fit a car with a charged battery to a car with a discharged battery so that the length of the wires is sufficient;
2. Stop the engine and turn off all electrical appliances;
3. Next, you need to take the wires and connect the positive terminals. First you need to connect to a charged battery, and then to a discharged one.The main thing is to observe the polarity, which is most often indicated;
4. Next, you need to take a black "negative" conductor and fix it on the battery of the donor machine, and hook the second edge of the wire to the metal part of the motor (it is advisable to use a place in the immediate vicinity of the generator or starter). Many people connect this wire to the negative terminal, but we do not recommend doing this;
5. Now you need to start starting the car with a discharged battery. If after several attempts nothing happened, then you should not continue. In order for the donor car not to be discharged, it must be started for a short period of time. In this periodrecharge the battery a little;
6. At this stage, it is necessary to try again to start the engine with a discharged battery. If you do everything according to the instructions, then you should definitely succeed;
7. The last step is to disconnect everything.We remove the wires in the following order: first remove from the negative terminal and then from the positive terminal.

If the car still does not start, then at the "donor" it is necessary to start the engine again for a short time, so that the battery is charged. After that, everything can be repeated. If after several attempts there is no result, then most likely the battery is out of order and the best option will - change it.

A car with a working battery may not always be in the vicinity. Therefore, currentlyusing a special triggeris gaining immense popularity. It is a small portable battery with enough power to start the motor.

A "dead" battery can upset any car owner. In winter, situations most often arise when the battery unexpectedly "sits down" during engine start-up. Battery self-discharge is faster at low temperatures. Although in the warm season there is also no guarantee that the engine will start. Leaving the current consumers turned on for several hours (running lights, audio system, climate system) will discharge the battery in no time. And the battery itself has a limited service life, after which nominal capacity falls by 20% or more.

Motorists often solve the problem of a "dead" battery by lighting a cigarette. In order not to accidentally damage the battery and not damage the electrics, generator and other electrical equipment, you need to know how to light a car from another car.

What does "light a cigarette" mean?

The expression "light a car" means starting the engine with a completely discharged battery by connecting another car to the battery. A dead battery acts as a conductor - after starting the motor, the generator already independently generates the current necessary to charge the battery. It will take time to charge a dead battery after a deep discharge, so you should not turn off the ignition immediately after starting.

What wires to prepare for lighting?

On sale there are starting wires from different manufacturers and unnamed products that allow you to power the car from the car. Here are some selection criteria:

• Large section. The smaller the cross section, the less current can flow. Thin wires get hotter. Buy wires with a cross section of at least 16 square meters. mm. About 60-70 sq. mm is enough to start any "passenger car", crossover or SUV.
• Material. For electrical wiring, it is better to use copper wires, since the metal has a minimum resistance.
• Length. The longer the wires, the higher the resistance will be and the less economical the donor battery charge consumption. But with a length of less than 1-1.5 m, difficulties may arise with the access of a car. It is unacceptable to put cars close to each other. The optimal distance between two cars is 1.5-2.5 m.

When purchasing, carefully inspect the wires and check the connection with the crocodile clips. It is at the junction points that the maximum resistance occurs, so the clamps must be soldered to the wire. The crocodiles themselves must be large enough for easy grip and connection to the battery terminals.

How should I light a car?

You can light a car from a car with the same voltage of the on-board network. It is unacceptable to try to start the motor passenger car from the battery of freight transport. One of the requirements for a car battery, the engine of which will start, is a completely serviceable condition. Do not try to light a cigarette if the battery is faulty - for example, if the case is cracked.

Observe the rules for lighting your car - this is a guarantee of the serviceability of the electrics. If you violate the sequence of actions or try to light a car with a faulty battery, this is fraught with the failure of the electrics - for the car being lit and for the donor.

Here is a diagram of how to start a car from a car:

1. Park the "donor" car next to the car with dead batteries.
2. Turn off the ignition and all donor current consumers.
3. Disconnect the negative terminal from the dead battery - this will exclude a quick discharge of the donor's battery.
4. Prepare heavy gauge starter wires.
5. Connect the positive terminals from the batteries - attach the "crocodiles" to the "pluses" of both batteries.
6. Connect the "crocodile" to the minus of the donor - the second "crocodile" is connected to the pillows, engine support or metal parts of the motor.
7. Start the engine of the shrunken machine.
8. If the engine has been successfully started and there is no smoke or pungent odor, do not turn off the engine, wait about 10 minutes.
9. Connect the negative terminal of the battery.
10. Disconnect the positive terminal first from the battery with the engine running, and then from the donor.
11. Connect the positive terminal.

If the above diagram of lighting a car did not help, watch a video on how to light a car from another car:

Common mistakes when lighting a cigarette

It's easy to light the battery correctly. But motorists can still make mistakes. Common ones include:

• Reverse polarity when connecting wires to the battery. Risk of damage to the battery and failure of the generator.
• Attempts to light a cigarette from another car for a long time. In order to start the vehicle from the vehicle, the donor battery must provide significant electrical power. If after several attempts it was not possible to light your car, then subsequent attempts are fraught with discharging the donor's battery.

