Using D batteries to kick-start the Leaf

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UkrainianKozak

Well-known member
Joined
May 12, 2011
Messages
355
Location
Redmond, WA
After getting stranded in my garage one morning (first day after vacation) with dead battery in my Leaf I wonder if it is possible to build a simple device that will kick start it using D batteries?
Just add rectifier (to make sure Leaf will not try to charge the batteries) and possibly a fuse to protect rectifier, then it should be possible to kick-start the leaf with 8 D batteries...
Am I right? That would be an awesome emergency device for the Leaf...
 
UkrainianKozak said:
After getting stranded in my garage one morning (first day after vacation) with dead battery in my Leaf I wonder if it is possible to build a simple device that will kick start it using D batteries?
Just add rectifier (to make sure Leaf will not try to charge the batteries) and possibly a fuse to protect rectifier, then it should be possible to kick-start the leaf with 8 D batteries...
Am I right? That would be an awesome emergency device for the Leaf...

Interesting idea.....but I don't have an answer to your question. But, why not just buy a cheap 12V battery charger to plug in to your dead battery when necessary? After a few minutes of charging, you should be able to power up with no problem
 
Man, this is harsh...
At least Leaf does not have 4000 cells, ~10 times less...
But it would be much easier with just 8 batteries to get a starting sound from the leaf with just 8 batteries.
Man, this video touched me, now I just have to do it...
With Leaf we should be able to recharge it with just 8 batteries and going downhill with a good tail wind, yea?

and to answer the question why batteries, well... charger that can actually start the car is pretty expensive, only trickle chargers with no battery monitoring are cheap, and I doubt you can start leaf with those ones...
Another thing is, what if you are at the airport parking lot or somewhere without good access to outlet.
 
Virtually all airports have complementary jump starts that, yes, your LEAF can use if it's 12V is dead. AAA or any tow service can do the same. Just make it clear you aren't talking about the LEAF's main pack when speaking to them. :)
 
grommet said:
Virtually all airports have complementary jump starts that, yes, your LEAF can use if it's 12V is dead. AAA or any tow service can do the same. Just make it clear you aren't talking about the LEAF's main pack when speaking to them. :)

Official airport parking lot in big cities, maybe yes, but not off-site cheapo airport parking, besides, I think ~$15 device is adequate to save you about an hour to wait for AAA or chase for some airport jump starters...
I just have to try it, noone can talk me out of it now ;)
 
Amazon deal on these ($27.34 and PRIME eligible):
http://www.amazon.com/Wagan-EA2045-SelfCharge-Jumper-Jumpstarter/dp/B000066OC8/ref=sr_1_52?ie=UTF8
Product Features
  • Plugs into lighter socket and in 10 minutes, its ready to go
  • Powerful sealed alkaline battery inside has the power (5 amps, 14.5 volts) to start the vehicle
  • Recharge your car battery through the cigarette lighter while driving for 30-120 mintues or with the available AC adapter
  • Unaffected by extreme weather conditions
  • Built-in trickle charge protection

Nice video with good stuff in the last minute.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?&v=bPlF7MQCc-U[/youtube]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?&v=bPlF7MQCc-U" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
 
Good luck getting it to work on leaf...
And read reviews ;)

From the Magellan's catalog description:
"PLEASE NOTE THAT THE LABEL ON THE AUTO JUMPER STATES THAT IT WILL RECHARGE A *DEAD* BATTERY IN 10 MINUTES. THIS IS ONLY TRUE FOR SMALL ITEMS SUCH AS A CELL PHONE OR A LAPTOP BATTERY. THE AUTO JUMPER IS DESIGNED TO RECHARGE A WEAK CAR BATTERY, BUT WILL NOT RECHARGE A COMPLETELY DEAD ONE. "

First of all it is not a jump starter, it is merely a battery booster, it'll help start ICE with weak battery. It won't help start the leaf with dead battery and I suspect it simply won't work because Leaf's cigaret lighter socket is disconnected when Leaf is of and to connect it, you need to put it in ready mode for which you need... um... battery, AND you need to recharge monthly... so if you are out for 3 month it won't help you, when regular alkaline batteries can hold charge for years...

scottf200 said:
Amazon deal on these ($27.34 and PRIME eligible):
http://www.amazon.com/Wagan-EA2045-SelfCharge-Jumper-Jumpstarter/dp/B000066OC8/ref=sr_1_52?ie=UTF8
Product Features
  • Plugs into lighter socket and in 10 minutes, its ready to go
  • Powerful sealed alkaline battery inside has the power (5 amps, 14.5 volts) to start the vehicle
  • Recharge your car battery through the cigarette lighter while driving for 30-120 mintues or with the available AC adapter
  • Unaffected by extreme weather conditions
  • Built-in trickle charge protection

Nice video with good stuff in the last minute.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?&v=bPlF7MQCc-U[/youtube]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?&v=bPlF7MQCc-U" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
 
Anyone know how much juice you actually NEED to kick start one? A lot of things use 12v batteries... boats, motorcycles, alarm systems, small home computer UPS's, etc... very likely that you could find a small, cheap, lightweight rechargeable sealed battery and keep it in your LEAF for emergency kickstarts...?
 
