Michelin Smart Jumper Cables

[Kingman]

There have been quite a few posts about the battery for our toys - both positive and negative.

I came across these jumper cables from Michelin and thought others might find value.


https://www.buysmartcables.com/ver4/index.asp

This deal appears to be better than the one I got on Amazon. Nonetheless, they are kinda cool.











Unfortunately.......I do not have an interest in Michelin (boy do I wish I had!).

 

[dbackg]

Very cool.

Thank you for sharing.

I wish they would say what gauge.

Can't go wrong with 2 or 4 gauge.

However, looks like 8 in the video.

 

[Kingman]

The box says 8 gauge.

You suspect a problem???

 

[BlackICE]

Without even thinking about it you have a 50% chance of getting the wires right. That said, anyone that isn't 100%sure how to hook up jumper cables probably shouldn't be doing it, even with these "fool" proof cables!

 

[GTdrummer]

Without even thinking about it you have a 50% chance of getting the wires right. That said, anyone that isn't 100% how to hook up jumper cables probably shouldn't be doing it, even with these "fool" proof cables!

I was thinking the same thing. This is what we have come to--something this simple needs to be made idiot proof.

 

[Empty Pockets]

...something this simple needs to be made idiot proof.

'Wouldn't matter. As soon as they DID - someone would create a bigger idiot.




skep :slap)

 

[Kingman]

If there isn't a problem with the 'wire gauge', why would you not find value with 'built-in surge protector' to prevent damage to the electronics?'

There does seem to be a question with the battery (sometimes dead) and it's affect on the gauges.

:ack......just wanna know. Not my strong suit.

 

[BlackICE]

If there isn't a problem with the 'wire gauge', why would you not find value with 'built-in surge protector' to prevent damage to the electronics?'

There does seem to be a question with the battery (sometimes dead) and it's affect on the gauges.

:ack......just wanna know. Not my strong suit.

Wire gauge has to do with efficient current transfer. As for the cars electronics, whenever possible it is best to avoid a jump and instead slow charge, or replace the battery. There is always a risk of frying something during a jump and more so with newer cars. The "built-in surge protector" IMHO is a marketing doodad that will not prevent something from getting fried!

The model T didn't have any such problems.

 

[Nardo GT]

Wire gauge has to do with efficient current transfer. As for the cars electronics, whenever possible it is best to avoid a jump and instead slow charge, or replace the battery. There is always a risk of frying something during a jump and more so with newer cars. The "built-in surge protector" IMHO is a marketing doodad that will not prevent something from getting fried!

The model T didn't have any such problems.

It's late here....now you have me picturing a Model T with a Whipple.:bored

 

[Neilda]

I loved the video! :lol

People looking so confused at red and black - d'uh, it's not THAT complicated is it? I'm not sure some of those people should actually be in charge of a motorised vehicle. :lol

 

[GTdrummer]

I loved the video! :lol

People looking so confused at red and black - d'uh, it's not THAT complicated is it? I'm not sure some of those people should actually be in charge of a motorised vehicle. :lol

I am a lawyer and used to represent a large battery company. In this country, folks even with those idiot proof cables will find a way to get hurt and sue Michelin. Hard to imagine why we are going bankrupt.

 

[centerpunch]

OK, sure, all of us here know how to use jumper cables. But many people do not.

There is no reason that a consumer product needed by zillions of people should have a potential penalty of a sulfuric-acid laced explosion if they accidentally hook the wires up wrong. In addition, the terminals on most batteries are very poorly marked, and quite often when you need jumper cables it's nighttime and your flashlight is either in the other car or the batteries are dead. And even in daylight, I find myself tracing the battery cables to see which one is grounded, to make sure.

An analogy to the inherent danger of normal jumper cables would be having the AC cords for everything in your house with the two prongs color-coded hot and neutral, and getting shocked or electrocuted every time you plug it into an outlet backwards.

The Michelin cables may not have the optimum conductor size for good jumper cables, but the concept (which probably uses a tiny logic circuit and relays inside the system) of automatically making the right polarity connections is a great one.

