Sometimes, some questions appear dumb – until you’re in the situation and need to get an answer or a bunch of answers fast, yourself.
This is the spot a friend of mine found himself some weeks back. I found his experience so instructive that I had to dedicate a whole article to it.
This is how the story goes: about six (6) months prior to that time, a mutual friend of ours (let’s call him Peter) rang me rather strangely, in his presence.
Before I could pick up the cell phone, the line cut and was immediately redialled and started ringing again at my end. I was worried, it wasn’t in the DNA of this mutual friend of ours to call, much less in such a frantic manner.
The best you could get from him was a single ring and if you didn’t pick up, it would then become your responsibility to return the call.
Immediately, I looked at this friend of mine (let’s call him John) and back at the cell phone. We both knew what was up: Peter was in trouble.
Without further ado, I picked up my cell phone and dialed the number, and put the phone on speaker; he picked up even before the phone indicated a ring at my end. I was relieved to hear his voice. At least, I was now sure that whatever it is that the issue was, he could at least talk.
“Hello, Ter!”
Before I could answer, he fired on.
“I’m trapped in some serious rain here without shelter, and it appears I have a dead battery. I also need to see my girlfriend for one last time before she leaves the country. The rains have no plans of abating. Can I jump the vehicle with my portable jumper in the rain?”
John started laughing and said as loudly as he could: “man, you’re so dumb!”
I felt bad for Peter – but since the rain was quite heavy where he was, he could barely hear what John had shouted. Immediately, I removed the cell phone from speaker and moved away from John. When I was some feet away, I put my mouth very close to the speaker and provided the answer Peter was looking for.
Now, after about half a year, John, (the know all, AKA ‘omniknoweth’) calls me on a very busy morning and his question is direct and straight to the point: “Man, can you jump a car in the rain?“
It was my turn to laugh at him and I laughed as loudly as an excited hyena would. It was when he told me that he had an interview less than an hour away that I stopped and provided him with my answers.
However, before then, I reminded him that no question is dumb as far as it is asked in good faith. after all, it was better to clarify than to mess things up.
If you also have this question in mind, here are my thoughts: the thoughts that have served two (2) friends in the past without fail.
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Photo Credit: Jaspture via Pexels.
The Concept Of Vehicle Jumping And Its Evolution
The process of jumping vehicles wasn’t always as straightforward as we have it today; neither was it exactly easy. It was a process and a chore that many dreaded even without the rains.
To ‘jump’ a car, one had to look for another motorist who was willing to let go of his/her starter battery momentarily.
With the removed starter battery from another (donor) vehicle, the less powerful or dead battery was then removed and the better donor battery put in its seating. After the vehicle was started, the good battery was removed and the weaker one reconnected, leaving the engine running and trusting the alternator to do its magic.
Clumsy as the procedure was, it was actually quite easy to perform if you had a grasp of the procedure and knew what you were doing. Luckily too, vehicles from that era had fewer sensors and overall, very little ‘memory’ that depended on the power of the battery to hold things in place.
Curiously too, because cars then were very simple arrangements and their starter batteries were/are basically weatherproof, they could be jumped in the rain without an adverse implication, that is, if one removed the obvious inconvenience of the procedure.
Unfortunately or fortunately (depending on your outlook on the matter), things have changed. First, vehicles have become more complex and so have both the batteries for jumping a dead battery and the procedure itself.
So, today, is it (still) advisable (or an option) to jump a vehicle in the rain if you’re stranded and have the means of doing so?
Well, the answer will shock you: it depends.
Photo Credit: Matheus Bertelli via Pexels.
Is It Safe To Jump A Vehicle In The Rain Today?
The process of jumping a starter battery successfully in the rain today depends on a plethora of realities and scenarios – all of which we’ll treat in the paragraphs below.
At the end of the article, you will be in a position to determine exactly what you need to do if ever you are caught up in the rain and you need to jump a weak or dead starter battery irrespective of the jumper you’re using and the type of vehicle you’re driving.
1. Irrespective Of The Vehicle Or Jumper Type, Provided You Have A Large Enough Umbrella
If you live in a place where it rains from January to December (like I do), there is something that should be common and very ordinary for you now: the reality of driving about with your umbrella in the vehicle.
Many drivers have this in the trunk or behind the rear seats, on the speaker’s deck. However, for folks like me who don’t want stories or appreciate getting wet, I usually have mine right on the side of the front passenger’s footwell where I can easily access same when the need arises without much ado.
If you’re like me and carry an umbrella beside you or anywhere else, then, you can pretty much jump any vehicle in the rain, irrespective of the system of jumping that you’re deploying and where the battery of the vehicle in question is positioned, either in the hood (as in most Asian models) or the trunk (as in most European models).
