Jumper Cables

[Rzrbrn]

I just bought a "cheap" pair of aluminum cables, Amazon:Jumper Cables, Heavy Duty Booster Cables 0 Gauge 25Feet (0AWG x 25Ft) 1000Amp with Goggles Gloves Cleaning Brush in Carry Bag.

Thanks for the idea about separating the cables, I will go out today and see what happens. If the insulation is not ripped and exposing the wire itself I will not worry about it. But if it rips off the cable wire I will go get another soldi wire set.

I had a Campbell Hausfeld jumper box which worked well. It eventually died and I have not replaced it. Have not really needed it.

[AnotherMike]

Originally Posted by Rzrbrn

According to my wife I am an old man. In my lifetime I have had to use jumper cables maybe 10x, at the very most. I now have a truck with a Cummins 6.7L Diesel engine, and I pull a TT with solar and lithium batteries. I am going to buy new cables, maybe one of the following:
The Spartan 20' 1/0 AWG 0 Gauge 600V solid copper (according to the Spartan website) jumper cable costs $189.00.
Harbor Freight has 20' copper coated aluminum 410 amp 2 gauge cables for about $42.00 and
Amazon has NoOne 0 Gauge 25Feet (0AWG x 25Ft), copper coated aluminum 1000Amp cables for $84.00.

Which to buy? I know the theory; thicker and solid copper is best, but I probably won't use the cables more than 1x per camping season, if that. Would the much cheaper aluminum cables suffice?

Copper only, with heavy clamps. 2 gauge or thicker, mine are 1 gauge. My friend with the DP has a 0 gauge set. The finer the strands of copper cable the easier they will be to flex and the easier to coil up. Before you buy look at the cable to clamp connection. Does it look like it will stand up to use? Will it still work 5 years from now? I made my own set twenty years ago and still use them. Here's the closest off-the-shelf set that is comparable to what I have...
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Energize...B125/206855536

I've had two jumpstart boxes. They are essentially a 20ah AGM battery in a box with short jumper cables attached. They problem with them is that they self-discharge about 5% to 10% per month, and if you don't remember to recharge them periodically they will be just like a forgotten flashlight in the glovebox... dead when needed. The first one was poorly made and fell apart when I tried to open it up to replace the battery. I acquired the second one from a friend after the internal air compressor died... it was a nice idea but poorly implemented. But the battery and cables were still good. I drilled a hole in the case and installed a connector across the battery and plugged a 3/4 amp Battery Tender into it. THAT part works fine, and keeps the battery up for as long as the utility power is on, and I've used the box a few times. It's also handy as a portable 12 volt source for ham radio events.

Mike

[CharlesinGA]

Originally Posted by RoadEyePie

So someone stated that jumper cables is a good way to destroy your alternator. I've used cables a dozen times and never had a problem and I've never heard anyone say this. Is this one of those rare occasions (like being struck by lightning) sort of events? How and why does it / can it happen. Just like to understand it better to learn something.

One split second of inattention, and accidentally hooking up backwards, even for just long enough to make a spark, and you have blown the alternator diodes.

Charles

[jimheiner]

Originally Posted by Rzrbrn

According to my wife I am an old man. In my lifetime I have had to use jumper cables maybe 10x, at the very most. I now have a truck with a Cummins 6.7L Diesel engine, and I pull a TT with solar and lithium batteries. I am going to buy new cables, maybe one of the following:
The Spartan 20' 1/0 AWG 0 Gauge 600V solid copper (according to the Spartan website) jumper cable costs $189.00.
Harbor Freight has 20' copper coated aluminum 410 amp 2 gauge cables for about $42.00 and
Amazon has NoOne 0 Gauge 25Feet (0AWG x 25Ft), copper coated aluminum 1000Amp cables for $84.00.

