St. Phatty
Active member
My car wouldn't start a few days ago.
Dead battery ? Alternator not supplying the juice ?
As it turned out, it was the connector on the positive terminal.
Being out in the country, and not wanting to go the tow-it-to-a-mechanic route, for a new 'official' battery cable, which I thought was about a $300 move ... well, I did have 2 hose clamps and about 20 feet of beefy single conductor wire.
I cut about 22 pieces, 11 inches long (glad I made them longer than necessary), and started assembling the Attempted Macgyver Solution.
22 pieces was a little too much, didn't use all of them.
And I spent 24 hours re-conditioning the battery when I thought I was charging it, using a POS Black & Decker "smart charger".
I ended up needing a jump-start. The battery was completely drained. I let it run for about 2 hours last night, HOPING that the alternator was still working.
MacGyver Herb: I used what was fresh and cut up, some Skunky first rate flower from a neighbor. Labelled Hindu Kush but more Sativa than most Kush (I think of Kush as an Indica.)
This morning - the Moment of Truth.
IT STARTED !!!
OK, now I have to add one more layer of epoxy (to keep things in place against vibration), and add some duct tape insulation so the exposed 12 volt conductors don't reach out and touch Electrical Ground.
I'm probably not the only ICMag member who had to jury-rig & improvise something.
And live with the possibility that it may not work.
Does anybody else have any pics of their Improv Macgyver type work they'd be willing to share ?
Dead battery ? Alternator not supplying the juice ?
As it turned out, it was the connector on the positive terminal.
Being out in the country, and not wanting to go the tow-it-to-a-mechanic route, for a new 'official' battery cable, which I thought was about a $300 move ... well, I did have 2 hose clamps and about 20 feet of beefy single conductor wire.
I cut about 22 pieces, 11 inches long (glad I made them longer than necessary), and started assembling the Attempted Macgyver Solution.
22 pieces was a little too much, didn't use all of them.
And I spent 24 hours re-conditioning the battery when I thought I was charging it, using a POS Black & Decker "smart charger".
I ended up needing a jump-start. The battery was completely drained. I let it run for about 2 hours last night, HOPING that the alternator was still working.
MacGyver Herb: I used what was fresh and cut up, some Skunky first rate flower from a neighbor. Labelled Hindu Kush but more Sativa than most Kush (I think of Kush as an Indica.)
This morning - the Moment of Truth.
IT STARTED !!!
OK, now I have to add one more layer of epoxy (to keep things in place against vibration), and add some duct tape insulation so the exposed 12 volt conductors don't reach out and touch Electrical Ground.
I'm probably not the only ICMag member who had to jury-rig & improvise something.
And live with the possibility that it may not work.
Does anybody else have any pics of their Improv Macgyver type work they'd be willing to share ?