Circuits Challenge For Non-Morons

I don't understand all the fuss. You only need one relay and a pushbutton that latches it on only if both polarities are correct. If you're a non-moron, you don't need anything but jumper cables.

I thought the saying was 'breed smarter idiots' ?

Cheers

I'd like to see (from a slight distance) what happens when someone uses regular cables after they've had experience using this.

The regular cable maker gets sued for selling a dangerous product when safe alternatives exist? :)

ent

heavy

n clamp

ly

moron.

That will work. I used to clip the clamp to the jumper cable itself, but th e ones I have now have a really strong spring and sharp teeth, so I don't c lip them to anything other than a battery post. No telling what future fail ure you get sated by damaging insulation on something.

I don't see you offering a quick solution if it's so trivial.

The target market is probably people who are afraid of electricity. You know, people who think they will be killed by a 12 volt battery because it has so many amps.

I've known giant gruff hairy lumberjack-pickup type guys who are terrified of electricity.

Just keep the red one away from the black one.

Right! And then it becomes a regulated product.

On Wednesdays they go shopping and eat buttered scones with tea.

What's the point? It's like saying help what do I do my food's not salty enough. I also wish these kind of idiot products didn't exist. Quadrupling the cost and tenthing the life expectancy is not my idea of a move forward.

NT

Yesterday's news...

A new ?touch-free? packaging for people too scared to handle raw meat is being launched by a major supermarket.

Sainsbury's has announced it will be selling the range after research found some shoppers do not like handling raw chicken.

It will be aimed at millennial shoppers, who apparently prefer to avoid uncooked meat, reports all media outlets.

Have you ever jump started a car with the cables backwards? I have when I wasn't paying attention. The result was a small spark, the smell of burning insulation, and a warm feeling from the giant alligator clip that I was holding. I rapidly determined that something was wrong and removed the giant alligator clip with some force. There was a piece of metal, about 1/2" in diameter, missing from the giant alligator clip. There was the possibility of igniting accumulated hydrogen gas inside the battery, but that didn't happen. In short, this is not a problem worth solving.

You could probably do better with a high current fusible link in series with each cable. In the middle to keep any sparks away from the hydrogen in the batteries. Short the cables (I've also done that when I wasn't paying attention) or connect them backwards, and the fusible link will melt. Starter current is about 200 amps, so I would guess(tm) a 400A fuse should be sufficient:

"HOW TO: World's Most Expensive Jumper Cables"

Drivel: Around 1973, on scenic Hwy 1, I stopped to help a gorgeous damsel in distress jump start her car. Pop the hood, attach the cables, and crank-n-grind. What could possibly go wrong? Well, two problems.

1. She was gorgeous and I was paying more attention to her than to what I was doing.
2. Her older British sports car (forgot year and model) had a positive 12V ground electrical system. I got her car started in short order, but before I disconnected the cables, she opened her door, which then touched the side of my car. Snap, crackle, pop, and I now had a small hole blown into the side of my car door.

Moral: Pay attention.

Your story proves the that it is worth having, providing it doesn't cost too much.

Yeah- more than a lot of people can manage.

You keep saying it's simple and stupid, but you offer no solutions.

To say cross-posting to such a group will not be appreciated here would be a gross understatement.

I don't remember that being a verse in Monty Python's Flying Circus's "Lumberjack Song"; they must have missed a trick!

Mike.

nt

heavy

clamp

oron.

Grab your right wrist with your left hand. Now do the same thing with the cables you take off the first battery. Don't use the part of the jaws with the teeth so you don't compromise the insulation. You can just drop it on the ground while disconnecting the other battery (unless you're working on a conducting floor).

No trick at all. No need to tart something up with electronics when smart s work better.

Mark L. Fergerson

I see you're learning.