Booster Cables!
- Thread starter msanta
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greasefingers
New member
I have seen calbes fail at jump starting a battery, because the cables were to thin and this will not pump the juice needed on a dead battery. I cannot tell you what wire gage size to buy, but SIZE does matter here.
People will use 2 & 4 gage wires for their stereo system but carry a set of Kmart jumper cables
:bash:
People will use 2 & 4 gage wires for their stereo system but carry a set of Kmart jumper cables
:bash:
sharp4runr
New member
I'm not sure what type to say, but I've had a set for about 10 years now and they've never failed to jump start another car. They are pretty darn thick and long so it is a little cumbersome, but I wouldn't get rid of them for one of those cheapo versions you get in a car kit.
msanta said:
Sears has the best non-commercial cars & trucks Booster cable for your money (Sears also has the cheapy one like $9.95). I bought a Booster-In -A-Bag at Sears 13 years ago. It did a great job and is still doing its job. I can't remember how many times I''ve helped other guys at contruction sites when their batteries ran out of juice. The most importance of the jump cable is the gauges of the cable. Don't settle with those cheapy at local auto part stores. The last time I saw it at sears, it was around $30 bucks. The one I have was made by Coleman Cable, Inc. It's 12 feet long with thick heavy gauges insulated in bright orange flexible jacket. It came in a flat round nylon carrying bag.
msanta
New member
What do you think about these cables, they look pretty solid and they are 4 gauge/20ft. I read that the lower the number the thicker and better they are so I figure these can do a decent job. I always had good experiences with Sears stuff...
DieHard Booster Cables
DieHard Booster Cables
mole177
New member
any set of cheapy cables bought 10 years ago are nothing compared to the shit box you buy now a days...
don't cheap out on cables. the thinner it is, the less juice flows from it. the last thing is that when you're in need of a jump, you're cables haev too much resistance which leaves you SOl.
luckily my pop bought a set from the 80's so they're solid.
don't cheap out on cables. the thinner it is, the less juice flows from it. the last thing is that when you're in need of a jump, you're cables haev too much resistance which leaves you SOl.
luckily my pop bought a set from the 80's so they're solid.
wolfgang
New member
The new cheap ones have aluminum vs desired copper wire. I really wonder if the potential hassles are worth using them though. You hear stories of batteries exploding either due to gas discharge, incorrect hook up or the target battery being tottal discharged. Battery acid does wonder on your eyes, skin and car finish! Add to that the danger of destroying all the electronics (ECU, radio, wiring) on your vehicle or perhaps the other one (and any law suite that might incur). It would have to be emergency situation for me to "jump" someone I didn't know.
icantsee
Banned
gizmopt2002
New member
The ones i have tried, cheap ones, don't have enough cranking power. Also, i doesn't start the engine thru the cig lighter, you connect it to the battery + terminal and the ground.
Uneek
Super Moderator
I've heard/seen those jumper cables that work through the cigarette lighter. They claim it's safer than regular/tradition cables. But if the lighter socket is using smaller guage wires and it's rated for like 15-20amps, I truly wonder if you can jump or start a car like that without any damage. There's also another set of cables out there that I've seen on Autoweek TV, it's similar to traditional cables but there's a disconnect in the middle and circuitry to prevent frying vehicle electronics if the cables are hooked up incorrectly.
The self contained battery boosters that are hooked up to a battery are good and real handy when you need it. You don't have to wait around for someone to give you a boost or deal with trying to position their car if you have short cables or parked in a stall. Just one of the reasons why I always back into parking stalls. However, I think the batteries have a life span of 6 or so years and they weigh a decent amount.
The self contained battery boosters that are hooked up to a battery are good and real handy when you need it. You don't have to wait around for someone to give you a boost or deal with trying to position their car if you have short cables or parked in a stall. Just one of the reasons why I always back into parking stalls. However, I think the batteries have a life span of 6 or so years and they weigh a decent amount.
A good set of jumper cables will outlast several cars. I was gifted (it was actually a friendly joke, insulting my car, but the car deserved the insult) a high quality set of cables in a bag when I was 18 years old.
That was over 21 years ago. I still have the cables, but many cars have come and gone since then.
Since a good set of cables can be had for $30 or so, and you *really* need them to work when you want them to work, why skimp? Get some beefy cables that look like they'll last a hundred years.
That was over 21 years ago. I still have the cables, but many cars have come and gone since then.
Since a good set of cables can be had for $30 or so, and you *really* need them to work when you want them to work, why skimp? Get some beefy cables that look like they'll last a hundred years.
HerbVick
New member
Ditto what Traveler just said.
I can remember an incident that happened back in the late 60's or early 70's. Most vehicles had steel, chrome plated bumpers and someone was needing a boost. All we could put together was half a set of jumper cables. The clamp was missing from one end of the lone wire that someone had scrounged from the back of their pickup.
You've probably already guessed the rest.
Yep, we put the two bumpers together from the dead and running vehicle, clamped the good end of the cable to a positive terminal, then jammed the other end of the cable to the positive terminal on the other battery. "Fire it up!"
Worked like a charm.
I can remember an incident that happened back in the late 60's or early 70's. Most vehicles had steel, chrome plated bumpers and someone was needing a boost. All we could put together was half a set of jumper cables. The clamp was missing from one end of the lone wire that someone had scrounged from the back of their pickup.
You've probably already guessed the rest.
Yep, we put the two bumpers together from the dead and running vehicle, clamped the good end of the cable to a positive terminal, then jammed the other end of the cable to the positive terminal on the other battery. "Fire it up!"
Worked like a charm.
