What jump leads/starter pack?
Discussion
I've just done a search and despite the myriad of other topic's discussed around this winter, there doesn't seem to be a "what jump leads" or "what jump pack" thread. Now that Christmas is out of the way I've decided to get my car kitted out with all those little things I should have had for years but never got around to buying.
So I'm starting with jump leads/packs. It's about time that I got either one or the other. In terms of jump leads, is there much difference between the options out there? A jump pack is the other option - I've used a few at work and it only tends to be the real heavy duty ones that work.
So what should I look at getting, and any recommendations?
So I'm starting with jump leads/packs. It's about time that I got either one or the other. In terms of jump leads, is there much difference between the options out there? A jump pack is the other option - I've used a few at work and it only tends to be the real heavy duty ones that work.
So what should I look at getting, and any recommendations?
Santa brought me one of these:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-234578-Watt-Sta...
Used it for the first time yesterday to get the old 6er running - the old girl hadn't been started for 4 weeks due to a combination of snow and holidays. Worked perfectly!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-234578-Watt-Sta...
Used it for the first time yesterday to get the old 6er running - the old girl hadn't been started for 4 weeks due to a combination of snow and holidays. Worked perfectly!
The cheap Aldi/Lidl/Halfrauds/market stall ones are crap yes.
When you want to jump start anything this is the kiddie.
Sealey RS102 Road Start
Anything less than this is probably a waste of money IMHO.
For jump leads get the biggest gauge of copper and best sprung clips you can. They should be marked as heavy duty and ideally commercial (for vans and trucks as well as regular use).
You do not want the copper cable to be less than 16mm², more like 25mm² and if you can afford them 35mm². These will then give you a lifetime of service.
Buy well, buy once.
HTH
When you want to jump start anything this is the kiddie.
Sealey RS102 Road Start
- Model No:RS102
- Cold Cranking Amps:600A
- Peak Amps:1600A
- Voltage:12V
- Auxiliary Output:12V
- Cable & Clamp Length:1mtr
- Weight:9kg
Anything less than this is probably a waste of money IMHO.
For jump leads get the biggest gauge of copper and best sprung clips you can. They should be marked as heavy duty and ideally commercial (for vans and trucks as well as regular use).
You do not want the copper cable to be less than 16mm², more like 25mm² and if you can afford them 35mm². These will then give you a lifetime of service.
Buy well, buy once.
HTH
Just my personal opinion but how often are you going to use a jump pack? once, twice maybe & as above you've got to get a decent one or you're wasting your money, but then you've got to justify the expense of getting a decent one & if you're hardly ever going to use it, it can't be justified.
As for jump leads the thickness of the cables is everything. Don't get the cheap ones with the thin cables because they simply can't cope & get hot after the first 30 seconds of use. Spend some money & get ones with thicker cables.
As for jump leads the thickness of the cables is everything. Don't get the cheap ones with the thin cables because they simply can't cope & get hot after the first 30 seconds of use. Spend some money & get ones with thicker cables.
Mine was a present, so I don't know exactly how much it cost, but a quick search suggests circa £30. Given that it holds charge fine, starts a big old 3.5ltr engine without any problem, and seems to get good reviews, I think the Old Man found something of a bargain.
ETA: and it came with a 3 year warranty!
ETA: and it came with a 3 year warranty!
Edited by Gruber on Tuesday 4th January 14:42
Gruber said:
Mine was a present, so I don't know exactly how much it cost, but a quick search suggests circa £30. Given that it holds charge fine, starts a big old 3.5ltr engine without any problem, and seems to get good reviews, I think the Old Man found something of a bargain.
ETA: and it came with a 3 year warranty!
Having had a nosy it seems to be slightly mixed reviews - some love it, some hate it. That puts me off - if there are enough contradictory reviews I tend to avoid.ETA: and it came with a 3 year warranty!
Edited by Gruber on Tuesday 4th January 14:42
I don't know what I was expecting to pay price wise but a decent jump pack seems to be a lot more than I was expecting. I think it's worth spending the money because ultimately I don't want to be let down when they're needed most, but more than £100 is getting into silly money (particularly when my car has started every day, even at -9 degrees.) I'd rather not spend even that but recognise that it's a worthwhile investment.
The Sealey RS102's don't seem to go for less than £150 from a quick google, so if anyone has recommendations for something cheaper but still solid and reliable I'm all ears. If not I may have to look at a good pair of jump leads - the missus and I have the same engine in both our cars (well, near enough - both VAG diesel lumps) so I'm pretty confident we'd be able to jump each others cars at a pinch.
Clarke 4000 is what everyone reccommends
http://www.tool-net.co.uk/p-333053/clarke-jump-sta...
approx £100.
Anything less will pack up when you need it.
TBH in your situation I'd just get a decent set of long leads.
Halfords actually sell some decent ones circa £40
http://www.tool-net.co.uk/p-333053/clarke-jump-sta...
approx £100.
