Will a jump starter damage the batteries?

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If your batteries fail, will using a jump starter (like you can buy in Maplin for £40) damage the batteries?

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Why would a boat battery be any different to Jumping a car battery ?

In fact it's no different to switching to both batt's if one is flat and other is full.
 
my old man tells the story of his engine not starting due to a flat battery, anchoring in Falmouth Bay, (up the river somewhere), moving the windlass battery from the bow to the stern, and getting a start that way.

Cant see any difference between a car and a boat, although whenever I have had a flat battery on a car and had to jump it, I've usually ended up buying a new battery shortly afterwards - so not much to lose IMHO
 
If a car is regularly used and you end up with a jump start - odds on the batt is naffed !

If a batt is left for long period flat - again batt is odds on naffed.

Only reservation I would have on that is many modern cars are not suited to leave parked up for lengthy periods ... I know my Volvo - even though I have good battery on doesn't like more than 9 - 10 days standing. It's all the electronics etc. ticking away under that bonnet ... and I know it's not just Volvo ... too many modern cars now assume they are driven every day ! And woe betide anyone who disconnects a battery to save it !!

I'm due to go to UK later this month for a while ... my Jump Start emerg pack will be in back of car ... just in case !!
 
I've had the same with modern cars. When we used to leave a car in the UK all summer I'd leave the battery connected but put a small solar panel on the dash, hard wired to the battery. The engine started first time just as though I'd parked it a few minutes before, even after six months! I'm sure solar is the way to go if you are leaving the car for more than a fortnight.
 
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posible that a really flat battery will allow damage to the alternator power pack


[/ QUOTE ] Shouldn't do so!
 
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If your batteries fail, will using a jump starter (like you can buy in Maplin for £40) damage the batteries?

[/ QUOTE ] Not if you connect it correctly. Make the final (negative) connection away from the battery so that there is no risk of igniting any hydrogen . If you ignite any hydrogen it will damage the battery, you and more more as well. The chances are small but the consequences can be serious. It does happen!
 
I was thinking specifically of this gadget from Maplin's

a56fr.jpg


http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=49038&criteria=jump&doy=3m9

I was just checking whether anyone here thought this could damage your battery. And how many start attempts is it likely to allow you?

My electrics a bit difficult to reach - especially when bobbing about out on the water! I was considering putting in a couple of terminal posts to somewhere more accessible that ran directly to the starter and using something like the gadget above if it ever failed to start. Any thoughts?


EDIT ah! I was writing mine while you were posting yours! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
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! I was considering putting in a couple of terminal posts to somewhere more accessible that ran directly to the starter and using something like the gadget above if it ever failed to start. Any thoughts?


EDIT ah! I was writing mine while you were posting yours! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

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That's how my Volvo V70 is configured. The battery is in the boot, the positive point for jump starting is under the bonnet, and I just connect the negative to the engine.
 
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posible that a really flat battery will allow damage to the alternator power pack


[/ QUOTE ] Shouldn't do so!

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Unless the system shorts through the battery. This has been known to happen - but only if totally flat or dry
 
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My electrics a bit difficult to reach - especially when bobbing about out on the water! I was considering putting in a couple of terminal posts to somewhere more accessible that ran directly to the starter and using something like the gadget above if it ever failed to start. Any thoughts?

[/ QUOTE ]Honestly, I think you'd be better off putting the time and money into making sure that you never need to jump start your engine. In 37 years of messing about in boats big and small I have never yet needed to jump start a boat engine with leads. I have had to switch batteries etc. and while I always carry jump leads I hope never to need them. Even less a dedicated jump-start kit.
 
Lucky you. It happened to me yesterday. Haven't had a problem in ages. I thought I'd fixed it with a new starter, alternator, and battery. Now I'm going to try freshly re-wiring the system.

It only has to happen once in a life threatening situation (two years ago for me as we waited for the RNLI and worried about how strong our emergency anchorage was on what turned out to be record currents, and I realised I'd been stitched up on the sale) for one to always have that little voice in the back of your head saying "what if..."
 
Well, you did ask for thoughts and my thoughts are that it is wiser, safer, better, cheaper, quicker and surer to put that money and time into getting the whole electrical system into a fit state, not spending time, money and storage space on something that should, we hope, not be needed for the next fifty years.

How about buying a generator, which can add to your quality of life as well as put charge into the batteries at a surprisingly fast rate (if you have a decent battery charger)? Or more battery Ah? Or split better so you won't flatten it? Lots of alternatives before thinking of the bit of kit you posted, and without taking a heavy duty starter cable (and it will need to be very heavy if it is going to work) all the way back to somewhere accessible, giving you the risk of a short circuit if you drop something across it.
 
Sorry if I misread your tone. The other thread gives a bit of background. This has been on-going for a long time, and I'm tearing my hair out.

I'm going to try a re-wire (it is circa 1982 with some bodge thrown in) and see if that fixes it. Maybe more batteries then? (groan) But it should work...!

Off to marina now.

p.s. There's a third thread asking what type wiring I need... Or is that FAQ?
 
In your other post on the subject of batteries you mention your 'huge' engines. So how big are they? But if they are any sort of 6-cylinder diesel of more than, say, 3 litres, that battery pack from Maplins isn't going to do you any good. At best, it might just supplement your main batteries if they were a little run down. Oh, and Makro were doing them recently at £14.95!
 
I have one - but it certainly wont start the 4.2 straight-six 225hp petrol engine in my classic Jag. As others have suggested, you would be better off pointing your loot in the direction of a more permanent solution. Good luck.
 
I have exactly that Starter pack from Halfords at £39.99 .... seems they all have that one now ...

It has a 17A/hr SLA in it and so is limited on time it will crank an engine ... but its a good item ... mine not only starts the cars in company when left ... but also powers my GPS / radio / echo-sounder and other bits and bobs on my small weekender boat that has no battery system on board.

It's sitting by side of my desk now on charge - the mains charger can sit in it indefinitely - doesn't harm it.

Excellent bit of kit ...
 
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