DIY Jumper Cables
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From: Christiana,Pa
DIY Jumper Cables
I know many of you make your own jumper cables, and I was thinking about doing the same(after we melted a "heavy duty" 
by jumping a huge onan generater with the CTD ) ..So I wanted to know how many of you would like to share your design for a Heavy Duty set of Home made jumper cables..
Thanx in advanced,
Mike
by jumping a huge onan generater with the CTD ) ..So I wanted to know how many of you would like to share your design for a Heavy Duty set of Home made jumper cables..Thanx in advanced,
Mike
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From: Corpus Christi, Tx.
Very few of the consumer "heavy duty" cables have anything more than a heavy duty amount of vinyl insulation around some pitiful gauge copper wire.
I recently bought a NAPA boxed set for my CTD that was pretty heavy duty..
The quick test to see how heavy duty they are is by sheer weight.. More weight=more copper. The NAPA set passed the test.
BUT,...If you still want to hand-make some SERIOUS jumper cables, go down to the welding supply company and purchase some welding cable. Number 2 or larger cable(like 2/0) and find some big Mueller brand solid copper alligator clamps with matching red/black rubber sleeve covers. Dunno if welding supply will carry Mueller alligator clamps but some electric/electronics supply houses carry them. You'll have to use two hands to pick that set up! It'll take two hands to work each clamp too! This is not a set for your wife to be pressed into using on a rainy night.
BTW, these quality hand-made jumper cables tend to sprout legs VERY readily... I know... mine did!
FYI, NAPA also sells a semi-permanent version similar to what I bought and it comes complete with two pole Andersen quick disconnects that eliminates fooling around with battery clamps on your truck end. This also eliminates the lowlife brother-in-law from permanently "borrowing" them as he won't have the mating connector!
Good luck...
Keith
I recently bought a NAPA boxed set for my CTD that was pretty heavy duty..
The quick test to see how heavy duty they are is by sheer weight.. More weight=more copper. The NAPA set passed the test.
BUT,...If you still want to hand-make some SERIOUS jumper cables, go down to the welding supply company and purchase some welding cable. Number 2 or larger cable(like 2/0) and find some big Mueller brand solid copper alligator clamps with matching red/black rubber sleeve covers. Dunno if welding supply will carry Mueller alligator clamps but some electric/electronics supply houses carry them. You'll have to use two hands to pick that set up! It'll take two hands to work each clamp too! This is not a set for your wife to be pressed into using on a rainy night.
BTW, these quality hand-made jumper cables tend to sprout legs VERY readily... I know... mine did!
FYI, NAPA also sells a semi-permanent version similar to what I bought and it comes complete with two pole Andersen quick disconnects that eliminates fooling around with battery clamps on your truck end. This also eliminates the lowlife brother-in-law from permanently "borrowing" them as he won't have the mating connector!
Good luck...
Keith
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From: Oklahoma/Texas
go to you local electrical supply house and ask for some 1000 kcmil wire with a 90C temperature rating... that is good for about 700 Amps continuous. Ok, so it has a diameter of 1 1/2".
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From: Central VA
I've got a set of military surplus cables.
They're ~2 gauge stranded, long enough that I can park behind a vehicle I'm jump starting and still reach the other car's battery.
And they weigh about 10 pounds.
They're ~2 gauge stranded, long enough that I can park behind a vehicle I'm jump starting and still reach the other car's battery.
And they weigh about 10 pounds.
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From: Southern California
Mine are 35 feet X 2 of #2 welding cable with copper lugs crimped onto the ends. Then bolt the 500 amp parrot clamps to the end of the cables.
I also have a 35 foot pair with anderson connector that connects to a mating anderson under the hood.
I also have a 35 foot pair with anderson connector that connects to a mating anderson under the hood.
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From: tennessee
jumpers
Originally Posted by Jim Lane
35 feet X 2 of #2 welding cable with copper lugs crimped onto the ends. Then bolt the 500 amp parrot clamps to the end of the cables.
I also have a 35 foot pair with anderson connector that connects to a mating anderson under the hood.
I also have a 35 foot pair with anderson connector that connects to a mating anderson under the hood.
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From: near Magnolia, Tx.
Don't you lose some "juice" with the real long cables ? I would be worried that I wasn't getting enough power at the other end. I got some pretty heavy duty cables from NAPA and they hold up great.
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