Anything less will pack up when you need it.
TBH in your situation I'd just get a decent set of long leads.
Halfords actually sell some decent ones circa £40
I've got a Clark Jumpstart 4000, bought mainly for backup on my boat, you really dont want to be stuck out on the sea with a flat... Cost £70 ish from memory and paid for itself the first time the battery died. It is a big bugger though. Started a 4.3 v6 mercruiser quite happily though 
- 12 volt Battery
- 38 AH
- Lead/Acid Gel filled battery
- Spill Proof
- 1500 amps peak output / 700 amps boost at
- Weight 16kgs
- 12 volt Battery
- 38 AH
- Lead/Acid Gel filled battery
- Spill Proof
- 1500 amps peak output / 700 amps boost at
- Weight 16kgs
redgriff500 said:
Clarke 4000 is what everyone reccommends
http://www.tool-net.co.uk/p-333053/clarke-jump-sta...
approx £100.
Anything less will pack up when you need it.
TBH in your situation I'd just get a decent set of long leads.
Halfords actually sell some decent ones circa £40
Funnily enough I was just looking at Halfords.http://www.tool-net.co.uk/p-333053/clarke-jump-sta...
approx £100.
Anything less will pack up when you need it.
TBH in your situation I'd just get a decent set of long leads.
Halfords actually sell some decent ones circa £40
Two choices, 25mm/3.5m cable for £26.99 or 35mm/4.5m cable for £39.99:
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/...
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/...
That Clarke 4000 does look tempting but I'm starting to think a decent set of cables would do just as well. Is there a good reason to go for the 35mm Halfords jobbies over the 25mm ones?
tenohfive said:
redgriff500 said:
Clarke 4000 is what everyone reccommends
http://www.tool-net.co.uk/p-333053/clarke-jump-sta...
approx £100.
Anything less will pack up when you need it.
TBH in your situation I'd just get a decent set of long leads.
Halfords actually sell some decent ones circa £40
Funnily enough I was just looking at Halfords.http://www.tool-net.co.uk/p-333053/clarke-jump-sta...
approx £100.
Anything less will pack up when you need it.
TBH in your situation I'd just get a decent set of long leads.
Halfords actually sell some decent ones circa £40
Two choices, 25mm/3.5m cable for £26.99 or 35mm/4.5m cable for £39.99:
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/...
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/...
That Clarke 4000 does look tempting but I'm starting to think a decent set of cables would do just as well. Is there a good reason to go for the 35mm Halfords jobbies over the 25mm ones?
Have a look at the links, the leads in the second link look identical to the Halfrauds ones but cheaper.
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/products/products/560...
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/products/products/560...
Edited by Larry Dickman on Tuesday 4th January 17:20
Larry Dickman said:
tenohfive said:
redgriff500 said:
Clarke 4000 is what everyone reccommends
http://www.tool-net.co.uk/p-333053/clarke-jump-sta...
approx £100.
Anything less will pack up when you need it.
TBH in your situation I'd just get a decent set of long leads.
Halfords actually sell some decent ones circa £40
Funnily enough I was just looking at Halfords.http://www.tool-net.co.uk/p-333053/clarke-jump-sta...
approx £100.
Anything less will pack up when you need it.
TBH in your situation I'd just get a decent set of long leads.
Halfords actually sell some decent ones circa £40
Two choices, 25mm/3.5m cable for £26.99 or 35mm/4.5m cable for £39.99:
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/...
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/...
That Clarke 4000 does look tempting but I'm starting to think a decent set of cables would do just as well. Is there a good reason to go for the 35mm Halfords jobbies over the 25mm ones?
Have a look at the links, the leads in the second link look identical to the Halfrauds ones but cheaper.
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/products/products/560...
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/products/products/560...
Edited by Larry Dickman on Tuesday 4th January 17:20
Will pop in tomorrow and collect the 35mm Halfords jobbies.
For jump leads ignore halfrauds and the like as they are parp! Go to your local auto electrician and ask him to make you up a decent set of jump leads. Should cost between £50 to £80 roughly.
When you take into account the retail markup on jump leads and jump packs anything under £100 will more often than not be useless at starting anything other than a micra with a slightly discharged battery.
When you take into account the retail markup on jump leads and jump packs anything under £100 will more often than not be useless at starting anything other than a micra with a slightly discharged battery.
A good example of naff cables was shown quite clearly last year when a Ford Focus had died outside our house. They knocked on the door to ask for a 'jump' and produced their cables that would barely jump-start a matchbox car! I was in a bit of a hurry TBH and gave them a quick go using the wifes car.
Utterly useless! Engine still turned over slowly, leads got very hot and the croc clips had very weak jaws (another consideration) giving poor battery connection.
So, I dug out my £40 set from my car and it fired over without any problem.
I pity all these people who have been tempted by these £4.99 jump leads with every £8 fuel spent that really rely on them in an true emergency.
