Jump leads warning

[zoidberg]

I attempted a jump-start on the ould car the other day, using a new set of ( Chinese? ) jump leads.

'There's no smoke without fire...'

On later inspection, it appears that the 4 crimps had been badly made, with fine-strand wired doubled back over still-insulated cable then inserted and 'crimped'. Poor/loose electrical crimp-connections resulted IMO in immediate overheating, smoke then flames.

Perhaps others might care to inspect/check their own jumpleads?

 

[DanTribe]

It's well worth checking.My brand new eBay jump leads proved to be open circuit when first tried.

 

[wallacebob]

They look cheap and nasty. Corroded from laying in damp? May be suitable for small petrol engine, but diesels requiring prolonged crank at high load need much better leads than that. Just guessing.

 

[penberth3]

No surprise there! It's always tempting to buy a 'bargain', and they're only for occasional use, aren't they . I guess you're already looking for a better quality replaqcement?

 

[andsarkit]

After connecting the jump leads I usually leave the good engine running for a few minutes to put some charge into the bad battery. The jump leads then pass much less current when operating the starter. I have got away with some really flimsy jump leads by doing this.

 

[zoidberg]

They look cheap and nasty. Corroded from laying in damp? May be suitable for small petrol engine, but diesels requiring prolonged crank at high load need much better leads than that. Just guessing.

They certainly look 'nasty' now! And they were new, clean, kept in the original sealed plastic bag and inside a fabric bag in the boot.

 

[Poignard]

'Buy cheap and you buy twice.'

 

[Supertramp]

'Buy cheap and you buy twice.'

Or perhaps only once.....

 

[jwilson]

After connecting the jump leads I usually leave the good engine running for a few minutes to put some charge into the bad battery. The jump leads then pass much less current when operating the starter. I have got away with some really flimsy jump leads by doing this.

Me too: For many years I carried a really LONGGGGG set of jump leads made from (probably) 10mm cable and as long as you ran the charging engine for 2-3 mins the wires might get a bit warm but it would always start the other car when required. Also used them to start another boat's big diesel once when moored alongside, though on that occasion I gave it 10 minutes charging.

Long jump leads often surprisingly useful in the days before lithium charge packs.

 

[wonkywinch]

These have served me well. Forgot where I got them from though.

 

[mjcp]

Perhaps others might care to inspect/check their own jumpleads?

Had a similar looking set that the clamp fell of from last summer. On inspection the conductor was tiny (~2.5mm / similar to mains twin and earth) vs the thickness of the insulation, luckily no smoke etc, but it explained why they didn't work very well when needed! In the bin an d anew thicker set (verified conductor thickness / cross section) obtained to replace them.

 

[thinwater]

Not new or unique to Chinese. My first experience with bad jumpers was 50 years ago. Often the wire is good, and the first thing you should do when you buy them is check the crimps.

I bought some cheap welding leads a year ago. Fine, except for bad crimps. I replaced them with bolt clamps, no more problems. 150 amps. The wire is very good and the electrode clamp is good. The ground clamp was crap, so I bought a standard one from Hobart.

 

[Sea Change]

There's some absolute rubbish out there.
I recently bought a set from Amazon, reviews were good, they looked fine when they arrived.
When I went to use them, one of the crocodile clips fell off, because it hadn't been crimped at all. This revealed a very small wire inside the deceptively thick insulation.

So that was a waste of a tenner...

 

[wonkywinch]

Not new or unique to Chinese. My first experience with bad jumpers was 50 years ago. Often the wire is good, and the first thing you should do when you buy them is check the crimps.

Absolutely. I grew up with unreliable old bangers in the 1970s. A can of Holts Easy Start and some jump leads that you later find had aluminium conductors, not copper. In those days "Made in Hong Kong" meant cheap.

 

[thinwater]

There's some absolute rubbish out there.
I recently bought a set from Amazon, reviews were good, they looked fine when they arrived.
When I went to use them, one of the crocodile clips fell off, because it hadn't been crimped at all. This revealed a very small wire inside the deceptively thick insulation.

So that was a waste of a tenner...

So ... how did you expect big gauge copper good clamps for a tenner? #4 AWG wire is $2-3/foot for the cheap stuff ($4-6/ft for a double strand). Copper costs more than that. Anything under $60 is not going to be worth much, and $40 is the bare, bare minimum.

TGTBT. We set ourselves up for disappointment.

I've gotten many great deals from China, but you have to read between the lines.

 

[Cerebus]

In a bind, I had to jump start a near 3litre Diesel engine.

I carried out the Banner battery. Very heavy.

Could find no jump leads at my location (usually in boot of car).

I used some speaker wire. Probably 2mm cross sectional area. I had to get going somewhere. I held the wire with my fingers onto the terminals.

Engine started quickly but still melted the wire and burned my fingers. I expected it and was braced for it. Burns were very minor.

Now have a great little lithium jump starter.

 

[rotrax]

I attempted a jump-start on the ould car the other day, using a new set of ( Chinese? ) jump leads.

'There's no smoke without fire...'

On later inspection, it appears that the 4 crimps had been badly made, with fine-strand wired doubled back over still-insulated cable then inserted and 'crimped'. Poor/loose electrical crimp-connections resulted IMO in immediate overheating, smoke then flames.

Perhaps others might care to inspect/check their own jumpleads?

Mine are 45 years old, still the best I have ever used. And, as a pro mechanic for 52 years, I have used plenty.

Seen some like yours too.................................................

 

[Neeves]

Now have a great little lithium jump starter.

Which, I hazard a guess, was made in China. as is our lithium jump starter.

Jonathan

 

[Cerebus]

Which, I hazard a guess, was made in China. as is our lithium jump starter.

Jonathan

No idea, but it is excellent.

 

[Poignard]

Absolutely. I grew up with unreliable old bangers in the 1970s. A can of Holts Easy Start and some jump leads that you later find had aluminium conductors, not copper. In those days "Made in Hong Kong" meant cheap.

Easy Start, Rad Weld, Gun Gum, &c. I remember them well!