Jumper Cables: FAQs on Gauge, Length, and Clamps
Not all jumper cables are the same. They’re made with varying specifications and characteristics for different intended uses. Some of these characteristics include insulation, cable length, clamp type, and wire gauge.
What’s a Jumper Cable’s Gauge and Its Meaning?
Using the appropriate jumper cable gauge ensures that your battery receives the power it requires to start. The gauge defines the thickness of the wires. This will be indicated by a gauge value ranging from 1 to 12. Thicker cables have a lower gauge number. Transferring larger voltages will require thicker wires. If you use thin wires to transfer large voltages, your vehicle might not receive enough voltage to startup properly. Additionally, wires can heat up when they transfer too much voltage.
As with gauge, thicker is the way to go in terms of insulation. Do note that thicker wires don’t necessarily have thicker insulation. If the insulation is damaged, the exposed metal wire can electrocute people.
For most people, the best gauge for jumper cables would be a 6-gauge or 4-gauge. They would be thick enough to handle the required voltages for most SUVs, cars, and vans without being too cumbersome and expensive.
If you have a vehicle with a large engine, such as a truck or RV, you should look for 2-gauge cables. Heavy-duty vehicles, such as semi trucks, might require cables with a gauge rating of 1.
How Long Should Jumper Cables Be?
Anyone who has ever had to jump-start a car understands how difficult it can be to align the two vehicles in order to connect the cables. A longer pair of cables will allow you to park the charging car in a more convenient location. When the cars are facing each other, a set of 10-foot jumper wires should suffice, although this isn’t always possible. If you want the charging car to park behind the stopped one, you’ll need at least 20 feet of wire. However, longer jumper cables will be more expensive.
Why Are Good Jumper Cable Clamps Important?
If you’re looking for jumper cables, make sure that the clamps are able to securely fasten themselves onto the batteries. Otherwise, they can come loose and electrocute you. This means they should have a strong spring that allows them to latch onto the battery’s terminals.
Alligator clamps are probably the best because they have teeth on their clamping surface that help keep them in place. The clamp handles should also have a thick layer of rubber to protect you from getting electrocuted and so you can securely grip them.
While these advantages might seem like marginal gains, they can all add up to improve your overall experience when it comes to jump-starting your vehicle.
The post Jumper Cables: FAQs on Gauge, Length, and Clamps appeared first on In The Garage with CarParts.com.
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