Reddit mentions: The best automotive battery jumper cables
We found 44 Reddit comments discussing the best automotive battery jumper cables. We ran sentiment analysis on each of these comments to determine how redditors feel about different products. We found 28 products and ranked them based on the amount of positive reactions they received. Here are the top 20.
1. CBC25 Heavy Duty 2 Gauge Wire Extra Long 25 Feet Ft Length 600 Amp Copper Plate Parrot Jaw Auto Booster Jumper Jumping Cable by CTT
- Fit type: Universal Fit
- Package Dimensions: 10.16 H x 35.814 L x 26.416 W (centimetres)
- Country of Origin : China
- Package Weight: 7.65 pounds
Features:
Specs:
Height | 2 Inches |
Length | 1 Inches |
Weight | 7.5 Pounds |
Width | 2 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
2. Cartman Booster Cable 4 Gauge x 20Ft in Carry Bag (4AWG x 20Ft) UL-Listed
- Patented design clamps covered with non-conducting rubber, it is safe enough for repeated use. Fits top and side post batteries
- Sufficient CCA (Copper coated Aluminium). UL-Listed jumper cables with higher copper content than the others without UL. All our parameters are the same as UL report: AU5253.
- 20 Ft length allows you to access from various locations around the car, it easily reaches the battery on the opposite side of the vehicle to the jumper's battery.
- Low temperature immunity (-25C/-13F), it will work well in the extreme environment. Ideal for use with full size cars and cargo vans, mid-size pickup truck and freight hauling vehicles.
- 3 year warranty! Cartman's aim is to give you the best shopping experience.
Features:
Specs:
Color | red |
Size | 4 Gauge |
3. EPAuto 4 Gauge x 20 Ft 500A Heavy Duty Booster Jumper Cables with Travel Bag and Safety Gloves (4 AWG x 20 Feet)
No-tangle cable. Copper-plated ClampsHeavy Duty 4 Gauge cableBooster Cable comes with a travel bag and a pair of safety working glovesPerfect for cars, motorcycles, trucks, vans and SUVs.
Specs:
Size | 20-Feet(4-Gauge) |
4. Treksafe 6 Gauge Booster Cables - Heavy Duty, 16 feet with a Storage Bag
- Meets SAE International Specifications, with copper-plated teeth to provide superior conductivity
- 6 Gauge Booster Cables 4.9 metres long (16 feet) with tangle-free design
- 400-AMP sure-grip colour-coded clamps with ergonomically designed handles
- Extra-Heavy-Duty Insulation cables and vinyl coated clamps for maximum rust and corrosion protection; fits top-post and side-terminal batteries
- All-weather cables stay flexible to -40 C
Features:
Specs:
Height | 9.5 Inches |
Length | 10.5 Inches |
Weight | 4 Pounds |
Width | 4 Inches |
5. HerMia 800A Heavy Duty Pure Copper Jumper Cables Boost Clamp Car Battery Charger Clamps (2 PCS)
2PCS 800 Amp Strong Car Battery Charger Clamps Connector (1 red + 1 black) Size: 4.72*6.0inInput: 12V; Support up to: 100Amp-800Amp CurrentJumper Cables Clamp was made of pure copper (head part) with good electrical conductivity, with insulation handle for convenient use.These are ideal for Battery ...
Specs:
Color | Item 1 |
Height | 1.77 Inches |
Length | 7.87 Inches |
Width | 7.09 Inches |
Size | Item 1 |
Number of items | 2 |
6. CARTMAN Booster Cable 4 Gauge x 16Ft in Carry Bag
Fits top and side post batteries; Luxurious carry bag for free.Sufficient CCA. Ideal for use with full size cars and cargo vans, mid-size pickup truck and freight hauling vehicles.Twice grip design for better conductivity and tension.Patented design of inside tongue for double connection with batter...
