Jump Starting

[minky9717]

Hi All,

A Bongo Newbee here.

I have had my lovely Bongo for 2 weeks. Been cleaning and playing with all blinds etc. Not realising the previous owners disconnected the leisure battery I flattened the main Battery (I know School Boy Error)

I am about to Jump start the Bongo but wasn't sure where to connect the Negative lead as it wont reach the actual engine and cannot see any point to connect under the bonnet.

Can anyone show a slightly more detailed plan than the pointless one in the manual.

Many thanks to all those who reply
Happy Bongo Man

[mikeWalsall]

From the starter battery to any clean solid metal on your motor .. even a wheel / nut ..

[minky9717]

Thanks Mike,

I was hoping any surface as normal.

Just read a few things online over the weekend that put me off a little but now confirmed I shall hopefully bring her back from her coma

Many thanks again

[mikeWalsall]

I have an emergency start Li poly battery .. weighs less than one pound and will fit in you pocket .. Starts my V6 3.0 Alphard up OK .. the whole kit including 'jump leads' etc: in it's case weighs less than a kilo ..

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251929575661? ... EBIDX%3AIT

[minky9717]

Looks like being a newbee it might be worth investing in something like this so it doesn't happen whilst in the middle of a field

Many thanks for all your help

[nth]

I am about to Jump start the Bongo but wasn't sure where to connect the Negative lead as it wont reach the actual engine and cannot see any point to connect under the bonnet.

You wont get a better connection anywhere than direct on the battery negative terminal. That would always be my first choice unless the car has factory fitted battery monitoring system (which the Bongo definitely doesn't have) as it can upset smart charging systems.

[Bob]

The main reason for not using the negative battery terminal as a connection is a spark can ignite hydrogen gas venting from said battery.

[minky9717]

Hi NTH,

I was always taught never to go direct to battery for fear of sparking etc.

[Simon Jones]

From:
http://www.theaa.com/breakdown-cover/us ... leads.html

Before connecting any leads make sure the vehicles are the same voltage and that they're parked with their handbrakes on and ignition off. The vehicles must not touch as this can cause sparks or an explosion.

1.Use the red jump lead to connect the positive terminal of the donor vehicle's good battery to the positive terminal of the flat battery.
2.Then use the black lead to connect the negative terminal of the good battery to a suitable earthing point on the engine or chassis of the other vehicle. This earthing point must be away from the battery and fuel system.
3.With both leads connected wait three minutes for the voltages to equalise before starting either engine.
4.Start the engine of the donor car and allow it to run for a minute.
5.With the donor car engine still running, start the engine of the other car and leave both running at a fast idle for ten minutes.
6.Don't remove the jump leads while the engines are running as this can cause serious damage to the electronics on either car.
7.If the jump leads get hot switch off both engines and allow the leads to cool to avoid a possible fire.
8.Turn off the ignition on both cars and then disconnect the leads carefully in the reverse order to the way that they were connected. Be careful not to touch the clips against each other or against the car bodywork.
9.Start the car that had the dead battery using its own battery power. If it won't start this could indicate a more serious problem with the charging/ignition system that will need investigating by a professional.

[mikeonb4c]

From:
http://www.theaa.com/breakdown-cover/us ... leads.html

Before connecting any leads make sure the vehicles are the same voltage and that they're parked with their handbrakes on and ignition off. The vehicles must not touch as this can cause sparks or an explosion.

1.Use the red jump lead to connect the positive terminal of the donor vehicle's good battery to the positive terminal of the flat battery.
2.Then use the black lead to connect the negative terminal of the good battery to a suitable earthing point on the engine or chassis of the other vehicle. This earthing point must be away from the battery and fuel system.
3.With both leads connected wait three minutes for the voltages to equalise before starting either engine.
4.Start the engine of the donor car and allow it to run for a minute.
5.With the donor car engine still running, start the engine of the other car and leave both running at a fast idle for ten minutes.
6.Don't remove the jump leads while the engines are running as this can cause serious damage to the electronics on either car.
7.If the jump leads get hot switch off both engines and allow the leads to cool to avoid a possible fire.
8.Turn off the ignition on both cars and then disconnect the leads carefully in the reverse order to the way that they were connected. Be careful not to touch the clips against each other or against the car bodywork.
9.Start the car that had the dead battery using its own battery power. If it won't start this could indicate a more serious problem with the charging/ignition system that will need investigating by a professional.

Blimey - seems like I've been doing it completely wrong all my life. Better learn new ways if the old brain can manage it!

[Simon Jones]

I've never done it in any particular order and am still here to tell the tale

[Diplomat]

I'm not too sure about a couple of the items of advice above

5.With the donor car engine still running, start the engine of the other car and leave both running at a fast idle for ten minutes.

If you present several hundred amps of starter current to a running alternator and with iffy batteries in the equation, you might not do its diodes much good if it is rated for, say 100 amps maximum charge rate. Could be embarrassing on someone else's car. Also, by having two cars charging what is effectively the same circuit simultaneously connected, it is feasible that any intelligent charging system (which may well exist on a modern vehicle) might get confused.


6.Don't remove the jump leads while the engines are running as this can cause serious damage to the electronics on either car.

I find this hard to believe. It can't be worse than switching loads in and out of circuit in normal use such as headlights, screen de-icers etc. In fact a good example of suddenly putting another battery into or out of circuit must surely be our old friend the split charge relay. Nobody has warned that that could damage the electronics.


My preferred method is to start the donor car first, in case the recipient car has a fault which might drain the donor battery before the donor can be started, and, while running at tick over speed, connect the jump leads to the dead battery (with a health and safety nod to the potential hydrogen threat). Then increase the revs to enable a fast charge for a short time (not usually anything like as long as 10 minutes).

Then I switch off the donor car engine and if the other is a small car with a normally good battery which has been flattened accidentally, I disconnect and see how well it starts on its own. If all is fine, I would tell the recipient to leave the engine running for a while, charging from its own alternator.

If it's the other way round and a big engine like a Bongo needs starting, I would leave both batteries in parallel for a bit of extra oomf until started. Only if all else fails would I keep the donor engine running while starting, in order to overcome connection losses. on most occasions I find myself humping a good battery out of the house to start something which hasn't been driven for yonks, in which case I just connect up and start, usually!

I only worry about hydrogen and sparks if the batteries are in a confined space, but I can see that organisations giving advice have to cover their backs. However, If I were giving advice I wouldn't suggest presenting someone else's alternator diodes with a combined charging and starting load.


I do consider, though, that with an automatic car, jumper leads are as essential as a spare wheel.


Frank

[cmm303]

Interesting posts. I never appreciated (or bothered thinking about) the risks associated with trying to start the vehicle with donor engine running. I am a stickler though for connecting earths last and disconnecting first.

[andyb36]

I guess me too

I flattened my batteries at santa pod last year

t5 jump started mine

connected his end 1st - connected mine - he started up

I knew mine would woop up 1st try - hey prestow

disconnected mine both hands - same time - he switched off - job done

I suppose very old school

I think my batteries were that low - they couldn't light a bulb up - nevermind produce gases lol -

only joking

I may have just been lucky all this time

andy

[mikeonb4c]

I guess me too

I flattened my batteries at santa pod last year

t5 jump started mine

connected his end 1st - connected mine - he started up

I knew mine would woop up 1st try - hey prestow

disconnected mine both hands - same time - he switched off - job done

I suppose very old school

I think my batteries were that low - they couldn't light a bulb up - nevermind produce gases lol -

only joking

I may have just been lucky all this time

andy

That's pretty much how I've always done it, ignoramus That I am.