Am I the only one paranoid about giving people a jump start?

I will not jump start anyone period. I’ve seen fried computers from people doing this. If my battery is dead I don’t jump it. I take it out and buy a new one.
 
How many fires have been attributed to jumper power packs blazing up?
How many fires have been attributed to phones, laptops, tablets, scooters, etc, etc Li-Ion powered devices? We know it happens.

A perfectly safe device can become unsafe from a mere transistor failure (BMS malfunction), or manufacturing flaw, solder tin whisker growth, water damage, impact damage, thermal damage, or in the case of generics, wasn't safe to begin with. I'm not implying that they will all become fire bombs or anything, and frankly I have lost count of how many things I own that are Li-Ion battery powered, but you take your risks and I'll take mine.
 
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I jumped a lady’s car once while working in college as a parts changer at a tire and exhaust shop. While jumping her with our battery on a hand truck and jumper cables, a spark plug blew out and she said it was my fault. The store manager (retail store chain we locally called Farm and Barn, but you can guess) blamed me as well.

I found new work 2 weeks later by my own choice. I’ve not jumped anyone but family since.
I'm having trouble wrapping my head around this. How does a spark plug blow out and how did that diagnosis happen in the exhaust shop parking lot? You were better off leaving if the manager was that obtuse, essentially putting the company on the hook for her repairs (and/or potentially defending a lawsuit) by declaring employee negligence even though it made no sense to do so.
 
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Yes, I'd have no problem helping someone with a jump. Only been asked a couple times. I tried to jump a friend's Mustang with my Genesis a couple weeks ago. But it's a major pain to jump with the Genesis, I don't trust the crappy jump post under the hood, so I tried from the trunk where the battery is. I had a week old H9 AGM battery and with the crappy jumper cables he had, coupled with a V8, it didn't work out.

I do have a Noco jump pack but it's too hot to carry in the car outside of a road trip.
 
Son and I were down in Corpus Christi a few weeks ago. We park near the Lex just behind a frustrated guy with the hood raised on his Lingenfelter C7. We get out and ask the guy whats wrong. He thinks his battery is dead, so I jump off his Lingenfelter C7 with my Ford Fiesta. Think about that, LOL.

Bet it sounded good !
 
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Yes, I'd have no problem helping someone with a jump. Only been asked a couple times. I tried to jump a friend's Mustang with my Genesis a couple weeks ago. But it's a major pain to jump with the Genesis, I don't trust the crappy jump post under the hood, so I tried from the trunk where the battery is. I had a week old H9 AGM battery and with the crappy jumper cables he had, coupled with a V8, it didn't work out.

I do have a Noco jump pack but it's too hot to carry in the car outside of a road trip.
What is considered too hot for them ?
 
Bet it sounded good !
It thundered. Incidentally I don't think the owner was that mechanically inclined. We tried to jump it off in the trunk, but no luck. It would pull my RPM's down but not turn over his engine. I asked if there was another place to jump from under the hood, closer to the starter. He didn't seem to understand why. I told him there is electrical resistance in the long wiring running from the trunk up to the engine. We found a hot terminal and a ground right next to the starter and it roared to life. Like I said it thundered. I shut my hood and turned off my 1.6L 4 cylinder Fiesta, and smiled as I walked away. He yelled at me thanks, and told me thats "one bad little Son of a "gun" . LOL.
 
How many fires have been attributed to phones, laptops, tablets, scooters, etc, etc Li-Ion powered devices? We know it happens.
It's not enough to worry about. Li-Ion in EV's are another story, because of their sheer size and charge rates. You have large amounts of power going in and coming out.

But as far as power tools, laptops, and jump start packs, it's not enough to worry about. Cancer and heart disease are going to finish you off long before your DeWalt or NOCO roasts you to death.
 
I am reluctant to use jumper cables, but I'm usually pretty good at keeping an eye on my battery before I'm left stranded.

That said, I do have a jumper I carry around and have helped numerous people. The only downside is, I have to leave it at home during the summer because I'm also reluctant about leaving it in the car when the ambient temperature is over 125°F.
 
Noco says not to store above 122*

Here in Phoenix the inside of cars parked in the sun can get to 160-170.
Good info - I might put mine in an insulated lunch box (soft sided) with an AstroFoil liner to at least retard temperature change - most days I’m parked under a roof … Thanks …
 
The NOCO G70s would like to have a word with you sir.
That Noco G70 puts out about 400amps in the real world, which should be sufficient to start most, but not all vehicles. I have had jump packs with that same level of output fail on me before where a set of large gauge jumper cables and a solid automotive battery succeeded. I'm not a huge fan of lithium packs unless they're stored in a small cooler or cold bag here as they tend to SWELL up.
 
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What is considered too hot for them ?
My gooloo specs max storage temperature of 140F.

I have read LifePo batteries can enter a condition called thermal run away where the battery gets so hot it melts its surroundings. However it seems from everything I have read is that typically happens when its either charging or being used. Not sure if something like a display or LED thats always active a little would put it in this sort of condition, but its the reason I did not buy one with a display.

I would think if this was common you would get a warning or a notice from IIHS or something?
 
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This thread in summary:
“I don’t jump other people’s cars because I’m afraid of (insert your phobia here), but I do carry cables just in case I need a jump”.

Makes total logical sense 😳
Yeah - and those that don’t understand how many safeguards they build in - or OMG - I’m a guy and don’t need no stinking instructions 😵‍💫
 
I'm having trouble wrapping my head around this. How does a spark plug blow out and how did that diagnosis happen in the exhaust shop parking lot? You were better off leaving if the manager was that obtuse, essentially putting the company on the hook for her repairs (and/or potentially defending a lawsuit) by declaring employee negligence even though it made no sense to do so.
I’m thinking it was because the lady was pretty.
 
I'll give someone a jump, but it I'm more paranoid about the locale we're at and jump starting newer vehicles. I'm not fully familiar with every auto electric procedure for newer vehicles (just the ones I own).

Does the friend of a AAA member apply to jump starts too?
 
I'm having trouble wrapping my head around this. How does a spark plug blow out and how did that diagnosis happen in the exhaust shop parking lot? You were better off leaving if the manager was that obtuse, essentially putting the company on the hook for her repairs (and/or potentially defending a lawsuit) by declaring employee negligence even though it made no sense to do so.
Several Ford engines suffered from this malady years ago. It was discussed on BITOG way back in 2013.

Ford blows out Spark Plugs

 
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