Ram CTD jump start question

[Ron3rd]

2016 ram CTD jump starting 2012 ram CTD; does it matter which of the dual batteries you jump to and which battery you jump from?

[ve7prt]

wilber1 wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
This is what my RAM owners manual says, I have always done it this way for many years.

Jumper cable positive to positive on batteries. Negative cable end on battery of charging/jumping vehicle. Discharged negative cable end to a ground, NOT on the discharged battery.

Makes sense, you would want all the batteries using a common ground. The batteries on my truck died last year and I had to get the auto club to give me a boost. He connected his two booster batteries in parallel then hooked them up to my truck just that way.

And is probably the reason why vehicles get fried when attempting a jump start. I ALWAYS go battery to battery on BOTH vehicles. Never had an issue, and I've jumped newer vehicles than mine without issue. My procedure to jump start another vehicle from mine (see sig):

1) Pull up to dead vehicle, pop hood latch.
2) Set high-idle on engine, set at 1100RPM.
3) Make sure all accessories in both vehicles are switched OFF.
4) Connect whichever battery in my truck is closest to dead vehicle's battery, pos to pos, and neg to neg.
5) Let the setup sit for about 10 minutes. Remember, you have a dead battery, it will literally soak up EVERYTHING coming down those jumper cables!
6) Attempt to start dead vehicle. In most cases, it will crank slowly, but it should start. If not, wait another 10 minutes.
7) Once dead vehicle engine is spinning, immediately disconnect cables.
😎 Advise owner of now operating vehicle to not shut it down for at least 30 minutes, and maybe put the battery on a plug-in charger overnight once home.

I have followed this procedure every time, and I have never had a problem. I think most of the problems occur when you attempt engine start as soon as the cables are connected. Bad Idea!!!! That dead battery WILL soak up pretty much all the power coming down the cables. And, I believe that jumper cables are a tenuous connection at best. I've seen jumpers, even heavy duty ones, get very warm very quickly just charging the dead battery. So, if you wait 10 minutes or so, you should put enough charge into the dead battery that it should be able, with a little help from the running vehicle, crank over the engine. It will be a slow crank, but the engine SHOULD start.

Again, I've done this many times, and have over 267,000 Km on the vehicle, with the original alternator still spinning.

Just my $0.02.

[wilber1]

Cummins12V98 wrote:
This is what my RAM owners manual says, I have always done it this way for many years.

Jumper cable positive to positive on batteries. Negative cable end on battery of charging/jumping vehicle. Discharged negative cable end to a ground, NOT on the discharged battery.

Makes sense, you would want all the batteries using a common ground. The batteries on my truck died last year and I had to get the auto club to give me a boost. He connected his two booster batteries in parallel then hooked them up to my truck just that way.

[LIKE2BUILD]

crcr wrote:
Is turning off the jump vehicle when starting the CTD recommended only for diesel? Or for gas also?

And are you supposed to disconnect the cables also?

I had never heard this before.

This is true for any vehicle. The idea is to let the 'good' vehicle's charging system add juice to the dead battery while the good vehicle runs.

When you try to start the dead vehicle it puts a deep draw on the electrical system of the good vehicle. If you do this while the good vehicle is running it can cause damage to the diodes in your alternator and potentially run other electrical components in an under-voltage condition. Basically, in this situation the deep draw comes from the charging system.

If you start the dead vehicle while the good vehicle is off then all the draw voltage comes directly from the batteries and there is no excess strain on the charging/electrical system of the good vehicle.

[Cummins12V98]

This is what my RAM owners manual says, I have always done it this way for many years.

Jumper cable positive to positive on batteries. Negative cable end on battery of charging/jumping vehicle. Discharged negative cable end to a ground, NOT on the discharged battery.

[ib516]

fj12ryder wrote:
Thanks for the info.

"Yacht"? 🙂

Ah the Chinese and their google translated manuals! LOL :B

[fj12ryder]

Thanks for the info.

"Yacht"? 🙂

[ib516]

fj12ryder wrote:
"I have a lthium jump pack and an older SLA battery based one for boosting frozen cars."

Just curious about how many amps your jump pack is, and how well it works. I have one but have never used it.

The SLA (Sealed Lead Acid) is a CAT advertised at 500A/1000A. It works OK, but wouldn't start a frozen V6 Ford Ranger at -30* C (-22*F) with a dead battery (totally dead) and the Ranger was not plugged in.



The lithium pack is a GooLoo (Amazon). It is rated at "1000A" (20800mah, yellow version) and I haven't had the chance to use it yet. It does have good reviews on Amazon and I watched a few YouTube videos of it in action. I mainly wanted it for carrying in the truck in case I leave something on etc. when we are in remote locations in the mountains. It lives under the seat in the summer and in the house in the winter.

[Grit_dog]

Good to know fellers....never considered turning off the jump Er

[fj12ryder]

"I have a lthium jump pack and an older SLA battery based one for boosting frozen cars."

Just curious about how many amps your jump pack is, and how well it works. I have one but have never used it.

[ib516]

crcr wrote:
Is turning off the jump vehicle when starting the CTD recommended only for diesel? Or for gas also?

And are you supposed to disconnect the cables also?

I had never heard this before.

Standard practice here in the frozen north where we jump start a lot. It's to save the donor vehicle's ECM/PCM/etc etc. I have personally seen them get fried when people leave the donor vehicle running when boosting/jump starting a dead frozen vehicle. I won't even do it that way anymore. I have a lthium jump pack and an older SLA battery based one for boosting frozen cars.

[ScottG]

crcr wrote:
Is turning off the jump vehicle when starting the CTD recommended only for diesel? Or for gas also?

And are you supposed to disconnect the cables also?

I had never heard this before.

It's not a diesel or gas thing, it's for the doner vehicle.
Failing to do so can and will send spikes (I've seen the damage) back through the running vehicles sensitive electronics and fry them.

Note that ths is in the manuals of many new vehicles.

[fj12ryder]

^^^^^^^^I've not heard of it either, and have never done it that way. But considering all the electronics, and their relative fragility, it may be a good idea.

[Grit_dog]

^ Me either, but sounds like a valid concern. Just not sure what “perfect” conditions would cause that problem with the jump rig.
But I’ve only jump started hundreds of vehicles and equipment.

[crcr]

Is turning off the jump vehicle when starting the CTD recommended only for diesel? Or for gas also?

And are you supposed to disconnect the cables also?

I had never heard this before.