Halfords Booster Cables

[cpas]

OK - let the piss taking commence...

After at least 10 minutes research on the web, I've just bought a set of Halfords Booster Cables - the 35mm2 4.5m long ones!! Reduced to £40 as well

They look superbly made and a re much longer and thicker than any I've owned before.

[DanGPR]

Cool.

My dads Saab had a new ECU last week, due to it getting frazzled by jump starting it. A bargain at £700.

[csco]

I have the slightly less diameter 25mm ones and they have been perfect.

[Camaro91]

Most booster cables carry warnings about jumping cars with ECUs. But as this applies to a good amount of the cars made within the last 30ish years, you have to take your chances!

I suppose the other option is to trickle charge the battery from the mains, but that doesn't help when you're stuck in Morrison's car park :P

[redgriff500]

Yep I bought a set of them a while ago.

They scored highly in several tests and I couldn't find any better ones for a comparable price.

Mine have done a sterling job - occassionally Halfords have good products at good prices.

Particularly with a Trade card.

[redstu]

DanGPR said:

Cool.

My dads Saab had a new ECU last week, due to it getting frazzled by jump starting it. A bargain at £700.

I'm not questioning that this happened just wondering why it would.
Connect cables voltage flows. Start donor car then the patient and away you go.

[Chicharito]

Worth having a decent set like those.

I remember buying some cheapies from a petrol station to help my boss jump his car about a decade back... all we did was melt the cables and end up calling out the AA.

[Countdown]

DanGPR said:

Cool.

My dads Saab had a new ECU last week, due to it getting frazzled by jump starting it. A bargain at £700.

That sounds worrying.

Being a devout disciple of bangernomics I've jump-started loads of cars. Didn't even realise it would be a problem.

[braddo]

DanGPR said:

Cool.

My dads Saab had a new ECU last week, due to it getting frazzled by jump starting it. A bargain at £700.

Doesn't this only happen if the cables are connected incorrectly (+ve on one battery to -ve on the other)?

[McSam]

braddo said:

DanGPR said:

Cool.

My dads Saab had a new ECU last week, due to it getting frazzled by jump starting it. A bargain at £700.

Doesn't this only happen if the cables are connected incorrectly (+ve on one battery to -ve on the other)?

As far as I know, yes. There's no reason why connecting another battery should cause the ECU, or any other part of the electrical system for that matter, to draw any more current than it's designed to. You don't hear of higher-performance batteries damaging things, do you?

As for the cables, yes, the higher-quality ones are good. Don't bother with Halfords' cheaper offerings, they often won't stand passing the current from a battery of any decent size, stick to the big ones in the blue boxes.

[jmorgan]

Countdown said:

DanGPR said:

Cool.

My dads Saab had a new ECU last week, due to it getting frazzled by jump starting it. A bargain at £700.

That sounds worrying.

Being a devout disciple of bangernomics I've jump-started loads of cars. Didn't even realise it would be a problem.

Blew the festa wotsit the other week. 700 notes thankyou very much. Flat battery, jump it off another car, dead. Seems Fords have a smart charge system that does not like batteries or jump starts. Earth should be connected to the turbo for a jump start but is there a warning under the bonnet by the battery?

[FreeLitres]

On a PH run out, we wanted to jump start a 4-litre car from a 3-litre car. Went in to Halfords and all of their jump cables were rated for use to a maximum of 2-litre engines.

Work a treat as long as you dont have a REAL PH car.

[redgriff500]

FreeLitres said:

On a PH run out, we wanted to jump start a 4-litre car from a 3-litre car. Went in to Halfords and all of their jump cables were rated for use to a maximum of 2-litre engines.

Work a treat as long as you dont have a REAL PH car.

Nah I've started 3 ltr diesels and 6.7 litre Bentleys with mine.

Just checked the box they are rated Petrol 5 ltr Diesel 3.5 ltr

My dad has a better set but they were close to £120.

[redgriff500]

braddo said:

DanGPR said:

Cool.

My dads Saab had a new ECU last week, due to it getting frazzled by jump starting it. A bargain at £700.

Doesn't this only happen if the cables are connected incorrectly (+ve on one battery to -ve on the other)?

No it's rare but some modern cars don't like voltage spikes - like when you first connect the cables.

[carreauchompeur]

redgriff500 said:

Nah I've started 3 ltr diesels and 6.7 litre Bentleys with mine.

Just checked the box they are rated Petrol 5 ltr Diesel 3.5 ltr

My dad has a better set but they were close to £120.

Quite. You'll work out quite quickly if the cables aren't working as they become progressively warmer :P

[JM]

redgriff500 said:

braddo said:

DanGPR said:

Cool.

My dads Saab had a new ECU last week, due to it getting frazzled by jump starting it. A bargain at £700.

Doesn't this only happen if the cables are connected incorrectly (+ve on one battery to -ve on the other)?

No it's rare but some modern cars don't like voltage spikes - like when you first connect the cables.

I had to jump start my Vito van earlier this year, and was advised or read somewhere (maybe owner handbook or else internet!) to turn the dipped headlights on before connecting the batteries, this should take any spike rather than the ECU.

I did it and everything was fine.

[bga]

FreeLitres said:

On a PH run out, we wanted to jump start a 4-litre car from a 3-litre car. Went in to Halfords and all of their jump cables were rated for use to a maximum of 2-litre engines.

Work a treat as long as you dont have a REAL PH car.

My 2l rated Halfords cables started my 4.4 BMW without any problem. That said, it was quite a quick start & there may have been problems if I was cranking for a long time.

[cpas]

No piss taking then - LOL . I've always found Halford's 'better' tools to be pretty good, it's just that their name gets associated with 'Kevinising' of cars with utter bling and trash.

Sod's law though, I've just found out that Machine Mart do a better set for less money!

[mat13]

make your own! welder wire and a set of decent clips off ebay, ive used mine to jump everything from 4x4s to combine harvesters.

[Countdown]

bga said:

FreeLitres said:

On a PH run out, we wanted to jump start a 4-litre car from a 3-litre car. Went in to Halfords and all of their jump cables were rated for use to a maximum of 2-litre engines.

Work a treat as long as you dont have a REAL PH car.

My 2l rated Halfords cables started my 4.4 BMW without any problem. That said, it was quite a quick start & there may have been problems if I was cranking for a long time.

Probably just a labelling CYA exercise by Halfords.