Battery boost

[Don Y]

I've only once had to jump-start a car "on the road": when the car we'd driven from Denver to Boston "died" 2 miles from the end of the trip (alternator having given up the ghost sometime along the way and battery finally exhausted).

Every other event has been while the car was parked -- in my garage or at some "destination" -- just prior to setting out for somewhere (returning home, headed off to work, etc.).

If at home, you go find a friendly neighbor. If at work, find a workmate who's sympathetic. In a random parking lot, wait for a passerby and hope for the best.

Likewise, every time I have had to jump someone else's vehicle, it has been in a similar situation.

[Don Y]

Here, batteries failing is *such* a common occurrence, that most folks don't even bother to test the batteries.

I've had to rebuild the alternator several times on my car, in the past (usually the bridge fails). I.e., in the past, I'd always assume the alternator had given up the ghost taking the battery down in the process. Amusingly, here, I've not had to do that at all! Yet, have replaced the battery several times!

[Stormin Mormon]

I'm with you. Hate to be stranded some where, when I can grab the booster pack and get my own vehicle going. So far, I've been very fortunate, had people stop and offer help when I have needed it.

It helps to lift the hood, and stand in front of the vehicle, holding the jumper clamps in left hand like Statue of Liberty. Smile, and make eye contact.

[Eagle]

Wouldn't it be more convenient to have a lithium booster in your glove box to get you to a place with fresh batteries?

[Don Y]

How would that device fare with 140F interior temperatures?

[clare]

Yes. I had a set of welder plogs mounted in the fender, with a solenoidwitch to control power to them. Plug the cables into the fender, sten clamps to "cudtomer" battery, flip the switch on the dash and crank the car being jumped. Then turn off the switch on the dash, disconnect cables from car and unplug from the truck, throw cables into back of truck and away we go.

[clare]

Not too well, I would imagine.

[Eagle]

[e-mail] submitted this idea :

Inovative indeed.

[Stormin Mormon]

I've seen AAA trucks with a plastic and metal socket on the front. Matching socket on the cables (which were often wrapped around the snow plow hitch).

[clare]

Had air shocks on the front too, to help support the Frink plow I had on it. I could quickly adjust for plow on or plow off. That plow frame alone was heavy enough (full fish-plate mount) without the plastic plow blade.

[DerbyDad03]

Plow On...Plow Off...The Plower!

;-)

[clare]

One spring (1977?) my brother was going out for the first slalom of the season (solo 1 - autocross sort of thing on a shopping mall parking lot) with his modified Cricket (mitsubishi Galant sold by Plymouth) and I went over to Woodstock Ontario with him - in the Ramcharger. I still had the snows on, the plow was off, but it still had the plow frame. I decided to have som fun and entered. Because of the displacement and wheelbase I was in the same class as a Corvette.

Three runs -First 2 I totallycreamed the Vette. He finally had a good run on the third. His best time and my best time were within 1/100 second. I beat him 2 runs out of 3, but his best bested my best - by

1/100second. I felt pretty good about it!!

[Stormin Mormon]

Did you use cables, or a booster pack?

[Eagle]

[e-mail] explained :

I had to look up "Frink plow" and "full fish-plate mount". :-?

[Eagle]

DerbyDad03 used his keyboard to write :

^^

[Eagle]

Stormin Mormon presented the following explanation :

lol

[clare]

A booster pack of course. (never hear of JATO)

[clare]

The Frink was a bottom trip snowplow with a poly snowboard. The fish-plated mount was 2 plates of 3/8" steel bolted to the side of the frame back into the suspension area - making for a very strong and damage resistant mount - re-enforcing the truck frame. It was a BRUTE.

[Eagle]

[e-mail] explained on 1/2/2016 :

A booster pack IS a JATO. They are used on cargo planes like the C-130 Hercules.

[Eagle]

[e-mail] formulated on Saturday :

At first I thought "Frink plow" was a typo for "fricking plow", and "full fish-plate mount" was a blue-fin tuna on a dinner plate... :-?