why jumpstarter and not a cable boost

I tried jump starting my aunts car and failed. What did start the care was my cousins nektech jumpstart device. Why one and not the other?

I'm on vacation so test equipment is in short supply. The dead car wouldn't even provide dash lights when connected to boost vehicle. I figured it should have started on cable boost or at least get lights. I'm thinking ratty booster cables.

It seems reasonable a cable boost or jumpstart work the same way. Curious minds want to know.

colporteur over 2 years ago

I had to go back and try to determine why it didn't work. The picture is the connections of the four ends of the jumper cables. The cable is robust but the insulation wasn't stripped away before they were crimped. I had never used the cables before. I suspect they were a christmas present stuffed in the trunk of her car. No real gift when they don't work.
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colporteur over 2 years ago

It didn't make sense to me. My electronic knowledge is old but electrons should still flow.
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colporteur over 2 years ago in reply to rsc

I like!
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anniel747 over 2 years ago in reply to shabaz

[deleted]
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rsc over 2 years ago

Whenever I buy jumper cables, the first thing I do is solder the wire to the clips.
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dougw over 2 years ago

If you have no lights, you have no connection. Most likely poor connection at the clips from corroded or oxidized terminals at one end or the other or both. I always work the clips until I am sure they are making good connection through any crud.
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robogary over 2 years ago

maybe a bad clip connection to the battery post in the first try
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shabaz over 2 years ago

Hi! I think you're right, probably poor-quality jumper cables. Some have thin copper but thick insulation, and others have their wire ends folded over the insulation, and then a single crimp around the wire and the insulation, i.e. really poor construction.

Also, some of the jumpstart devices have a high voltage when fully charged (up to 16.8V for some of them!) which probably helps in case there's some voltage drop. They are quite good but need some TLC (if they are not charged periodically, they may fail due to over-discharge, also, a bit worrisome if they are subjected to too many bumps/vibration, etc).
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