How To Tell Which Is Positive And Negative On Car Battery?

by Phil Borges // in Car

Understanding the difference between the positive and negative terminals in your car battery is essential when you need battery replacement. These terminals are color-coded with a sign, making it easier for you to distinguish the two. This blog is designed to identify their unique qualities and the necessary steps to jumpstart your car after replacing its battery.

How to Tell Which Is Positive and Negative on Car Battery

You can tell the positive and negative of your car battery through the battery terminal colors
and signs. The negative terminal is black and connected to the battery’s minus sign (-). On the other hand, if you see a positive color battery, it means the positive terminal and connected to the battery plus sign (+).

How to Jumpstart a Car?

Here are the steps you can follow to jumpstart your car:

  1. Ensure you have the right jumper cables.
  2. Move the car close to the booster cables.
  3. The jumper cables should be set in sequences 1, 2, 3, and 4.
  4. Turn the donor car on and let it roar.
  5. Finally, start the car with cables attached.
  6. Keep the engine running and remove the jumpers in reverse sequence.

How to Hook up Jumper Cables?

Hooked-up battery cables can lead to issues such as cranking up of the engine, no power, and the failure to kickstart the car. But it can be fixed easily. Here’s how you can do it:

  1. Put your safety gear on. Protect your hands and eyes.
  2. Attach the jumper cable’s positive terminal to the dead battery‘s positive terminal. Then attach the other end of the positive terminal to the positive terminal of the good battery.
  3. Repeat the same process on number 3 for the negative terminal.
  4. Check if the connections are stable.
  5. Start the car with a good battery and let the engine speed up for some time.
  6. Jumpstart the car with the dead battery.
  7. Once the engine is functional, disconnect the negative jumper connected to the ground. Also, remove the positive and negative cables from the good battery.
  8. Remove the positive cable from the car.
  9. Keep the engine running to allow the battery time to charge.

How to Maintain Your Car Battery?

Here are a few tips you can follow to maintain your car battery:

1. Switch the Battery on Regularly

Your car’s battery may lose its sheen if it is not functional for an extended period. Thus, taking your car for a ride at least once a week is recommended to ensure the engine doesn’t get cranked. If the battery goes out of charge, you need to jumpstart it.

2. Keep the Battery Clean

Dirt assembles on the battery can drain it completely without you even realizing it. Also, dirt has been known to cause short-circuiting and aid the corrosion of the battery terminals. Hence, use a brush to keep the battery terminals clean and dirt-free.

4. Keep the Battery Insulated

Ensure to wrap the battery terminals with an insulation cover. Insulated covers provide great protection to your car’s batteries. They are color-coded and will not impede identifying the battery terminals.

5. If Possible, Check the Heat Exposure of Your Battery

The battery’s shelf life is drastically compromised if the car is exposed to heat for prolonged periods. Thus, parking your car in a shaded area or a garage is recommended.

How Do You Know Which Side of a Battery Is Positive?

It is not difficult to ascertain which side of a car battery is positive. The positive side of the battery will have a ‘+’ sign in almost all cases. It is also connected to the red side to make it clearer for you.

How Do You Tell Positive and Negative Terminals?

The first point of identification is the signs (+) and (-) stamped on the case of the battery terminals. Besides, the (+) or the positive terminal is colored red. At the same time, the (-) or the negative terminal is black.

Which Part Of the Symbol of Battery Shows Positive and Negative Terminals?

The thin and long line is the positive terminal of the battery. In contrast, the short and thick line is the battery’s negative terminal.

How Do You Know Which Side of a Car Battery Is Positive?

Every car’s battery has metal terminals. The same goes for the jumper cable set with one terminal marked positive and the other negative. The positive terminal is the one coded red and is connected to the positive clip of the jumper cable. It can be marked as POS or ‘+’ and is usually bigger than the negative terminal.

Is the Positive Terminal Always on the Left?

Mostly positive terminals are on the left, but this is not always the case. It varies depending on the place of manufacturing the car. Thus, instead of looking for right or left, one must identify the positive terminal by looking for the ‘+’ sign and the color red.

How Do You Know Which Is Positive and Which Is Negative?

The difference between the positive and negative terminals can be ascertained in two ways. Firstly, the positive terminal will be coded red and have a + sign displayed. In contrast, the negative terminal has a minus (-) sign stamped on it and is usually black. In addition, sometimes, the negative terminal is smaller than the positive one.

Final Thoughts

Learning about battery terminals is easy. Just remember that the positive battery is represented by the red color and (+) or plus sign. Meanwhile, the negative terminal is black and associated with a minus (-) sign. Knowing these variations and how batteries work will make a huge difference in taking you out of trouble if your car breaks down the road unexpectedly.

About the author, Phil Borges

Phil Borges is a battery aficionado. He's written extensively about batteries, and he loves nothing more than discussing the latest innovations in the industry. He has a deep understanding of how batteries work, and he's always on the lookout for new ways to improve their performance.