Back up Battery

Brimar1991

Brimar1991

Member
Looking for ideas.

Hate to be stranded out in the middle of nowhere with a dead battery. Simple solution is to carry a second truck battery in the vehicle. However, if you have Tahoe with no reasonable outside storage, could sulfuric acid gases collect inside the vehicle to a dangerous or explosive level? Sometimes, I leave a second dog inside the truck while I am hunting. Definitely, do not want to return to the vehicle with it on fire or my dog passed away from the off gassing of the battery. I may be too paranoid. But, if I don?t bring the ?boys? back from a hunting trip, I better not come home.

If you have a solution for a battery back-up, I am interested in your thoughts. Thanks
 
battery

They just came out with a small (small enough to get in the glove compartment) jump starters. You can use them to charge cell phones or lap tops etc. and they will jump start your car or truck. Google, battery jump starters, and go to amazon and they list several kinds, and I have been told ac delco, snap-on are makeing them now, they vary in price from about 60 dollars up to one or two hundred dollars. Mine cost like 61 dollars. I tested mine on my toyota tundra by running the battery down to where the horn wouldn't even honk, and it started my truck like a new battery, and I repeated it five times and it started it every time, and still had enough charge in it to probably start it another five times or so. you can research them.
 
I believe the GM diesels have 2 batteries and if I remember correctly that was also an option for gas engines. I am sure a 2nd battery could be placed under the hood.
 
How about one new battery and a tune-up and maybe a fresh fuel pump for quick starts and to make sure you make it back. :)
 
I've got a jump starter box that I keep in my toolbox. It also is an air compressor so if you get a flat, it'll get you out of that bind too(I also carry tire plugs). I paid about $70 at Costco for it. My wife has one in her mini van and her work car.
 
jfreeman said:
They just came out with a small (small enough to get in the glove compartment) jump starters. You can use them to charge cell phones or lap tops etc. and they will jump start your car or truck. Google, battery jump starters, and go to amazon and they list several kinds, and I have been told ac delco, snap-on are makeing them now, they vary in price from about 60 dollars up to one or two hundred dollars. Mine cost like 61 dollars. I tested mine on my toyota tundra by running the battery down to where the horn wouldn't even honk, and it started my truck like a new battery, and I repeated it five times and it started it every time, and still had enough charge in it to probably start it another five times or so. you can research them.
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my son is a mechanic, and uses one of the small ones all the time to jump cars in the parking lot. gets 5 or so jumps out of one charge. he doesn't think it would start a f350 powerstroke at -20, but for most times it works great.
 
Be sure to charge it periodically. They lose their charge just like any other battery that doesn't get used. I would be extra sure to juice it up the night before you are planning a hunting trip, and don't forget to grab it on your way out.

I have one for my tractor at the farm, which saves me from having to jump it off my truck. Unfortunately, the time or two I've forgotten to pack it was a time I needed it. The post-it note on the steering wheel has been a 100% effective reminder. It's saved me a couple times, especially when I pulled the tractor in forwards and wouldn't have had room to stretch the jumper cables far enough.

On the flip side, a 12 volt riding mower battery is only about 40 bucks at the farm store, and we have used them at least a half dozen times (before we got the jumper box) to jump my wife's minivan after a full-day tailgate at the stadium. It worked perfectly every time, and we rescued numerous other fans with it as well.

Nice thing about the jumper box is that they often have a compressor and a flashlight, so they are pretty handy for the most common emergencies.
 
Thanks for all of your comments and ideas. Vehicle is ready to go with a new battery and tune-up. However, I like the idea of the jumper box and the riding lawn mower battery idea as a back-up. You never know what could happen (e.g. unknown battery drain, bad cell in the battery, etc.). I rather be prepared for the worst in case you have an emergency and have to rush back to the local town.

I can mount the riding lawn mower battery above the right front wheel adjacent to the firewall without having to remove the firewall to front quarter panel brace.

Have a good and safe season everyone.
 
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