Jumpstarting

[jyonkin]

I am curious to know what amps would be required to jumpstart a DP? For example, batteries are dead, and the house batteries are also drained.(worse case scenario) What would you need in amps to start say a 300 or 330 DP? Are there battery pack/jumpstarters made for this? Would you disconnect everything from the batteries before attaching a jump? Or just call for help?

 

[jyonkin]

I am curious to know what amps would be required to jumpstart a DP? For example, batteries are dead, and the house batteries are also drained.(worse case scenario) What would you need in amps to start say a 300 or 330 DP? Are there battery pack/jumpstarters made for this? Would you disconnect everything from the batteries before attaching a jump? Or just call for help?

 

[Cruzer-WO]

It's going to depend upon how cold the engine is amongst other things. However, you can jump start it with a standard automobile. The secret is to connect the jumper cables (make sure they are heavy duty cables) and let the toad run for awhile. The combined power of the toad's battery and alternator will help to put some charge back into the coach's cranking battery. Do that for about 15 minutes and the combined efforts of the alternator and both battery sets will undoubtably crank it over. If you have shore power and it's cold it'll also help to turn on the engine block heater in advance.

 

[doc-WO]

Had that to happen on a cold morning in N Georgia Mountains at Moccasin Creek SP a few years ago. House batteries were OK and we were plugged in. Got ready to leave and the chassis batteries were very weak. I tried the emergency start switch and nothing improved. Pulled the Tracker up as close as I could and attached jumper cables for about 15 minutes. Engine started right up. I did not have the block heater on and the temp was well below freezing.
Later figured out I could have just used one cable from the hot (+) side of chassis batteries to the (+) side of the house batteries and started it that way. However Cruiser is correct. The toad battery will start it if left on for several minutes with the engine running.
doc

 

[jyonkin]

Ok, what if you don't have a toad available? I know there are jumpstart packs that are used to start cars but are there any for this type of application?

 

[tomsm]

If there is such a beast available, I'm betting it's very heavy and very expensive. Why not use the jumpstart pack for cars, that you referred to, to start the generator? Let it charge the onboard batteries for awhile and then start the diesel.

Can't make any fast getaways, but it should get you going...

 

[jyonkin]

Interesting solution. Most of the car jump packs are anywhere from 400-2000 amps. So you hook up the pack to chassis batteries...let it charge a bit ...start the generator....let that run awhile... start the warp engines and your are once again able to battle the forces of evil!

I like it...anyone ever really done it?

 

[tomsm]

Not me

Theory only! I think you could skip the first "wait" and just start cranking the gennie as soon as you hook up the pack.

I'm new to diesel, but I have cranked a gas gennie on nearly dead coach batteries. It really doesn't take much. I assume the 7.5kw QD gennie would take a bit more power but not more than it would take to start a car.

Whatever it takes, get those warp drives going!!!

 

[DonavonP]

If you're REALLY desperate, out in the middle of nowhere, you can pour hot water on the dead battery and possible bring back enough juice to start your generator. An old guy showed me this years ago and saved both of us a LONG walk out of the mountains.

If you use your phazer to heat the battery, be sure to put it on stun and heat in very short cycles. Up here in Minnesota we have jumper cables built right into the phazer.