Which to buy? I know the theory; thicker and solid copper is best, but I probably won't use the cables more than 1x per camping season, if that. Would the much cheaper aluminum cables suffice?

check out this product - lot's of advantages - small, powerful, latest and greatest Lithium battery technology:

https://no.co/gb150

[Bytesponge]

Originally Posted by raeburn2000

I asked a guy who works for a local semi truck tow outfit what he would recommend. He used a heavy duty jump start kit that works fine for semi engines, RVs, or cars. They cost about $160 on Amazon. Search for “ Clore Automotive Jump-N-Carry JNC770B 1700 Peak Amp Premium 12 Volt Jump Starter - Blue w/Cover”

We bought one and have had to use it on the RV a couple times. Supposedly safer than jumper cables, no risk to your alternator, and no waiting for the battery to charge. Just connect, wait a minute, and then start the RV.

X2 on battery jumper!

[astrocamper]

I have a 6 liter V8 gas engine so bought a super capacitor based jump box. There is no battery to periodically charge. These don't work as well on diesel because energy is required to heat up the glow plugs.

I use an OZ CHARGE RESCUE MATE 1000.

One advantage of the jump packs is the safety circuitry that prevents activating if cables are placed incorrectly.

[gatorb8]

OK, I’ll be “that guy”
why not just call Coach Net and get a jump?

[astrocamper]

If you camp in the very rural west, you may never get anyone to show up for road side assistance.

[gatorb8]

Originally Posted by astrocamper

If you camp in the very rural west, you may never get anyone to show up for road side assistance.

totally agree, if off grid, have jumpers!

[Rzrbrn]

Originally Posted by CharlesinGA

One split second of inattention, and accidentally hooking up backwards, even for just long enough to make a spark, and you have blown the alternator diodes.

Charles

This is a very good point. I hooked my lawn mower battery up to a Battery Minder in early December. I walk by it every day and give a quick glance, and after about 30 or 40 days of this finally noticed that I had the positive cable on the negative terminal. I guess my family is right I am getting old...

I have had AAA for maybe 50 years and they always have shown up, even though it sometimes takes 4 or 5 hours. So I change my own flat tires and I jump my own batteries and only call them for other issues.

[dsavage74]

My jump box is NOCO BOOST 2000 amp
It was about 175 dollars. You can find them at Amazon and auto part stores. You never worry how close or far you are from a battery source.

[Busskipper]

Originally Posted by dsavage74

My jump box is NOCO BOOST 2000 amp
It was about 175 dollars. You can find them at Amazon and auto part stores. You never worry how close or far you are from a battery source.

UNLESS

It's a diesel with totally Dead Batteries, then you better have a set of Cables., Good Cables.

Been there done that.

JMHO,

[AnotherMike]

Originally Posted by Rzrbrn

This is a very good point. I hooked my lawn mower battery up to a Battery Minder in early December. I walk by it every day and give a quick glance, and after about 30 or 40 days of this finally noticed that I had the positive cable on the negative terminal.

The Battery Tender brand has a design feature that shuts it off if the polarity is reversed. Don't know about the Battery Minder brand.

Mike

[DirtRider]

Originally Posted by astrocamper

I have a 6 liter V8 gas engine so bought a super capacitor based jump box. There is no battery to periodically charge. These don't work as well on diesel because energy is required to heat up the glow plugs.

I use an OZ CHARGE RESCUE MATE 1000.

One advantage of the jump packs is the safety circuitry that prevents activating if cables are placed incorrectly.

I’m with you, astrocamper! I now have a couple of these magical battery-less jumper packs, and am very happy with them. I don’t have a diesel to try them out with, but I’ve tested the big 800 amp Schumacher on both my 6.8 v10 and my 6.0 gas. Spun them up just as fast as a battery. Just for fun, I even jumped the v10 off of an atv battery with it. For everyone that doesn’t know, these are, in effect, wireless jumper cables. They can typically start a vehicle with a dead battery on its own. If that doesn’t work, you carry the pack over to any other battery, hook it up for a couple minutes, then carry it over to your dead truck and fire it off.

Nothing has to be charged up in the meantime. I agree with having backups for boondocking. My rv can start off the chassis battery, off the house battery through the six switch, and off this jumper pack. If the chassis battery were somehow completely shot instead of just underpowered, I can charge the jumper pack off my rzr, and then start the rv.