Gadget – Michelin ‘smart’ Jumper cables

At some point, you would be stuck with a car that has a dead battery. Normally, you would push-start (India only) your car but with new innovations in the engine department and auto transmissions in regular use, push-starting is not the right idea. So, the next best option is to find that old set of jumper cables and jump-start it. However, jump starting is not as easy as you think and requires a bit of caution. Michelin seems to have the perfect kit for this job and comes at a reasonable price too.

You see, the terminals of the booster battery and the dead battery need to be connected properly failing which, the battery could blow up creating an even bigger problem. There is another option – There are jump-start cables that could be plugged into a 12V socket inside your car which is foolproof but wouldn’t give enough current to crank your engine. This is where the Michelin ‘smart’ cables come in – Unlike the colour coded ordinary cables, these cables come in Michelin blue. What you need to do is this – Just connect one set on the positive terminals of the booster battery and another to any bare metal and the system automatically detects whether a complete circuit has been made. This is indicated by a LED on the central box. Then connect the cables to the dead battery. The electronics in the system automatically detect the polarity and do the needful.

The cost of all this? Well, it costs just US$ 30-40 in USA so ask your American friend to get it for you.

Press Release

MICHELIN® SMART JUMPER CABLESTM LET MOTORISTS CHARGE AHEAD
Patented Technology Helps Avoid Injury, Electrical System Damage

GREENVILLE, S.C. (October 12, 2009) – Improper use of ordinary jumper cables can result in sparking or shorting which can result in serious injury to the user. This can also produce a power surge that causes damage to a vehicle’s expensive electrical system vital to such things as engine and transmission operation, entertainment and navigation functions.

But MICHELIN’S new Smart Jumper CablesTM can help avoid personal injury and costly electrical damage incurred during an improper jump-start. The patented safety technology in Smart Jumper Cables provides built-in surge protection and automatic polarity adjustment from either positive or negative connections. Their ease of use and safety features makes a traditional jumper cable design and process obsolete.

“Many motorists won’t associate the power surge from traditional jumper cable use as the root cause of their vehicle’s electrical system problem or failure because there can be a time lag between the two events,” said Alexia Hayes, a product development engineer for Pylon and mother of two young children.

Hayes adds battery problems are a year-round occurrence and the driving patterns of many parents with young children, new drivers and seniors make them especially vulnerable. “There are many factors that can cause a battery to fail,” said Hayes. “Motorists that frequently forget to turn off their lights or take many short trips on a daily basis are at risk. The combination of performing many starting cycles, coupled with short run times can leave a battery below the ideal charge specification for most of its shortened life.”

While motorists recognize automobile batteries are affected by cold temperatures and winter weather, few are aware that prolonged exposure to heat also contributes to battery failure. Auto service experts place the life expectancy of a typical automotive battery at 3-5 years in average climates, but only 2-3 years in areas with high heat or extreme cold.
Beginning this fall, MICHELIN Smart Jumper Cables are available in North America at auto supply retailers and mass merchandisers for around $40 (U.S.). Visit www.michelinsmartcables.com for store locations and details for online purchase.

In addition to the built-in surge protection and automatic polarity adjustment, Smart jumper cables offer a number of other premium features that make traditional jumper designs obsolete, including:
• • • •
Cable clamps that can attach to either the positive or negative connections – eliminates guesswork LED indicator lights – confirms correct connections are made Textured grips – improve handling, especially in cold weather Heavy-duty cable with insulated clamps – stays flexible, tangle free, cold weather resistant

Dedicated to the improvement of sustainable mobility, Michelin designs, manufactures and sells tires for every type of vehicle, including airplanes, automobiles, bicycles, earthmovers, farm equipment, heavy-duty trucks, motorcycles and the space shuttle. The company also publishes travel guides, hotel and restaurant guides, maps and road atlases. Headquartered in Greenville, S.C., Michelin North America (www.michelin.com) employs 22,600 and operates 19 major manufacturing plants in 17 locations.

For nearly 40 years, Pylon Manufacturing Corporation (www.pylonhq.com) has been a leading automotive aftermarket supplier specializing in the design, engineering and marketing of wiper blades. Located in Deerfield Beach, Fla., Pylon is an ISO 9001-certified division of the Qualitor, Inc. family of automotive companies. Pylon is the exclusive licensee responsible for the distribution and marketing of the Michelin® Smart Jumper CablesTM and premium wiper blades throughout North America.

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