Specs:
Size | 16-Feet(4-Gauge) |
Number of items | 1 |
7. Yuasa YUA00ACC07 Jumper Cables
- Heavy-duty, 8 foot, 8-gauge cables will not stiffen or freeze
- Tangle-resistant clamps with color-coded rubber grips for safety
- Simple to use; easy to store
- Comes with convenient storage bag
Features:
Specs:
Height | 5 Inches |
Length | 5 Inches |
Weight | 1 Pounds |
Width | 5 Inches |
Release date | May 2012 |
Size | One Size |
Number of items | 1 |
8. NOCO Boost HD GB150 4000 Amp 12-Volt Ultra Safe Portable Lithium Car Battery Jump Starter Pack For Up To 10-Liter Gasoline And Diesel Engines
- Start Dead Batteries - Safely jump start a dead car battery in seconds with this compact, yet powerful, 3000-amp portable lithium car battery jump starter pack - up to 40 jump starts on a single charge - and rated for gasoline engines up to 9 liters and diesel engines up to 7 liters.
- UltraSafe - Safe and easy to use car battery jump starter pack without the worry of incorrect connections or sparks. Safely connect to any 12-volt automotive car battery with our mistake-proof design featuring spark-proof technology and reverse polarity protection.
- Multi-Function - It's a car jump starter, portable power bank, LED flashlight, and 12-volt portable power. Recharge smartphones, tablets, and other USB devices. It's easily rechargeable from any powered USB port in 6 hours at 2.1-amps. An integrated 500-lumen LED flashlight with seven light modes, including emergency strobe and SOS. Plus, a 12-volt, 15-amp outport port for powering any 12VDC devices, like tire inflators, inverters and more.
- Advanced Design - Our most advanced portable car battery jump starter ever. Featuring high-discharge lithium technology for safe operation in any climate. A rugged and water-resistant enclosure rated at IP65. A rubberized over-molded casing to prevent scratching or marring of surfaces. Allows rapid charging in 2-hours via the vehicles auxiliary port. And an ultra-compact and lightweight design weighing just 7.5 pounds.
- In The Box - GB150 UltraSafe Portable Lithium Car Battery Jump Starter Pack, Needle-Nose Battery Clamps, XGC Male and Female Connectors, XGC Cable, Micro USB Charging Cable, Microfiber Storage Bag, User Guide, 1-Year Warranty, and Designed in the USA.
Features:
Specs:
Color | Gray |
Height | 4.02 Inches |
Length | 16.85 Inches |
Weight | 7.5 Pounds |
Width | 9.21 Inches |
Release date | January 2016 |
Size | 3000 Amps |
Number of items | 1 |
9. CARTMAN Heavy Duty Booster Cables Jump Cable with Carry Bag, 2 AWG (2Gauge x 20Feet)
- 3 year warranty! Cartman's aim is to give you the best shopping experience.
- Sufficient CCA (Copper coated Aluminium). For 800Amp use. Over 50% greater conductor than of a 4 Gauge.
- Ideal for use with full size pickup trucks, large recreational vehicles and freight hauling vehicles.
- Fits top and side post batteries; Luxurious carry bag for free. Patented design of inside tongue for double connection with battery terminal.
- TPR material of cable, low temperature immunity (-25C/-13F)
Features:
Specs:
Color | red |
Weight | 7.3 Pounds |
Size | 20-Feet (2-Gauge) |
Number of items | 1 |
10. Premium Heavy Duty Jumper Booster Cables No Tangle Design (800 Amp 1 Gauge 20 Feet)
20 Foot - 1 Gauge - 800 AMPTemperature Resistant Shielding - Safe in Extreme Heat and ColdVariation in Amp / Gauge / LengthFree Travel Bag Included!!Uniquely made by Unique Imports
Specs:
Color | 800 Amp 1 Gauge 25 Feet |
11. FJC 45245 2 Gauge 25' 600 Amp Parrot Clamp Professional Booster Cable
2 Gauge 25 Foot 600 Amp Parrot ClampCommercial Duty Rating
Specs:
Color | Black |
Height | 10.63 Inches |
Length | 13 Inches |
Weight | 7.42 Pounds |
Width | 3.94 Inches |
Release date | August 2014 |
Size | 25 Foot |
Number of items | 1 |
12. Booster Cable,6-Gauge 12-feet Emergency Heavy Duty Booster Jumper Cables with LED Light,Battery Jumper Cables for Cars Trucks SUVs with Safety Gloves and Storage Bag
- FAST AND SAFE CONNECT: Heavy duty 400A 6-gauge 12ft jumper cables for jump starting a dead or weak battery. Connect the cable clamps from one car to another car it’s really fast in very short time without any waiting. Ideal for use with full size cars and cargo vans, mid-size pickup truck, motorcycle and freight hauling vehicles and more.
