By Stephen on Sunday, May 06, 2001 - 09:59 pm: Edit

I left the lights on in my truck last night and couldn't start it this morning. No problem - just asked the neighbours for a jump. But it got me thinking - how do you deal with having a dead or run-down battery in an isolated location? Do you carry a spare battery? Or are you stuck - do you walk out without the truck? Any way of preparing for this?

By Mike on Sunday, May 06, 2001 - 10:51 pm: Edit

Two things make this situation an improbability. 1. Out in the wilds, you would sleep very close to your vehicle. The chances of you leaving on your lights are slim and none. 2. You should never venture off by yourself.

So, carry a set of jumper cables and you are all set. Also, get a battery tester (under $5.00 at Pep Boys) and periodically check the specific gravity. If you battery is not holding it's charge, replace it before it goes bad.

LoL,
Mike

By Axel Haakonsen (Axel) on Monday, May 07, 2001 - 08:07 am: Edit

Yeah, you probably would not accidentally leave your lights on, but if you are running accessories of your battery, you may still run it down if left on for too long. Kyle has some experience in this area......
There are battery protectors available that will cut power to your accessories if the battery goes below a certain level.
Also, the best advice is Mike's second point, never go into a remote loaction by yourself. There is safety in numbers.

By Bill Gill (Bluegill) on Monday, May 07, 2001 - 11:58 am: Edit

Walking out WITHOUT the truck is a lot easier than walking out WITH the truck! Happenned to me in my old Jeep - girlfriend left a door ajar in the middle of the night, and next morning it was time for a hike. Dual batteries would have been a life saver here (ok, maybe not a life saver, but a real time saver). Dual Optima batts are, in my opinion, the way to go. Can the second one fit where the bottle jack currently lives?

By Axel Haakonsen (Axel) on Monday, May 07, 2001 - 12:01 pm: Edit

I have seen people fit a second battery where the bottle jack is located, but you will have to cut off part of the air intake horn to fit it.

By Bill Gill (Bluegill) on Monday, May 07, 2001 - 12:07 pm: Edit

If you lopped-off the flared horn, cut out an inch or two of straight plastic, and re-fit the horn back onto the box (effectively shortening the horn attachment) do you think there would there be any adverse effects? Certainly want to make sure that the influent side is not stuffed right up against the new battery, too (has to breathe).

By Numbnuts on Monday, May 07, 2001 - 07:04 pm: Edit

What a load of crock!!! If it worries you buy a portable Jump Starter Battery and stick it in the back, then if you mistakenly over discharge your battery you can jump it. Also a trick that sometimes works is to place the low battery in a container, after wrapping the battery in something like a towel or old jumper. Heat some water up and pour it carefully around the battery, let it "soak" for about 5 minutes then quickly connect up. Sometimes it gives the battery just enough life to start up.

Secondly, yes it is adviseable for "rookies" not to venture out alone, but it is just crap to say never do it. If you do, carry the kit to either self recover, or make contact with others.

By Blue Gill (Bluegill) on Monday, May 07, 2001 - 07:15 pm: Edit

So, let me get this straight - it's a "load of crock" to permanently install a second battery under the hood, but it's perfectly natural to buy a portable Jump Starter Battery and lug it around in the rear cargo area?

I could lift it into the cargo area every morning and then take it out and put it on my workbench every night. When I go to camp at night, I'll take it out of the trunk and place it on it's special little towel so it's all warm and cozy, and then put it back in the truck in the moring. Me and Mr. Jumpy will be great pals...oh, the sights we will see! Thanks for the advice...I don't know what I was thinking by making my life easier with the out-of-sight, out-of-mind approach. Makes perfect sense to me, numbnuts.

By gil on Monday, May 07, 2001 - 08:19 pm: Edit

im with you Blue, the only advantage to the jump box is that you can power different vehicles, so when you have a numbnuts neighbor, parked in his one lane driveway facing a wall, you can jump him to. defintely a reason to go with the box as oppossed to a dedicated dual battery setup. I love obnoxiuos know-it-alls.

By Mike on Monday, May 07, 2001 - 11:07 pm: Edit

Concerning the second battery option:
I think it is recommend that you use a closed cell system (like an Optima Battery) if fitting a second battery in your Disco. Apparently the gases from a regular lead-acid battery play hell on the inside of your engine.

Also, a second battery is not a guaranteed cure-all. If your accessories drain your battery, chances are you will come out to two dead batteries instead of just one. The battery isolators only work if you 'remember' to keep the second battery charged and to isolate one of the batteries.

LoL,
Mike

By Numbnuts on Monday, May 07, 2001 - 11:18 pm: Edit

If you have a second battery, can afford one to be fitted and have a place to fit it, great. Problem solved.

If you haven't, then get a Jump Starter Pack. Not effen hard to figure.

If you have neither, and run out of battery juice, try the heated towel trick. Again not effen hard to figure.

By Italian on Tuesday, May 08, 2001 - 12:31 am: Edit

Why not just carry the small 'trickle' charger that sits on the dash and runs on solar cells.
It's very compact. Assuming you don't have to leave at the crack of dawn, take a hike and you should be okay when you return.
$.02

By Blue Gill (Bluegill) on Tuesday, May 08, 2001 - 11:13 am: Edit

I'm goin solar with all the outdoor lighting around my house, and I've been looking at those solar auto batt chargers, too. Very cool technology that's come a long way in the past couple years. Why not permanently mount one on the roof rack and hardwire it in?

By Brett on Tuesday, May 08, 2001 - 11:21 pm: Edit

Is there a web site selling those solar chargers? I would love to get one.

By Blue Gill (Bluegill) on Wednesday, May 09, 2001 - 01:06 pm: Edit

Try JadeMountain.com website - here's the direct auto battery solar page:

http://jademountain.com/energyProducts/battery/carchargerspv.html


The sun is your friend!