Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!bu.edu!rpi!uupsi!sunic!news.funet.fi!tukki.jyu.fi!jyu.fi!otto From: otto@tukki.jyu.fi (Otto J. Makela) Newsgroups: sci.electronics Subject: Re: Car Battery Rechargers Message-ID: Date: 14 Oct 90 23:22:13 GMT References: <1990Oct4.222556.20668@athena.mit.edu> <63220@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu> Sender: news@tukki.jyu.fi (News articles) Organization: Turing Police, Criminal AI section Lines: 31 In-Reply-To: willie@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu's message of 8 Oct 90 14:33:43 GMT In article <63220@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu> willie@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu (william hunt) writes: My suggestion is to get a good pair of jumper cables for emergency situations. Get a pair with 4 or 2 guage copper wire, copper jaws, strong springs, two different color wires, and a least 15 to 20 feet long (batteries are always on opposite sides of the cars. Murphy's Law). The concern that most people have that hydrogen from the batterys can explode is not true. I have talked to battery engineers about that. What causes a car battery to explode is when the jumper cables are hooked up backwards. Do not be fooled by the colors of the wires in the car, always check the + and - marks on the battery or use a volt meter. I hope this info is useful. A message from Finland, where jumper cables are common stuff (ever try to start a car with a weak battery in 40 below zero ?). Very good jumper cables are the ones used in arc-welding. You can actually jump-start a large diesel truck with these (I know, I've done this). Anything weaker than that just melts(!) when the kind of load a diesel starter engine puts on it goes thru it (of course, many trucks have 24V systems, don't try to jump-start one of these from a 12V car system...) Caution is advised if you have an electronic ignition system on your car. Some cheaper models can turn into smoke when jump-starting. Disconnecting the positive terminal of the helping car should make things safe, but sometimes you just have to take the risk if your battery voltage/amperage isn't enough to give the required boost, and you are forced to leave your engine running. -- /* * * Otto J. Makela * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * */ /* Phone: +358 41 613 847, BBS: +358 41 211 562 (CCITT, Bell 24/12/300) */ /* Mail: Kauppakatu 1 B 18, SF-40100 Jyvaskyla, Finland, EUROPE */ /* * * Computers Rule 01001111 01001011 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * */