Jump box or Jumper cables or Both?
- Thread starter Taz.beast
- Start date
Benefactor
Both. I've actually had to use my AntiGravity jumper battery for the past few days until I could get the battery replaced today. It keeps me more self sufficient to use that, than having to find someone willing to help with a jump. In a parking lot, the other vehicle has to be on the correct side. In my driveway, I had to drive my wife's car onto the sidewalk to jump me after a week long trip. If the jumper battery hasn't been checked in a while, it may not have enough juice to start your vehicle. Jumper cables are a good backup.
Advocate III
I carry a heavy duty 25' set of one gauge 800 amp jumper cables and another older HD set about half as long. I've run Duramax diesels for years, so have twin batteries, one under the hood and one on the driver's side frame rail. I've yet to see a jump box from AAA guys or anyone else that will jump a Duramax if she's dead dead.
Even had one AAA guy in Fargo ND one morning that was -25F that gave up on my older '98 6.5 Duramax, got pissed off, and drove away without getting me going. All he would've had to do, though, was use the Andersen plug on his front bumper that went directly to his battery and give it a few minutes. Said he wasn't allowed to hook directly anymore. My newer '08 6.6 Duramax has nowhere near the sub-zero starting probs the older one did, but jump boxes still don't quite cut the mustard against the much higher compression of a diesel.
The heavy gauge, heavy duty 25' cables allow me to easily jump anyone else, though, even if parked behind me on a shoulder and not along side. They've also let me jump my own vehicle from my trailer batteries when I had a connection problem with my vehicle batts.
I'm thinking seriously about putting in my own cables with Andersen plugs in front and back and modifying the end of my cables to plug right in instead of opening the hood and hooking to the terminals.
Even had one AAA guy in Fargo ND one morning that was -25F that gave up on my older '98 6.5 Duramax, got pissed off, and drove away without getting me going. All he would've had to do, though, was use the Andersen plug on his front bumper that went directly to his battery and give it a few minutes. Said he wasn't allowed to hook directly anymore. My newer '08 6.6 Duramax has nowhere near the sub-zero starting probs the older one did, but jump boxes still don't quite cut the mustard against the much higher compression of a diesel.
The heavy gauge, heavy duty 25' cables allow me to easily jump anyone else, though, even if parked behind me on a shoulder and not along side. They've also let me jump my own vehicle from my trailer batteries when I had a connection problem with my vehicle batts.
I'm thinking seriously about putting in my own cables with Andersen plugs in front and back and modifying the end of my cables to plug right in instead of opening the hood and hooking to the terminals.
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Explorer I
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I carry just cables for the same reason. Take's a pretty heavy charge to spin a diesel. I do feel that it's a good idea though to carry both if possible. Out on the trail, there may not be another vehicle to jump from.
Like many people in this topic, both.
I work at a Motorsport Dealership and we recommend and sell both to atv/utv travellers.
Cables are cheap and a good start, but if your alone a pack is perfect!
I work at a Motorsport Dealership and we recommend and sell both to atv/utv travellers.
Cables are cheap and a good start, but if your alone a pack is perfect!
Advocate III
Very true, @Wyoming Overland - though I most always have a 120w folding solar panel in my van with a cable to hook directly to the battery if need be. Haven't had to do that yet, but ya never know. . . this is a good reminder to take the panel with me if going off alone and away from basecamp where the panel normally is.
