Boosting another vehicle
- Thread starter bluescruiser
- Start date
Interesting. Seems it would be great at delivering a big jolt for turning a starter motor, but I wonder if it's overkill for our hybrid LCs, or maybe just a different animal. I also wonder if you're out in the woods and everything is dead as a doornail, could it leave you stranded?
If I'm understanding it correctly, it doesn't "hold" a charge over long periods but can take a charge from a relatively dead battery.. still leaves me wondering about a completely drained battery without another car around to charge the capacitors in it. Seems like more of around the garage or around other vehicle solution, maybe.
From my cursory electronic understanding, capacitors drain charge pretty quickly, but are meant to deliver quick transient voltages.
BTW/Thanks for all the great ideas you post. Installing a lift light switch this weekend.
- Moderator
- #23
You have a good point about every power source being dead as a doornail. To me it's no different than having a dead jump box. I have always had battery type jump boxes, seems like whenever you really needed it, the battery needed charging. I replaced several of them because the internal battery quit taking a charge etc....... With the capacitor style there is no battery to keep charged or go bad.......... mine has stored a charge for at least 2 months and can be charged from just about any DC power source as all you're really doing is charging the capacitors. I assume there's a regulator involved during the discharge cycle to slow the rate of discharge. I know for a fact that a 12v battery that has 5 volts remaining will charge the capacitors, it did take pressing the charge button twice (still haven't got it all figured out the charge cycle procedure) it started my buddy's truck without a hitch. It's started my LC, well allowed the computers to fire up, on several occasions (before I installed the solar charger). At some point I do plan on doing a test to see if the solar charger will provide enough juice to charge the capacitors.
- Jun 8, 2024
- 449
- Media
- 45
- 851
- Vehicles
- 2007 Toyota Tundra 4X4 Double Cab 5.7L V8, 2015 Chevrolet SS LS3 V8
I had to jump my 2007 Tundra 5.7L this winter after the battery died (finally) in -20F temps. Used the Land Cruiser to jump it.
Positive terminal connection is located in the passenger side fuse panel under a red safety cover. There is a spot designated to put the negative cable nearby on a bare bit of metal, refer to the owners manual.
Jumped the old Tundra just fine so I could move it out of the middle of the driveway.
I really don’t understand why everyone is so afraid of this process and thinks you need to use the battery in the back.
Positive terminal connection is located in the passenger side fuse panel under a red safety cover. There is a spot designated to put the negative cable nearby on a bare bit of metal, refer to the owners manual.
Jumped the old Tundra just fine so I could move it out of the middle of the driveway.
I really don’t understand why everyone is so afraid of this process and thinks you need to use the battery in the back.
Well, the manual expressly states not to jump from the fuse box. Prob why everyone is afraid of it. Sometimes manuals overstate things, sometimes they don't... frying the electrical system somehow would be a very expensive mistake.
Intuitively, that's a damn small terminal in the fuse box to be jumping from. The LC does have a back up conventional starter (yes, it does despite the arguments), so the 12v system is designed to at least accommodate the amperage to turn that motor if needed, but I'd still be very cautious about jumping a truck from that fuse box. It would seem safer to jump, if you absolutely had to, from the battery itself. Still, I'm buying a starter battery for backup.
I'm not sure I ever had a jump box that wasn't dead when I needed it, lol.
- Jun 8, 2024
- 449
- Media
- 45
- 851
- Vehicles
- 2007 Toyota Tundra 4X4 Double Cab 5.7L V8, 2015 Chevrolet SS LS3 V8
LOL. I didn’t actually read the manual beyond locating the positive terminal to be honest.
Didn’t damage anything but I’ll be mindful of it going forward. Probably helps that the draw required to start was very small, the truck fired up immediately with just a bit of help. It was trying to crank over but couldn’t quite start. Had it been totally dead I would’ve just bought a new battery the next morning and installed it where it sat.
At least we know it can be done!
- Moderator
- #29
At the other end of the under hood jump point is a 350 amp fusible link, if you screw the pooch and accidently short the jumper cables, that fuse will blow. When that fuse blows your LC is now a very expensive brick! The link can NOT individually be replaced, a new wiring harness is required. The harness is $2300! There is a work around, if you made it in advance, but if you didn't it could get very expensive very quick.
I made and carry the work around in my LC, but...............I'm NEVER going to push that envelope!
I made and carry the work around in my LC, but...............I'm NEVER going to push that envelope!
I've had no problem with my NOCO GB-40 jump starters holding charge reliably for many months -- I top them up once a season, and if I haven't used them, they are very close to a full charge before I start. I've never had to use them for myself, but I have a couple times for other folks.
I'm so concerned about the 12V battery issue in general (since I do so much back-country camping), I actually carry TWO jump starters in my car. Easy to fit one (in its case) in the same compartment that holds the jack tools, and the other (also in its case) conveniently under the driver's seat. I figure that my primary (under the seat) is almost an intended use thing with this car (given the small battery issues), and the second jump starter is really my back-up...
These are so cheap and take up so little space, that two of 'em seems to be the best bet for me. This also allows me to give a jump to someone else, without discharging my "backup" jump starter.
I'm so concerned about the 12V battery issue in general (since I do so much back-country camping), I actually carry TWO jump starters in my car. Easy to fit one (in its case) in the same compartment that holds the jack tools, and the other (also in its case) conveniently under the driver's seat. I figure that my primary (under the seat) is almost an intended use thing with this car (given the small battery issues), and the second jump starter is really my back-up...
These are so cheap and take up so little space, that two of 'em seems to be the best bet for me. This also allows me to give a jump to someone else, without discharging my "backup" jump starter.
Well I never read the manual, but I have jumped my Tacoma off the under hood battery terminal and the 12v in the back. Both worked just fine… I just assumed it was a convenience depending on how you might need to access the “jumped” vehicle
I'd buy a jumpstart battery and eliminate the risk. You've got a great looking rig you've done a ton of cool work to.Well I never read the manual, but I have jumped my Tacoma off the under hood battery terminal and the 12v in the back. Both worked just fine… I just assumed it was a convenience depending on how you might need to access the “jumped” vehicle
I think this is the ticket. EOD mentions the capacitor starters, which are cool and have some real advantages that I can see, but pricey. Can buy 2 NOCO's for the same price.
First off, thank you! And yes, I carry two NOCO’s also. I won’t get into the mundane details, but at the time it was just easier to cable jump. It worked once, never needed to try it again, just saying… it’s possible. Is it bad? Maybe. Never considered it honestly lol. Glancing through the manual when I first bought it, I knew of the jumper point under the hood, but my brain also said, “well that’s a normal 12v back there… good to go.”
Similar threads
