Originally Posted By: AKSAR
Originally Posted By: unimogbert
The jumper cables I had were not capable of carrying full starting current from my battery to his. That's why they are called "booster cables" rather than jumpers (on the packaging).
You want to have big thick jumpers. The thin little weenie cables that often come in commercial roadside emergency kits just don't carry the current efficiently.

Heavy gauge cables are more expensive, but work much more effectively. I had a good illustration of that just the other evening. As I was warming my car up to leave work, a fellow asked if I could help jump his car. Temperatures were around 0 F (-18 C). When I drove over to where he was, another guy already had his thin jumpers on and they were trying to start the car. No luck. We decided to try my (heavy duty) jumpers, and finally, after some effort, got the car started.


Also when it comes to jumper cables, get a set that is 3' longer then your car or truck so that your vehicle can be boosted by another vehicle parked behind your car. Nothing more dangerous then attempting to maneuver a vehicle around in heavy traffic or narrow roads so that the 2 are front bumper to each other for a jump...

Also for exploding batteries, I can tell you from personal experience that it does happen. Fortunately when it happened to a friend and I, we escaped any serious acid burns and were able to get thoroughly washed off right away. Our clothes though, took the brunt of the acid spray and had be thrown in the garbage.
_________________________
Earth and sky, woods and fields, lakes and rivers, the mountain and the sea, are excellent schoolmasters, and teach some of us more than we can ever learn from books.

John Lubbock