Jump Starter

Post by **powelly** » 23 Mar 2008, 13:38

Having not used my van for a couple of weeks I find that the battery is flat, so I thought it might be an idea to get a jump starter (would be usefull for the bike anyway)

will this do the job?

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?Mod ... doy=Search

Post by **VWCamperfan** » 23 Mar 2008, 14:01

Yeah, it'll do the job!
If battery is completly flat you may have to leave it connected for a few minutes to partially charge the main van battery but it should be enough to get it going.

Post by **chriscburgess** » 23 Mar 2008, 14:38

Bought this a few weeks ago beacuse my van does the same. Didn't make a hapeth of difference to my van - still would not start until I charged the battery!

Battery was down to 7 volts - not sure if that is what made the difference....

Post by **asahartz** » 23 Mar 2008, 14:43

chriscburgess wrote:
Battery was down to 7 volts - not sure if that is what made the difference....

That's a seriously sick battery...

Post by **Smiler** » 23 Mar 2008, 16:20

Careful using it on your bike mate, be ready to take the positive clamp of the second it`s running, or it will fry your wiring

Post by **bourneid** » 23 Mar 2008, 16:43

get a new heavy duty battery off fleabay £60 delivered, never a starting problem now.

Post by **Nighttrain1974** » 23 Mar 2008, 16:46

Can get those jump start things everywhere now, they're about £20 off fleabay, a mate of mine got one from Aldi of all places for about the same.

Link for heavy duty battery please...

Post by **colynmac** » 23 Mar 2008, 18:59

I had a similar problem with Battery running flat after a period of none use.

It was a new battery but the new 25 quid Booster off of Ebay was not enough to get it turning, even after leaving the Booster connected to the dead battery for a while.

I would agree with the previous post above, get the heavy duty booster.

Post by **powelly** » 23 Mar 2008, 21:04

Smiler wrote:Careful using it on your bike mate, be ready to take the positive clamp of the second it`s running, or it will fry your wiring

Thanks for the tip, I have an optimate for the bike, so just plug in in if its not gonna be in use for a while, shame I cant do something like that on the van.

Post by **Smiler** » 23 Mar 2008, 21:55

powelly wrote: Thanks for the tip, I have an optimate for the bike, so just plug in in if its not gonna be in use for a while, shame I cant do something like that on the van.

Use your optimate on the van mate, I do

Keeps it topped up

Post by **ding-dang-dhu** » 23 Mar 2008, 22:23

I also saw one at Aldi, instead I went with sun power and bought this,
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?Tab ... &criteria=

So far so good.

Post by **powelly** » 24 Mar 2008, 08:58

Smiler wrote:
powelly wrote: Thanks for the tip, I have an optimate for the bike, so just plug in in if its not gonna be in use for a while, shame I cant do something like that on the van.

Use your optimate on the van mate, I do

Keeps it topped up

Yeah but the pi$$ heads would trip over the wire trailing out into the street on the way home from the pub

Post by **Smiler** » 24 Mar 2008, 09:04

powelly wrote: Yeah but the pi$$ heads would trip over the wire trailing out into the street on the way home from the pub

Ahh?

Post by **Nighttrain1974** » 24 Mar 2008, 09:11

ding-dang-dhu wrote:I also saw one at Aldi, instead I went with sun power and bought this,
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?Tab ... &criteria=

So far so good.

Tried the aldi one, worked a treat on my van after Bug Jam last year.

Post by **lloyd** » 24 Mar 2008, 10:08

I'm going to put a master switch on earth lead on both main and leisure batteries:
http://www.vintagecarparts.co.uk/part.phtml?PartID=969
This way I can just switch them off when not using camper.... or as an extra immobilizer switch.

Have alarm on leisure and switch off main... that way alarm will still work. Be warned many alarms will drain a battery down enough it won't start in a couple three weeks.