The ultimate jumper cable setup

[MikeIA]

We have 7 vehicles at work...two airport tugs, two forklifts, two skid-steers, and a Cushman utility truck...and, thanks to Murphy's law, the batteries always seem to die at the worst time. We have some 2/0 welding cable salvaged from an old project, so I decided to add a power connector to all of the vehicles, and have some B.F. jumper cables to go between them. I ordered battery connectors from Mcmaster-Carr:

McMaster-Carr

and made some jumper cables.

 

[MikeIA]

I also made a set of "adapters" that will clamp onto the baterry of a "non-compatible" vehicle.

 

[MikeIA]

Here is a picture of the connector on one of our airport tugs...I tucked it up out of the way, sorta under the "dashboard."

 

[MikeIA]

And here is the connector on one of the forklifts...hidden behind the seat.

 

[GerardC]

Neat idea. Nothing like recycling to save a few bucks and the landfills.

 

[Egon]

Nothin I'd like better than some welding cable for boosting. Most of ones you buy just aren't large enough.

Egon /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[have_blue]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( between them. I ordered battery connectors from Mcmaster-Carr and made some jumper cables. )</font>

There you go! Git 'er done!

Fudd! I knew I would run across some commercial connectors... after spending 2 hours cobbling together some home-made ones.

I recently got fed up with my riding mower eating a battery every year, and yanked it out of the battery box and put it on my tractor shed floor. I keep it charged with a solar panel and controller I have been using for some time.

I added a home made connector a lot like your MC units (I used 4ga because the mower battery cables are only ~6ga) I bolted the other connector under the seat in an existing bolt hole.

My ghetto connector was made from a pair of 2ga connectors used as the female, and a pair of 4ga used as the male. I mounted them on little slabs of oak, and they fit like a glove. I now start my riding mower by rolling it up to the battery, momentarily plugging in the connector, and starting it. It runs fine with no battery in the circuit.

I also bought me some good booster cables. They are 4ga, have nice flexible insulation, and beefy clamps. At least, I THOUGHT 4ga was good until I read about your BF booster cables! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Origially, I was looking for coaxial connectors. That would be neat.

 

[slowzuki]

Most tow trucks have the same setup in the great white north for boosting cars easily. A company called awdirect sells them premade for some $$$.

 

[have_blue]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Most tow trucks have the same setup in the great white north for boosting cars easily. A company called awdirect sells them premade for some $$$. )</font>

Talk about some $$$!

That's where I got the idea from. When I was a kid, I used to work for a service station. Our service truck had a plugin set.

 

[PILOON]

FYI those connectors are ANDERSON brand.

Very commonly used on electric fork lift trucks and larger size is rated at about 300 amps.

I also set up my jumper cables that way.