HOW TO: World's Most Expensive Jumper Cables

[98 SNAKE EATER]

I love it

I had the same setup on my flatbed tow truck and have been planning on doing the same to the 80 cause it seems I use my current set of jumper cables to start other vehicles at least twice a week nowadays

And opening the hood on the side of the highway can be a chore due to the limbriser cables

I'll most lkely put it off until I start wiring up the winches

 

[Beowulf]

I will add in the green/red LEDs as planned THEN I will wire it so that the in-cab switch will only allow it to engage if the green LED is lit. If the RED is lit, the switch itself is not engaged!!!

Over the top my friend.

I guess the guy could be colour blind and this switch disable circuit would prevent screw-ups but I stopped at the LED because I am not going to plug in their side unless it is green.

-B-

 

[Ebag333]

I'm still not totally sold on the thought of fusing the positive side. Mainly because its such a short distance and because I've never seen a fused set of jumper cables. I'm thinking I'm ok but I dunno, more research may be needed.

I'm not worried about fray from either wires on this run. Its just such a small run and its tight in there. Nothing bounces around. Plus I have the sheathing on there now.

Jumper cables aren't fused because they aren't permanantly attached. And IMHO they should be, to prevent serious damage to the battery from shorting them. (A circuit breaker would be superior to a fuse, so you could just trip it rather than having to carry a supply of fuses.)

They aren't primarily because of cost (as I'm sure you know those circuit breakers aren't cheap).

Anything permanantly attached should be fused. Think about this for a second....you're running the jumper setup off your second battery, and your main battery is grounded to the body. There's a chance there (albiet extremely small) that you end up (at best) taking out both batteries, at worst starting your 'cruiser on fire.

Having 2nd hand experience (my pop's has been a firefighter for 27 years, and gone out on many a car fire) I'm extremely well aware that a large number of car fires are started from electrical shorts. Not taking the time to fuse it (as short as the run may be) is to me just foolish. Even if you spring for a circuit breaker instead of a fuse, compare that price to your 'cruiser (plus everything you've done on it).

Cheap insurance if you ask me.

 

[NLXTACY]

EBAG333, ok I see your point. Now this got me to thinking, so I went over to my local CHP (down the street) and asked to see how their cables were mounted. All CHP (CA Highway Patrol) vehicles have the same jumper cable quick disconnect. Well they have them set up direct wired to the battery. No disconnect and no fuse or circuit breaker. Thoughts?

 

[NLXTACY]

Here is what they use:
Galls® Permanent-Mount Booster Cables - VP266 : Galls

And $99.00!!!!!

 

[24HOURSOFNEVADA]

can you tell me more about your button and maybe a pm for the quick disco if you would rather not publish it?

 

[NLXTACY]

can you tell me more about your button and maybe a pm for the quick disco if you would rather not publish it?

Button? You mean the in-cab switch?

Quick Disco? Not sure what you're asking but I have no problems publishing anything here.

 

[24HOURSOFNEVADA]

Button? You mean the in-cab switch?

Yes, your in cab switch. But more specifically the graphics on switch.


Quick Disco? Not sure what you're asking but I have no problems publishing anything here.

And yes again, the ratcheting quick disconnect. On your parts list, it says optional, so I wasn't sure if you wanted to publish it.

Again, I think you did a killer job on those.

EDIT: I found the price on the link you provided. Thanks again.

 

[NLXTACY]

And yes again, the ratcheting quick disconnect. On your parts list, it says optional, so I wasn't sure if you wanted to publish it.

Again, I think you did a killer job on those.

Whoops sorry about that. I edited the parts list to include the part numbers and the prices. But I think it was $32.00 for that locking latch. There are two pieces to the set.

The button is a hazard button. I saw two of them in the classifieds so I bought both. I used on for this project and I remove the detent in the other one to use on my garage door opener mod.

 

[NLXTACY]

By the way, for those of you also considering the locking mechanism. The reason I went with it was because it was something that was really easy for my wife to lock in with little effort. She had a really hard time getting the disconnects locked and unlocked without the mechanical latch. It wasn't impossible, just not smooth and easy. It was actually kinda hot watching her pelvic thrust the connector in.

 

[24HOURSOFNEVADA]

By the way, for those of you also considering the locking mechanism. The reason I went with it was because it was something that was really easy for my wife to lock in with little effort. She had a really hard time getting the disconnects locked and unlocked without the mechanical latch. It wasn't impossible, just not smooth and easy. It was actually kinda hot watching her pelvic thrust the connector in.

