People... Sigh...

[Bogie]

Had a customer come in. Wanted a set of jumper cables.
 
Fine. We have a nice selection.
 
"What are you jumping?"
 
"Muh truck."
 
"Okay, the cheapest I'd recommend would be these."
 
"No, you thief! I want the very cheapest."
 
"Sir, if you remember school, you're going to want the big ones to carry a lot of juice."
 
"THIEF! Sell me the cheap ones."
 
"Okayfine."
 
Dude was back about an hour later.
 
"No sir, I can't return those. They're melted and burned. That's customer neglect, and that's on you."
 
I cannot repeat what was said next.

[Hawkmoon]

I cannot repeat what was said next.

Oh, come on. Give us a hint ...

[lee n. field]

End users.

[BobR]

Had a customer come in. Wanted a set of jumper cables.
 
Fine. We have a nice selection.
 
"What are you jumping?"
 
"Muh truck."
 
"Okay, the cheapest I'd recommend would be these."
 
"No, you thief! I want the very cheapest."
 
"Sir, if you remember school, you're going to want the big ones to carry a lot of juice."

See, there you go assuming someone; 1) went to school and 2) actually learned anything of value.

bob

[WLJ]

See, there you go assuming someone; 1) went to school and 2) actually learned anything of value.

bob

3) Is actually capable of learning anything of value

[Hawkmoon]

4) Is sober enough to remember beyond this morning.

[HeroHog]

I bought cables WAY bigger and better than what our little 2 liter 4 cylinders will need!

https://www.autozone.com/test-scan-and-specialty-tools/jumper-cables/p/duralast-gold-20ft-battery-jumper-cables/125337_0_0

[Bogie]

Uh...
 
My mother's dead.

[zxcvbob]

Uh...
 
My mother's dead.

I'm sorry.  But I'm guessing that's a clue...  They called you a necrophiliac? 

[ConstitutionCowboy]

I got some really big jumpers. I think they're big enough to just hook them up and wave a magnet across them and jump start Cummings diesel!

Woody

[zxcvbob]

Decades ago, I bought a set of really long jumper cables made of #2 or #4 copper welding cable.  I still use them all the time, and they live behind the seat of the truck.  They are good because I can generally pull in behind someone and they will reach to the front.  I also put sets of short cheap ones in the trunks of the cars.  Wife takes them out occasionally and I put them back.  I haven't needed those very often, but maybe that's because they were available.

[grampster]

I've carried a set of jumpers, the same set, for about 30 years or so.  They built em better in those days.  Have served well a few times I've needed em.

[JTHunter]

See, there you go assuming someone; 1) went to school and 2) actually learned anything of value.

bob

         

[230RN]

Recently I got in the bad habit of leaving the (keyed) ignition on because I forgot to close a window or something and this drained the battery. Always carried jumper cables, so if someone was around, I could get a jump from them, and twice I've jumpered someone else and chalked up some karma.  This is in my beloved beat-up 97 Subaru Outback.

I finally got a reconditioned battery for $45 with trade-in and I leave it in the car.  I rigged a cable  from the rear "Power Accessory Outlet" (cigarette lighter jack) in the rear to keep it trickle-charged when driving.  To limit charge current the cable  has a 10W accessory bulb  and a diode in series. The accessory bulb limits the charging current to 833 milliAmps ( 10 Watts ÷ 12 Volts) even with a short circuit (that is, with a totally dead battery), and the diode keeps it from discharging when the engine isn't running.

True to zxcvbob's remark, "I haven't needed those very often, but maybe that's because they were available," an ounce of prevention is a pound of cure and I haven't needed to use the spare battery at all.  I seem to have broken the habit of forgetting my key in the car.

Now, this isn't appropriate for the Soccer Mom upscale cul-de-sac type of vehicle, but for my beloved wrinkled old Subie, it works fine.

Terry, 230RN
 

[dogmush]

I prefer the little Lithium Ion jump packs to cables these days.  I don't need anyone else if my battery is dead, and I don't need to expose my truck's electrical system to whatever the *expletive deleted*ck they are doing over there with the clamps.

Although since I put the solar in it hasn't been an issue.

[Declaration Day]

I prefer the little Lithium Ion jump packs to cables these days.

I may get one of those one day, but I still prefer a traditional jumper box, as it has a tire inflator with built-in pressure gauge, USB ports, light, etc.

[cordex]

Lithium jump packs are available with those features as well…

[Ben]

Yeah, my lithium jumper has all the "power pack" features. No compressor, but I have a separate inflator (Slime 40026 that was recommended to me here) that I carry with my plug kit, etc. for longer or offroad trips.

Better than jumper cables for me in every respect. The only con to them is that you need to make sure you have a "top off" schedule, to ensure they remained fully charged.

[HeroHog]

I got the bigger, heavier conventional battery jump pack from Hazard Fraught because of the higher cold cranking amperage rating.

[Ben]

I got the bigger, heavier conventional battery jump pack from Hazard Fraught because of the higher cold cranking amperage rating.

You would be surprised at what the newer lithiums can do.

https://www.amazon.com/NOCO-GB70-UltraSafe-Lithium-Gasoline/dp/B016UG6PWE

I'm using this one:

https://www.amazon.com/NOCO-GB40-UltraSafe-Lithium-Starter/dp/B015TKUPIC

Contrary to my post above about needing to regularly top off the charge, I have one of these in each of my vehicles and even after a year, they are at 75%. The Chinese boosters I had previously always drained really fast, like down to 25% in a couple of months.

[WLJ]

The Chinese boosters I had previously always drained really fast, like down to 25% in a couple of months.

Makes me wonder if they lied about being lithium on the packaging and they're actually Ni–MH or even Ni-Cd.
I would be temped to crack one open and take a peek.

[BobR]

You would be surprised at what the newer lithiums can do.

https://www.amazon.com/NOCO-GB70-UltraSafe-Lithium-Gasoline/dp/B016UG6PWE

I'm using this one:

https://www.amazon.com/NOCO-GB40-UltraSafe-Lithium-Starter/dp/B015TKUPIC

Contrary to my post above about needing to regularly top off the charge, I have one of these in each of my vehicles and even after a year, they are at 75%. The Chinese boosters I had previously always drained really fast, like down to 25% in a couple of months.

I have several NOCO products and I am very happy with them. I do need to get one that will crank over my truck (6.7 Diesel) but then you start talking real money.

bob

[dogmush]

Yeah, my lithium jumper has all the "power pack" features. No compressor, but I have a separate inflator (Slime 40026 that was recommended to me here) that I carry with my plug kit, etc. for longer or offroad trips.

Better than jumper cables for me in every respect. The only con to them is that you need to make sure you have a "top off" schedule, to ensure they remained fully charged.

Mine sits in a pelican box bolted to the roof rack of the truck.  I top it up before a >1000mi road trip but it last longer than a year just sitting there.  I get three of four jumps before it even drops to 4 out of 5 charge lights.

[Ben]

Mine sits in a pelican box bolted to the roof rack of the truck.  I top it up before a >1000mi road trip but it last longer than a year just sitting there.  I get three of four jumps before it even drops to 4 out of 5 charge lights.

See my comment further down. Same with my NOCO. Some of the Amazon chicom stuff seems to use inferior batteries or electronics or something, so I was just doing an FYI in case people were looking at the $40 Amazon ones.

[230RN]

^ " Some of the Amazon chicom stuff seems to use inferior batteries or electronics or something..."

That would explain why the battery in the one I got some time ago and left plugged in to charge went dead and would not recharge.  That particular incident was what prompted me to get a reconditioned lead acid to keep in the car.