# Jump starting a car

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/jump-starting-a-car/37854>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** explorer, ford\
**Created:** [October 10, 2009, 1:23am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jump-starting-a-car/37854 "2009-10-10T01:23:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![kescott1910](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/958977/32.png) [@kescott1910](https://community.cartalk.com/u/kescott1910)\
**Post date:** [October 10, 2009, 1:23am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jump-starting-a-car/37854/1 "2009-10-10T01:23:14Z")

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My wife has a job that sometimes requires her jump starting 5-10 vehicles a night. Will jump starting several cars in a night damage the alternator? SHe jumped 5-6 cars a few weeks ago and I ended up replacing the alternator on her car…coincedence or is this bad for alternator

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**Author:** ![Roadrunner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@Roadrunner](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Roadrunner)\
**Post date:** [October 10, 2009, 2:22am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jump-starting-a-car/37854/2 "2009-10-10T02:22:22Z")

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If it were me, I’d buy the largest 12V battery (with the highest cold cranking amps) possible and keep it in the back (or trunk) and use that for boosting.

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**Author:** ![pgdyk1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/dbc845/32.png) [@pgdyk1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pgdyk1)\
**Post date:** [October 10, 2009, 2:54am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jump-starting-a-car/37854/3 "2009-10-10T02:54:32Z")

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Or buy a portable jump box

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**Author:** ![cigroller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c68b51/32.png) [@cigroller](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cigroller)\
**Post date:** [October 10, 2009, 3:07am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jump-starting-a-car/37854/4 "2009-10-10T03:07:01Z")

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I certainly hope that she is somehow self-employed. If not, unless this was agreed to up front, I would not be using my own car for this. I do agree with the others - I’d probably go for a jumpbox though the employer (if any) ought to be buying it.

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**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\
**Post date:** [October 10, 2009, 10:45am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jump-starting-a-car/37854/5 "2009-10-10T10:45:18Z")

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Is she doing re-pro work?

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**Author:** ![common-sense-answer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/common-sense-answer/32/716_2.png) [@common-sense-answer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/common-sense-answer)\
**Post date:** [October 10, 2009, 11:07am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jump-starting-a-car/37854/6 "2009-10-10T11:07:05Z")

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No Coincedence. Jumping This Many Times Will Sooner Or Later Result In Zapping An Alternator, Especially If Somebody Else “Helps”. Also, Safety Glasses Should Be Worn!

I’d follow the advice given by others and carry another battery.

When I worked at a small airport we had little 2-wheeled 12 volt battery carts for this purpose and we had a small portable 12v / 24v generator cart, also. I’d insvest in one of these if this is a long-term situation.

CSA