About this time a year ago, and just as cold, we had dump trucks bringing in gravel for our lot. The boss's dad wanted just about every machine we had moved for spreading gravel, about 40 machines. It was 15 degrees and those diesel engines said "yeah, right". It was a booster cable three ring circus. After that event I said, "this ain't gonna happen again", so I threw the Monster Garage booster together. Big 24V booster packs are spendy, so I built my own. This thing will make any dead beast come to life. Four group 31 batteries, selector switch to select 12 or 24 volt boost, automatic 24V charger with selector switch to charge either booster batteries or batteries on 24V machine via booster cables, 1/0 booster cables, volt meter to tell if machine is charging after you get it started, and warning buzzer if you have polarity reversed, all mounted on a wagon to use in shop or hook to our Suzuki mini truck to drag around yard. We haven't used a pair of jumper cables since I built this thing. Heck, I don't even know where they are now!
Quite the machine. I was talking to my aunt, who is a lawyer in knoxville and she was saying how cold it was the other day, 11 above and then she said well thats prolly rubbing it in to yall in Wisco(temp was -25F that day). There another big difference between climates, at 15 its no big deal for us in the northern part of the usa and I'm sure the boys in canada think thats a heat wave compared to what they get this time of year. I remember helping load a bunch of farm equpiment on semis a few years ago, sold to a big farm in mexico, and the two bobcat skidloaders they had bought didn't have functioning glow plugs. No big deal as they were not going to need them down there.
looks good!!!
That's impressive. I bet you could make a few bucks selling the plans and bill of materials for it...
THAT is sweet...i want one!
What's really sweet, compared to typical boost starting, when you hook the cables to something...it cranks. If the machine is dead as a hammer, you can hook this thing to it, hit the stater, and the cables jump. It cranks 12V systems with 3 batteries and 24V with all 4 batteries. As for Digger's post, I do plan on building one more compact and tidy, if I ever get a chance to. This thing was thrown together because I was tired of boost starting dead machines in the freezing cold. :Banghead :usa
I got a kick out of the "do not use on both position" label. Sad part is It's needed. Nice rig though.
Shop booster I like it!:notworthy
very clever!:thumbsup
Ah, you noticed the warning label. I've never taken the time to noodle out what would happen if you selected the "both" position. The rotary switch is a marine battery selector switch which allows you to select battery #1 to the output post, battery #2, or combine the two batteries to the output. But that would be on a 12V system on a boat. I've rigged the switch with one input connected to the 12V circuit and the other input connected to the 24V circuit. I'm not sure what would happen if you selected "both" to the output, and I'm too chicken to find out. When I built the rig I wanted to take the switch apart and see if I could remove the components that combine the batteries, but I needed to get the rig finished to use it. So, make a label and warn everybody. I really need to take time to see if I could disable that circuit.
Give 'er a try and video it while you do... I love fireworks
If I don't disable that part of the switch, I'm afraid it's going to happen by accident one day. Can't promise there will be a video running though.
Nice job on the jumper pack. I wasnt smart enough to build one of those , so had to spend about $700. on a Napa 24 volt charger.
Very good idea! Nice job!
Great fustration saving device! I've seen one my freind built but not nearly as elaborate. No gauges or any thing. If you are interested in the expensive ones ATCOEQUIP mentioned, look at www.goodallmfg.com I have used them before and they are impressive also.
"frustration saving device", amen brother. We've been using this thing for a year now, even chunked it in a truck and took out on site's to start dead beasts. Like I said earlier, I don't even know where the old "jumper cables" are now! If you have a good number of machines to keep up with in cold weather, heck all weather, those "expensive devices" you mentioned are worth the frustration saving. In my case, I just decided to build my own. It's been worth it.
We have three of the Goodall startalls at the shop, one mounted in the service truck, one on the welding truck and one on a cart similar to yours.. Work good but they are not foolproof. 16 hp Kolher driving 4 generators provide for a massive amount of amperage and can create a lot of gas in the battery compartment,... move the cable and make a spark...... you will be changing batteries...if you are lucky. Use caution, charge slow and easy tc