24/7 Chat About Anything

[Happy Camper]

Modern car’s computers don’t like to be without power for long, probably don’t like voltage spikes and often need to relearn idle settings and such so not a real good idea to try running without a battery in my opinion.

Completely agree. There a Jeep model that even has a second battery that most don't realize is there. When it dies it freaks people out because the battery shows as good, and it is. But the second somewhat hidden one is toast.

I was just trying to make sure people knew it could be done, because you don't always know when you'll need that info.

I've had a battery go too low to start a vehicle. Started another car, swapped batteries, and charged up the low battery. Not ideal, but it's handy in a pinch.

 

[Gr8ful]

You can jump a battery even with no cables if you have a sealed charged battery, just by touching the post together, make sure you touch the correct post.

 

[Morgana]

When my battery died a few days ago, the mechanic came to my house with a (I can't remember what she called it) charger thing that was hardly bigger than two shoeboxes and just attached that thing to my battery and shazam! it came back to life (long enough to get me to the shop). I wonder how expensive those things are; they sure seem convenient. I had never seen one before.

They had just done a safety inspection a day earlier, but they said it's really hard to tell battery condition because if you'd just been driving to get there it would look like it was charging well. Seems a bit scary to think that your battery is that un-test-able. Two days before that I'd been driving in a pretty remote location; I'm just glad it didn't happen then.

 

[Overland One]

Many cars can run without the battery once started. The battery is to crank the starter. Hence the name starter battery.

Cars are designed to run off of the alternator current. Not the battery.

Cars with alternators can not run without the battery because, unlike a generator that uses permanent magnets to create the field that the rotor bisects to generate power, the alternator uses wire wrapped around a core energized by the battery to creat the magnetic field. In other words, a generator uses permanent magnets and an alternator uses an electromagnet. No battery, no electromagnetic field which means no power generation to fire the plugs, or run anything. All electronic and electrical devices run from the battery as I stated previously. The battery smooths out any power spikes and acts as a capacitor of sorts. EDIT: Well, I was wrong. Here a guy removes his battery from a running car and, it continued to run. I was right about the battery acting like a capacitor to absorb the voltage spikes which can destroy the computer and other electronics. I was 100% wrong saying a car can not run on the alternator alone because, here you can see a car doing just that. Sorry for the incorrect information.

 

[maki2]

Look up the keywords super capacitor battery-less jump starter. They do not need to be recharged as it has no battery inside of it. Also they are not limited to how many jumps they can be used for. Small in size, always ready to use.

 

[Overland One]

When my battery died a few days ago, the mechanic came to my house with a (I can't remember what she called it) charger thing that was hardly bigger than two shoeboxes and just attached that thing to my battery and shazam! it came back to life (long enough to get me to the shop). I wonder how expensive those things are; they sure seem convenient. I had never seen one before.

They had just done a safety inspection a day earlier, but they said it's really hard to tell battery condition because if you'd just been driving to get there it would look like it was charging well. Seems a bit scary to think that your battery is that un-test-able. Two days before that I'd been driving in a pretty remote location; I'm just glad it didn't happen then.

Yes, those devices are called jump packs, or boost packs. I have one and just used it last week to jump my Toyota. I have a TACKLife KP200 which cost me about $100 a while back but it is worth every penny. I just make sure it is charged up fully every few months or so, and take it with me in case I need it, or I can use it to help someone else. It is also a 62 watt hour power bank with a usb 5v 2.1 amp outlet and a plug for 5v, 9v and 12v as well. It comes in a nice small case which has all the connectors you need including a small set of jumper cables to start your vehicle if the battery is low or dead. There are many brands of these devices out there, some much cheaper but, if you read the reviews, you will see many of them do not work, or burn out with 1st use. I would not be without one. It is good insurance and peace of mind and a great power bank as well. Shop around and get a good one. Project Farm on youtube has a video where he tests many different brands that you might find helpful.

 

[Morgana]

Wow, good to know - thanks!

 

[Happy Camper]

My brand of choice for lithium jump starters is gooloo. They are super reliable, great build quality, and as good as the leading brand that is equal in performance and build, but costs a lot more.

I also highly recommend never using your jump starter to charge devices. Get a dedicated portable power bank for that. I've seen people run down a jump starter charging items and not have juice to jump start when it was needed.

Experience: I have been using lithium jump starters since they started making them. Build quality and performance is wildly different from brand to brand. I've had no less than 8 of them over the years. Might be 10. Hmm.

And Morgana, the box he jumped your vehicle with had a lead acid battery in it. Which is why it was bulkier and heavier than the lithium ones. Those tend to have added features like air compressor and even a small inverter. I've had many of those, and still have a couple in storage. I really prefer the lithium jump packs overall.

 

[jacqueg]

When my battery died a few days ago, the mechanic came to my house with a (I can't remember what she called it) charger thing that was hardly bigger than two shoeboxes and just attached that thing to my battery and shazam! it came back to life (long enough to get me to the shop). I wonder how expensive those things are; they sure seem convenient. I had never seen one before.

They had just done a safety inspection a day earlier, but they said it's really hard to tell battery condition because if you'd just been driving to get there it would look like it was charging well. Seems a bit scary to think that your battery is that un-test-able. Two days before that I'd been driving in a pretty remote location; I'm just glad it didn't happen then.

