The Right Way to Disconnect A Car Battery

There are many reasons to change a car battery. It is mainly because some batteries are too old, some are not well-functioning, or some are broken. The process is quite easy and short; however, you can mess everything up if doing it carelessly. The hardest step is you must know how to disconnect a car battery properly. In certain circumstances, an old/malfunctioned battery can explode or you may be electrocuted while touching its parts. Therefore, it’s essential to keep in mind the detailed steps mentioned in this article on how to disconnect a car battery.

Step 1: Prepare the necessary equipment and protect yourself

When disconnecting a car battery, you just need a wrench with a suitable socket. However, because there can be potential dangers while you do the job, you need to wear protective clothing for your safety. You don’t need a lot of equipment, all you need is:

1. A pair of gloves made of any anti-electricity material (thick cloth/leather gloves are enough).

2. Protective glasses to keep your eyes away from debris or sparks

Remember to wear protective clothing while dealing with electrical equipment.

Step 2: Determine which is the negative terminal and positive terminal

After turning off the ignition, open the hood and check for the terminals:

1. Normally, the negative terminal often has a black cap and a ‘minus’ sign near its connector post.

2. On the other hand, the positive terminal has a red cover and a ‘plus’ sign near the connector post.

While minus sign indicates the negative terminal, plus sign indicates the positive terminal.

Step 3: Loosen the nut on the negative terminal.

When you disconnect a car battery, loosen the negative terminal first

1. Take the suitable wrench and put it on the negative terminal. Then, slowly loosen its nut by turning it counterclockwise.
   *In case you cannot reach the nut of the terminal, attach a wrench extender.

2. Pull the negative cable away from the car battery.

3. If the connector is attached tightly to the battery post, you will have to use a special kit to remove it.

After you finish loosening the negative terminal, apply the same procedure to the positive terminal. Be careful not to let the positive cable touch any metal surfaces because the contact can harm your car.

Step 4: The battery is disconnected and you can safely touch the electrical parts.

At the time you successfully loosen the two terminals, you finally disconnect your car battery, and you can repair any electrical components of your vehicle. In case you want to replace your old car battery, here’s a quick guide:

1. Unscrew the brackets which hold the battery.

2. Lift your car battery up, but you might need someone to help you as a battery can weigh about 40 lbs (approximately 18 kg)

3. Clean the area by using a toothbrush; for tough stains, you may want to use baking soda mixed with vinegar. After cleansing the area with any liquids, let it dry.

4. Tighten the new battery with the tray and the brackets.

5. Reverse the above-mentioned procedure by connecting and tightening the positive terminal before the negative one. 

6. Close the hood and crank.

Change a new battery for your car is a necessary step of maintenance.

For old car batteries, you can give it to a recycling centre, an automobile garage, or the store from which you bought the new battery. Don’t throw it randomly because old batteries are unstable and may explode when left in certain situations including hot weather.

To sum up, it’s easy to learn how to disconnect a car battery. You can do the whole process in just minutes. However, you must follow the safety steps so that everything is smooth and no danger happens.