Motorhomes/campervans, jump leads and jump starters

[Sixty-nine Chevy]

I was thinking of getting a pair of jump leads to keep in our campervan as much to help others as ourselves, but having read around there seems a lot of danger of blowing alternators and so on. A modern jump starter seems a safer alternative. Anyone with recent experience? Thanks.

 

[L' Hobo]

I have some heavy duty, very long, very flexible jump leads that I had for my Coaches but, I now carry, in the PVC, one in the of these, 'up to 3ltr', small starter packs from Halfords. (keeping the leads to use, with changed ends, IF I add any more heavy use electric to the van)

I have never had to use it on my 2.3 Fiat but it has been used a couple of time to start neighbours cars and it worked well.

 

[dash300]

I have this one which I carry everywhere. Starts my 6 ltr Volvo Penta's with ease. There might not always be another vehicle available to jump start from plus it's a useful powerbank as well.

MSC Overland + 18Ah Waterproof 5V/12V/19V Power bank & jump starter

MSC Overland + Jump starter multi-function waterproof power bank. Auto Express Best Buy recommendation for the past 4 years. Expedition proven, 5V/12V/19V output.

www.mobilesolarchargers.co.uk

 

[SpeedyDux]

After you buy one of those Powerbanks that can be used to jump start engines, you find it has many other uses. A great buy.

I used mine to start a neighbour's car. Easy peasy even though it looks too small.

I also have a different type of battery-to-battery booster cable that can be plugged into the 12v dashboard socket in both vehicles, and takes about 15 minutes to put enough charge into the flat battery to start the other vehicle. It has a series of LED lights to tell you when the flat battery is sufficiently charged, so you can disconnect the cable. No risk of damaging an ECU in either vehicle.

As a result I have given up on traditional jump start cables.

 

[Conal]

I have had problems with the vehicle and leisure batteries going low/flat for three years during the winter at my storage site. Three years ago in January 2019 I bought a replacement vehicle battery in an emergency after being told by the recovery driver that the existing one was toast. I charged this up and found it was fine (got two 1/2 more years out of it). So, during this time, when collecting the motorhome from the site I take a pair of heavy duty leads and the spare battery (fully charged) and start the engine this way.
interestingly, for the technically minded, I had no problems until last year winter (2020/21), when the vehicle battery was flat. An error message telling me I was stuck in neutral was shown whilst the jump leads were connected once the engine was running, but disappeared once they were removed. This year (Jan 2022) the vehicle battery was very flat and I was summoned to the site because the alarm was going off. A new fully charged Bosch battery solved this.

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[Trout bum]

I was thinking of getting a pair of jump leads to keep in our campervan as much to help others as ourselves, but having read around there seems a lot of danger of blowing alternators and so on. A modern jump starter seems a safer alternative. Anyone with recent experience? Thanks.

Don't bother with bulky jump leads buy a Nocco power unit to start dead batteries it's compact and will start any motorhome first time .

 

[MisterB]

on my first motorhome, i once jump started it by connecting the jump leads to my leisure battery - it worked without any problem. is there any reason why it wouldnt work with a newer (2018) motorhome?

 

[Trout bum]

on my first motorhome, i once jump started it by connecting the jump leads to my leisure battery - it worked without any problem. is there any reason why it wouldnt work with a newer (2018) motorhome?

I would not start cab battery through the leisure one, open the bonnet and there is a positive bolt to clamp it on and a negative plate for negative , so easy rather than take up mats to get to cab battery inside cab

 

[Ian Bosman]

I was thinking of getting a pair of jump leads to keep in our campervan as much to help others as ourselves, but having read around there seems a lot of danger of blowing alternators and so on. A modern jump starter seems a safer alternative. Anyone with recent experience? Thanks.

Buy the best quality you can, the cheap ones do not pass the starting current!

 

[huck999]

I read somewhere that you should only jump Fiats at the points under the bonnet rather than direct to the battery. Something about the way the van is wired.
Anyone know if there is any truth in this?

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[mofurt]

I don't know about truth, but generally jump points are easy to get to so no reason not to - and you avoid the very minimal risk of sparks around gases from the battery.

I've got a TackLife 16500maH 300/600A pack. It has started many things, from small motorcycles, through 2.5L diesel VW Transporters and Diesel Land Rover Defenders, to my 4.4L TD Range Rover. It struggled a bit on one old Land Rover, leads getting a bit warm as it took a lot of cranking, but it worked. Wouldn't be without one now - and it conveniently acts as a torch and USB charge pack.

 

[L' Hobo]

on my first motorhome, i once jump started it by connecting the jump leads to my leisure battery - it worked without any problem. is there any reason why it wouldnt work with a newer (2018) motorhome?

On my Murvi control panel, there is a programme to use my leisure batteries to start the engine.
Never had to use it or how/if it works, but it's there?

 

[Conal]

Trout bum I have a posh power unit but it will not resurrect a completely flat battery

 

[L' Hobo]

I read somewhere that you should only jump Fiats at the points under the bonnet rather than direct to the battery. Something about the way the van is wired.
Anyone know if there is any truth in this?