Utterly useless! Engine still turned over slowly, leads got very hot and the croc clips had very weak jaws (another consideration) giving poor battery connection.
So, I dug out my £40 set from my car and it fired over without any problem.
I pity all these people who have been tempted by these £4.99 jump leads with every £8 fuel spent that really rely on them in an true emergency.
wolf1 said:
For jump leads ignore halfrauds and the like as they are parp! Go to your local auto electrician and ask him to make you up a decent set of jump leads. Should cost between £50 to £80 roughly.
When you take into account the retail markup on jump leads and jump packs anything under £100 will more often than not be useless at starting anything other than a micra with a slightly discharged battery.
You say that, but I have a pair of jump leads that were given to me as a present a few years back from halfords, cost about £25 I think. They are actually great, have never failed to start anything asked of them be it a 1ltr 4 pot or large v8. The cables are really good quality. Thick, heavy stranded, silicon coated. The clamps were great, though admittedly failed due to a weak spot in the design but that was after some time and it took me all of 10 minutes to put some new clamps on.When you take into account the retail markup on jump leads and jump packs anything under £100 will more often than not be useless at starting anything other than a micra with a slightly discharged battery.
wolf1 said:
For jump leads ignore halfrauds and the like as they are parp! Go to your local auto electrician and ask him to make you up a decent set of jump leads. Should cost between £50 to £80 roughly.
When you take into account the retail markup on jump leads and jump packs anything under £100 will more often than not be useless at starting anything other than a micra with a slightly discharged battery.
You are completely wrong on this one.When you take into account the retail markup on jump leads and jump packs anything under £100 will more often than not be useless at starting anything other than a micra with a slightly discharged battery.
I read the reviews and searched the net before buying the Halfords ones.
I have jump started a V8 Bentley and a 3 litre diesel van with mine with no problem at all, both were dead flat after standing for months, not even having lights on the dash !
Am after a set of jump leads to keep in the car and these Silverline 594260 600 Amp Jump Leads seemed good value for money.
Unfortunately, no indication in the listing of the thickness of the cables but they are rated to 600 amps.
Would welcome thoughts from the more knowledgeable on whether they are any good.
My car is a 1.8 Golf - it's never needed a jump start, thankfully, but buying these is a precautionary measure.
Unfortunately, no indication in the listing of the thickness of the cables but they are rated to 600 amps.
Would welcome thoughts from the more knowledgeable on whether they are any good.
My car is a 1.8 Golf - it's never needed a jump start, thankfully, but buying these is a precautionary measure.
I was initially sceptical when I saw the price, but those look like they might actually be OK - the customer reviews don't suggest any problems.
That style of croc clip does have some pros and cons to be aware of:
The main disadvantage I've found is that they don't last forever - I recently had one of the jaws become brittle and snap off.
Their advantage is that they are better insulated than more durable types like these - which could be quite an advantage if you are unused to using them. (Fwiw, the sturdy croc clips won't last forever either - I have a set of very heavy duty leads where the spring has gone weak in one of them so the clip doesn't grip firmly. Annoying after only 20 years (), but not too hard to replace).
That style of croc clip does have some pros and cons to be aware of:
The main disadvantage I've found is that they don't last forever - I recently had one of the jaws become brittle and snap off.
Their advantage is that they are better insulated than more durable types like these - which could be quite an advantage if you are unused to using them. (Fwiw, the sturdy croc clips won't last forever either - I have a set of very heavy duty leads where the spring has gone weak in one of them so the clip doesn't grip firmly. Annoying after only 20 years (
), but not too hard to replace).Eggman said:
I was initially sceptical when I saw the price, but those look like they might actually be OK - the customer reviews don't suggest any problems.
That style of croc clip does have some pros and cons to be aware of:
The main disadvantage I've found is that they don't last forever - I recently had one of the jaws become brittle and snap off.
Their advantage is that they are better insulated than more durable types like these - which could be quite an advantage if you are unused to using them. (Fwiw, the sturdy croc clips won't last forever either - I have a set of very heavy duty leads where the spring has gone weak in one of them so the clip doesn't grip firmly. Annoying after only 20 years (), but not too hard to replace).
Thanks Eggman.That style of croc clip does have some pros and cons to be aware of:
The main disadvantage I've found is that they don't last forever - I recently had one of the jaws become brittle and snap off.
Their advantage is that they are better insulated than more durable types like these - which could be quite an advantage if you are unused to using them. (Fwiw, the sturdy croc clips won't last forever either - I have a set of very heavy duty leads where the spring has gone weak in one of them so the clip doesn't grip firmly. Annoying after only 20 years (
), but not too hard to replace).I actually prefer the clips on the leads you linked to.
However, the ones I linked to must be really easy to use - they have a picture of a banker holding them.
Edited by SpeedBash on Tuesday 11th January 20:18
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