Which jumper cables

[jrsavoie]

I need a new set of jumper cables. I'd like for them to be satisfactory for my MF 1726E as well as automobiles. I will get "heavy duty" ones, as I've had experiences where lighter cables did not do the job when needed.

As I understand, 4-gauge is considered "heavy duty", but 1-gauge is even better for "heavy-duty" equipment. I'm not sure what is meant by "heavy-duty equipment". Do you think that 4-gauge will be satisfactory in all situations for my tractor and automobiles? Or should I go with 1-gauge to be safe?

4 ga. Isn't heavy.
I prefer at least 2/0.
25'
I've had to park behind a Suburban to jump it. If it had been the Dually Crew Cab 8' bed, the 25' cables would not have been long enough.

 

[1Mech]

I have a similar setup on my older F350 - 2/0 all-copper to anderson connectors at the front and rear bumpersView attachment 2100674

can connect winch or jumpers to either end very quickly without looking at a battery.

A safer way to connect too!

 

[ning]

I used this for my truck & winch wiring:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01MTAMF7R

2/0, copper not cca, resistant to oil based solvents

 

[90cummins]

I need a new set of jumper cables. I'd like for them to be satisfactory for my MF 1726E as well as automobiles. I will get "heavy duty" ones, as I've had experiences where lighter cables did not do the job when needed.

As I understand, 4-gauge is considered "heavy duty", but 1-gauge is even better for "heavy-duty" equipment. I'm not sure what is meant by "heavy-duty equipment". Do you think that 4-gauge will be satisfactory in all situations for my tractor and automobiles? Or should I go with 1-gauge to be safe?

The heavier the better.
If you need to jump a diesel with a weak or dead battery You’ll need very heavy cables.

 

[Frxdy]

In today's world you should consider cables with a diode so you can't accidentally reverse the polarity when jump starting. Many cars instantly cause major computer damage with even an accidental reverse bump. I personally know of two cases. One on a pick up truck, but a local wrecker service zapped a car. One was a full on clamp, the other was just a touch. In both cases it was over a $1,000 to repair when you included the tow to the dealer. Lots of tractors have delicate electronics now..... I haven't heard of a reverse, but I would assume it could happen.

 

[Fxfymn413]

Ditto on the home made welding cable jumpers using Anderson connectors wired to the truck and tractors. Mine are a "modular" design with the clamps on a short piece of wire so I can connect more than one length of wire when I need longer length.

 

[Flogger]

I got ahold of a bunch of 2-0 welding lead (not #2, but two aught) and made a set of jumper cables using the best clamps I could find. A friend of mine was trying to jump off his pickup from his car using those cheap jumper cables you find in most auto part stores, to no avail. Not enough current getting thru to the dead battery to start it, so I told him to take them off and I went and got mine. His pickup started almost immediately, which is how much difference a good set makes. He asked me where I got them, and I told him I would make him a set. Made his 20 foot long, so he could jump it off even if he had to park the other car behind him.
He passed away, and his Widow wanted me to come help clean out his shed. She gave the jumper cables back to me, so now I have a pair of them.
One drawback, is they are heavy!
David from jax

I’ve got one 2/0 set that is 25’ long and they weigh a ton but when you need the length that doesn’t matter. I’ve made jumper cables from welding cable for years. With a good quality end I can unbolt them and slide heatshrink onto them for repairs. I also crimp my rings onto the cable then solder the crimped ring terminal. While it is cooling down I apply No Ox Ide A to melt into the cable and then heat shrink it. Purty durned bullet proof for 20+ years.

 

[Flogger]

Sorry Ray but that is not the case. Voltage drop across given length of wire for a given amount of EFFECTIVE current is the same be it AC or DC. There are probably a dozen reasons that AC is predominantly used worldwide for long distance power transmission as well as local distribution to the final user. Length/distance was not the big reason or the issue. The distances with power transmission are in miles not a few feet and with very different kinds of problems than battery cables have. The losses for a given amount of power transmission are proportional to the effective current involved. In the case of DC that is just simple amperage. In the case of AC it is RMS amperage. The effective voltage for AC is the RMS value of voltage and that computes easily for power calculations, etc. just like DC fixed voltage would. HOWEVER one of the big reasons for using AC transmission is that there is no physical force between two parallel conductors with AC. Energize them with very high voltage and current and they do not pull at each other, suddenly grab together or force each other apart. The problem with DC transmission is they WOULD force each other apart or together (and with more force the greater the current) creating all sorts of mechanical and physical problems for transmission. DC is very unsatisfactory for transmission plus creating other issues even after the energy gets to the user. There is no such thing as a DC transformer (to convert voltage up or down) for example like you do easily with AC transformers. On and on. I won't go into other reasons favoring AC transmission but there are many including the size of the conductors required, the predominance and advantages of synchronous rotating machinery and universal transmission of synchronism uses like clocks and other devices besides motors.
Don't believe everything you read on Wiki (though it is an extremely valuable information resource.)

The biggest part of a/c beating out D/C was one single green component. The dollar. JP Morgan spent more of them than George Westinghouse!

 

[Flogger]

The 24V vehicle I had used two 12V batteries. I got 12V by connecting to just one of them.

Bruce

John Deere used 24v for years. The 24v start and charge was isolated from the tractor and then half of the tractor was 24v+ and the other half was 24v-. Scared the farm boy mechanics plum to death trying to figure that one out!

 

[Flogger]

I have a jump cart with 4 GC200 6 volt batteries. The 375 Anderson is 12v and the 450 Anderson is 24v. I have to anchor my tractor down so it doesn't flip over when I hit the starter!