I have read somewhere that if you jump start to the battery, it is possible to get a power surge and cook the ECU. Being an old heavy diesel engineer, I know very little about electrics so perhaps someone could comment on if that's right or not?

 

[cruiser]

Thank you dash300 I have just ordered one of them. if it does not work , i will set my guard dog on you.

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[grey bear]

a nocco jump pack the higher rated one is very good .to jump start modern vehicles it is best practice when the flat vehicle is started leave jump leads on for a few minutes between each running vehicle turn headlights on the flat vehicle to trick the alty .then disconnect leads with care i have done this loads of times with no problem .mercedes trucks early eps gearbox fitted used to have above advice sticker on batterys

 

[GAVLAD]

Take a look at a post I did last year under

Workshop Plus Smart Box 6S​

Something like this may suit your needs.

 

[dash300]

Thank you dash300 I have just ordered one of them. if it does not work , i will set my guard dog on you.

I'm comfortable with that. First class piece of kit and if you ring the company for advice you get to speak to a human being in Somerset.

 

[Ianto]

I bought a TREK-POW 2500amp Power pack last year after seeing it start a Digger with No battery on it on u tube. Fantastic piece of kit.Got a Bargain on Amazon. Well worth the money. Also has torch /type "c" socket /usb/ and micro so So you can run anything 12v easily. Also so small it can fit in your pock et of coat. A1 Rating for me.

 

[Ianto]

I bought a TREK-POW 2500amp Power pack last year after seeing it start a Digger with No battery on it on u tube. Fantastic piece of kit.Got a Bargain on Amazon. Well worth the money. Also has torch /type "c" socket /usb/ and micro so So you can run anything 12v easily. Also so small it can fit in your pock et of coat. A1 Rating for me.

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[Prop]

on my first motorhome, i once jump started it by connecting the jump leads to my leisure battery - it worked without any problem. is there any reason why it wouldnt work with a newer (2018) motorhome?

We have a lithium leisure battery on our van, I asked the battery supplier that question and he said we could not jump start off it as the leisure BMS would not allow it. Currently looking at these battery jump packs myself.

 

[Jamesh]

Take a look at a post I did last year under

Workshop Plus Smart Box 6S​

Something like this may suit your needs.

Workshop Plus Smart Box 6S

I’ve just read about the member who was fined for taking his motorhome to the garage. Therefore, I’m not sure where I stood with this. Last night, I routed via the storage place on the way to work to collect my motorhome to drive it to work. Rights or wrongs, the place is on the way and the...

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

 

[Ianto]

Yes, You will find the Leisure battery is different to your regular van battery. It does not have the boost required to give the initial surge to power up the starter. Newer ecg models would not allow the battery to start it anyway. Be safer option to jump start from power pack

 

[howsitgoingdud]

I have a NOCO Jump Starter - Genius Boost Pro - 3000A - GB150
Great tool always take it with me for work van and mH
Used it to start an old Landy once - batteries was totally flat no pulse ! Yep no problem
It’s not cheap but I’ve bought the big bulky old type before with a compressor and everything u never use . This is designed well for 1 job and that’s my Moto . Plus it’s got a big torch on end - it’s all lithium charges USb which is slow or 12v lighter

 

[Prop]

I have read somewhere that if you jump start to the battery, it is possible to get a power surge and cook the ECU. Being an old heavy diesel engineer, I know very little about electrics so perhaps someone could comment on if that's right or not?

I understand but may be wrong that you can jump start if you go +ve to +ve on the both batteries and -ve on the good battery to an earth point on the flat van, say somewhere on the engine block

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[JonnyMac]

I would suggest a battery tester (and odb2 reader) are also useful bits of kit to keep around and they are also cheap. I've had one similar to this for a few years and found it very useful.

Amazon product ASIN B0725GVGTG

 

[poppycamper]

Another vote for Trek-Pow...
One big advantage over the other popular one Noco is the fact you can totally remove the leads and use as a neat and small power bank

I bought a TREK-POW 2500amp Power pack last year after seeing it start a Digger with No battery on it on u tube. Fantastic piece of kit.Got a Bargain on Amazon. Well worth the money. Also has torch /type "c" socket /usb/ and micro so So you can run anything 12v easily. Also so small it can fit in your pock et of coat. A1 Rating for me.

 

[L' Hobo]

Another vote for Trek-Pow...
One big advantage over the other popular one Noco is the fact you can totally remove the leads and use as a neat and small power bank

Strange, I can remove the leads from my NOCO?

 

[poppycamper]

Strange, I can remove the leads from my NOCO?

Oh.. I thought the Noco leads were permanently connected.
Certainly look like it in any photos I have seen of it.
Yet another schoolday

 

[gpat]

I read somewhere that you should only jump Fiats at the points under the bonnet rather than direct to the battery. Something about the way the van is wired.
Anyone know if there is any truth in this?

I think its more that its very difficult to get to the one in the cab and like mofurt says you are risking gas being present. I can't think of a scenario where its easier to connect to the battery than the terminals under the bonnet