VERY useful tool for jumpstarting engine

[Rotten Ricky]

Pls explain how you use your non-marine electric winch for getting up your mast. Are you using it to simply replace your deck winch and have someone else operate it at deck level? Are you wearing a harness or sitting on a Bosuns chair of some kind and the winch and battery rises up the mast with you?
I have been assembling a frame that consists of a a vertical bar to which a seat us attached. A second shelf is under the seat on which a battery sits. The winch is attached in that area and the cable is fed up the vertical bar and through an eye at the top, at about eye level or slightly higher when seated - so everything, including my weight, is below that level. By pressing the control button, I hope it will winch me up my mast.
Before anyone freaks out about this failing and me falling, the winch is rated at 2,000 lbs, and I would use a safety line that is double wrapped around the mast - like I always do - and slides up and down the mast with me and would prevent falling. My wife will be the observer.
The only wrinkle I see is that it might not get me quite high enough to get to repairs at the mast-head.
I dont know why I have never seen any reference to this simple set-up before as is not rocket science or very costly! Or have others done a similar thing? Surely there would me a ready market for a commercially-made version for riggers etc?
Cheers, R.

[Over Budget]

I've used one for a number of years and it's worked well. I have a 32 year old Universal 18 with two batteries that sits on a mooring the entire season, but I do haul the jumper back and forth in the dinghy to recharge -- or keep the charge up -- each time I go out. The jumper is older, but it works when or if I need it.

[danedee]

I have used the antigravity brand and it's been great. It comes with multiple phone chargers and has a bright light integrated as well. I also splurged for the inflator as well. I can use the inflator together or separately from the jump pack. I read a ton of reviews and ultimately chose the antigravity because it's used by so many auto mechanics and tow truck drivers and is good for many more jumps than other packs.

[Rotten Ricky]

[QUOTE=Poche;3169642]Since the scuba diving accident in the Channel Islands off the southern coast of California I have been more than a little leery of lithium on my boat and at home. I took all of them off the boat and got rid of most of them at home and in the truck. I am replacing my cordless tools with corded. The ones left are never charging unattended.

I do not think I need to remove my handy cordless devices like this. But, for this reason, if I leave my cordless drill batteries to be recharged in my boat, I leave the whole charger etc in my stainless steel sink or on the stove or other non-flammable surface to prevent any fire spreading to the rest of the boat.

Cheers, RR.

[Mal Reynolds]

Originally Posted by Poche

Since the scuba diving accident in the Channel Islands off the southern coast of California I have been more than a little leery of lithium on my boat and at home. I took all of them off the boat and got rid of most of them at home and in the truck. I am replacing my cordless tools with corded. The ones left are never charging unattended.
Even the small ones are very powerful. A neighbor jump started my dead truck battery because I left the emergency flashers on. The device was about the size of a cell phone!! It started the truck easily.
I look at lithium batteries very differently now.

There are a few portable jumpstarters that use the much safer LiFePO4 chemistry. Here is the one I use: https://www.amazon.com/Crankenstein-.../dp/B07GT3C4YY

[GreenWave]

The potential energy of jumper cables is well... ZERO. :-)

[Tekreck]

Don’t assume all engines are diesel - these clamps are a spark danger if used on batteries in a gas engine bay.

[Coasty]

Have one and used to start Ford Expedition several times. No issues. Also got at Costco. Has flash light and usb ports and cigarettes lighter ports. Had ut for 4 years. I keep it in my garage for emergency like hurricanes. Top it off as needed. Check weekly.

[Reefmagnet]

I used to have one of the older style jump starters that used an FLA battery that started my 30hp diesel very well. It ended up dying a natural death and I looked into these small lithium jump starters but was dissuaded from getting one based on two fundamental facts:
1. The lithium batteries aren't LFP they can fail catastrophically and burst into intense flame which can be difficult to extinguish. Not what you want on a boat! 2. To compound issue #1, the quality of materials and manufacture of these units is possibly quite variable among different manufacturers, making it pot luck which side of the spectrum you end up with.



I have multiple banks, so my solution was to install a 500A contactor with momentary switch to allow temporary jumping of the house bank to the starter battery. Much more convenient and much less chance of bursting into flame.

[Peterbreit]

I bought a regular jump starter at Pep Boys a Peak 600. At less then $40.00. Never used it for myself but reached it over to stalled boats. I don't believe it is a Lithium battery model. That would scare me somewhat. The best part is a build in audible function when it has to be charged up.
Also be careful when jumpstarting a wet battery. Check the fluid level first! If it is dry the battery will burn out!
Cheers

[BTTGy6]

i really like the Audew (cars and boat). NoCo for the garage (too big to carry around on a regular basis)

Originally Posted by warrior 90

I think those little units are very useful and not only for engine starting like mobile devices, camera gear etc. Maybe also good as a last resort for communication but definitely great for engine starting problem. You can always take it on shore and charge while having some coffee or shopping or You can also charge it at the boat of Your neighbor at anchor.

I believe that is the best unit on the market at the moment

https://www.audew.com/Audew-20000mAh-Peak-1500A-Car-Jump-Starter-for-Any-Gas-Engine-or-Up-To-8-5L-Diesel-Engine-with-LCD-Power-Display-p-100058.html

Of course all batteries have a self discharge rate. So from time to time You should plug it in for a while.
Good place is using around the cockpit where You usually don´t have a 12 V plug. Another use is charging all mobile devices in the night when You don´t have solar. The thing is to use it on a regular basis to make sure it always gets charged

[betwys1]

Originally Posted by Rotten Ricky

Pls explain how you use your non-marine electric winch for getting up your mast. Are you using it to simply replace your deck winch and have someone else operate it at deck level? Are you wearing a harness or sitting on a Bosuns chair of some kind and the winch and battery rises up the mast with you?
I have been assembling a frame that consists of a a vertical bar to which a seat us attached. A second shelf is under the seat on which a battery sits. The winch is attached in that area and the cable is fed up the vertical bar and through an eye at the top, at about eye level or slightly higher when seated - so everything, including my weight, is below that level. By pressing the control button, I hope it will winch me up my mast.
Before anyone freaks out about this failing and me falling, the winch is rated at 2,000 lbs, and I would use a safety line that is double wrapped around the mast - like I always do - and slides up and down the mast with me and would prevent falling. My wife will be the observer.
The only wrinkle I see is that it might not get me quite high enough to get to repairs at the mast-head.
I dont know why I have never seen any reference to this simple set-up before as is not rocket science or very costly! Or have others done a similar thing? Surely there would me a ready market for a commercially-made version for riggers etc?
Cheers, R.

Not advocating this for life critical applications - BUT - a wireless winch control is available for even Harbor Freight Cheapies!