- USEFUL LED LIGHT: No one booster cable with LED light in each clamps, total 4 LEDs better help customers use it in dark underground garages, low light place, in the evening or other without a light situation. Works great for anyone looking for a quality set to carry in their vehicle for emergencies or to help someone else.
- HIGH QUALITY MADE: These booster cables made by Sufficient CCA and high-quality PVC, making sure excellent resistance to freezing, cracking & folding. It has strong alligator clamp and the clamps are heavy duty with a tight grip. Insulated handles over the clamps eliminate leakage of electricity. Definitely durable and safe, no-tangle
- MATERIAL AND STORAGE: No one jumper cables wire core conductive strong, rust resistant and resistance to pull. It has good cover very pliable. Booster cable remains flexible even at -40°C temperature. It come with a travel bag and a pair of safety working gloves. Using this booster cable in the colder winter without any worry
- SERVICE AND WARRANTY: Buy a No one booster cable for your car for emergency use. We always offer replacement, return, refund service. And we are valued every customers and always try our best to serve all our customers. Our booster cable with a 15 month warranty, making it an absolutely risk free purchase.
Features:
Specs:
Color | Black |
Height | 2 Inches |
Length | 10 Inches |
Weight | 0.75 Pounds |
Width | 6 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
13. NOCO Boost Max GB500 20000 Amp 12V And 24V UltraSafe Lithium Jump Starter for Gasoline And Diesel Engines In Class 8+/CE Vehicles
- The Boost Max Series - Introducing our most powerful lithium jump starters yet. Designed for the largest, most challenging engine starts ever. With over 6250-amps of starting power, it can jump start gasoline and diesel engines up to 45-liters.
- UltraSafe - Safe and easy to use battery jump starter pack without the worry of incorrect connections or sparks. Safely connect to any 12-volt or 24-volt battery with our mistake-proof design featuring spark-proof technology and reverse polarity protection.
- Commercial Grade - It's commercial in every way. It jump starts almost every type of vehicle and equipment, including semi-trucks (up to class 8), motorhomes, coaches, buses, mining, agricultural, construction, and vocational equipment - 6, 8, 12, and 16 cylinder - and more. Plus, an integrated digital battery voltmeter for enhanced diagnostics.
- Beyond Portable - Jump starters this powerful typically are enormous and weigh hundreds of pounds, but our high discharge lithium technology makes it the most compact and lightweight design in the world - weighing a mere 24-pounds. And its portable carrying case makes jump starting more convenient than ever.
- Multi-Functional - It's not just a lithium jump starter but also a portable power bank for recharging smartphones, tablets, and other USB devices, with an ultra-bright 2,200-lumen LED flashlight with seven light modes, including emergency strobe and SOS.
- What You Get - GB500 12V/24V UltraSafe Lithium Jump Starter Pack and Power Bank, XGC4 56W Power Adapter with Interchangeable 60-inch (1.5m) AC Cords - Australia (Type I), Europe (Type C), North America (Type A), United Kingdom (Type G) - XGC Kit, Max Protection EVA Case, and 1-Year Limited Warranty.
Features:
Specs:
Color | Black |
Height | 17.6 Inches |
Length | 18.1 Inches |
Weight | 33 Pounds |
Width | 15.4 Inches |
Release date | April 2018 |
Size | 6250 Amps |
Number of items | 1 |
14. Professional Booster Cable 1 Gauge 20 ft 800 AMP - Heavy Duty Clamps - Tangle-Free Jumper Cables - Industrial Strength
- New and improved patented carbon cleaning compound, more cleaning, no fluids required
- New twist cap activator, retractable ultra soft natural brush
- Environment friendly and non-toxic
- Ergonomic body
- Nothing spills, drips or dries out
Features:
Specs:
Weight | 8.25 Pounds |
15. Coleman Cable 08662 25-Feet Heavy-Duty Booster Cables, 4-Gauge
Fits top and side post batteriesErgonomically designed handlesEngineered for warm and cold climates(Polar-Glo) Polarity labels glow in the darkMade in America
Specs:
Height | 0 Inches |
Length | 0 Inches |
Weight | 8 Pounds |
Width | 0 Inches |
Size | 25-Feet |
Number of items | 1 |
16. Schumacher BAF-C50 50-Amp Clamp
- CHARGE AND TEST: Clamps work with any battery chargers and testing equipment
- COLOR-CODED: Red and black clamps provide clear polarity insight; prevents reverse polarity
- INSTRUCTIONS INCLUDED: Find clear instructions on the package
- With the name in battery chargers around the world, we care about providing exceptional service.
