Jump leads.

[Whyman]

Battery failed on my car last week but the good news is that it is a Bosch S5 which was just less than 4 years old and replaced by Eurocarparts.

Two things that I noticed
1. When the battery was failing when the car was locked the indicators did not flash once. The alarm set and all the doors locked. Fitted new battery and they now flash on locking. Might help someone in the future if they notice this.

2. The jump leads that I have had for years and were perfect for starting a 2.0l petrol really struggled to start the 2.4l diesel.

So I need a new set of jump leads but have looked on eBay and Amazon but there are hundreds to choose from.

Can anyone recommend a good heavy duty set to cater for more than the 2.4 as my son has a 4.4 diesel Range Rover.

Thank you in advance.

[Wagon Sailor]

Get the heaviest duty you can afford. It's better to buy from a proper shop (ie: not on line) so that you can inspect them first. Just make sure that the cable and clips aren't flimsy and you'll be fine.

[RollingThunder]

I bought a set of heavy duty leads from Machine Mart - at least 20 years ago, maybe 30! They were expensive, but they've lasted and still do the job perfectly well when required.

As said ^^^ get the heaviest duty leads you can afford - and quality is everything in these. Poor ones will have a higher resistance, will overheat, may crack inside the insulation and the terminals may become loose causing a sparking/fire hazard. Definitely don't get cheapo Chinese stuff off ebay!

[Whyman]

Thanks for the great advice , I was looking at various ones on Amazon and eBay.

A lot are copper coated aluminum.

I guess that the most important figure in the spec is the weight.

I will keep looking.

[Dash300]

Echo all above. Buy the best quality heavy duty from a recognised maker and they will last you for life. I would add to the'buy cheap buy twice saying' that cheap also equals dangerous with heavy loadings.

[DaveNP]

I can't remember what I paid for the last set of jump leads I bought (recently to go in boot of wife's new car) but even for a good set they are not that expensive compared to a lot of motoring things, I'd echo the others buy good quality; you're already looking at heavy duty/high current, unless the connectors get so big they are impractical for a car then it's almost a case of you can't get them with too much current capacity (although the set we use for hgvs at work which almost need two hands to carry might be overkill for a car); I'd also look for longer leads, it saves the frustration of only being able to get so close and the batteries being on opposite sides of the cars; reasonable carrying case is nice as they should spend practically all of their life coiled up in the wheel well of the boot waiting to be easily unwound on the one occasion they're needed. If you buy local from a decent motor shop you can have a look at them before you part with the money.
Aluminium is a good conductor of electricity, overhead power lines are made of aluminium as it's a good compromise between weight, strength, conductivity and cost, makes me wonder if the jump leads are made of copper coated aluminium because we as consumers just expect electric wires to be copper.

[Dash300]

I have a very long set of leads as I occasionally have to assist fellow boat owners on the marina and I have a pair of big old 6ltr Volvo Pentas! In order to control the vipers nest of tangles with long cables I have cable tied the mid section of cables together which I am comfortable in doing because the cables are very heavy duty. They have never let me down and in fact are often borrowed. No idea what make they are but they are V heavy duty.

[green van man]

I recently bought a set from Halfords, 32mm csa heavy duty clamps and rated to 4 litre diesel. 4.5mm long for retail price £35 they were good value, better if you know someone with a trade card when they come down to £29.

Making them yourself to that quality out of welding cable would cost as much.

The downside is they only come in a cardboard box, not a plastic storage case the next spec down do.

Paul.

[Zebster]

It does help the jump leads if you run the donor vehicle on a fast idle for a few minutes before trying to start the stranded vehicle, as the flat battery will acquire some charge and will then contribute towards the starter current.

[Whyman]

Thanks fo the replies guys.

I have gone for the cheaper option.

I knew I had a very heavy duty set somewhere with a broken clamp on one end. Two-days of searching and I have just found them. 100% copper cables and 4.5m long so I have ordered two clamps for £5.94 and free delivery.

Hopefully now that I have them I will not need them but will be able to help someone else.

Happy days.