Jumper Cables

mbalbritton

mbalbritton

#@$%!
Joined
Mar 22, 2005
Location
Lakeland, FL
I have a set of Old Jumper Cables that were my Granddads. What I like about them is they are pretty heavy, long and the jaws have about 3 different type "teeth" if you will, for gripping in different ways. The issue I have with them is that the jaws have long since lost any protective coating or plating and they rust up just enough that you can't get a good connection with out wire brushing them.

Any tips on what I could spray/coat them with to avoid this? Short of gooping electrical grease all over the ends and getting it on everything else. Or do I just tie a wire brush to the cables and clean them off each time.
 
Probably use some battery post spray protectant....can get this at Northern Tool, Auto Parts, etc. Used to keep the battery post from corroding, but should work cuz the teeth are gonna get a fresh connection each time you use them.

Other than that, you could put new clamps on the ends, also available @ same places. Or chuck em and get some new cables. :beer:
 
Ok Im gonna skip the advice everyone else has to replace the ends cuz it sounds like thats what you like most about these.

A couple things will help.

Id take a wire wheel to them knock all the rust off one good time. Then put a nice coat of spray bomb or even spray on bed liner cheap stuff on them. Then knock said coating back off the contact areas (In other words trying to stop oxidation forming on outside and crawling in) then coat the contact areas liberally with WD-40. It wont make a mess and will prevent rust.

Finally Id keep them some pace where they wont get wet. Or buy a second el cheapo pair at wally world for $10 and use the bag it comes in to store your old trusty ones.
 
I've got the Battery Terminal spray and thought about that on the way home. I'll give that a shot and see how long it lasts.

any metallurgy types here? would there be any results or reason to treat it like you do a cast iron pan? oil it well and heat the ends? repeat and possibly penetrate the metal a little to resist the corrosion.

may seem like a lot of thought into some old battery cables, but they are like that old tool in the back of your tool box that you just don't want to part with.

thanks
 
just a thought, google "home plating"...you may find an easy electro-chemical process that will be conductive and work on steel.

look at http://www.caswellplating.com/ edit...kits here are a couple hundred...a little more than the value of the cables. :(
 
Soak them down in WD-40 before you store them.
Or here's an idea.

Drive the Jeep more than once a year and the battery will stay charged.:rolleyes:
 
Back
Top