Sears Die Hard booster/jumper cables

[czgunner]

I've been meaning to grab another set of jumper cables to put in the Jeep.
I've been reading and researching which are good or bad.
I was so frustrated with conflicting reviews and stories I just didn't know which to get.
The deal is to get 100% copper conductor wires.
These are expensive.
I love made in USA, but they are running a bunch over $100.
People tell me to make my own because it's better, cheaper, etc.
So, I called my local NAPA and they want $6.50 a foot for 2 gauge welding wire...that's expensive.
Today I popped into a Sears and decided to take a peek.
I found part number 287325, Die Hard Platinum booster cable safety kit.
The packaging said "100% PURE COPPER conductor wires" and "MADE IN THE USA".
I was sold.
They are 20 foot, 4 gauge wires, and come w/safety glasses and gloves.
$69.99 and it was one of two left. This is being phased out for a copper coated aluminum conductor wire, crappy clamp, made in China set...for the same price.
Anyway, I just got home and thought I would post a few pics.

 

[tomshep]

I have been meaning to get a good set of jumpers. I had a set for 30 years and my dad borrowed them to jump his tractor. Well, he didn't say he was going to work on it and repeatedly drain the battery. Long story short, he actually melted the clamps.

Anyone else have a good copper set to mention before I go buy these?

Tom

 

[Wakefield]

Where the cable is crimped to the clamp insert-would it be good to solder there?
(Assuming you can get the right kind of (electrical/silver?) solder and not the plumber's kind that has flux in it that will eventually cause the whole thing to corrode)
--do some very expensive cables have solid copper clamp inserts instead of the copper plate steel inserts that I think that Sears cable has-(but still way better than the drugstore jumper cable)

Deka a good expensive brand?

 

[JerseyBoatBuilder]

Those look like rebranded Road Power cables.

 

[thesilverone]

good buy!

 

[Outlawmws]

Where the cable is crimped to the clamp insert-would it be good to solder there?
(Assuming you can get the right kind of (electrical/silver?) solder and not the plumber's kind that has flux in it that will eventually cause the whole thing to corrode)
--do some very expensive cables have solid copper clamp inserts instead of the copper plate steel inserts that I think that Sears cable has-(but still way better than the drugstore jumper cable)

Deka a good expensive brand?

I would not. I've had clamped wire connectors in the set I made 35 years ago and have NEVER had an issue.

CZgunner, can you use a magnet to check if the jaw grips are plated or steel?

 

[czgunner]

CZgunner, can you use a magnet to check if the jaw grips are plated or steel?

They are indeed ferrous.

 

[JASTECH]

CZgunner, Well that *****, maybe buy a set that are solid copper jaws?

 

[EOC_Jason]

CZgunner, Well that *****, maybe buy a set that are solid copper jaws?

I would think you wouldn't want the jaws to be solid copper because then they would be too soft and deform easily. You want them to bite into the lead terminals to make good contact.

 

[czgunner]

Well, for how often I use them, I'm happy.
If I find myself needing to use booster cables a whole bunch, I would probably need to upgrade.

 

[BD1]

I made my using welding cable. I had them 35 years and still jumpin !

 

[Kyle86]

I posted in the hot deals forum, kmart has craftsman jumpers on sale 6ga 16 ft for $20 and 8ga 12ft for like $11. Both sets poudly stamped made in usa. Nobody posted a reply but I thought it was an awesome deal!

 

[czgunner]

I posted in the hot deals forum, kmart has craftsman jumpers on sale 6ga 16 ft for $20 and 8ga 12ft for like $11. Both sets poudly stamped made in usa. Nobody posted a reply but I thought it was an awesome deal!

I didn't see that. Link?

 

[Outlawmws]

CZgunner, Well that *****, maybe buy a set that are solid copper jaws?

I would think you wouldn't want the jaws to be solid copper because then they would be too soft and deform easily. You want them to bite into the lead terminals to make good contact.

This ^^^^

Mine are steel clamps copper plated and still rated at either 100 or 200 amps for the clamp alone. I've "jumped" cars that did not have a battery installed with them.

The copper plating is basically giving the steel a highly conductive coating that prevents rust. Again, mine are ~35 years old, and still going strong.

 

[JASTECH]

That makes sence, thought about it but thought if copper was thick and high quality maybe?

Here are some but I don't know COO.

FJC 45255 1 Gauge Commercial Duty 25' Booster Cable - 800 amp, they are around $70.00

 

[Provincial]

I posted in the hot deals forum, kmart has craftsman jumpers on sale 6ga 16 ft for $20 and 8ga 12ft for like $11. Both sets poudly stamped made in usa. Nobody posted a reply but I thought it was an awesome deal!

