Soaring

I wouldn't think it would be the cables either. One time I screwed up and hooked mine up backwards and fried the alternator, but not the cables. Think about it. When you hook up a charger, those tiny cables don't fry. Yeah, the amperage is only 10 or less, but still......those wires are tiny compared to jumper cables.....cheap ones or not.

padgecomm

I've had the same thing happen with cheap cables. Mine didn't completly melt, but burned the wire enough where the cables would not pass current at all. The cables I had might of jumped a lawn mower or something, but not my car or truck. Took them to the dumpster.

farkedup

I'm going to go to a store and buy high quality cables later today and hook them up EXACTLY like I did this one and it'll jump just fine...

I'm uploading some pictures of the cables... They're high res and I cropped them a bit so it'll take me a bit to upload them http://www.networktechs.com/burn/

I started my Charger last night and it started just fine. I've heard about people hooking up the cables wrong and killing their alternator so I had to make sure my car would still start!

I still have the package the cables came in and the receipt since I purchased them yesterday just to jump my truck. They were cheapo Ace Hardware $12 cables.

ideal_mustangs

Wow, that sucks. I would definatley take them back, or call the company or something and tell them you got burnt. Especially if they said for autos on the package

JBradley500

you'd have to get some major amperage through those cables to get them to melt off the insulation in a short time. you might be overlooking a mistake you made.

mustangdemon01

same thing happened to me...i was giving a friend a jump and it just started smoking everywhere...then i noticed the electrical light lit on my dash indicating a problem a week or so later. My headlights went out and i had to get the headlight switch replaced. Mine were also cheap wires...this was on my daily driver ofcourse.

Jinxed67Stang

I've had the same thing happen to me. Had some little cheap cheap cheap cables and soon as they hit the red top Optima bat in my ram, they got hot as all get out. Luckily I noticed it and tossed on the ground before they screwed anything up. Best guess I ever came up with, was that the two wires (neg and posi) were so close together and probably only had a thin layer of plastic inbetween them. Instead of being well insulated. Just goes to show.."You get whatcha pay for."
And if your questioning my ablilities to hook up jumper cables, I was a professional stereo installer for a couple of years. I know my way around wires

farkedup

my '75 Ford won't start now... FInally got one of those battery powered jumpers...

I think my battery might be dead... Anything beyond that you guys think I should check?

rmodel65

since the accident with the cables?

farkedup

yup.... went out to jump it tonight and it didn't want to start. Battery doesn't seem to be charging properly. I can get the interior light to stay on but all I get is a bit of clicking when I turn the key and sometimes I get it to turn over just a little.