scottf200 said:
Amazon deal on these ($27.34 and PRIME eligible):
http://www.amazon.com/Wagan-EA2045-SelfCharge-Jumper-Jumpstarter/dp/B000066OC8/ref=sr_1_52?ie=UTF8
Product Features
  • Plugs into lighter socket and in 10 minutes, its ready to go
  • Powerful sealed alkaline battery inside has the power (5 amps, 14.5 volts) to start the vehicle
  • Recharge your car battery through the cigarette lighter while driving for 30-120 mintues or with the available AC adapter
  • Unaffected by extreme weather conditions
  • Built-in trickle charge protection

I can't remember where, but I know I've read NOT to use this sort of device on the Leaf. I don't have the source, but I wanted to say something before someone destroys their Leaf.
 
ljwobker said:
Anyone know how much juice you actually NEED to kick start one? A lot of things use 12v batteries... boats, motorcycles, alarm systems, small home computer UPS's, etc... very likely that you could find a small, cheap, lightweight rechargeable sealed battery and keep it in your LEAF for emergency kickstarts...?
I would imagine that a battery with just a few Ah at ~12 volts would get it going. Once the DC to DC converter is running you should be all set!
 
Stanton said:
scottf200 said:
Amazon deal on these ($27.34 and PRIME eligible):
http://www.amazon.com/Wagan-EA2045-SelfCharge-Jumper-Jumpstarter/dp/B000066OC8/ref=sr_1_52?ie=UTF8
Product Features
  • Plugs into lighter socket and in 10 minutes, its ready to go
  • Powerful sealed alkaline battery inside has the power (5 amps, 14.5 volts) to start the vehicle
  • Recharge your car battery through the cigarette lighter while driving for 30-120 mintues or with the available AC adapter
  • Unaffected by extreme weather conditions
  • Built-in trickle charge protection

I can't remember where, but I know I've read NOT to use this sort of device on the Leaf. I don't have the source, but I wanted to say something before someone destroys their Leaf.


Anything used to jump start a LEAF will need to be connected directly to the 12V battery. The cigarette lighter socket is not powered unless the car is on or at least in accessory mode so the voltage from a booster battery plugged into the cigarette lighter plug will not do anything. Although I have not needed to try it, I suspect that there is not a lot of capacity required to start the LEAF so any 12V booster battery might be enough.

Gerry
 
i have one of those portable jump boxes that I have jumped my Prius with a few times but its normally used as a power supply when camping and such. it is cheap. costs like $30 and is good for 3-5 years. I have used them for years to charge RC batteries as well when line power was at a premium.
 
DaveinOlyWA said:
i have one of those portable jump boxes that I have jumped my Prius with a few times but its normally used as a power supply when camping and such. it is cheap. costs like $30 and is good for 3-5 years. I have used them for years to charge RC batteries as well when line power was at a premium.
I've not had to jump-start my Leaf yet, but the truck it replaced has been jumped several times....

I have one of those "power stations" with a 19AHr 12V battery, 400W inverter, and small air compressor. The battery is big enough to jump-start the truck, though it struggles. I charge it for a couple hours about once a month (don't leave these plugged in - they'll cook the battery to an early death.) The inverter works well enough, though it is a "modified sine wave" type (AKA power pulse generator). At 400W, I think it runs for about 30 minutes, 75W for about 4 hours. I've never used the compressor, but it runs.

I've found the mating connector for the socket the jumper cables plug into. Now I can run my 300W true sine-wave inverter, 2M transceiver, or launch model rockets off the battery.

Over the last couple years, I've gotten my $120 out of it.
 
ljwobker said:
Anyone know how much juice you actually NEED to kick start one? A lot of things use 12v batteries... boats, motorcycles, alarm systems, small home computer UPS's, etc... very likely that you could find a small, cheap, lightweight rechargeable sealed battery and keep it in your LEAF for emergency kickstarts...?
This seems ridiculous. If this is happening often then there is something wrong with the car. I've had my Leaf over 2 years and never once have I found it dead.
 
GerryAZ said:
Stanton said:
scottf200 said:
Amazon deal on these ($27.34 and PRIME eligible):
http://www.amazon.com/Wagan-EA2045-SelfCharge-Jumper-Jumpstarter/dp/B000066OC8/ref=sr_1_52?ie=UTF8
Product Features
  • Plugs into lighter socket and in 10 minutes, its ready to go
  • Powerful sealed alkaline battery inside has the power (5 amps, 14.5 volts) to start the vehicle
  • Recharge your car battery through the cigarette lighter while driving for 30-120 mintues or with the available AC adapter
  • Unaffected by extreme weather conditions
  • Built-in trickle charge protection

I can't remember where, but I know I've read NOT to use this sort of device on the Leaf. I don't have the source, but I wanted to say something before someone destroys their Leaf.