Yup. Never be without one of those gadgets. They're not all that expensive either.

 

[user 36441]

Many cars can run without the battery once started. The battery is to crank the starter. Hence the name starter battery.

Cars are designed to run off of the alternator current. Not the battery.

If you run a car off the alternator with no battery, are you bypassing the regulator? And if you aren't, won't the electronics still be safe?

 

[lavaroxx]

So weird, my car sound system died about a year and a half ago and it suddenly came back to life. I was sitting at an intersection wondering who was blasting norteño music since I couldn't see any cars nearby ... and lo and behold it was me. Quickly found a country station and started singing along with George Jones at the top of my lungs. Happy happy.

Careful of this, it could be a short. I gave my deceased brother's car to a friend and she had things like this happen and finally she looked behind the dash and the system had been put in by just twisting wires on each side. There were scorch marks in there. She was lucky. Check it out before you lose everything.

 

[Gr8ful]

I have 2 Jump Packs big enough to start the ambo in ever needed which is a 7.3l diesel w/22.5 compression ratio. I caught them both for 1/2 price on Amazon. They are way smaller & cheaper than the lead acid one I had before.
Do you know alternators make 3 phase AC power before converting it to 12v DC & they quit using generators on cars about 1963 because they barely charge at idle?

 

[user 36441]

Careful of this, it could be a short. I gave my deceased brother's car to a friend and she had things like this happen and finally she looked behind the dash and the system had been put in by just twisting wires on each side. There were scorch marks in there. She was lucky. Check it out before you lose everything.

Ya, if the system had been mounted with twisted wires, that was dangerous. The car's chassis serve as ground (return line) for the stereo, and if you're pumpling jams through the system that means you're pumping amps from the stereo to chassis ground. Lots of heat at those little points where the mounting wires are. That **** needs to be bolted in.

 

[vanbrat]

Yes, those devices are called jump packs, or boost packs. I have one and just used it last week to jump my Toyota. I have a TACKLife KP200 which cost me about $100 a while back but it is worth every penny. I just make sure it is charged up fully every few months or so, and take it with me in case I need it, or I can use it to help someone else. It is also a 62 watt hour power bank with a usb 5v 2.1 amp outlet and a plug for 5v, 9v and 12v as well. It comes in a nice small case which has all the connectors you need including a small set of jumper cables to start your vehicle if the battery is low or dead. There are many brands of these devices out there, some much cheaper but, if you read the reviews, you will see many of them do not work, or burn out with 1st use. I would not be without one. It is good insurance and peace of mind and a great power bank as well. Shop around and get a good one. Project Farm on youtube has a video where he tests many different brands that you might find helpful.

We carry one in all our cars. 'Cause I like to leave the radio on and use the inside lights and and and . Any way I am known to let the batteries go way to far down. They also usually have other gadgets with them the one I have in the van also has an air pump and a strong light in case it is dark when working on the car.

 

[Morgana]

Careful of this, it could be a short. I gave my deceased brother's car to a friend and she had things like this happen and finally she looked behind the dash and the system had been put in by just twisting wires on each side. There were scorch marks in there. She was lucky. Check it out before you lose everything.

Yikes ... it is some kind of aftermarket system ... is there an idiot-proof way to check this or should I take it to a mechanic? It's only done this once (died ~1.5 years after I got it, came back to life ~1.5 years later).

 

[NctryBen]

Yikes ... it is some kind of aftermarket system ... is there an idiot-proof way to check this or should I take it to a mechanic? It's only done this once (died ~1.5 years after I got it, came back to life ~1.5 years later).

You should be good for 1.5 years now! Haha!
I wouldn’t worry to much. But wouldn’t hurt and maybe the cause would be found.

 

[user 36441]

Yikes ... it is some kind of aftermarket system ... is there an idiot-proof way to check this or should I take it to a mechanic? It's only done this once (died ~1.5 years after I got it, came back to life ~1.5 years later).

Morgana, you'd have to get under the dash with a flashlight to make sure the stereo is bolted to the car's chassis. Find a guy to do it.

 

[Happy Camper]

If it came back to life after a battery change, it might have been a bad connection. And moving a few wires when changing out the battery made the connection again. It was my first thought when I read your post.

My jeeps are old and have fun wiring things going on all the time.

 

[Morgana]

Find a guy to do it.

Find a guy to do it? Seriously? What millenium are we in again?
It's a question of doing it myself (if it needs to be done at all) or taking it back to my mechanic, who, as I have already mentioned, is a woman.

I thought the days when I had to be afraid to admit there was something I didn't know how to do, because it would tempt somebody to pull this "guy" BS, were over ... oh wait, they are over.

 

[user 36441]

Find a guy to do it? Seriously? What millenium are we in again?
It's a question of doing it myself (if it needs to be done at all) or taking it back to my mechanic, who, as I have already mentioned, is a woman.

I thought the days when I had to be afraid to admit there was something I didn't know how to do, because it would tempt somebody to pull this "guy" BS, were over ... oh wait, they are over.

I just thought it would save you from having to contort yourself.