Whenever performing work on your vehicle, it pays to heed all safety precautions. While most repairs or troubleshooting do not pose a danger, sometimes mechanical work can result in burns, shocks, cuts and exposure to chemicals, if you are not careful. When in doubt, consult an expert or Roadside assistance when dealing with potentially dangerous situations, such as charging your battery.
Keep Protective Gear in Your Car
As an added precaution, always carry basic safety gear in your vehicle. These PPE include insulated work gloves, eye protection, ear muffs and a first-aid kit. For more serious work such as welding or cutting you should consider a face shield or welding helmet. You can pick up most of these items at your neighborhood auto parts store.
Since your car battery can exert a powerful charge, you must follow specific directions when dealing with this component. Using a jump starter is a great way to get power back to your vehicle. A NOCO Boost Plus GB40 how-to-use video will go over the following steps:
- Place the jump starter near the battery
- Locate the clamp assembly connected to the 12-volt port on the unit
- Attach the clamps from the unit onto the car battery
- Attach the red clamp to positive and the black to negative
- Power on the unit and when indicated start the car
Once the car starts you can then disconnect the clamps from the battery. Simple, safe, fast and effective. Just what you want when dealing with a low battery.
Take off Your Metal Jewelry
When working on the car battery, you can add to your safety by momentarily taking off jewelry. Metal items could result in a burn to your skin as touching metal to a terminal could cause sparks. In a worst-case scenario, metal touching both terminals at once could even result in an explosion, so it is better to be safe than sorry.
If you need an AC recharge, you have a few options. When your AC no longer sends out cold air, your vehicle has probably lost too much refrigerant through leaks in the condenser or through components such as rubber hoses or gaskets. Some products such as AC stop leak items or AC system cleaners can rectify the issue, or you could need more extensive work on the car. Stopping into your favorite auto parts store is a great place to begin safely troubleshooting the issue and get the cold air flowing again.
Stay Safe
At all times, practice safety around your car. Even when putting on car wax you should pay attention to your surroundings and use appropriate PPE. The good news is that the ingredients in wax products tend to be largely benign and won’t cause harm to your skin. Keep the wax away from your eyes and use gloves if your skin is particularly sensitive.
Some vehicle work could expose you to danger, so make sure you stay safe at all times. When unsure, it pays to consult with experts who understand the products they sell.
