Jump start/charger

Just wondering what the best thing is to use for jump starting trucks/tractors that sit idle for long periods. Have bought a Projecta charger with engine start mode. Maybe I should return it and get something with a battery. Any ideas would be welcome.
Cheers

Steve - This is a common problem on farms. There are really only two ways to attack the problem, and they revolve around keeping up the current input into batteries.
Batteries lose current every day, just sitting, and need to be charged at least once a month. Solar trickle chargers are a great idea, but aren't really cheap enough yet.
The other simple solution is to remove batteries from rarely-used vehicles, and put them on a trickle charger that's plugged into a power point permanently.

The machinery auction people usually build a power cart, a trolley with two big truck or dozer-size batteries, two 400 amp jumper cables, and a switch and wiring so they can switch from 12V to 24V.
They keep the power cart permanently on charge when they aren't using it.
This is an expensive move, and only warranted if you have say, 8 or 10 vehicles/machines that are in the low-use category.

Cheers - Ron.

Mate those Projector Battery chargers with the Jump Start mode in them are great. I've got 2. I've had an F10 Volvo that the batteries where that flat, it was just making the hammering sound trying to start, put the charger on it for 5 minutes on Jump Start and it was going. They throw out 35amps in JumpStart mode.

Steve,

Wouldn't get one of those battery things. I have had a couple of them. The problem is that they have to be maintained just as much if not more than a normal car battery! That is always on charge! If they are left to long without charge they appear to go open circuit and won't recover! Due to the type of batter in most of these units.

They also don't have many amps for large trucks!

What I have is a good electronic charger which has a maintanence mode. I then placed this and a reasonable car battery in a box together. I then leave the battery on charge all the time (or when I remember). And when needed for a jump start just grab the box and go!

Usually enough power to start if the other battery is just to low to crank fast enough. Wouldn't be enough if battery totally flat however! But at least I know where the charger is!

I have 3 CTEK chargers that come with quick conect tails so u can hook them straight up to ur battery terminals, when u pull into the shed you just plug into the conection and walk away. They work really well i have one on the dodge, one on the harley and the other one is on my monaro none of them get used much but they always have enough battery to start. I worked for RACV up until two months ago and the jump packs we used were always on charge in the tow tuck and they didnt always work when we needed them usualy after i had just carried it around the back of someones house as i couldent get the truck in there to put the jumper leads on.

Thanks for the advice guys, looks like I might keep the projecta but also put a bit more time into caring for the batteries over the quiet times.

SteveL
GuddayM8

We solved the problem many years ago By spec n trucks with air start
LOL
If U got a vehicle th@ aint got no fancy computer crap on m just hook a car up to problem battery/s as in 12volt n let vehicle hiidle a few minutes to get sum charge in the battery
if u got 4 of 6v batteries just track down each set of batteries th@ make up the 12 volt n charge each set as described above

our early KW trucks were 24v start n 12 volt runnin with a series parrellel switch n we quite often used the above method to get m go n
Cya
[ch9787]

We in the 4X4 world have this:
$880
www.fridge-and-solar.net/genset.htm
Ebay have got knock-off ones
http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x104/sidewinderdotcomdotau/Petrol%20charger/PetrolChargeSide.jpg?t=1261034078$595
cgi.ebay.com.au/BATTERY-CHARGER-12V-70AM...&hash=item483b35e83a

345Scout