The idea here is that, no matter how delicate your systems are (or are susceptible to rain), the large umbrella you have, spread open, will do an amazing job of covering these delicate parts. It will be as if you did not even attempt the task in the rain to start with.
2. Irrespective Of The Vehicle Or Jumper Type, Provided The Rain Is Light
It is not all the time that the rain showers are of any worthy consequence; often, it is some light showers that pose no threat to humans, vehicles, or anything else for that matter.
With such light showers, you don’t need to bother about the jumper type you happen to have or are ready to deploy; it also does not matter which model of vehicle you’re interested in jumping and where the starting battery of such a vehicle is placed.
The concept/idea here is that most car parts are designed in such a way that light showers do not pose any real threat to them; so are most jumpers or starters. Jumping a vehicle in a light shower should ordinarily, present no challenge or risk.
3. If One Or Both Vehicles Have Their Starter Batteries In The Trunk
Most modern European models are designed in such a manner that their starter batteries are placed in the trunks of such vehicles. This is a clean design that sees to it that more space is available upfront in the hood.
Beyond this, the starter battery ‘lives’ in a cooler reality and as a result, is likely to last longer than models that have their batteries up in the heat of the hoods.
Besides these advantages, another sweet, good reason to keep the battery in the trunk is the fire risk that is aggravated with the battery in the hood. With the battery safely tucked away in the trunk, it not only ensures a better overall design architecture and look, but it also ensures better overall safety.
This enhanced safety comes to your need when you need to jump models that are designed in such a manner that their starter batteries are in the trunks (especially Mercedes and other European models).
Irrespective of the fact that you’re using a portable vehicle jumper or are relying on another vehicle by means of jumper cables, if this is your reality, it is completely safe to jump your vehicle in the rain (don’t worry, the starter batteries are always placed in such a manner that they are completely away from view and largely, from the elements, so rain splashes would be the least of your concerns.
However, it is instructive to note that, while you may not be challenged with water and the risk of jumping your vehicle in wet conditions, you’ll face another: a likely wet trunk that if not dried up properly afterward, may present an unpleasant or foul smell. This is very important to note.
4. If You Are Using Jumper Cables And Need A Boost From Another Vehicle
Traditional jumper cables, ordinarily, are old-fashioned: they have since been replaced by options that are safer, smarter, and more efficient.
However, not all motorists today have moved on from them. For many, these two usually red and black thick cables remain an indispensable part of the jumping starting reality for them. If you’re part of the classic population that will have it no other way, this tip is for you.
If you’re jumping a vehicle with cables and need another battery or vehicle to boost your weak battery, it is better to ensure that this is carried out in an area that is dry and completely free of rain.
The major risk here is that, unlike most modern jumpers with a lot of standard safety features such as reverse polarity and spark-proof protection, the older jumper cables are simply cables and nothing else. A single spark or breach is all it takes to direct 12V of power where it absolutely isn’t welcomed.
If this is you or this is your setup, your best bet is to only attempt a jumping act in a completely dry place, devoid of any unwanted moisture.
5. If You Have A Portable Jumper With You
The current development and advancement in the world of jumpers is the development of portable jumpers that can easily fit into the glove box of a midsize sedan. These newer jumpers are usually powered by lithium-ion batteries, last a truly long time, have an impressive shelf life, and generally, are capable of jumping a weak battery several times before needing a power boost themselves.
If you have any of these models, then, it is completely safe to jump your vehicle in the rain – irrespective of the starter battery placement or the type of vehicle you drive.
The logic here is that these jumpers are generally IP 65 rated and can take minor showers without any issues provided their ports are sealed closed. Beyond their ability to take a light beating of rain, these jumpers, generally, come standard with safety options such as spark and reverse polarity protection.
To maximize your chance of jumping your vehicle without an issue, you should open the hood only slightly, attach the portable jumper and close back the hood (without snapping it shut) to keep the hood area as dry as possible. Once you get the crank and your engine roars to life, don’t forget to reach out again to the hood and disconnect the jumper for proper storage.
A perfect example of such a portable jumper is the Noco GB 50 lithium-ion portable jumper.
Photo Credit: Omar Ramadan via Pexels.
Wrap-Up On Jumping A Vehicle In The Rain
Jumping a vehicle in the rain is quite a simple affair – and it is very doable. However, there are risks that you must understand before attempting such a task. Also, there are considerations you must factor if you are going to register progress with the task.
To make the process extremely easy and free of any harm that may come your way as a result of getting something wrong, I recommend the Noco GB50 – a smart portable jumper that you can carry in your glovebox, use on a variety of cars, is reverse polarity/spark proofed and importantly, is rated IP65 for foreign matter protection – a rating that is good enough to be used in the rain, provided you take care not to immerse or directly expose the unit to the elements.
Good luck.