Features:
Specs:
Color | 0 |
Height | 1.13 Inches |
Length | 5 Inches |
Weight | 0.11 Pounds |
Width | 3.75 Inches |
Release date | October 2011 |
Number of items | 1 |
17. Motor Trend MT1012-CCA 12-Foot Copper Clad Aluminum Jumper Cables, 250
Clamps are phase marked for added safety and take up to 250-AMPs of electricityCord is PVC wrapped for your protection12-foot cord gives you the reach you needMade with copper clad aluminum for maximum conductivityLimited Lifetime Warranty
Specs:
Color | Red |
Height | 2.25 Inches |
Length | 6 Inches |
Width | 11 Inches |
Size | Medium |
Number of items | 1 |
18. KUNCAN Car Female Cigarette Lighter to O Ring Terminal - 12V-24V Eyelet Terminal Harness Extension Charge Cable 3FT 15A (1 Pack)
- TYPE: Cigarette Female Socket Plug to "O" style ring terminal extension cord. design for charge your device with ring terminal connector.
- PRODUCT SPECIFICATION: Cable: SPT-2, 16AWG/2C .Cable Length: 3FT(0.9m), With fuse box: 15A; Suitable for voltage: DC 12V to 24V. Ring Terminal Connector: 8.4mm(inside) x 13.8mm(outside)
- USED FOR 12/24 volt Application: Connect your power inverter, usb adapter, water pump, air compressor, dash cam, radar detector, fish locator, GPS etc to your 12V female socket connector
- SAFETY CONSIDERING: With external 15Amp fuse box protection to make sure the safety,prevent the damage to your favorite devices from high current and short circuit.
- WITH PROTECTION CAP: Protect cigar female socket from raindrop and dust, which will stay clean and dry inside when you did not use it.
Features:
Specs:
Size | 1 PACK |
Number of items | 0 |
19. Schumacher WM-12 12" Cable Connector for Battery Charger / Maintainer
12" cable + quick-connect ring terminal for a total 18" lengthCompatible with Schumacher chargers and maintainers up to 5AEasily attaches to hard-to-reach batteries on motorcycles, lawn mower and moreColor-coded cables for user safetyVersatile and user-friendly
Specs:
Color | Black |
Height | 1 Inches |
Length | 3.9 Inches |
Weight | 0.05 Pounds |
Width | 2.7 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
20. RUGCEL WINCH Universal 2-4 AWG 350A Battery Connect Quick Connector Plug for 12V Winch Trailer Driver Electrical Devices
- Heavy-duty & multipurpose universal battery quick connector- fits all UL rated at 600 volts DC or AC devices, batteries, power inverters and solar setups, winches, forklifts, chargers, power modules, cars, motorcycles, boats and etc.
- Ultralight design with tight weather covers for 100% safety. Combined shell made from polycarbonate- a versatile and tough plastic, makes this connector sturdy and reliable.
- Comes with 4 terminal pins made of red copper coated with silver. Features strong electrical conductivity and reduces the resistance to guarantee stable voltage and current.
- Connect/disconnect in one second keeping things neat and organized! Suited for high-current use with winches rated 8,000 pounds or higher! Replace standard clamp ends on your battery charger to prevent accidental reverse polarity when hooking up a charger and have provisions for mounting so they can be easily secured to a vehicle.
- Just contact us if you are not satisfied with it within one year.
Features:
Specs:
Size | 15ft |
🎓 Reddit experts on automotive battery jumper cables
The comments and opinions expressed on this page are written exclusively by redditors. To provide you with the most relevant data, we sourced opinions from the most knowledgeable Reddit users based the total number of upvotes and downvotes received across comments on subreddits where automotive battery jumper cables are discussed. For your reference and for the sake of transparency, here are the specialists whose opinions mattered the most in our ranking.
