Jumper cables - CCA vs pure copper

oldbrownhat

oldbrownhat

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Have been thinking of replacing my old cables with a new set. They sure have gone up in price... Some say that CCA are junk and only pure copper are worth buying. Anyone want to wade in on this? Not going to be used in -35 temps. to start a Mack truck (Mine is a Ford Ranger although the times I've used mine have usually been for other people's vehicles.) I can get 16', 4 ga copper rated for 400A for about $80 (~58 USD) locally. OTOH I can get heavier, 25' CCA for about the same price.
 
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Do you need 25' cables?

I needed some that long for my dump trailer when the trailer battery gets low. A jump it off the F250.

I needed something that would carry a heavy draw without voltage drop, so I made some from cable and clamps I found at my local welding supply.

I've never had any made from CCA, but my initial thought would be copper.
 
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I have had several sets,,
including an accidental set of CCA,,

The CCA was the first set of jumper cables I ever had that failed.
THAT is when I discovered they were CCA,,

They were scrapped,,

I DO have a set that will jump a MACK,,
I built them out of welding cable, in the late 1980's.

At that time, you could buy solid copper clamps,, so I also used them,,

I can jump start my 584 IH tractor even with the battery removed from the tractor!! :eek:

BPh0tCI.jpg
 
25 foot can be handy if you ever need to jump a vehicle from the rear, but that is pretty rare. Stranded copper used in welding cables make the best jumper cables as they maintain flexible even in cold weather but are expensive and unless you make your own, hard to find.

As a side note, I stopped carrying my cables in favor of a battery jumper 'box' that I carry under the rear seat. I charge it every couple months to make sure it is fully charged. It takes up much less space and can be used for multiple other purposes such as flashlight or to charge other devices like phones.
 
I don’t know about types of cables but I do believe that the 25’ versions are worth the extra space
Murphy will often put the battery on the opposite side that you need it to be on and as said you can jump from behind which is pretty handy
 
I have several 25'+ sets. I have 2 sets that I made from a piece of 4 conductor SO 6 AWG wire I found in a scrap yard. The positive and negative each use 2 of the conductors. I also have connectors on each end of my truck that are similar to welding machine connectors just slightly smaller.

I have conventional 25' sets in both my cars. My side by side has a 2 prong connector and a 15 foot set with an matching 2 prong connector and regular clamps on the other end. I have a similar 2 prong connector on my camp trailer batteries and a set of cables that plug and connect it to other batteries.

Any welding supply will hook you up with 50' of 2 AWG, but it will probably run you close to $150. Amazon has 25" of red and black for $115. You could get a 250' spool for around $500, Make up several sets Most rig welders run 125'; of 1 AWG or 0/1 lead and ground

Another thing, it is not just the wire, but the clamps and how the wire connects to the clamp.

When you live in cold country, its best to be ready. At -30 even a brand new batteries can struggle even with 5-40 motor oil. My Lincolns usually fire right up my Power stroke not so much unless its plugged in. LOL
 
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Copper wielding lead ,accept no substitute.
And top quality clamps.
If you need them they are worth the money.
Check scrap yards ,safety regulations takes
Industrial wielding leads out of service.
 
I have some cheap set I bought at an auto parts store. Probably CCA. I rarely use them, mostly to jump some neighbor's car or a friend who refuses to replace a dying battery. The cables work every time and are worth every penny I paid for them, which wasn't many. If I ran a tow truck or was on call for some insurance vehicle response policy, I'd opt for the copper cables. But for a set that rides around in the truck 99.999999999% of the time "just in case," CCA works at a decent price.
 
Tom S. said:
25 foot can be handy if you ever need to jump a vehicle from the rear, but that is pretty rare. Stranded copper used in welding cables make the best jumper cables as they maintain flexible even in cold weather but are expensive and unless you make your own, hard to find.

As a side note, I stopped carrying my cables in favor of a battery jumper 'box' that I carry under the rear seat. I charge it every couple months to make sure it is fully charged. It takes up much less space and can be used for multiple other purposes such as flashlight or to charge other devices like phones.
Click to expand...
THIS.
I bought a NOCO jumper box for every member of my family. I use mine to jump the battery on my boat among other things.
BTW what are CCA cables. Nevermind-I looked it up
 
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I STILL have a set of Jumper Cables my Dad made out of welding cable in the 1960's. I believe they are 12-13 feet in length but since they are so heavy in gauge size, that is not an issue at all. They have great heavy duty battery terminal clamps and still work like a charm. Due to their heavy gauge they are a bit larger and bulkier to store in the trunk area (not as flexible due to their gauge) than cheaper, less flexible store bought ones, but they never fail to work, The long length makes them a pleasure to use when needed.

I usually use them to help people out. I replace my own batteries at the very first sign of them weakening. Batteries never get better - only worse.

I do not like CCA wire and would never but it. Buy once, cry once. Jumper cables last a lifetime!
 
CAJUNLAWYER said:
THIS.
I bought a NOCO jumper box for every member of my family. I use mine to jump the battery on my boat among other things...
Click to expand...
I'd forgotten about those. Even the small NOCO looks like it packs a fair bit of power.

Mike said:
You don't have recharge jumper cables
Click to expand...
True, but also true of your cell phone. flashlight, etc. Apparently the jumper box only need to be recharged avery couple of months.
 
chief38 said:
EXACTLY! Something you have to remember to charge every so often is always uncharged when you need it the most. Jumper Cables are ALWAYS ready to go.
Click to expand...
I was also reading an article on jumper boxes andunder "Making your booster pack last" they recommended that they not be stored fully charged. (Also to store them indoors in really cold weather.)
...Remember how your new smartphone came with a half-charged battery? There’s a reason for that.

Many booster packs can store a charge for a year before they need plugging in, though most can be recharged from empty in just a few hours when required. Be aware that many batteries (and especially the lithium-ion battery packs commonly used in jump-starters) will experience a longer lifespan if users avoid storage with a full or empty battery.

If you won’t be using your booster pack or jump starter for an extended period, take steps to store it with a charge level around half, and it’ll repay you with a longer and more reliable life. When it’s time to bring your booster pack back into action, just plug it in for a recharge the night before...
​
So ideally there is some discipline involved. I think I may just get cables, though. Have rarely needed them and they always work.
 
Mike said:
You don't have recharge jumper cables..........
Click to expand...

But if you are the one that needs the jump and there is no one around to provide the full battery then jumper cables are useless. I charge the little jumper batteries that I keep in my car and the van with every season change. Easy to remember.
 
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