jump start using cigarette lighter

[Dean Stewart 2]

For christmas I recevied one of these 6 in 1 power devices. It can pump air or jump start your car. It has two ways to jump the car either using standard jumper cables or plugging into the 12V cigarette plug. The instructions say to check your car manual to see if using the cigarette light is safe for your car. The warning is damage to the on-board computer. I can't find any information about this. Is it safe to jump an 04 Trac using these boosters in the cigarette lighter?

 

[RAUL AGUILAR]

I don't know what to tell you..............

I would recomend not to try it :smile0008:........

just take the extra time and open the hood.

but if it was me I would, then if it blew up i would be soooo :smile0003:

 

[swshawaii]

Agree. I have seen the wire insulation melt using those "all in one" devices.

The thin wire guage could not carry the needed amperage. Why take the risk?

Get some beefy jumper cables instead, IMO. (We know they actually work)

 

[EddieS'04]

IMO, the lighter jump start. Is a charging ciruit. I wouldnt jump from it. charge only...

 

[Thomas Rogers]

Fast Eddie,



Electrically speaking there are loads and sources in circuit. Technically a cig plug charger can work, if supported by the maufacturer and the wiring. As others have said, a low guage wire or a low amp fuse in that circuit could prevent the charging and make jumping improbable if not impossible.



TJR

 

[EddieS'04]

The power point might be better for charging. The lighter is on the same circuit as the OBD connector.

I have known many people charge from power points that stay live with key off.

 

[Dale Paris]

lets see,



wire size to battery, #6 or maybe #4



wire size to cig lighter, #12, but most likely #14.



nope don't try it, you wil ldo what is called a 'smoke text'.



when you see the smoke, you flunk!!

 

[Don Donaldson]

I would second or third what other have said,



I have not double checked but I believe the positive lead is shared with several other things in the cabin and as such would not recommend jumping the car via a power point inside. at the very least damage could occur to the wonders GEM (generic electronic module) because of the "battery saver relay circuit" kinda ties some of the positive leads together weirdly.



so no don't do it...



on a neat side note if you send a series of pulses on the negative lead (from let say a pulse generator like for testing old tube t.v.'s and rf stuff) the tach and speedometer will go nuts. I first saw this when I was jumping another car... as the other car put a good load on my electrical system as they where cranking the spedo and tach would jump around... Recently when I was figuring out the speedometer circuit for my mod I found that any signal put on the vehicle ground will mess with the gauges.



-Don D.