My last reply and I'll drop it, but for reference today I need to buy 2 booster cables to hook up my marine battery to my inverter for my backyard solar.
$28 at walmart
$29 at canadian tire
$25 at Amazon + free same day delivery
I'd actually be excited if you could point me to a place that I can consistently save money on - as I told you, I have nearly 7,000 posts on RFD over 10 years and used to obsessively hunt down & get the "super deals", it actually helped me to create a business focused on being the lowest in Canada, respecting peoples $ and using that as our value ad (which has lead to lots of success with consumers, and industry credibility for corporates & gov't contracts)
If you want to get technical we can add in my ebates % back too, I am also an amazon associate for affiliate sales, but I only really use that when I'm referring people at work to buy tech purchases (like hard drives or streaming units)
You're not talking to a blind fan boy here, I'll put my experiences with this up against anyone - I do the research. I obsess over shit like this, thats WHY i am passionate about prime driving shit to me, because it IS a huge value.
What're you asking now? Are you saying that the terminal posts you're connecting the clamps to are corroded? I mean that's not good, it can result in high resistance. But the clamps usually have such high force that if you're clamping them onto any normal terminal post and you give the clamp a good wiggle so the teeth can bite through any crud, you ought to be able to get definitely sub-milliohm connection. You out to be able to get say <100uOhm (0.0001) if you have solid, high quality clamps that have a continuous copper/brass conduction path all the way from the cable to the jaws with no steel in the way.
Also there's a tendency for high resistance connections in really high amperage circuits to "fix themselves". If you have more than about 0.5 V of drop across a connection, the tips of the contacts start to melt, and that'll usually allow the contact to bed together better, and conduct better. That's from Slade's textbook on contacts by the way.
With jumper cables it's really going to be more about the wire gauge, provided that you have good clamps and you wiggle them a little. They sell absolute shit jumper cables if you don't know what you're buying. I mean look at this crap. 8 gauge? 12 feet? Are you kidding? 8 gauge is 0.63mOhm per foot. Total of 24 feet of wire in those cables, so 15 mOhm. That's garbage. At 100A you're dropping 1.5V. At 500A you're dropping 7.5V.
You do have to be a little more clear about the construction of your battery bank and charge source to get a perfectly correct answer. But the short answer is, no: if you have good clamps you ought to be able to do a hundred amps or two with no sweat.
These? Hell no. Copper plated steel? Get bent.
These? Maaaaybe. If they're not lying that they're actually copper. Looks brass plated, which is OK if it's really copper. But pretty thin looking crap, still. Also note how in both of these products only one of the clamp jaws is connected to the wire through copper. The other is on the opposing, steel arm of the clamp and so is completely useless.
Now this is getting warmer (lol well hopefully less warm!). Note the connections to both sides of the clamp, and the clear use of thick copper for the actual jaws. It's a little bit inconvenient to use a Y harness to do that though.
Ahh, now this is getting there for sure. Dual live jaw, and note the braided copper strap connecting the two sides. And brass is harder than copper, and almost as conductive, which is nice.
My favorites are the ones with cast brass jaws and a connecting strap. I would trust those to say 2-300A continuous. But even they don't really live up to their ratings, for continuous duty. I've run them at 600A and had the copper braid turn purple from oxidation/overheating. So always derate something you use for continuous use, when you know that the manufacturers have a tendency to state the best case intermittent use of the product (especially for a jumper where the use is supposed to be intermittent).
It’ll probably work. Just know that you won’t be able to do much else with the cig lighters while the fridge compressor is on (Phone charging is probably ok, but that’s about it). 10A max per Toyota; both sockets are on the same fuse, and the fridge pulls about 6A when it’s running.
Also if you keep the fridge quite full you could probably turn the car off for an hour every now and then while it’s cool out if needed. The other option is to keep the car in ready mode and lock the car with the physical key from the outside, though it’s still not very secure. Someone could literally break a window and drive away when the car is in that condition.
You could also wire it directly to the battery, which if you’re fulltiming I’d recommend doing. Something like this oughta do the trick. Then you wouldn’t have to keep the car on all the time (including when you’re away from the vehicle). The stock battery can safely keep the fridge running for 12 hours or so (wintertime, overnights) before it needs a recharge. I haven’t been through a summer yet with this config though, so I don’t know what the numbers would look like then.
