dead chassis battery- jump across the isolator???

[mkguitar]

Hasn;t happened - but just running through scenarios and how much 'fixin' stuff" to carry.

Just thinking in the case of a dead chassis battery I can use the coach battery to jump start...I could pull a piece of 4ø along the exterior to connect + +.
Negative will be through the chassis.


Or my battery isolator is easily accessible under the hood- thinking I can just run a short fat cable from pole to pole to jump the van

yes/no/maybe

Mike

 

[markopolo-ClassB]

Yes, that would work.

 

[avanti]

Or my battery isolator is easily accessible under the hood- thinking I can just run a short fat cable from pole to pole to jump the van

yes/no/maybe

Yes. Or, you can run a short skinny wire between the "house" pole and the "enable" pole. Alligator clip jumper will do. Lots of people add a "boost" switch to do this in the comfort of your driver's seat.

 

[mkguitar]

Thanks for responses- gives me idea for a relay and maybe an interior switch

but probably a 2' piece of 4ø with a couple of clamps

just in case

mike

 

[markopolo-ClassB]

Here's a couple of older topics related to this:

http://www.classbforum.com/forums/f5/use-short-jumper-cable-to-boost-automotive-battery-263.html

&

http://www.classbforum.com/forums/f8/use-in-dash-radio-when-plugged-into-power-372.html

They should be useful & give some ideas.

 

[JKFlipFloop]

Shorting your deep cycle battery to a dead or near dead starter battery isn't exactly good for your deep cycle considering you will probably pull >100 amps. Also make sure you have at least 8 AWG other your current capacity will be throttled. Either way it is not a good idea to leave it like that long, ie coach battery over heating/exploding

 

[mkguitar]

it wouldn't be a short circuit in the conventional sense.

It would be a load- but this discussion is based on getting somewhere..or being stuck.

and saves physically moving the coach battery, making use of the woring that exists

and the jumper is 4AWG or 4ø

I have an attachment point on the battery side of the in line breaker, and
about 2 feet distance to jump


mike

 

[booster]

it wouldn't be a short circuit in the conventional sense.

It would be a load- but this discussion is based on getting somewhere..or being stuck.

and saves physically moving the coach battery, making use of the woring that exists

and the jumper is 4AWG or 4ø

I have an attachment point on the battery side of the in line breaker, and
about 2 feet distance to jump


mike

The jumper size is much less critical than the van wiring to the chassis battery, as it may be too small for carrying starting loads, or have too big of a voltage drop. It may also have breakers in the line that would be 50 or 80 amps typically, so they would trip. It is usually better to use your generator to do the charging with separator jumped, if you have one.

Bottom line is that it might work, but might not, depending on the hardware.

 

[AZ ADVenturist]

Wouldn't it be simpler to use "jumper cables " from coach battery to chasis battery?
Assuming, of course long enough & heavy duty. I always carry a good set, but have also used the gen. As you say.