Hi guys,
Not sure if this is the right forum to ask but do you need a certain time of battery jump starter pack for trucks? do they need to be a certain power level? and does anyone know the best place to get one?
Cheers
jump leads are better
most of the power packs that you are talking about are useless, work once, then don’t hold a charge
and they cost a fortune
shuttlespanker:
jump leads are bettermost of the power packs that you are talking about are useless, work once, then don’t hold a charge
and they cost a fortune
or anderson leads 
The best one on the market is called another truck. We just have two batteries on a dolly that are kept charged in the workshop, same arrangement in a service van with a split charge relay.
You can jump off a car if needs be, let one battery charge for a while first then put the leads across the other battery and off you go.
Wouldn’t bother with those mains plug in booster affairs either, even the heavy duty ones are crap.
Ok cheers, what would you say the best solution would be then, some batteries in a trolley or just some leads? our only problem being that we do not have a garage we can keep the batteries charged, or somewhere to store them.
is it a problem that occurs in the yard?
if it is, jump leads are the best, and cheapest way to go
but, make sure that they are heavy duty leads and long enough that they will reach across the chassis of one truck to another
if it is occurring regular with the same vehicles, then get the batteries changed on the trucks
I would just get some decent leads, maybe put and anderson connector the truck end to save having to open the battery box. You can get going off any other working vehicle whether it’s 12v or 24v just potentially takes longer with 12v.
If it’s only discharged to the point there’s just not quite enough to start it chances are putting the leads from a car with the engine running to just one of the two batteries in the truck will be enough to start it straightaway. If it’s not getting used much at all I’ve installed solar panels on some customer’s horseboxes to trickle charge the batteries if they’re out in the stick. Fitting a battery isolator if leaving the vehicle for a long while is a good idea too.
shuttlespanker:
is it a problem that occurs in the yard?if it is, jump leads are the best, and cheapest way to go
but, make sure that they are heavy duty leads and long enough that they will reach across the chassis of one truck to another
if it is occurring regular with the same vehicles, then get the batteries changed on the trucks
Yeah it is a yard problem, various trucks. Will look at getting some decent leads! Cheers!
Is there any minimum requirements on leads to jump a truck? I.E amps?
Just watch when jumping any truck esp modern ones full off electrics!
We where told by merc not to jump the trucks with leads incase we blew the electronic gearbox. BUT first time we called them for a flat battery all they did was jump it from the service Van!!!
Fallmonk:
Just watch when jumping any truck esp modern ones full off electrics!We where told by merc not to jump the trucks with leads incase we blew the electronic gearbox. BUT first time we called them for a flat battery all they did was jump it from the service Van!!!
Similarly,
All our trucks have Anderson plugs on the back, so jumping is just a case of Anderson to Anderson. However, we’ve been told to leave the sidelights on on the dead wagon. Apparently the first time someone jumped an M.A.N. it fried the ECU.
lankyphil:
Fallmonk:
Just watch when jumping any truck esp modern ones full off electrics!We where told by merc not to jump the trucks with leads incase we blew the electronic gearbox. BUT first time we called them for a flat battery all they did was jump it from the service Van!!!
Similarly,
All our trucks have Anderson plugs on the back, so jumping is just a case of Anderson to Anderson. However, we’ve been told to leave the sidelights on on the dead wagon. Apparently the first time someone jumped an M.A.N. it fried the ECU.
I’ve heard that on some cars too, apparently helps reduce the sudden surge through the system.
when jump starting a vehicle, put the jump leads across from the running vehicle, leave connected for a few minutes before starting, then start the dead vehicle, before removing the jump leads, turn on as much electrics as possible to reduce the effect of the power surge
I’d imagine that if you threw the isolator switches of both trucks before you connected jump leads, then turned them back on, then there wouldn’t be any problems with spikes etc
Harry Monk:
I’d imagine that if you threw the isolator switches of both trucks before you connected jump leads, then turned them back on, then there wouldn’t be any problems with spikes etc
Harry, the spike happens when you DISCONNECT the jump leads 
shuttlespanker:
Harry Monk:
I’d imagine that if you threw the isolator switches of both trucks before you connected jump leads, then turned them back on, then there wouldn’t be any problems with spikes etcHarry, the spike happens when you DISCONNECT the jump leads
How does that happen then? I know next to sod all about electrics so but I would imagine that removing the leads would only result in a power drop? I’m not disputing your statement, it’s just I don’t quite grasp how that would happen.
i had flat batteries last week and gave each battery 5min charge with some cheap leads that i keep in my pick up.id advise disconnecting the leads before turning the key due to the leads getting hot and burning the armour off the leads. Fitted two new batteries now,so problem solved.
You need a pack with at least a 1000 amp cold cranking capacity and the cheapest decent one is about 600 quid and must be used regular or they go buggerd.
ECU “spiking” is not caused by connecting jump leads.It happens when you disconnect the leads.The alternator on the vehicle with the flat batteries,once it starts,will run up to full output as it senses a low battery voltage.Because the vehicle has 4 batteries connected to the output it will be pumping out maybe 150 amps to try to charge the batteries as quick as possible.When you disconnect the jump leads the path for the current through the donor vehicles batteries is removed.This current flow has to go somewhere but its route has been removed.This causes an instantaneous rise in voltage up to 70 or 80 volts.
This is the “spike”
Before you remove the leads you should turn on the vehicles head lights,hazards,heater motor etc as these will help to absorb the voltage spike and protect any transistor units that can “burn”
AaronR:
Yeah it is a yard problem, various trucks. Will look at getting some decent leads! Cheers!
Replace the batteries in the trucks, problem solved.
Conor:
AaronR:
Yeah it is a yard problem, various trucks. Will look at getting some decent leads! Cheers!Replace the batteries in the trucks, problem solved.
Give them a shot of “epsolm salts” it reduces sulphating of the plates and reduces battery internal resistance and revives a “goosed” unit.