proper jump starting technique

[TomFromStLouis]

I have noticed that people often clip one of the jumper cable ends to an inert steel part as some kind of grounding technique, but I presume this would foil any attempt to jump a positive ground vehicle like my Healey from a more modern negative ground vehicle. In order for me to look like I have the minimum amount of electrical knowhow to drive a car where it is prudent to have a trunk full of parts and jumper cables, please confirm for me the proper technique for such a situation.

1a. It is mandatory to have all four ends of the jumper cable connected to the corresponding battery terminals, right?
1b. Or is it okay/preferred to leave a cable end "grounded"?
2. Which one in the above scenario?
3. What about the unlikely situation of me jumping somebody else (jumping from a positive ground to a negative)?
4. While we are at it, which end of the black (negative) gets grounded when jumping from a modern negative ground car to another just like it?

I numbered my questions in case anyone wants to directly address them as asked. Thanks in advance!

 

[tahoe healey]

Just don't let the cars touch and don't touch both cars with your hands (or feet) at the same time. We just jumped someone two weeks ago and I'm running neg ground. No problem. I like battery to battery as I have a Bj8. It is a good idea to mark the car as to it being converted to neg ground. I have a note in the boot and under the bonnet. Never assume anything.

 

[John Turney]

The idea behind not making the last connection at the battery is to prevent ignition of hydrogen from the battery. It's not so much an issue on connecting, but on dis-connecting. As TH says, don't let the cars touch.

Also, when one end of the cables are connected to a battery, don't let the other end flop around so the two clamps accidently touch. I usually clip one of the free clamps to the insulation of the other lead so that can't happen.

You can still clip one end to an "inert steel part", just remember that if you're using your positive ground Healey to jump a modern car (we never need to jump start a Healey, right), that you should clip the red clamp to your positive battery pole. You clip the matching black clamp to your negative battery pole. Then you can clamp the other red clamp to the positive battery pole on the modern car and the black clamp to an "inert steel part". As the book says, "Disassembly is the opposite of assembly". Disconnect from the "inert steel part" first.