On an island beach in in the CT river we saw someone trying to jump a jet ski with a powerboat. Long jumper cables. Saw a puff of smoke from the jet ski and did not watch for very long after that. I did not think it would end well.
Am I the only one paranoid about giving people a jump start?
- Thread starter The motor guy
- Start date
I will jump start my immediate family's cars if/when requested but I would be hesitant to do it for anyone else because of liability.
I carry a jump-pack with me at all times. They are welcome to use it, but aren't going to hookup jumper cables...
I will call AAA for them with my account, but I don't want them to subconsciously blame me if something goes wrong later (i.e. my power window stopped working 2 weeks afterward).
I saw an older couple sitting with a flat at a South Carolina rest stop in a Rav4 like mine. I asked if they needed help with the tire and they said AAA was on the way. I wouldn't have offered but I am familiar with the vehicle.
I suppose if I did I could open myself to liability, and it did cross my mind, but at some point you can't stop helping everyone.
I’m relatively young (32) and have jumped a lot of people around town. Never had any problems from either side of the equation. I don’t see why people are so nervous with jumper cables. Don’t attach them in reverse and you’ll be fine.
Edit: clarity of wording
Edit: clarity of wording
I used to carry jumper cables in my pickup, but now all the cars have a jump box. I don't know enough about damaging electronics, but the cars are far different today.
I have heard both sides, but with a Gooloo costing like $60 at different sale times of the year, I am not sure why everyone doesn't just go that route.
Jumper cables don’t lose charge. Jump packs are useless if you don’t keep them on a charging schedule, and extreme temps can hinder their performance a ton.
All true. But if it's in the budget, a jump box is a great solution. Getting cars close enough for cables is not always doable or safe.
Agreed. I have both in my truck. I just don’t think people should write off jumper cables. Both are useful and at minimal cost.
The common denominator here is you . When things started going South you kept on doing the wrong thing . Hot jumper cables , a power supply that needed external cooling ? Dude , you're dangerous .
While I carry a Noco battery pack now, I’ve helped a few people over the years with jump starts. But I always hooked up my thick, heavy cables to both vehicles and turned my truck off and never had an issue.
I figure if they pulled up to a gas pump or grocery store, turned the car off and now it won’t start it shouldn’t take much to get it going again. Probably just a battery on its last leg.
My mom always preached “ what comes around goes around “ and while I’m usually prepared for most situations, I hope someone would lend a hand if I really needed it.
Figures, I haven’t ever had to use the battery pack since I’ve owned it.
I figure if they pulled up to a gas pump or grocery store, turned the car off and now it won’t start it shouldn’t take much to get it going again. Probably just a battery on its last leg.
My mom always preached “ what comes around goes around “ and while I’m usually prepared for most situations, I hope someone would lend a hand if I really needed it.
Figures, I haven’t ever had to use the battery pack since I’ve owned it.
There are other things you need to be cognizant about with these newer vehicles. One is that you should not have your vehicle running when you are jumping another vehicle.
If you do this can damage your charging system when the distressed vehicle starts, and immediately starts pumping juice out of it's alternator. Things can start burning up fast. Remember you are connecting 2 electrical and charging systems...... And a ton of electronics.
This is exactly why I have a little jump box for each vehicle. Plus there are tons of unhinged people here that I am picky who I help.
If your own battery is good, it can absorb a lot of excess voltage for a minute if the other car is running over volt, especially since most newer cars don’t top them off anyway. But, in full agreement, I’ve watched bmws especially throw full-on temper tantrums due to unexpected voltages. There are, if I’m not mistaken 24 items registering on the canbus in my f150.
I’m weaning myself off cables as it is. I trust cables more than a jump box, but since buying a jump box have not needed to pull the cables.
Wife’s new hybrid doesn’t play the cable game at all. The jump posts for the trunk-mounted battery can only carry something like 40 amps, and its 12V power source is a solid state DC-DC step down converter.
I have a mid-sized NOCO, well 2 actually. Largest its popped off so far was a v6 Santa Fe with a dead flat battery. Did ok.
I’m weaning myself off cables as it is. I trust cables more than a jump box, but since buying a jump box have not needed to pull the cables.
Wife’s new hybrid doesn’t play the cable game at all. The jump posts for the trunk-mounted battery can only carry something like 40 amps, and its 12V power source is a solid state DC-DC step down converter.
I have a mid-sized NOCO, well 2 actually. Largest its popped off so far was a v6 Santa Fe with a dead flat battery. Did ok.
The question was should I give a stranger a jump. My suggestion is buy a $60 jump pack that will work 99% of the time, all but the most unique problems solved. They hold a charge a very long time. Easy to keep charged. 80% of Americans live in areas that do not see extreme cold ever
You can carry both if you like?
This thread was good for a laugh. It so reminds me of the sludge photo threads, great entertainment.
First some of us know how to mitigate any chance of a hydrogen gas problem when connecting battery jumpers or cables. Its not a concern to me.
Second I would never ever have a lithium jumper box in my vehicle especially if it sits in the sun or in the garage.
If someones car was just used to come to a store or what ever, its a good guess there is no shorts, because if there was smoke would have happened. And no way is paralleling 2 12 volt batterys going to fry anything, as in using jumper cables. The problems arise when connecting things up wrong or letting the cable clamps touch each other.
Most all manufacturers list in their owners manuals how to jump start, when in doubt look there.
Glad the one fellow helped the young mother get her car started. Fear comes from not knowing how things work especially electrical.
The only jump pack I would carry would have a lead acid battery in it.
First some of us know how to mitigate any chance of a hydrogen gas problem when connecting battery jumpers or cables. Its not a concern to me.
Second I would never ever have a lithium jumper box in my vehicle especially if it sits in the sun or in the garage.
If someones car was just used to come to a store or what ever, its a good guess there is no shorts, because if there was smoke would have happened. And no way is paralleling 2 12 volt batterys going to fry anything, as in using jumper cables. The problems arise when connecting things up wrong or letting the cable clamps touch each other.
Most all manufacturers list in their owners manuals how to jump start, when in doubt look there.
Glad the one fellow helped the young mother get her car started. Fear comes from not knowing how things work especially electrical.
The only jump pack I would carry would have a lead acid battery in it.
Best part about a portable jump box is you can jump yourself, even with no one else around.
Doesn't work with cables.
Doesn't work with cables.
