Originally Posted by Luddite
Chances are that your charger wires are capable of carrying circa 5 amps or so and are sized to carry out that task over many hours. The size of the cables on a jump pack kinda give the clue that something different is likely to happen when it is connected into a circuit.. ?

For sure the jump pack does not have many hours of capacity stored within, it is designed to provide max power over a short period of time.... As for the amount of current... there are many factors at play, A starter motor is the equivalent of an electrical short for a fraction of a second until it s wittarts to rotate, as for the initial current surge...? I could only guess but lets suggest 500 amps to give a very rough idea, as for the effect on your charger sized wiring rated at 5 amps..?

Time is also very much part of the calculations when it comes to picking cable sizes and just how stressed your charger sized wiring might become, seems likely to correspond to the length of time you expose it to the loading of trying to fire up the engine connected to a starter pack.... scared

Leaving a charger connected to a battery whilst using the latter to start engine is not good practice. A DC fuse if fitted may blow although unlikely. Otherwise it will just work flat out for the short while the battery volts are dragged down, producing only it's max charge current which will be little enough to impact on battery hence starter voltage. It will not and cannot stress the charger leads. FWIW I have accidentally done this many times on all manner of charging systems and never had an issue.


Richard

2018 Roadster 3.7
1966 Land Rover S2a 88
2024 Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450
1945 Guzzi Airone