Portable power starter

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ashanta

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I have bought a portable power starter and the insructions say that in the case of modern cars, only the positive clamp goes to the battery and the negative clamp goes to earth. It says when using the kit on older cars with a positive earth the neg clamp goes to the neg post on the battery. Could anyone advise me? Is an boat engine battery a positive earth and therefore do I clamp the starter to both neg an pos terminals on the battery? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
Look at the battery, you will see +ive and -ve terminals marked quite clearly.

Connect the battery pack thus, to the starter battery only.
 
The purpose of the instruction is to make the final connection away from the battery as there is a small risk of igniting hydrogen if it is made directly on the battery. For the same reason the first connection removed must be that one.

The chances of causing an explosion are small but the consequences could be very serious if a battery exploded in your face.

It can happen and every so often it does happen!

Don't connect both directly to the battery. Very bad practice!

The Volvo 2002 is negative earthed
 
Thanks for the response, the question is are boats negative or positive earth? I have used a power starter from the boat yard some years ago and just connected both clamps appropriately to the battery terminals. Now having bought this kit and the intructions state two methods. It says the majority of cars are negative earth and older cars and tractors are positive. Therefore what is a boat?
 
[ QUOTE ]
Therefore what is a boat

[/ QUOTE ] Modern ones will be negative earth almost certainly. Some old installations could be positive earthed.

All cars in all my vast number of years motoring expeience have been negative earthed.

Your bio says you have a Volvo 2002 hence my statement about that!

But consult your owners handbook or simply look at the darned thing.
 
For your information I have 2 good batteries. However, I live over 200 miles from boat. The boat has been laid up since October. The batteries have remained on as the boat yard has been working on the engine since February. I have a wind generataor (forgen) which is fitted to the mast but the mast has been stuck this year for rerigging. (insurance) There is no power supply in the laying up area. When I am launched in the river this year I am being launched on a tide that is just sufficient to clear my keel and I will not have much time to clear the quay and get into deeper water and my mooring. The power starter is purely a back up and will probably not be required but is purely a belt and braces. For £24 it is not expensive back up and the compressor will be used to pump the tyres of the 3 cars in the family rather than the at the garage.
I hope that answers your question sufficientl and why I asked for the advice that I did?
 
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