I would buy this,
http://www.amazon.com/Slime-COMP03-12-Volt-Inflator-Gauge/dp/B000ET9SAU/ref=sr_1_12?s=automotive&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1448980138&amp;sr=1-12&amp;keywords=slime+air+pump
and
http://www.amazon.com/Slime-2040-A-Tire-Plug-Kit/dp/B000ET9SAA/ref=sr_1_5?s=automotive&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1448980761&amp;sr=1-5&amp;keywords=tire+plug+kit
In the plug kit your really buying those T handles, there nice and wont try to fold into your hand or away from it while you plug the tire. You can buy I think it's 40 plugs stand alone at walmart for around 5 bucks if you find yourself plugging tires that much.
Then buy a metal jar of rubber cement because that little tube is going to work once and get rock hard.
http://www.amazon.com/Slime-1050-Rubber-Cement-oz/dp/B003V9UU66/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1448981382&amp;sr=8-5&amp;keywords=rubber+cement
Any will do that's just what I found on amazon.
That's the same air pump I own except I dont think mine says 300 PSI on the side, I would be extremely surprised if it could actually reach 300 psi but I can tell you for a fact it'll air a tire up in a less than 10 minutes.
http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Cigarette-Lighter-Lengthened-Extension/dp/B00JOY6U7U
This may be worth while as well incase your cigarette lighter doesnt work or blows a fuse you could just clip directly to your car battery.
As far as a phone charger I just mean use a phone charger that plugs in your cigarette lighter, I dont trust those little power bricks. Even if your car battery is "Dead" as in it wont turn your engine over and clicks, it's probably still got more than enough juice to charge your phone and make a call for help.
I would splurge for these nice jumper cables
http://www.amazon.com/Cartman-Booster-Cable-Gauge-Listed/dp/B00VHE76GE/ref=lp_15719941_1_1?s=automotive&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1448981135&amp;sr=1-1
That comes up to 132 dollars in my amazon cart, I think that puts you much better off than the alternative you were looking at at a reasonable price.
I lived on a dirt road for years, Holes in my tires were Common and I don't think I ever broke out my spare.
OK, should these things happen again, here are some things you should keep in the trunk.
A tire inflator that plugs into your cigarette lighter. It won't help much with larger leaks, but for smaller ones it'll let you reinflate the tire long enough to get to an auto shop.
If you want to plug a leak, you'll need a tire repair kit. This isn't as simple to use as the inflator (you'd want to practice or at least see it done first), but it's not rocket science either. A word of caution though: the needles used in those kits have been known to break, so don't do what that guy did at 2:48 where he was lucky not to give himself a vasectomy.
If the nail or whatever is still in the tire, then you'll need something like vice grips to pull it out. If it's not in the tire, then you'll need the inflator to push air in and some (preferably soapy) water to see pour on the tire and see bubbles where the air is coming out.
And since this kit is $6 and has plugs to fix four flats and a shop will charge you $5 to fix one, it doesn't take that long to start saving a few bucks.
A set of jumper cables. Honestly, I don't know why dealerships don't put this in every car that drives off the lot. Here's how to use them correctly. With these, you won't need to call AAA for (most) dead batteries, just find some kind soul willing to let you jump off of their car. For jumper cables there's a few things you want to look for:
A Slime 12v Air Compressor or Stop-N-Go Tire Plugging kit (or both together) make a great gift for motorcyclists, as well as motorcycle-specific jumper cables or a jump starting battery.
Nice toy... lol just kidding anyone with a jump pack is better prepared than most for a dead battery. I have a GB150 from NOCO, 4000A, can jump a semi if needed. I run a car dealer and this can jump 30 cars in a row on one charge. Worth every penny
NOCO Boost Pro GB150 4000 Amp 12V UltraSafe Lithium Jump Starter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015TKSSB8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_a2hDCb0MHECBT
You'd be surprised how kind and helpful strangers can be. The last time my car battery died it was in the dead of winter and before I got out my car some good ol' boy from the county pulled up in his jacked-up truck and gave me a boost-- it was great.
Anyway, I'd recommend these cables. You don't want to mess around with anything smaller than 2 gauge in my opinion (the larger the gauge number, the thinner the wire which is bad).
