[Vwdiesel] Boosters

[James Hansen]

I have one too, same deal.  
12 v socket that is fairly handy, charges easy, can hook it up in the dark
(it won't turn on the relay that powers the cables if the polarity is off),
but it is a small thing, adn certainly will not boost a dead battery, but,
most boosts happen because the host needs just a little push to get sparked
up, so for that it is fairly handy.
I keep one around for the stock car mostly, if there is a charging system
problem that lowers battery voltage during a race.    I have a voltage reg
going to the hei, to feed it 18v regardless of input voltage, to reduce
horsepower losses from lower spark voltage... so really if it starts with
the battery pack helping, and there are enough electrons left in the
battery, it runs at full power. The boost pack is just the thing, handier
than a battery and cables, but small.
IIRC, the first ones were horrible expensive, but could put out current like
a hot damn- had big nicads in it. They would jump start rocks.
-another farmer jim, who does use a smart charge, and solar tenders....

-----Original Message-----
From: vwdiesel-bounces at vwfans.com [mailto:vwdiesel-bounces at vwfans.com] On
Behalf Of Val Christian
Sent: December-24-10 4:07 PM
To: vwdiesel at vwfans.com
Subject: [Vwdiesel] Boosters

Yep, battery boosters, and in jump start packs.

Farmer Jim down the road, says he gets his 12 cyl combine going with one 
of them.  Debugging a car, he dropped on off for me to play with.
Interstate 3000.  LEDs on the clamps, long, but not long enough clamps,
polarity wrong warnings, a go/no-go meter for the onboard battery, 
a roadsize flasher, and so on.

So I tried it.  Yep it boosted things, but I'm not sure that it was any 
different than a battery with jumper cables.  I returned it before I took
it apart.

So are these things something like a 20 Ah battery, and other than the 
onboard charger, the warning electronics, and the cute little LEDs in the
jumper clamps, is there any fancy electronics?  Or is it simply a battery,
with a switch, in parallel with your existing, presumably cranked-out
battery?

Anyone know?

Diesel relevancy:  Eventually, your diesel will need a jump.  If the other 
engine has a 130+ Amp alternator, and you have 4 ga or better cables, your
life is always easier.

ps: Farmer Jim should consider a solar trickle charger for the combines 
parked outside, and a smart charger for the batteries inside.  Actually,
I think one of the combines already has one...

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