7 Tips for Successfully Jump Starting Heavy-Duty Vehicles

Updated Feb 9, 2023

Technician jump starting a Caterpillar excavator with a Clore Automotive ES1224 Battery Jump StarterClore Automotive

As the mercury drops, it is good to review some best practices when it comes to jump starting heavy-duty vehicles and construction equipment.  This is a topic that keeps our Tech Service lines buzzing at this time of year.

Here are seven tips to remember for Heavy-Duty Jump-Starting Success:

  1. Always make sure you have the right tool for the job. Jump starters come in a wide variety of sizes and some are designed to perform a variety of functions. But the primary function of any jump starter is to get your vehicle(s) started when you need it. So, make sure to employ a jump starter that is properly aligned with your specific starting needs. This is doubly important when jump starting heavy-duty vehicles.
  2. Take care of your jump starter and it will take care of you. Keep it charged, especially during extreme temperatures, which are always the hardest on batteries. Also, if you can store it at a temperature above 50ËšF during the winter months, it will perform better.
  3. Don’t underestimate the importance of finding a good vehicle ground for your negative clamp. A complete conductive circuit is an absolute must for jump starting success. You should be looking for a heavy gauge metal part of the vehicle chassis or engine block, away from the battery. Never connect to a carburetor, fuel lines or sheet metal body parts.
  4. Heavy Truck 12/24 Volt Commercial Jump Starter With AGM BatteriesClore Automotive's Heavy Truck 12/24 Volt Commercial Jump Starter With AGM Batteries is specifically designed for over-the-road transportation and heavy-duty implements starting applications.Clore AutomotiveIf the vehicle’s battery is a traditional flooded battery, make sure it has the proper water level as identified in the manufacturer’s guidelines. If the water level is low, add distilled water as per the manufacturer’s guidelines. Never overfill, which could cause leakage and other problems. Also, never attempt to jump start a frozen battery.
  5. On vehicles with multiple batteries, the condition and conductivity of the battery connections is particularly critical. Check that all battery connections are tight and secure. Visually inspect connections for signs of deterioration or other problems. For instance, discoloration of the battery connection can often be the result of carbon deposits on the cabling, which will cause a voltage drop across that cabling, sapping your starting power.
  6. On vehicles with multiple batteries, always connect to the battery closest to the starter. This will ensure that the maximum power available from the jump starter is transferred to the starting system, not depleted by the battery bank, which can be quite taxing, depending on the number of batteries involved.
  7. On larger vehicles, such as OTR trucks, first, take a few minutes to light the glow plugs. Properly connect the jump starter, put the vehicle’s key in the accessory position and light the glow plugs, which should take 20-40 seconds. Then turn the vehicle’s key to the off position and allow the jump starter to recover for 2-3 minutes. Then attempt to jump start the vehicle. This process will greatly increase your odds of success.

When it comes to deciding what size of jump starter is needed for your heavy-duty jump starting tasks, there are many factors that come into play, including the types of vehicles you need to start, the number of jump starts you are required to perform on any given day, the number of batteries in the typical vehicle to be started and the temperature extremes you experience in your specific climate.

Battery maintenance tips iconClore AutomotiveEach company’s needs are different and, as noted in tip number 1 above, it is important to choose the right tool for your needs. For instance, after speaking with our Technical Service team, many service facilities determine that a large, roll-around jump starter makes the most sense for them, even though they did not have such a product in mind when the call started.

Additionally, a tool that could pay significant dividends when it comes to jump starting heavy-duty vehicles is a digital battery and system tester. This type of tool can help you identify the source of starting problems: is it the battery/batteries, the starting system or the charging system? Plus, digital testers can diagnose all battery types, from traditional flooded batteries to newer AGM and Gel Cell battery types.

Clore Automotive is a leader in the design, development and manufacture of automotive service equipment for professionals and consumers, including jump starters, battery chargers, battery testers, power inverters and LED work lighting. Clore Automotive products can be found in a wide variety of outlets servicing professionals and automotive enthusiasts, including auto parts stores, mobile tool dealers, industrial MRO distributors, farm and ag outlets and more. More information can be found at www.cloreautomotive.com.