But yeah, don't bother relying on batteries-- they're a waste of money when the kindness of a stranger is far more reliable in my opinion.
I might even spring for the 16' cables, I know my 20' have saved me loads of headaches. But definitely 4 guage, the only thing more expensive than a nice pair of jumper cables, is a broken shitty pair of cables, then having to buy a nice pair to replace them. Here's a link to a cheap good pair from amazon that I use.
https://www.amazon.com/Cartman-Booster-Cable-Gauge-UL-Listed/dp/B00F9RNIPI/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1478242256&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=4+gauge+jumper+cables
Brand, no..Your just looking for something like this. (BTW looks like they are significantly cheaper online. ~$70 is what I saw at a Sears auto center and PepBoys
http://www.amazon.com/Premium-Jumper-Booster-Cables-Tangle/dp/B00NT6ELRA/
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LMLVH4E?psc=1
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E9ANSGU?psc=1
http://www.amazon.com/FJC-45245-Parrot-Professional-Booster/dp/B004BGXNGW/
Longer length gives you more options, thicker cable and better clamps means your not standing in the rain or cold as long.
If you want something longer for convenience go with these http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00E9ANSGU/ref=s9_topr_hm_b13xTR_g263_i1
Since this is /r/frugal though, the shorter the cable the thinner it can be and still carry the same current. So if you want to save some bucks you could go for something like this http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00ELASYIA/ref=s9_simh_hm_b13xTR_d0_g263_i1 (the 12 foot option)
i hope my batteries don't die. Hopefully, if so, this will help!
I usually look at the usefulness of the gift I give. Both my mother and I are kind of height challenged. So, I got my dad a set of roll bar grab handles from Amazon. It wraps around the roll bar using Velcro and can be positioned where suitable. Now it's easy to get in and out of the Jeep. It was under $25. This is the one I got --> https://www.amazon.com/Jeep-Roll-Grab-Handles-Easy/dp/B00Z89I2OY/
For the consumer level its basically find the thickest setup you can. I think I have an old set from walmart I got, heavy duty and something like 30 bucks years ago. IDK what I did with them. Cables I always have in my truck are professional ones you would use with a tow truck that are easily 1" thick cables. Those ones can jumpstart some serious stuff.
When buying cables the number is the gauge size of the wire, smaller number is thicker cable. Thicker the cable the more current it can carry and less resistance.
Something along these liens would work well in most cases: https://www.amazon.com/EPAuto-Booster-Jumper-Cables-Travel/dp/B01AXBB2VG/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1480741653&amp;sr=8-12&amp;keywords=jumper+cables+2+gauge
Basically everyone I know has some version of this in their car for the winter. The bristles are for sweeping snow off your car, and the flat, plastic blade on the other end is for scraping ice off your windshield and windows. Sometimes the blade and bristles are on the same end, and that's fine too. A tool like this is 100% crucial, and if you don't have one handy a credit card/debit card will work in its place although you'll likely ruin the card.
Also the jumper cables are no joke too. If your car battery is old, you might find you have some trouble starting your car in the morning. The engine will be sluggish, especially if the weather is below zero. If it doesn't turn over at all, or if you forget a light on (for some reason this always happens to me in winter), you'll need a set of jumper cables to get your car going again. I'm 100% sure everyone who's lived in MN their whole life has had to get their car jumped before, and I've personally helped 8 or 9 people jump start their car in my 30+ years of living here. The key is the lower the gauge number the better (lower numbered gauge = thicker wire and try to get at least a 6 gauge but preferably a 4 gauge), and the longer the cables the better. You might think 4 gauge and 20 ft is too much. It isn't.
Does anyone have recommendations for a trickle charger? I already have a connector like this one hooked up.