Do not forget about safety precautions. The bodies must not touch. Do not touch the body. If a characteristic smell of electrolyte, sparking, smoke, or a smell of melted plastic appears (there is a burnout of the winding that is not designed for high current), the procedure should be stopped immediately. And also turn off the engine, disconnect the wires, call a visiting auto electrician or tow truck.

When is it forbidden to light a car?

If there is visible damage to the battery case, electrolyte leakage, if a specific smell, smoke occurs when connecting wires, then lighting is strictly prohibited. Also, you can not start the engine from another car if the voltage is different (lighting a car battery from a truck), the wires are too short (cars are located at a close distance) or do not meet the requirements (small cross-section, presence of defects, absence of "crocodiles").

Do not light a light from another vehicle equipped with diesel engine, and vice versa. If the air temperature is below -25 C and the electrolyte is frozen, it is better not to do this either.

Remember, it is easier to prevent the problem of a discharged battery (or to avoid its recurrence in the future). You won't have to light your car if you know how to properly monitor the car:

• Do not leave a car with running electricity consumers for a long time.
• Change the battery immediately after the end of its useful life.
• Regularly check the serviceability of the battery - the level and density of the electrolyte, the absence of external damage to the battery case, terminal defects, wiring.
• Diagnose the generator - due to generator malfunctions, insufficient charging or overcharging is possible.

If you don’t know how to light a cigarette yourself, there is no one to ask for help and you don’t have any starting wires, you can go to the masters who provide the services of on-site "lighting" a car. They will start the motor of your "iron horse" from the battery of your own vehicle or supply current directly from a mobile generator. Remember that when working with car wiring, safety comes first!

Many drivers with experience who have repeatedly carried out this procedure with their own hands know how to properly light a car from another car. But beginners who are faced with this issue for the first time often have difficulties associated with an elementary ignorance of security measures and the correct sequence of actions. Well, in order to avoid such difficulties, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with step by step instructions on lighting a car, described in the article below.

Step-by-step instructions for lighting a car

In order to properly light a car from another battery, you must follow the generally accepted instructions, consisting of 7 basic steps:

For those motorists who do not know how to light a car correctly, the memo above will certainly become an excellent assistant. But you need to use it only in cases where the engine does not start solely due to a dead battery. Well, in other situations, the above actions will not give any result.

Common mistakes when lighting a cigarette

We have already reviewed a short instruction on how to properly light a car with wires. And now, it's time to familiarize yourself with the most common mistakes that beginners make in the process of lighting a cigarette. Namely:

• Connect the wires to the donor car with the engine running;
• Do not turn off the ignition completely, leaving electrical appliances powered by the battery;
• They are trying to light a cigarette from a battery of less power;
• They do not observe the correct sequence of connecting the battery to each other;
• Use wires that are not suitable for the cross section for lighting;
• Ignore fire safety measures.

Well, all of the above errors, at best, can lead to a breakdown of the battery (the battery starts to boil quickly, and electrolyte oozes from under the covers), or other electrical equipment in the car. But more serious consequences can become when a spark from a negative wire hits a combustible surface. Therefore, before lighting a battery from another car, read the instructions attached above in advance.

Which wire to choose

Earlier in the article, it was already mentioned that choosing the wrong wire for lighting can cause damage to electrical equipment in the car or even a fire. Well, to choose: which wires are better for lighting a car should be done according to several criteria at once, such as:

• Section of the cable. Since we are talking exclusively about car batteries, the power of which does not exceed 12 volts, then a wire with a cross section of 16 mm will be enough for lighting. However, a cable of this length will become very hot with prolonged use, causing its insulation to melt. And to eliminate this phenomenon, it is recommended to choose wires with a cross section of 20-22 mm;
• Length of wires. At first glance, this criterion is not particularly important, since it is more responsible for the convenience of lighting. However, if the wire is too short, then there will be a possibility of its disconnection at the time of lighting. And this, in turn, can cause a short circuit with the aforementioned consequences;
• Insulation quality. Today, there are two types of insulation for wires intended for lighting: rigid braid and PVC. But it is better to choose only the second option, since rigid insulation can deteriorate significantly due to the temperature drop, as a result of which the further use of the entire wire will be unacceptable. But PVC insulation tolerates sudden changes in temperature quite well;
• The quality of the clamps. For the best possible contact, it is better to choose exclusively copper clamps, since their conductivity is several times better than that of aluminum counterparts. Also, make sure that there is a spring on the clamps that does not allow the "crocodiles" to fly off the terminals during engine start. Well, you should not choose clamps with poorly sealed contacts, since they can easily break off from high temperatures.

In short, do not buy cheap wire options that even look very poor quality. After saving on such a purchase, you can easily lose money on repairing burnt out electrical equipment in a car, buying a new administrative building, or, even worse, on eliminating the consequences of a fire.