Good jump leads

tipptom

Was looking at jump leads the other day,€80 for 5m 800amp fully insulated.
Would be possibly starting a van,7/1/2 ton truck(2 12 volts).

Anybody make up their own leads with welding cable and clamps,am aware it would probably be more expensive than above but you would have a flaking set of leads at the finish.

Any idea on prices of good welding cable per metre and good clamps or a place with decent jump leads at a good price?

jimgoose

800 amp leads will be just fine. That's not a bad price either. I got a 500 amp set last year for around €50.

tipptom

jimgoose wrote: »

800 amp leads will be just fine. That's not a bad price either. I got a 500 amp set last year for around €50.

They have 800amp 5m 25mm on ebay for €30 but the clamps don't look much better than the clamps that you would see in the 2 euro shop jobbies.

jimgoose

tipptom wrote: »

They have 800amp 5m 25mm on ebay for €30 but the clamps don't look much better than the clamps that you would see in the 2 euro shop jobbies.

Have a look in a motor-factors.

randy hickey

I made a set years ago with welding cable and a good set of large copper crocodile clamps that I found in a motor factors down the country.
The've jumped every thing from 8 wheel tippers and paving machines to cars.

Here's a link to give you an idea of price on welding cable:


http://www.wholesaleweldingsupplies.ie/index.php?route=product/category&path=48_75

tipptom

randy hickey wrote: »

I made a set years ago with welding cable and a good set of large copper crocodile clamps that I found in a motor factors down the country.
The've jumped every thing from 8 wheel tippers and paving machines to cars.

Here's a link to give you an idea of price on welding cable:


http://www.wholesaleweldingsupplies.ie/index.php?route=product/category&path=48_75

Thanks for that link Randy,so going by that site I could get two 5m lengths of 50mm cable for roughly €60 and two pairs of clamps for €20 and I am good to go if I got some sort of shrink on wrap on the clamps and would have a top set of heavy duty leads,or am I missing something?

Saw a set on the Australian ebay with a surge protecter joined in,is this something I need to connect to my cables to have them well pimped out?

randy hickey

The clamps are very important - some designs don't let the jaws open that far and others are crap at gripping a terminal.

Mine are similar to these:
http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Crocodile-Clips-Clamps-Battery-Charger-Jump-Leads-Clay-Pigeon-Trap-/230929243443?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item35c4749d33

jayc12

Just saw 1500 amp leads on autolights.ie for 50 euro

randy hickey

Tipptom - if you're based in Tipperary, you could try KWS in Clonmel - they might have cable and clamps at the right price.

lomb

aHalfords do a very high quality set own brand in a blue box for around 35 e, I should know I bought a set the other day. They started a diesel continuosly cranking for a good minute on a dead battery ( Fuel pump dead and needed to keep cranking with the odd break) The clamps are double conducting and very heavy duty. The cable is 25mm I think. Very impressed. I think they will start a 5lv8 petrol according to the pack. I think you could start a truck with them personally. Alternatively Argos have an RAC set for around the same but I don't know how good they are.

There's no such thing as good jump leads they're all rip offs.
The amperage rating refers more to the insulation than the conductor because they're for ventilated instantaneous loads. 100A mains cable has a greater conductor surface area than 400A jump leads and it's ¼ the price.
I'd go with the welding cable and a few rolls of PVC tape any day.

randy hickey

Sorry tipptom, I also meant to say that you don't need shrinkwrap - just welding cable and a good set of clamps.
Once you've stripped back the appropriate length of insulation, you simply crimp the cable into the handle of the clamp like so:




Then simply slide the handle covers back up onto the clamp and the job's a good 'un!

NuckingFacker

Lidl have them for 14.99 ffs. I defy you to fail to start somthing with them. We give them dogs abuse and they're the same as all the so called "premium" brands.

tipptom

randy hickey wrote: »

Sorry tipptom, I also meant to say that you don't need shrinkwrap - just welding cable and a good set of clamps.
Once you've stripped back the appropriate length of insulation, you simply crimp the cable into the handle of the clamp like so:




Then simply slide the handle covers back up onto the clamp and the job's a good 'un!

That's a good job Randy,I was looking at the clamps on the link for that firm you gave me and the clamps had no insulation cover on them.

tipptom

NuckingFacker wrote: »

Lidl have them for 14.99 ffs. I defy you to fail to start somthing with them. We give them dogs abuse and they're the same as all the so called "premium" brands.

Yea,but at times I would be jumping at truck and a van with two crossed 12v batteries and I have already melted a strong set so I thought if I could build a stronger set for the same money that I was spending anyway it would be a better longer lasting job and have the likes of the Lidl ones in the car permanently.

randy hickey

tipptom wrote: »

That's a good job Randy,I was looking at the clamps on the link for that firm you gave me and the clamps had no insulation cover on them.

Not sure I know what you mean - they have the insulated hand grips on them?

tipptom

randy hickey wrote: »

Not sure I know what you mean - they have the insulated hand grips on them?

Ok,i was looking at the crocodile earth clamps and there is no insulation on them in the picture on the wholesale welding supplies,they have free delivery.

randy hickey

tipptom wrote: »

Yea,but at times I would be jumping at truck and a van with two crossed 12v batteries and I have already melted a strong set so I thought if I could build a stronger set for the same money that I was spending anyway it would be a better longer lasting job and have the likes of the Lidl ones in the car permanently.

Sorry Tom - I see where the confusion arose - I thought you were talking about the crocodile clamps that I linked to in post 7 above!
The ones that you were talking about wouldn't be suitable for use on jump leads, as they're specifically meant for earthing your welder.

tipptom

randy hickey wrote: »

Sorry Tom - I see where the confusion arose - I thought you were talking about the crocodile clamps that I linked to in post 7 above!
The ones that you were talking about wouldn't be suitable for use on jump leads, as they specifically meant for earthing your welder.

That's fine,Randy,thanks for the info.