I'm looking for something to keep my battery charged overnight (kept in the garage but not heated, and it gets cold in WI overnight) and then to keep the battery fresh over winter.
so this would be good?
https://www.amazon.com/Coleman-Cable-25-Feet-Heavy-Duty-Booster/dp/B00002243X/ref=sr_1_2?s=automotive&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1496516026&amp;sr=1-2&amp;keywords=coleman+cable+jumpers
Yes, the jumper cables. I have cursed myself so many times not having them... Cartman cables sounds like... Cartman. http://www.amazon.com/Cartman-Booster-Cable-Gauge-Listed/dp/B00F9RNIPI/ref=as_li_ss_tl?s=automotive&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1459123126&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=jumper+cables&amp;refinements=p_72:1248861011&amp;linkCode=ll1&amp;tag=addourscom-20&amp;linkId=58c5a476325586749eeb05523e3cebca
NOCO Genius Boost Max GB500 20000 Amp 12V/24V UltraSafe Lithium Jump Starter
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07C2WS1XH/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_nP27BbM2WQNSH
Personal opinion here, so take it for what it's worth.
With jumper cables, go big and go long.
Now that said..... I had the HF 6 gauge booster cables that I picked up for the XJ about 3-4 years ago. Never used them once, so I really can't speak to their functional quality. The clamps were the weak spot since the rivets used for the hinges were kinda junky. Really light-weight also, because the cable was copper clad aluminum.
I bought these from Amazon last month as a Christmas present for myself: Professional Booster Cable 1 Gauge 25 ft 800 amp
There's a major difference in quality between these and the HF cables. They've got good reviews on Amazon, except for the one guy complaining about how they cracked in the cold.
Cut the plug off and install these on the wires. Just make sure the polarity is correct.
https://www.amazon.com/Schumacher-BAF-C50-50-Amp-Clamp/dp/B0060YHRVA/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=battery+clamps&qid=1568421436&sr=8-4
You would have to convert to cable, but you can probably use Fork Truck Battery Connectors.
High-end ones can jump farming equipment.
Yep, quick google search will show you where they are, Ive had alot of people cause problems by jumping it there. Here is a link to the charger I use on my M cars, I just bought 3 battery leads so I can keep one charger at home and charge any of them. Heres the lead
https://smile.amazon.com/Schumacher-WM-12-Connector-Battery-Maintainer/dp/B003WDDLTO/ref=sr_1_18?keywords=trickle+charger+lead&amp;qid=1557669815&amp;s=gateway&amp;sr=8-18
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B004LX14Z2/ref=sspa_dk_detail_0?pd_rd_i=B004LX3AXQ&amp;pd_rd_w=VsD2p&amp;pf_rd_p=46cdcfa7-b302-4268-b799-8f7d8cb5008b&amp;pd_rd_wg=Edh2V&amp;pf_rd_r=QSZC2Q9P4WH3TEHVZ4J0&amp;pd_rd_r=d60460a4-74be-11e9-a9da-2171f603c15c&amp;th=1
Normally the cable that goes from the battery to the tender is called a 'pigtail,' in my experience.
I doubt that this is one because of the fact that I've never personally seen a tender where it was possible to mix up the positive and negative leads; normally each end has one female and one male prong to ensure that it is plugged in correctly. I guess that the proper orientation is forced by the small clip on top in this case, but I've still never seen one like that.
My guess is that it is an accessory or lighting lead, but as someone else said you'd have to ask the PO to know for sure, or trace it back and try to figure it out.
If on some off-chance this IS a battery tender pigtail, I would recommend replacing it with one that uses the standard prongs either way so that you can choose from a wider variety of tenders.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003WDDLTO
Holy shit I didn't understand half of what your talking about I have a transit connect as well with no solar.
No solar for me either.
I use a 12v male to male connector. Schumacher 12v male to male(It's on amazon) straight into the 12v next to me while I'm driving and I have a fused voltmeter 12v splitter so I can monitor the charge of my rig and house battery so nothing gets over/undercharged. I also have a 6 in 1 Schumacher jumpstarter/power station however I will also have a larger deep cycle in a battery box with a 12v to battery fused connector. See all below.
I think your over complicating your build a little there, this whole sticking a isolator blah blah you guys do and than wonder why all your batteries are shit over a couple months and your alternator needs replacing and you starter ect. Jeez Edison and Tesla are screaming from there grave K-I-S-S.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000H92L4W/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1520088726&amp;sr=8-5&amp;pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&amp;keywords=12v+male+to+male
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N2O153Z/ref=sspa_mw_detail_4?psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B076M8Y1M6/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1520088890&amp;sr=8-3&amp;pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&amp;keywords=chgeek&amp;dpPl=1&amp;dpID=41-yQO-uUqL&amp;ref=plSrch