This thread is useless without PICS

 

[NLXTACY]

hahahahahaha, I'd post but she was naked at the time...and lighting was bad...it was reflecting off the baby oil I was squirting on her and her friends.

 

[24HOURSOFNEVADA]

hahahahahaha, I'd post but she was naked at the time...and lighting was bad...it was reflecting off the baby oil I was squirting on her and her friends.

'Nuff said.

 

[NLXTACY]

*****UPDATE******

So I got to test out the cables once BEFORE I installed the new Hellroaring BIC. Operation went smooth and really easy. Having polarity LEDs would be nice. And wiring in a way to prevent the solenoid from turning on once the polarity LEDs were lit would also be nice. Just to stupid proof everything. Anyway, the dead battery in the 97 camry was dead in a parking lot. I loaded up the cables, attached them to her battery, turned on the solenoid and within two turn overs the car was started. I turned off the solenoid and everything was fine. No worries about getting the clamps too close to each or anything.

What I don't like about the jumper cables themselves is the cheap clamps I went with and the sleeving. It looks good but I hated it. felt as though the cables need a grip and the sleeving was just too slippery I guess. Too smooth. Now I saw the perfect solution, the zippered up sleeve found on TIG/MIG welders for the gas lines. Need to hunt those down.

So now lets move on to today. I now have the Hellroaring BIC installed. After Mike came to visit me in Yellowstone. Yes, THE Mike. He warned me about using my cable set up WITH the BIC system I am using. I am using the BIC-95150 and using it as STARTING SIDE ISOLATION. The reason I am doing this is because this way the alternator will favor the Aux. when charging AND because I am installing a back up for the main battery. A true back up, not an aux.

So problem is that when jump starting another vehicle using my set up, the BIC needs to be turned off. Now normally the entire reason you have the vehicle DOING the jumping to be on is so that you get battery AND alternator current to the offending battery to start it. This is common and normal. Problem is on my set up is that all that current is forced to go through the BIC. Not good!

Now if you are using Aux. Side Isolation with your BIC, not an issue. So Mike and I, ok Mike, figured out that the best way to utilize what I got would be to ground out the BIC. Thus turning it off. Then all current from JUST my aux. battery would be used to start the other car. Normally this is not ideal but works most of the time. Now for my application because of the type of battery I am using, Deep Cycle Odyssey, this is actually not an issue.

So, what I need to figure out how to wire is to ADD in a ground out (to turn off BIC) from the SAME in cab switch I have. Thoughts?

 

[NLXTACY]

Another update. Got a call from my wife, she just jump started our tenth vehicle. Some girl at her work. Way overkill but still one of my favorite mods.

 

[95Fantasma80]

NICE! NLXTACY your cool!

 

[azTony]

Did you figure out the Hellroaring problem yet?

 

[NLXTACY]

Did you figure out the Hellroaring problem yet?

Sheesh, its a been a long time but I am going through all my threads up updating for a ROTF writeup I will eventually be doing. I have NOT done anything else with the HellRoaring setup since my last posting on the matter. Mike may have been correct but it hasn't been an issue. Roughly two weeks ago we jump started yet another coworker. Its got to be somewhere around 30 vehicles so far. I lost track but its been a lot.

BTW, we have also jump started ourselves because we had a main battery go absolutely dead. That last half a day until we could get to Sears to replace it.

 

[NLXTACY]

Just an update about how much use I've gotten out of this mod. Two more times today. Once this morning when my neighbor's work van wouldn't start. Then just about two hours ago. I was in the TacoBell drive thru (son was hungry) and this guy taps on the window and begs for a jump start. It's a very new Caravan. He brings out his stupid cheesy little jumper cables that look like headphone cables with alligator clips. Ugh. I bring out my cables and all he said was, "I saw your truck in the drive they and I knew you'd have cables. I had no idea you were the best person other than AAA!"

Quick jump and he was happy and gone.

I get back in line at the drive thru. Closed. In the four minutes it took me to jump start his car we missed our window to get food. Wasn't even paying attention to the time. My son chimes in with, "no good deed goes unpunished".

No, no it doesn't. Off to Carl's.

Jump starts 64 and 65 for those keeping track at home

 

[jtwopark]

off to carl's? hungry?