6 gauge or 8 gauge cables are very marginal for jump starting. You need enough copper in the cables to carry the heavy loads of the starter. You will lose voltage at the starter with these cables, which makes the starter work harder and, ironically, use even more amps.

2 gauge is on the small side for 16 ft. cables. 1/0 gauge would be more like it.

 

[JASTECH]

EOC, Here are some 800amp copper jaws.


centurytool.net/6205_800_Amp_Heavy_Duty_Coated_Clamp_Kit_p/aso6205.htm

 

[Chamkila]

subscribed/////////////////////

 

[sberry]

Napa isnt the place to buy welding lead.

 

[t4runner]

I also made a pair from welding cables they are about 40 years old and with out a doubt better than anything I have seen pre-made in a box.

 

[Tarheelgarage]

Get a battery booster pack instead of jumper cables.

 

[Chamkila]

Get a battery booster pack instead of jumper cables.

those run quite expensive, plus every few years dont you have to change out there batteries aswell?

 

[crewchief888]

i usually end up replacing my (crappy) cable clamps with 500a parrot clamps.

i picked mine up locally from a truck parts house.

a good napa store or TSC should have them

 

[woody 73]

I learn something new everyday:

Back around 1973 my Father and I came across a neighbor selling his old jumper cables and they were very heavy duty at least in my eyes; They say #6 GA. Vu-tron Welding cable in a 16' length.

I don't remember Dad paying a lot of money for them, but I have been jumping dead batteries from those Jumper cables for all these years without any problems.

Now after reading all these posts I guess they must be very light duty in todays world of cars and truck batteries; .

 

[Wakefield]

#6 sure beats #10 (I think some drugstore cables are #10) don't work except if left in place for maybe 10 minutes or longer and then only because they allow a running car to charge the other one.

 

[Joe B.]

Something similar on the Sears Deal of the Day page:
http://www.sears.com/wow-specials/dap-100000000108524?

Specifically:
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_02807324000P

Looks to be from a different generation and a couple of feet shorter.

 

[KinzeMech]

6 gauge or 8 gauge cables are very marginal for jump starting. You need enough copper in the cables to carry the heavy loads of the starter. You will lose voltage at the starter with these cables, which makes the starter work harder and, ironically, use even more amps.

2 gauge is on the small side for 16 ft. cables. 1/0 gauge would be more like it.

That depends on what your problem is. You can start something with a 6, 8, or even 10 gauge jumper cable, if the problem is simply a discharged battery, and you let it sit for a long enough period for the running vehicle to charge the dead vehicle's battery. It works, but in my opinion, that's not a "jumpstart". That's "battery charging".

If the problem is a battery that has failed, for example, shorted a cell, that battery is unlikely to start the car even if you can get it to take a charge. In this instance, jumper cables will be required to carry the full starter load. THIS is the test that will separate to good cables from the cheapies.

 

[Outlawmws]

Actually the hardest jump jobs as to load on the cables run something like this in decending order:

Completely dead battery, you get a double load as the dead battery is trying to **** the other battery down to its level to meet in the middle, AND you are trying to start the engine.

No battery at all. Basically the jumpers just became an extended battery cable with less the optimum connections. But at least a dead battery isn't sucking it down.

Half dead battery, well below 10V but not DOA.

One cell shorted but the rest still charged; all you are really needing to do is provide the extra 2 volts, the "10 V" in car battery can still do a lot of the work.

 

[Wakefield]

A Freightliner that won't start!

 

[KinzeMech]

A Freightliner that won't start!

There's no jumping this with any cables I've ever seen. You can use jumper cables to do it, but even 2/0 cables only move so many amps before voltage drops, and you're just going to have to hook up and wait until the battery is charged enough to supply the rest of the power you need. God help you if it's freezing or worse.


It's worth mentioning in a jump start thread, to make sure everyone knows, but one of the hardest things you can do to an alternator is make it charge a battery or (worse yet) multiple batteries in the case of a diesel. If I jump something that just barely needed a nudge to get going, I put the cables away, and go about my business. If I jump something that was absolutely flat dead, I leave the cables on for 5 minutes or maybe even a little longer. That lets the battery charge (if you're lucky enough for a flat dead batt to take a charge) off two alternators.

I burned up a 90 amp 12si on a diesel tractor to learn that lesson. A half hour after starting that tractor, the batteries were still charging so hard the alternator couldn't keep up, and that alternator got hot enough to let off that bad electrical smell. It was an hour before the voltage got up to 13. It quit a few weeks after that.