Ok to jumpstart another car with prius?

Evan, good catch! I think you probably cracked the mystery of his non-working jumper box --- you have to turn it on after the cables have been properly connected. I think all jumper boxes have an on/off switch (safety reasons).

 

So that we aren't guessing, can you provide the exact brand and model so we can Google it? I've never seen one without a rotary switch to turn on power to the jumper cables. I bought one at Costco and promptly opened it up and attached external 12v wiring and standardized connectors to power my ham radios. Maybe your rotary knob fell off or broke off?

 

I'm thinking that for product liability reasons, no mfgr. would build one of these without the switch. If the clamps are always "live", there's too much chance of someone doing something stupid. At least with the switch they can claim the user was clearly negligent if they still manage to injure themselves.

 

Me too!

Especially since my battery charger's instructions make a big safety related deal about when you should turn the battery charger part on and off --- in fact, it calls the on/off switch the "Safety Switch".

I'm still thinking that somewhere in your unit there's an on/off switch for the battery charger part. Or, it might be the same switch as the compressor switch, or the same switch as the flashlight switch, but I doubt it.

What brand and model number is it? (You got me wondering! It's a pretty good mystery!)

 

I have a set that's always live. They're called "Jumper Cables."

~ dan ~

 

Nah, there not live until you close the switch by connecting them to the live battery. Or are you saying that you keep them connected to a live battery or power source at all times?

 

Turn off the air compressor switch. I think you have one of those combo air compressor/light/jump models.

 

My gluteus maximus.

 

This thread discusses the wisdom (or lack thereof) of jump starting another car with a Prius. What about the reverse? Can one jump start a Prius with another car (I know the Prius "auxiliary" battery is just for getting the car ready, but suppose that auxiliary battery is dead?)?

 

Battery Charger Holds Charge for Whole NYC Winter

I just took my battery charger out of my Prius. It survived the entire New York City winter in the car with plenty of charge left in it to charge another car -- I'm guessing that it was at minimum half charged judging from the brightness of the flashlight in it, and the fact that both of the red light charge indicators were lit:

 

There are portable jumpers with always live cables, the JNC brand, jump and carry, are one of them. I have one here at home with a 1500 peak amp. But it isn't to start the cars round here but the diesel tractors with there dual 1000 cca batterys. Also you do need to charge them before first use even if the battery indicator says full. The battery indicator is just measureing voltage most of the time and it doesn't take a very large drop to reduce the capacity of that battery. The JNC has an actual voltmeter on it to give a good indication of carge. The one that I keep in the prius just has 4 lights. Hopefully it will never have to be used.