Smart City Coupe - using an emergency jump starter

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Tue 7 Jun 2011 22:01
Smart City Coupe - using an emergency jump starter - mad maud

My smart car if left for any time or in cold weather needs to be jump started. I have an emergency car jump starter which I have used twice. However on the instructions of the starter it states that you should put the red positive clamp on the battery and the black negative clamp on a metal part of the car and NOT on the negative part of the battery. To start my car I have put the black clamp on the negative on the battery as smart cars are made of plastic and the battery is in the footwell of the passenger seat and no metal is available. Doing this my car does start but am I doing any damage to either my car, the battery in the car or the electrics or to the emergency starter?

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Tue 7 Jun 2011 22:40
Smart City Coupe - using an emergency jump starter - Peter.N.

I can't think of any good reason for this, providing the battery terminals are tight and making good contact with the battery I can't see what difference it would make - unless anyone else knows different.

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Tue 7 Jun 2011 22:59
Smart City Coupe - using an emergency jump starter - mad maud

thank you for your reply

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Wed 8 Jun 2011 08:12
Smart City Coupe - using an emergency jump starter - Collos25
I think I would be looking as to why it does not start in winter my neighbours wife Smart for all its faults started everyday through this extremely harsh cold winter here in eastern Germany and it kept out in the street at all times.
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Wed 8 Jun 2011 10:15
Smart City Coupe - using an emergency jump starter - jc2

Many manufacturers recommend not connecting the earthing lead to the battery but to a seperate metal point-this is just to reduce the likelihood of sparks in the battery area-no other reason.

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Wed 8 Jun 2011 11:13
Smart City Coupe - using an emergency jump starter - bathtub tom

Sparks near the battery that's likely to be emitting a flammable gas = BANG.

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Wed 8 Jun 2011 14:28
Smart City Coupe - using an emergency jump starter - TeeCee

Sparks near the battery that's likely to be emitting a flammable gas = BANG.

Except that these days it'll almost certainly be a sealed battery.....

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Wed 8 Jun 2011 17:01
Smart City Coupe - using an emergency jump starter - jc2

Sparks near the battery that's likely to be emitting a flammable gas = BANG.

Except that these days it'll almost certainly be a sealed battery.....

Manufacturers can't guarantee what gets put in as aftermarket!

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Wed 8 Jun 2011 16:33
Smart City Coupe - using an emergency jump starter - mad maud

thanks, the reason I have trouble is that I do not travel far as I only use for work which is only about a 3 mile journey, hence the battery does not get a good charge unless I take it on a longer run which is not often.

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Wed 8 Jun 2011 20:21
Smart City Coupe - using an emergency jump starter - track

If its left outside consider a solar power trickle charger which you could leave rigged up permanently on the dashboard or back window etc. That should hopefuly keep the battery tip top ready for use.

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Wed 8 Jun 2011 23:57
Smart City Coupe - using an emergency jump starter - mad maud

Excellent idea, I think I will try this, just having had a look on the internet prices are not that bad to buy either. Thank you.

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Sun 12 Jun 2011 16:04
Smart City Coupe - using an emergency jump starter - mad maud

After looking into this a bit more I cant use unless I clamp battery as the cig lighter does not work when the engine not on. However it has given me the idea to buy a charger via the cig lighter rather than having to pull up all the footwell to get to the battery, so thanks to all the replies I have had on this matter.

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