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Jump Starter

Posted: 23 Mar 2008, 13:38
by powelly
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

Posted: 23 Mar 2008, 14:01
by VWCamperfan
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.

Posted: 23 Mar 2008, 14:38
by chriscburgess
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....

Posted: 23 Mar 2008, 14:43
by asahartz
chriscburgess wrote:
Battery was down to 7 volts - not sure if that is what made the difference....

That's a seriously sick battery...

Posted: 23 Mar 2008, 16:20
by Smiler
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 :wink:

battery

Posted: 23 Mar 2008, 16:43
by bourneid
get a new heavy duty battery off fleabay £60 delivered, never a starting problem now.

Posted: 23 Mar 2008, 16:46
by Nighttrain1974
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...

Booster

Posted: 23 Mar 2008, 18:59
by colynmac
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.

Posted: 23 Mar 2008, 21:04
by powelly
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 :wink:

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.

Posted: 23 Mar 2008, 21:55
by Smiler
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 :wink:

Keeps it topped up :)

Posted: 23 Mar 2008, 22:23
by ding-dang-dhu
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. :wink:

Posted: 24 Mar 2008, 08:58
by powelly
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 :wink:

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 :D

Posted: 24 Mar 2008, 09:04
by Smiler
powelly wrote: Yeah but the pi$$ heads would trip over the wire trailing out into the street on the way home from the pub :D

Ahh?

Posted: 24 Mar 2008, 09:11
by Nighttrain1974
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. :wink:

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

Posted: 24 Mar 2008, 10:08
by lloyd
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. :wink:

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.