Do you have jumper cables in your trunk/cab now?

[Dave Sherman]

Originally Posted By: Trav
I saw that happen in trade school many years ago. I have also seen some batteries with 2 red or black cables because some needed one that would fit and didn't care what color it was.

I bought a mint 65 Lotus Cortina years ago that someone had jumped and smoked the wiring harness. It was a positive ground system.



That reminds me, someday I should find different battery cables for my MG. I think the British had positive ground cars for so long, they didn't swap colors when they went to negative ground. My MG has a big warning label under the hood advising that it is wired "negative Earth" since it hadn't been that long since they switched over, but the factory battery cables are black=positive and red=negative to confuse the heck out of people. The ring terminals on the engine block and starter solenoid are different sizes, so I can't just swap them. Had to make sure the Autozone guy knew that red is black and black is red when he hooked up his battery tester. I fear if I need a jump someday, some know-it-all won't listen when I say that the colors really are backward on this car.

 

[OilFilters]

Originally Posted By: IndyIan
I assume this fellow clipped on to the negative post on the battery?


No, everything was hooked up correctly as far as I know. If you have to jump a battery, that means something is wrong with it. Maybe it just got drained, or maybe there is a bigger problem. When you start pumping hundreds of amps into a damaged battery, bad things can happen.

Not only should you connect the negative somewhere other than the battery, you shouldn't stand near either battery when you're jumping. And you should leave both hoods closed over the cables. (not latched)

 

[SirTanon]

I keep a set of good QUALITY jumper cables in the trunk of every car I own, along with a 5-gallon compressed air tank, and a rubbermaid tote that has tools, towels, and spare oil and water in it. Also, I always make sure I have at least 1 automotive grade fire extinguisher in the car that is less than 3 years old.

 

[Olas]

Originally Posted By: IndyIan
Has anyone here actually messed up their car giving a boost to someone? I haven't or even know anyone who has had a problem.


"I had a friend" who killed an alternator on a 12V negative earth vehicle by connecting jump leads the wrong way round in complete darkness at 3am one time soon after "he" passed his test...

 

[Whipcitywrencher]

I will give anybody a jump anyday
and if my or the other persons battery blows up well guess it was gona happen anyways.

When its like 0 out and someone ask for a jump i'll do it.
Tell you what a lot of times a battery is good all the way to December around here, and than January temps goes below 0 and a lot of dead batteries .

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted By: Dave Sherman
Originally Posted By: Trav
I saw that happen in trade school many years ago. I have also seen some batteries with 2 red or black cables because some needed one that would fit and didn't care what color it was.

I bought a mint 65 Lotus Cortina years ago that someone had jumped and smoked the wiring harness. It was a positive ground system.



That reminds me, someday I should find different battery cables for my MG. I think the British had positive ground cars for so long, they didn't swap colors when they went to negative ground. My MG has a big warning label under the hood advising that it is wired "negative Earth" since it hadn't been that long since they switched over, but the factory battery cables are black=positive and red=negative to confuse the heck out of people. The ring terminals on the engine block and starter solenoid are different sizes, so I can't just swap them. Had to make sure the Autozone guy knew that red is black and black is red when he hooked up his battery tester. I fear if I need a jump someday, some know-it-all won't listen when I say that the colors really are backward on this car.


I still haven't figured out what the benefit was of using positive ground, in 65 they used a generator and the biggest voltage regulator I have ever seen in a car. Lucas electric nightmare.
Check out the wiring diagram..

 

[blupupher]

Yup, a set in both vehicles.
I have used the one's in the truck several times to help others.
I hook them up in my vehicle, and let the other person (if not family or a friend) hook them up on their vehicle (I will tell them how if they don't know).

My daughter (that is learning to drive now) knows how to hook up both ends, and also knows how to look in an owners manual for information.
My son that is 12 kind of knows how, but I have not worked with him as much with it yet.

Originally Posted By: Nitronoise
ALWAYS and all of my family members know how to use them

I make my own out of welding cable ,,, the prepackaged ones are worthless

Not all are worthless.
You have to know what to look for and you do have to pay more, but there are quality pre-made cables out there.
But there are more junk ones out there than good ones.

 

[Andrew1972]

Yes a $75 emergency road kit(with cables) was included with wife’s 2018 Tiguan.

My other set is something I desperately paid $90 in 1991!!!!! From NAPA which we’re heavy Guage and 16’ long in my SUV. I felt ripped then but 27 years latter realize a good life buy.

 

[JLawrence08648]

Always hook the positive first, no sparks when touched, and remove last, can't short anything out.

 

[BAJA_05]

All vehicles have jumper cables in them, never know when im gonna need a jump or someone else.


Dale

 

[OilFilters]

Originally Posted By: JLawrence08648
Always hook the positive first, no sparks when touched, and remove last, can't short anything out.


It makes no difference which you connect first or last. What is important is that the negative goes to a grounded spot on the frame and not the battery itself.

 

[ted s]

yes

 

[supton]

Originally Posted By: OilFilters
Originally Posted By: JLawrence08648
Always hook the positive first, no sparks when touched, and remove last, can't short anything out.


It makes no difference which you connect first or last. What is important is that the negative goes to a grounded spot on the frame and not the battery itself.
While you are correct, I suspect he is going off the idea of attaching neg to engine block (or similar). Thus by doing that last, any sparking would occur away from the battery.

I'm not sure it matters. Whenever I've done jumps I wind up wiggling the clamps, which makes sparks. I'm not sure the battery can outgas that much hydrogen that quickly for it to matter--I'm not sure what actually causes explosions, other than hooking up backwards or sudden rapid heating from very high charge rate.

 

[Colt45ws]

If the battery has a shorted cell, then the vehicles alternator putting out 13.6-14.2V is overcharging the now 5 cell battery. That will cause the battery to gas a lot. If you make a short stop, say to fuel up, and are unable to restart, that battery is probably still gassing from the overcharge it just received.
So I'd say the most likely time for something to happen would be when the engine was just running and still fails to restart.
If its a failure due to sitting for a long time, or a dome light, or just plain cold, I would think the chances would be fairly remote.

 

[Colt45ws]

Heres an example of a battery with a shorted or reversed cell gassing due the remaining cells being 'overcharged' by the alternator.
This particular car had a fault with the AM/FM radio that caused it to put quite a significant drain on the battery, and ran that poor Odyssey to flat 0V. The vehicle was jump started and several hours up the highway I noticed a odd smell...

 

[Falcon_LS]

No jumper cables, but I got my 1000 amp Gooloo Jump Starter Power Pack. Upgraded from my Noco Genius Boost GB40, which I still have.

 

[Silk]

I'm sure someone else has jumper cables.

 

[Broo]

In my cars, no. In my pickup yes. I sometimes get to places where we have to start a piece of machinery only to find its battery is dead, so we jump start it so it can be used for that day while someone goes get a replacement. I also helped a few people with it, including my wife's van when its battery failed prematurely.