Safest way to jump off another vehicle

decades ago, I was helping a buddy put a new engine in a GMC Syclone (anyone remember these??). He left a wrench on the cable going to the starter, jjjuuuuusssttt before I hooked up the battery. Of course being new install, oil, spray, shit started to burn. Luckily we were in a truck shop (Uncle’s delivery company) and had fire extinguishers on the ready. No harm other than a new cable and TONS of work cleaning up the dust, so we didn’t ingest any in to the new engine!

 

I'll do you one better. I once shorted four batteries simultaneously.

In the years between high school and me getting serious with college, I held a lot of odd jobs. One of those was subcontracting for the cable company. This was in the years where people were just starting to figure out that they wanted more speed than a 56k dial up modem, and the cable company was double-timing it to install the infrastructure for the first high speed network. Real star trek future shit, we thought.

My job as subcontractor was to install the neighborhood node boxes. Pour the 4 foot slab, drive the ground rod, install the metal cabinet, and prewire the battery backup. The cable company would come in behind and install their node (the actual box was the size of a network server, or according to my observation at the time, an old VCR player.)

The battery backup was 12 car batteries wired in serial, two racks of six each, 144 volts. So off I went to pick up my pallet of batteries in my personal car. And what car could pull a trailer full of twenty four group-31 batteries? A 1998 Ford Mustang. Yeah, that's a shameful story for a different day.

So after a day of having a very overloaded trailer bully me across town, I was wiring up my second node and obviously tired. I had four batteries strung up and was reaching for number five when I accidentally dropped my wrench across the terminals.

The terminals exploded. The wrench was gone. Molten bits of metal landed on my face, my shirt, and my arms. Miraculously nothing struck my eyes. More miraculously none of the burns scarred. At the time I was only upset that I wasn't going to get paid for the second node. Another youth being wasted on the young moment.


... But man, what an explosion.

 

Backflip into a foam pit.

Just kidding. I like to spark the jumper cables first to check the voltage.

Just kidding, again. I use one of

$50 NEXPOW Portable Jump Starter,12V Car Battery Jump Starter Power Pack with USB Quick Charge (Up to 7L Gas or 5.5L Diesel Engine) Battery Booster with Built-in LED Light

these

 

Yes. If I have one that's good to go that means I'll never need it. But I have used them to jump other vehicles quite a few times and they always work great.
Amazing things, the lithium ones. Small and light they'll roll a V6 over like it's nothing, one right after the other. Couple things to remember to keep them in good shape is:
Lithium charge them once every 3 months, lead-acid ones charge once a month. And it's good to put a load on them from time to time, charge a phone or a laptop off it.

Last time I used one was last fall, I jumped a dead Can am side by side out in the woods. There were 4 big money machines sitting there and none of them had a jump box or even cables. I bet they all have lithium jump boxes now!



.

 

I leave mine (GB70) in the truck year round, also behind the back seat. Heat doesn’t seem to be a problem, cold does seem to drain it a bit though. I also don’t get heat like you guys do down there though so can’t speak to 100 degree plus temps.

also a big bonus is you can charge phones and such off these while camping or in a pinch for some reason.

https://youtu.be/JN8A2nIMUWA

 

Thanks for the brain worm, @TRD_Seeds! Since my wife's TJ did not want to start this morning, my shop battery charger was buried in the shop, so in the Tacoma we went (FTW). I guess 12 year on a NAPA Legend battery is a good run anyways. I got the new Napa AAA battery installed and I just ordered the 85s with the case.

 

How is that compared to the noco and where do you store it?

 

Always better to have and not need. I bought one right away when I started hearing about how long the Toyota battery lasts. Haven't needed it for my truck yet, but have helped out a few others in need. Well worth the money.

Haven't researched the Noco, so not sure. I would guess they're pretty similar. Mine's in the case under the backseat.

 

100% agree with everyone here. Having a NOCO charger is the best way to go. I bought this one three years ago on Amazon and it is still going strong. I leave it behind the rear seat, so never a worry when I'm on the road or trail. The charge lasts a very long time. Perfect for my Tacoma and other vehicles that I've jump started over the years. For $99, you can't go wrong.

$100 NOCO Boost Plus GB40 1000A UltraSafe Car Battery Jump Starter, 12V Battery Pack, Battery Booster, Jump Box, Portable Charger and Jumper Cables for 6.0L Gasoline and 3.0L Diesel Engines, Gray

https://www.amazon.com/NOCO-GB40-Ul...er&qid=1675889435&sprefix=noco,aps,173&sr=8-4

 

Personally I wouldn't recommend anything under 1500 amps (For a 6 Cyl). Not even sure if 1500 is enough, but I definably wouldn't get something as small as a 1000 amp unit. I bought mine on Black Friday/Cyber Monday and saved a ton.....

 

https://www.techgearlab.com/topics/tools/best-jump-starter
https://www.popularmechanics.com/ca...LtjdJbYUPBhSwyGAjZiOE-v_Da-9x7WBoCQSAQAvD_BwE
https://www.caraudionow.com/best-portable-jump-starter/

https://www.reviewgeek.com/128471/hulkman-alpha-85-portable-jump-starter-review-perfect-in-a-pinch/

 

Thanks may pick one up.

 

Feet first…head first hurts too bad if you don’t stick the landing.