Recommendations for Heavy Duty Jump Leads?

Middle · 11 Feb 2021 at 11:47

Hey guys!

Hot off the excellent recommendations I got last time about a jumper kit, I'm wondering if anyone's got any suggestions for good quality heavy duty jump leads that they can share.

Same deal as last time - my brother's looking for a good set that balances price and performance. Doesn't have to be professional grade, just something that works well for occasional personal use when needed.

Thanks!

K.C. Leblanc · 11 Feb 2021 at 17:04

I got a decent set from my local motor factors. Not sure of the brand but they seemed to go up in British Leyland engine sizes.

pugheaven · 11 Feb 2021 at 17:14

I got these...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00GOL9AA0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

running them on both cars. nice thick chunky cables.

paradigm · 11 Feb 2021 at 17:30

pugheaven said:
I got these...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00GOL9AA0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

running them on both cars. nice thick chunky cables.

Looking at the pics they are garbage. Aluminium cored, multi-strand, and with a thick insulation to make them look better than they are.

chaparral · 11 Feb 2021 at 17:40

I been using these ones at work for years but there most likely far to heavy duty for what you need
Sealey SBC50/6.5/EHD Extra Heavy-Duty Clamps Booster Cables, 50mm: Amazon.co.uk: Car & Motorbike

Hotwired · 11 Feb 2021 at 17:58

What's the fetish for solid core jumper cables then.

That one chaparral linked uses multi strand welding cable and should be vastly more flexible and resistant to damage from being flexed than one thick wire.

paradigm · 11 Feb 2021 at 18:47

Hotwired said:
What's the fetish for solid core jumper cables then.

That one chaparral linked uses multi strand welding cable and should be vastly more flexible and resistant to damage from being flexed than one thick wire.

Sorry, I meant to put THIN multi-strand. Those aluminium strands look very thin, I wouldn’t trust that cable to sustain 200A.

pugheaven · 11 Feb 2021 at 19:26

paradigm said:
Looking at the pics they are garbage. Aluminium cored, multi-strand, and with a thick insulation to make them look better than they are.

Sorry, posted wrong set the ones I have are these..
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00GOL9A6O/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

Anyhow, they jump started my neighbours Q7 with that massive diesel engine in it, the V12 thing. Left it idling for couple of minutes, cranked over and boom it started... so they did what I wanted them to do. If people want to go and buy £200 jump leads, chuckn them in with the spare tire to use once in a blue moon, go for it.

dlockers · 11 Feb 2021 at 19:48

paradigm said:
Looking at the pics they are garbage. Aluminium cored, multi-strand, and with a thick insulation to make them look better than they are.

err... I think you'll find it says right there, on the packaging, PROFESSIONAL :rolleyes:

Edit: but yeah, getting a hard on for mega jump leads is definitely not on my list of other weird crap I get hard over that others find odd. I guess I can understand it though.

Middle · 12 Feb 2021 at 12:12

Thanks for the suggestions, all! I'm in a bit of rush right now, but I'll give the links a good look over once I get home later on. Can only really skim them right now.

I was also thinking about these ones: https://www.halfords.com/tools/jump-leads/halfords-up-to-3.5l-jump-leads-438478.html as they seemed to review well.

And yeah... I can safely guarantee that the £273 one is probably both exceptional quality and never getting bought by my brother.

Finglonga · 12 Feb 2021 at 14:25

I have cables I got from a truck stop years ago for lorries and are thick and 6m long. Downside is they take up too much of the boot to be carrying for emergencies. I have used them a few times to jump start the lorries at work so know they are well up to the job.

Howard · 12 Feb 2021 at 14:50

Along a similar vein, can anyone recommend (or recommend against) any of those portable lithium jump starter packs? I just had to borrow one from my neighbour to get my gf's car started so she could go to work, so I'm starting to think it'd be a useful thing to have.

chaparral · 12 Feb 2021 at 16:14

Middle said:
And yeah... I can safely guarantee that the £273 one is probably both exceptional quality and never getting bought by my brother.

LOL

I'm guessing the batteries that i tend to jump start are a little bit bigger then yours

chaparral · 12 Feb 2021 at 16:19

I use these much cheaper and much lighter ones a lot and they work well, Think they cost around £36 to £40

(Simply 5 metre 800amp )

pugheaven · 12 Feb 2021 at 16:26

chaparral said:
I use these much cheaper and much lighter ones a lot and they work well, Think they cost around £36 to £40

(Simply 5 metre 800amp )

Exactly the same ones I have two sets of, 800amp jobbies, working well the hand full of times and then go straight back into bag, should last forever tbh

Terminal_Boy · 12 Feb 2021 at 16:34

The good quality, but lighter wire gauge ones are fine for starting cars which just have a flat/dead battery and start readily.

If you have a an engine that won’t start due to ignition or fuel issues and will be turning it over via the starter more for longer than 15 seconds at a time, you need to invest in a set of heavy duty/heavy gauge wire cables.

Middle · 13 Feb 2021 at 11:54

chaparral said:
LOL

I'm guessing the batteries that i tend to jump start are a little bit bigger then yours

Ha, yeah. These ones are beastly - thick chains nearby's a nice touch, too!

He seems quite taken by the one Pugheaven posted earlier, the 600 amp version. It's popped up a few times in the thread already, so there's a good chance he'll wind up springing for that.