Jump leads

[yorkslass]

Hi folks,

Having needed jump leads last weekend, I wonder if anyone can recommend a set that's heavy duty and long enough ( leisure battery is under the drivers seat and battery at the same side) Just had a look on e bay and they seem a tad cheap. The ones we used were way too heavy to carry in the van but started it immediately. Thanks.

 

[GreggBear]

Don't waste your money on cheap thin ones, get some thick cables with proper heavy clamps on them. Cheap leads are just false economy. Any decent set will be on the heavy side but could get you out of a mess so still worth carrying them.

 

[izwozral]

We got this set from Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/Metre-2000...ocphy=9046463&hvtargid=pla-524242643407&psc=1

Only used them on my nippl........EDIT: not had a use for them yet!

 

[harrow]

Hi folks,

Having needed jump leads last weekend, I wonder if anyone can recommend a set that's heavy duty and long enough ( leisure battery is under the drivers seat and battery at the same side) Just had a look on e bay and they seem a tad cheap. The ones we used were way too heavy to carry in the van but started it immediately. Thanks.

Its horses for courses, if the batteries are side by side a short set will do but a longer set of cables will cover more eventualities.

Arc welding cable is nice and flexible if you want to tailor make some to size/length.

The last ones I bought for my car came in a nice carry bag and they will stay in the car boot.

I have about 3 more sets I keep in the garage at home, including a set that will start anything.

 

[saxonborg]

The cheaper sets are made from copper coated aluminium cable, ok but not as good as copper. As has been suggested welding flexible is an ideal choice for jump leads.

 

[The laird]

Make sure they have anti surge ( so they don’t spike ) any electrics

 

[RichardHelen262]

I have a few sets here you are more than welcome to a set foc

 

[trevskoda]

Light ones are ok to transfair power from one battery or running engine,but you will have to sit for about 15 mins before trying to start using a couple of short bursts.
Heavy ones for diesel are best as you can crank over in about 5 mins without overheating the cables,mine came in a clear zip bag.

 

[Nabsim]

Most things automotive shouldn’t be jump started any more if you read the owners manuals. I have jump started our van a few times when I first got it using a cheapo (thin) set of leads. I keep them under passenger seat. If you are going to Wellington I can show you them. They are copper stranded.

 

[saxonborg]

Most things automotive shouldn’t be jump started any more if you read the owners manuals. I have jump started our van a few times when I first got it using a cheapo (thin) set of leads. I keep them under passenger seat. If you are going to Wellington I can show you them. They are copper stranded.

Are you talking about really modern vehicles Neil as my 08 Transit has dedicated terminals in the engine bay for jump leads?

 

[trevskoda]

Most things automotive shouldn’t be jump started any more if you read the owners manuals. I have jump started our van a few times when I first got it using a cheapo (thin) set of leads. I keep them under passenger seat. If you are going to Wellington I can show you them. They are copper stranded.

True as there is a warning about this on my battery box,i would say though this is ment for a pancake flat battery but one down 20% will be ok,they do it in the trade every day but now with anti spike/surge leads made for the job.

 

[shaunr68]

I remember a fella wild camping next to us in Greece, he had a ferry booking the same day and was panicking due to a flat battery. I'm always wary about jump starting vehicles these days so hooked his engine battery to my leisure batteries using jump leads, let the solar kick in for 15 minutes or so, disconnected everything and his MH started. No risk of frying any of my vehicle's electronics. To be fair I had about 350 watts of solar and the sun was blazing so the solar output was more than enough to put a few amps back into the batteries in a short time.

 

[yorkslass]

We were lucky that the ones we used were huge heavy things that started us up as soon as I turned the key. We were at a rugby club and I think they were used for a tractor they had. Who ever used them had chucked them in some long grass instead of putting them away, lucky for us.Great kit but way too big and heavy for us, would need to up rate the payload. I have heard of these small units that can start a vehicle, think they run on lithium. Anyone used one successfully on a van?

 

[Nabsim]

Are you talking about really modern vehicles Neil as my 08 Transit has dedicated terminals in the engine bay for jump leads?

It’s said it on both my last two cars Eric and they were both new so first I noticed would have been 2013. I don’t know if it was on the one before that, I only checked then because someone said you shouldn’t do it and I didn’t be,I eve them. Both cars came with studs in the engine bay for connecting jump leads to though lol

The problem with Motorhome’s could be how they have been wired for charging circuits for hab area, donor vehicle could be given a load it can’t meet. I don’t know in those circumstances what would happen.

I do know I have used my car to jump start my van okay. It’s 2007 registered but chassis cab is 2005 so old tech.

 

[Nabsim]

Light ones are ok to transfair power from one battery or running engine,but you will have to sit for about 15 mins before trying to start using a couple of short bursts.
Heavy ones for diesel are best as you can crank over in about 5 mins without overheating the cables,mine came in a clear zip bag.

All times I used mine I have connected them and sat a few minutes before trying to crank engine, would probably get hot if I didn’t do this. Just never needed them enough to get heavier stuff in fact these will be what I had for bike (1100cc) so wouldn’t need same current but are probably better quality copper than the thickness suggests.

 

[ricc]

guess thats progress..... got a cam belt so shouldnt tow start.... got lectricery so cant jump start..... i can remember when vehicles came with a good old starting handle, indeed the first vehicle i drove , a 1948 fordson tractor , had a winding handle on the front and no wires at all except magneto ignition.

 

[trevskoda]

guess thats progress..... got a cam belt so shouldnt tow start.... got lectricery so cant jump start..... i can remember when vehicles came with a good old starting handle, indeed the first vehicle i drove , a 1948 fordson tractor , had a winding handle on the front and no wires at all except magneto ignition.

Working 40+ years on cars and dont see how you cannot tow start ,the crank turns the cam belt just the same.

 

[Deleted member 5816]

Yes and started several vans and cars with mine there have been several threads on these units.

Alf

We were lucky that the ones we used were huge heavy things that started us up as soon as I turned the key. We were at a rugby club and I think they were used for a tractor they had. Who ever used them had chucked them in some long grass instead of putting them away, lucky for us.Great kit but way too big and heavy for us, would need to up rate the payload. I have heard of these small units that can start a vehicle, think they run on lithium. Anyone used one successfully on a van?

 

[rugbyken]

i bought a power package not much bigger than my mobile phone holds about 8 recharges for a mobile phone but also comes with a set of crocodile clips , claim it will start up to a 2litre petrol engine my daughters 1.8 diesel wouldn’t quite turn over shed left lights on so i plugged it in left it to level off and after 10mins fired up first time ,

 

[ricc]

Working 40+ years on cars and dont see how you cannot tow start ,the crank turns the cam belt just the same.

i think they reckon there will be a snatch/lurch when noddy in the drivers seat drops the clutch in.....anyway its designed to make you call the garage instead of sortin it yourself.