Wouldn't it be nice to have a set of jumper cables in your family vehicles that your wife or kids could use if they needed to?

 

[CH53Driver]

I am a lawyer...and sue Michelin. Hard to imagine why we are going bankrupt.

Because of the lawyers? :lol:lol:lol:willy:willy:willy

 

[GTdrummer]

Because of the lawyers? :lol:lol:lol:willy:willy:willy

Umm I think you misrepresented my quote. I have never sued anyone. Defended a lot of companies including Ford

 

[CH53Driver]

Umm I think you misrepresented my quote. I have never sued anyone. Defended a lot of companies including Ford

No, wasn't trying to say you but I guess I can see how you took it that way since my quote editing wasn't done the best in retrospect. I was trying to make a joke out of the lawyers/bankruptcy question you raised though. Maybe I failed as a comedian too.:biggrin

 

[soroush]

OK, sure, all of us here know how to use jumper cables. But many people do not.

There is no reason that a consumer product needed by zillions of people should have a potential penalty of a sulfuric-acid laced explosion if they accidentally hook the wires up wrong. In addition, the terminals on most batteries are very poorly marked, and quite often when you need jumper cables it's nighttime and your flashlight is either in the other car or the batteries are dead. And even in daylight, I find myself tracing the battery cables to see which one is grounded, to make sure.

An analogy to the inherent danger of normal jumper cables would be having the AC cords for everything in your house with the two prongs color-coded hot and neutral, and getting shocked or electrocuted every time you plug it into an outlet backwards.

The Michelin cables may not have the optimum conductor size for good jumper cables, but the concept (which probably uses a tiny logic circuit and relays inside the system) of automatically making the right polarity connections is a great one.

Wouldn't it be nice to have a set of jumper cables in your family vehicles that your wife or kids could use if they needed to?

Im with you on this one, but I think what everyone was saying is that as a society we are always trying to make everything idiot proof, and pretty soon no one has to think about anything.

 

[Neilda]

Im with you on this one, but I think what everyone was saying is that as a society we are always trying to make everything idiot proof, and pretty soon no one has to think about anything.

Yes quite. It's the 'contents may be hot' society we're living in where common sense and needing to exercise a couple of brain cells is rapidly becoming a thing of the past.

I can't speak for US batteries, but in Europe the positive terminal is equipped with a thumping great red rubber guard, often with lots of red wires connected to it. One would like to think that the person operating the car, having made the giant intellectual leap that the battery might be dead and that a jump might solve this technical hurdle, would figure out which of the two colors to connect.

I jest, (to a degree) and acknowledge it's a neat product, also that corporations need to do everything in their power to protect themselves from single cell organisms hurting themselves and lititgating.

:biggrin

 

[PL510*Jeff]

Saw this on TV as one of thebetter new automotive items.

As was said before, using jumpers seems to always be at night, raining etc. An for the non-gear head, this is a nervous situation. And do it wrong there goes the computer(s), guages --and that is expensive!

A "No-Brainer" cable set has it's advatages. Many modern vehicles have batteries hidden under the seat, in the trunk well, with jumper posts in the engine bay.

My first car, '57 MGA, was 12v postive ground. 2 6v batteries in a series. My '50 Ford is 6v positive ground. And every time I "touch" electricity,
I am reminded that I'm alergic to it.

And of course I am always a bit nervous that I've hooked up the cables "wrong". Thus I have the Michelin set up on order.

 

[junior]

Even for folks that know how to connect with the right polarity, they most often do it incorrectly. The negative lead/wire from the good battery should always be connected to a grounded clean metal surface in the engine compartment of the dead car, such as the alternator mounting chasis, or a chiny bolt anywhere on the engine block as an example. I would avoid connecting to the negative terminal on the dead battery. The smallest of cracks on the battery may cause an explosion with the gas build up while crancking.

 

[nota4re]

Also, you should connect to the dead battery first and then connect to the good battery to mitigate sparks in the dead car's battery area.