Using battery to jump another
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 183
Likes: 27
From: Northern CA
Using battery to jump another
I needed to jump my dump trailer battery today and got to wondering if I could pull one battery out of the running truck without causing a surge or spike that could damage something? Same thing going back in; could I just reinstall the battery and hook it up to running truck?
I am sure I could do this with the truck not running but I got to wondering if I could do it with the truck running.
I am sure I could do this with the truck not running but I got to wondering if I could do it with the truck running.
Cargo Master
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 2,726
Likes: 5
From: Slatington, PA
Why the need to pull it while the truck is running? It should be ok coming out, but you might get some sparks putting it back in since it will be at a lower charge then the other battery.
Is this a one time thing or do you need to do it often? If its often, have you thought of a solar charger for the battery on the trailer? Or even a jump pack? The one I got at napa for $120 had enough umph to jump my truck with the batteries at 10v and it did it 3 times in one day!
Is this a one time thing or do you need to do it often? If its often, have you thought of a solar charger for the battery on the trailer? Or even a jump pack? The one I got at napa for $120 had enough umph to jump my truck with the batteries at 10v and it did it 3 times in one day!
Thread Starter
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 183
Likes: 27
From: Northern CA
It was a one time thing. I had the dump half way up and couldn't go up or down. Jumper cables wern't long enough to go to trailer and couldn't unhitch. I didn't unhook and rehook a battery while it was running but I just was wondering if it would do damage to anything electrical.
Probably best to not test it.
Probably best to not test it.
Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 3,524
Likes: 2
From: CA Bay Area
Removing 1 out of 2 batteries not likely would cost a problem on its own, but why take the chances? Dropping removed positive cable on the grounded part will trigger lot of sparks and likely do some real damages.
I am with twags. Take battery off the truck with ignition off, use it on the trailer and put it back with ignition off. Not likely your trailer will drain the battery so the truck will still start and even if you mess up something, you will not fry $3000 truck computers.
I am with twags. Take battery off the truck with ignition off, use it on the trailer and put it back with ignition off. Not likely your trailer will drain the battery so the truck will still start and even if you mess up something, you will not fry $3000 truck computers.
Elder User
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 935
Likes: 1
From: Bowling Green, KY
We had a bad alternator and a bad battery in a dodge 2500 (Gas), and we were stranded in town and didnt want to pay to have someone tow us home so with My truck running I unhooked one of the batteries and zip tied the positive cable up and installed it in the dodge so that the dodge would start and make it home. After we got home I re installed it in my truck. No problems.
Go Bills !
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,778
Likes: 65
From: Buffalo, NY
Something similar as robs01f250.
I used A bungee cord and electrical tape to secure the + wire
When i put the battery back in, I turned off the truck before reinstalling.. Mostly because i wanted to wire brush the battery ends and spray more corrosion goop on them. I never install battery terminals without treating them.
Since then i carry around a battery Jump box. I love that thing, Built in air compressor to boot. Came in handy a bunch of times.
I used A bungee cord and electrical tape to secure the + wire
When i put the battery back in, I turned off the truck before reinstalling.. Mostly because i wanted to wire brush the battery ends and spray more corrosion goop on them. I never install battery terminals without treating them.
Since then i carry around a battery Jump box. I love that thing, Built in air compressor to boot. Came in handy a bunch of times.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 2,726
Likes: 5
From: Slatington, PA
Welding gloves make handy insulators when you pull one of the positives off. Thats how I do it when I pull one of the batts for cleaning. The other time when my one battery died, I wrapped a plastic bag over the clamp, covered it all with electrical tape, and ran around like that for a whole day (till the other battery crapped out!).
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