Why Did My Jumper Cables Melt? Possible Causes & Solutions

If your vehicle’s battery dies out of nowhere, you will have to get help from another vehicle to jump-start it. At least, that is the first thing that most owners would do. So to jump-start your car, you should have a jumper cable in your hand. We don’t want you to wonder at the critical moment, “why did my jumper cables melt.” Instead, let’s take a few minutes and figure out possible reasons that can melt your jumper cables and what you can do if you are already facing this problem.

How to Tell If your Jumper Cables are Bad?

Your jumper cables can go bad at anytime, anywhere. So you should check your jumper cable once in a while because if the jumper cables have gone wrong, it will be less efficient as these cables will have to perform a heavy-duty job. It will help you not run into trouble if your battery dies. Let’s see how you can figure out that the jumper cables have gone bad.

If there are any exposed metal wires on the jumper cable, your jumper cables may have gone wrong. So if there are any exposed wires, the best option is to replace them with a new one or get the jumper cables fixed with the help of a professional.

Then the next indication to say that your jumper cables have gone bad is if you see any rust or corrosion on the clams. And also, if you notice wear-out wires near the clam, the cables are less efficient, and chances are you will get into trouble in an emergency.

Why Did My Jumper Cables Melt?

We have compiled the main possible reasons for a jumper cable to melt. 

Too-thin Jumper Cables

You never know when will a jumper cable be needed. So, when you purchase jumper cables, it is imperative to go for high-quality products. If the cables are too thin, then the chances are there for them to get damaged easily compared to a thick cable. 

Connected Incorrectly

If the jumper cables are not properly connected to the battery, then there is a chance that the jumper cables get to melt. So when you connect the cables, you must be more careful to do it correctly. The red clamps go with the positive posts, and the black clamps go with the negative posts. If you do it the other way, your cables will get hot and eventually melt. 

Damaged Cables

As we have mentioned before, you must check for any damages once in a while. The cables can go bad if they are not used for an extended period or if they are not stored properly. If this is the case, melting can take place without you knowing.

Excessive Current

Excess energy flow can lead to melting your jumper cables as it transfers a large amount of current in a short time. So if you don’t have the proper cables to carry the energy, it will lead to melted cables.

Can you Use Melted Jumper Cables?

No, you can’t use melted jumper cables to jump-start your vehicle, as it is less efficient when the cables are melted. The jumper cables’ primary purpose is to transfer energy from one battery to another. Therefore, there should be good cables to make the energy flow without disturbance. In case you use melted cables, it will damage both batteries.

A broken insulator will lead to fire or short-circuiting, and both will damage your car. In addition, you might hurt yourself during the process. So it would help if you never used a melted cable to jump-start your vehicle. If you see the rubber insulator starting to melt, then it is best to purchase a new jumper cable immediately.

What is the Proper Way to Use Jumper Cables?

Even though it may sound very difficult to jump-start a vehicle, particularly for a newbie, the truth is it is not. Here is how to use the jumper cables to jump-start a vehicle.

The first step is to park the vehicles close enough so you can connect jumper cables to both cars. Then, locate the place where the batteries are on both vehicles. Both vehicles should be powered off before the process. Now, you must identify the positive and the negative posts of the batteries and the cables. Then you can attach the positive and negative posts correctly.

Here is the correct way to connect jumper cables to the batteries.

First, you must attach one red clamp on the jumper cable to the positive post on the dead battery. Then you have to connect the other end of the same cable to the positive post on the working battery. 

Next you should attach the black clamp to the negative of the battery that is properly working and connect the other end to a place on the broken car where metal is not painted. It would be best if you remembered not to attach this clamp to the negative post on the dead battery. The risk of fire and explosion increase if you connect the jumper cable to the negative pole of the dead battery if the jump start doesn’t go well.

Why are My Jumper Cables Sparking?

There are a few reasons your jumper cables spark when the jump starts. It may happen if the cables are not connected correctly and the electronics are on when the car dies. So if the jumper cable is sparking, you can check for any connection errors on the cable. This can cause severe damage to your vehicle.

The other reason is that your radio or lights were on when the car died. If this is the case, you don’t have to worry much, as it is normal to spark when the car gets energy from the other.

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