Halfords lithium jump starter never says connected

[James-78]

Hi,
I bought one of these for jump starting my van,

https://www.halfords.com/motoring/battery-maintenance/jump-starters/halfords-5-in-1-jump-starter-698590.html?cm_mmc=Google+PLA-_-Motoring%3EMotoring+Products%3EBattery+Maintenance%3EJump+Starters-_-Motoring%3EMotoring+Products%3EBattery+Maintenance%3EJump+Starters-_-698590&_$ja=tsid:|cid:17363835999|agid:|tid:|crid:|nw:x|rnd:1534256407256784454|dvc:c|adp:|mt:|loc:1007125&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAiP2tBhBXEiwACslfngTaQrpTGFf73xw0SgF-j9kYTcmw0vKrmI_Swa4W0DmFuIhDf2HbhxoCimUQAvD_BwE

but I can't get a connection anywhere. the leads are really short, so I used another jump lead cable to attach it to the left hand side of the engine block and what looked like a hard point formoving the engine, but it never says connected. I know I can't attach it to the negative of the battery. I've tried it on an older car and it worked, but it doesn't on my newer c-max. Is there something I'm missing?

Thanks
James

 

[Pete C]

The link doesn’t work for me, but if it is for jump starting, then you can attach it directly to the battery terminals.

Pete

 

[James-78]

Ok, I thought that caused some issues by messing up the on-board computer's record of the charge?

Here's that link, hopefully working this time? Halfords 5 in 1 Jump Starter | Halfords UK..

 

[Dellmassive]

Like Pete says.

For a quick jump-start, with a boost pack.

The best way is direct across the battery terminals.

But for longer battery charging you shouldn't use the NEG post on the battery.

There is a headlight bracket bolt on the right you could use.

 

[roadtripper]

On my 6.1 I find there is enough room to use the crimped area of the battery negative connector which doesn't need extension leads but also keeps the connection downstream of the shunt (the box on the connector with the small data wires attached)

 

[Dellmassive]

On my 6.1 I find there is enough room to use the crimped area of the battery negative connector which doesn't need extension leads but also keeps the connection downstream of the shunt (the box on the connector with the small data wires attached)

View attachment 228646

I'll check my T6 to soon if it's different....might have heat shrink on it.?

 

[roadtripper]

I do wonder if it's a happy accident or it's actually a deliberate design choice. It's all very well saying don't croc clips to the battery terminal but if you don't provide a very obvious physically near place to do that then what do you expect people will do?

In my XC70 (P2) the battery is in the rear under the boot floor so under the bonnet there is a large well marked cover for a lug on the positive bus bar very near the engine mount. It's very easy to see what to do.

I would prefer if it if it still came with a proper battery battery cover as the T5/T6 era seem to, though to be fair if I have water around enough to worry about that I have bigger problems and the crimp should be solid enough the cope strands are crushed into a single mass so nothing wicks in.

 

[Alster]

Don’t know if this applies to modern batteries but I was always taught to put pos clip on first then neg onto the chassis away from the battery to avoid the risk of sparks igniting battery fumes

 

[Dellmassive]

Don’t know if this applies to modern batteries but I was always taught to put pos clip on first then neg onto the chassis away from the battery to avoid the risk of sparks igniting battery fumes

this is very true. . .

 

[roadtripper]

If you are start stop then it will almost certainly be an AGM and, by design, they are sealed and don't vent.

It's still a reasonable habit as it does no harm in the AGM case and is what you want to do when jumping an unknown battery.