Anything used to jump start a LEAF will need to be connected directly to the 12V battery. The cigarette lighter socket is not powered unless the car is on or at least in accessory mode so the voltage from a booster battery plugged into the cigarette lighter plug will not do anything. Although I have not needed to try it, I suspect that there is not a lot of capacity required to start the LEAF so any 12V booster battery might be enough.

Gerry

make sure you connect it correctly (DO NOT CONNECT anything directly to the negative battery terminal) and since the LEAF does not crank anything on the 12 volt battery (it basically boots the computer and closes the traction battery contacts. neither requires much power at all) , the power requirements are actually pretty small, MUCH smaller than a car. I am guessing the power requirements are probably similar to a Prius which I have jumped before and my jumper box has "12 volt accessory mode" and "jump" mode. the Prius starts easily in 12 volt accessory mode.
 
scottf200 said:
Amazon deal on these ($27.34 and PRIME eligible):
http://www.amazon.com/Wagan-EA2045-SelfCharge-Jumper-Jumpstarter/dp/B000066OC8/ref=sr_1_52?ie=UTF8
Product Features
  • Plugs into lighter socket and in 10 minutes, its ready to go
  • Powerful sealed alkaline battery inside has the power (5 amps, 14.5 volts) to start the vehicle
  • Recharge your car battery through the cigarette lighter while driving for 30-120 mintues or with the available AC adapter
  • Unaffected by extreme weather conditions
  • Built-in trickle charge protection
Stanton said:
I can't remember where, but I know I've read NOT to use this sort of device on the Leaf. I don't have the source, but I wanted to say something before someone destroys their Leaf.
GerryAZ said:
Anything used to jump start a LEAF will need to be connected directly to the 12V battery. The cigarette lighter socket is not powered unless the car is on or at least in accessory mode so the voltage from a booster battery plugged into the cigarette lighter plug will not do anything. Although I have not needed to try it, I suspect that there is not a lot of capacity required to start the LEAF so any 12V booster battery might be enough.

Gerry
DaveinOlyWA said:
make sure you connect it correctly (DO NOT CONNECT anything directly to the negative battery terminal) and since the LEAF does not crank anything on the 12 volt battery (it basically boots the computer and closes the traction battery contacts. neither requires much power at all) , the power requirements are actually pretty small, MUCH smaller than a car. I am guessing the power requirements are probably similar to a Prius which I have jumped before and my jumper box has "12 volt accessory mode" and "jump" mode. the Prius starts easily in 12 volt accessory mode.
ICE wisdom says to connect the booster negative (black) to the engine block (not the battery, and never the chassis), and the booster positive (red) to the battery positive. Good advice... if you're cranking an engine and need to handle high current (50A-200A).

In a Leaf, there is likely never any current loads on 12V greater than normal running loads (which the DC-DC converter will pick up in a few seconds). I believe connecting the booster cable negative to either the battery negative or the chassis may really be a "don't care". (The manual has only a picture indicating something other than the battery, and a suggestion that the body ground should be used, but these are not very clear.) Precautions regarding 12V battery explosions should still be observed.

If the Leaf can be "started" using 8 D cells, then it's a "don't care". A new D cell can deliver 8-10 amps into a short circuit. (I'd like to hear about it if someone actually tries this.)

Using the accessory outlet in the cabin is likely to power up things that are normally not powered when the vehicle is "off" (accessories like cabin lights, instrument cluster, windows, and possibly the NAV system). This would discharge your booster battery for no useful purpose. Would it damage the car? Other than possibly blowing the 10A fuse to the outlet, I doubt it.
 
brettcgb said:
ICE wisdom says to connect the booster negative (black) to the engine block (not the battery, and never the chassis), and the booster positive (red) to the battery positive. Good advice... if you're cranking an engine and need to handle high current (50A-200A).

In a Leaf, there is likely never any current loads on 12V greater than normal running loads (which the DC-DC converter will pick up in a few seconds). I believe connecting the booster cable negative to either the battery negative or the chassis may really be a "don't care".
NO! Phil (Ingineer) tells us to never EVER connect directly to the battery negative terminal, and I trust him. It isn't a matter of load, according to him. There are some electronics involved that can get totally screwed up if you connect directly to that terminal.

Well, there is obviously an exception. If you take the battery out of the car, then you can charge it that way. But don't do it while the negative pole of the battery is connected to the car.

Ray
 
planet4ever said:
brettcgb said:
ICE wisdom says to connect the booster negative (black) to the engine block (not the battery, and never the chassis), and the booster positive (red) to the battery positive. Good advice... if you're cranking an engine and need to handle high current (50A-200A).

In a Leaf, there is likely never any current loads on 12V greater than normal running loads (which the DC-DC converter will pick up in a few seconds). I believe connecting the booster cable negative to either the battery negative or the chassis may really be a "don't care".
NO! Phil (Ingineer) tells us to never EVER connect directly to the battery negative terminal, and I trust him. It isn't a matter of load, according to him. There are some electronics involved that can get totally screwed up if you connect directly to that terminal.

Well, there is obviously an exception. If you take the battery out of the car, then you can charge it that way. But don't do it while the negative pole of the battery is connected to the car.

Ray


I guess all caps and bold text was not enough... :roll:
 
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