Jump start

79nautique wrote: BuffaloBFN wrote: Randy_in_Ohio wrote: Maybe he is really paranoid? I'm a little paranoid! I put #1 awg marine grade battery cables in mine and put my own soldered and shrink booted ends on it. I got the jump box for peace of mind, but we only use it camping?!!? Must be the cables. hope that is a short cable used 0/2 awg when I replaced mine years ago.

It's about 7 feet long, maybe 6'. Ancor marine grade 1/0 is too small?

97, Chris's (79) point is to create as short a path possible (less voltage drop) for the current to get to the starter from the jump or jump box BUT even more important with this recommended method is arcing. Keep in mind that hydrogen gas is produced by a battery especially during charging and it is very explosive. The last connection is made on the dead engine away from any battery. We had a whole thread on battery explosions a while ago.

Don't run the stereo all day without running the boat!! You should be out skiing!!



battery explosions

BuffaloBFN wrote: Randy_in_Ohio wrote: Maybe he is really paranoid? I'm a little paranoid! I put #1 awg marine grade battery cables in mine and put my own soldered and shrink booted ends on it. I got the jump box for peace of mind, but we only use it camping?!!? Must be the cables.

hope that is a short cable used 0/2 awg when I replaced mine years ago.

formulad97 wrote: do you hook it up the same as you do in a car? red to pos and black to gnd? not to sure.

guess I don't see this as asking about colors only.

bmiller wrote: yes.

wrong answer slick.

It amazes me how many people do not know how to jump start vehicles.

The proper way to connect the cables is for the vehicle with the good battery, you connect the cables directly to the battery, pos to pos neg to neg. Then for the vehicle that needs started/bad battery, you connect the pos to the battery and the neg is grounded to the block not connected to the battery.

Now in the case of a jump pack and for a CC application you connect it to the pos post on the battery or better yet the pos terminal of the starter relay from the battery and then ground it to the block.

regardless you do not connect the neg to the battery post you ground it to the engine block. If you connect it directly to the battery most times it will not work unless the battery is on slightly down on charge. Cann't count the times I have walked up on people that have jumper cables connected wrong and cannot start the car they've tried reving the motor while starting it, they try a high idle to charge the dead battery and it still won't start just click click click and nothing. Then after they scratch there head for awhile I'll walk over and take a look connect the cables correctly and it starts right up.

Connect it right and it will fire first time everytime, unless you have other issues besides the battery.

97, Are you having starting problems? Large sound system with a small alternator? Fill us in and maybe we can give you some suggestions. The jump boxes are certainly a life saver at times but you shouldn't need to carry a "crutch" with you on the boat.

I purchased a battery jumper from costco, about 50 bucks. do you hook it up the same as you do in a car? red to pos and black to gnd? not to sure. Also I have dual batterys and a perko switch.