I ran into a pickle this weekend. My car’s battery was dead, and there was no way to jump it myself.
Technically, we could have used my wife’s brand new compact car to try to jump mine, but we decided not to. I could have also waited in the parking lot for a neighbor to show up. That’s also assuming I could have retrieved my jumper cables from the trunk. Since the battery was so drained, power locks weren’t working all that well, the rear seats don’t fold down, and the cargo hatch doesn’t have keyed entry.
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We ended up calling Geico for a free jump, and AAA would have been another option. The battery is old, and I worried it was too worn to accept a charge. Luckily, they brought along a portable jump pack and I was ready to go in a few minutes.
Another potential option would have been to use my wife’s car to drive over to the parts store to get a replacement battery, but we decided that I shouldn’t (couldn’t) do that with her brand new car. There’s a minimal risk of acid spilling out if a car battery is kept upright, but there’s still a chance. We just didn’t want to deal with that potential risk or cleanup effort, or the “I told you so” and “you did what to my new car?!” conversation that would follow.
Whether you’re replacing the battery yourself or having it replaced, the easiest way to start the process is to drive over to a parts supplier or service shop, and that requires a jump start.
As an aside, parts suppliers such as Advance Auto can swap in a replacement battery with a free installation in about the same time as you could do it yourself. They’ll bring a service cart right out to the parking lot and get things done in no time. Service centers, such as Pep Boys, are not so quick as I unfortunately learned today, even if you make an appointment through their online portal.
In the past year, I jumped my wife’s old car 4 times. The first time, it was because the battery was a little old and about due for a replacement. The next three times, with a new battery, were because she didn’t drive much when she was pregnant, couldn’t drive for some time after giving birth, and I neglected to keep it active enough. I drove it around a couple of times during the winter, but not enough in the spring or summer.
Jumping a car is fairly straightforward. You need jumper cables, another car with a good battery, and a favorable environment. Most car manuals will have step-by-step instructions about how and where to hook everything up.
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If you cannot reach your cables, or your cables are too short, that’s a problem. One time, my wife’s car was in the parking lot and flanked on all sides, and it took some creative maneuvering with my car for the jumper cables to reach. Eventually I will order some new longer cables.
These days, there are also plenty of portable jump pack options, ranging from ones that can fit in your pocket and also charge USB devices, to those with built-in air compressors for filling up flat tires.
Car battery jump starters don’t require a second vehicle, and look to be quicker and easier to use than jumper cables. I’ve never used one, but one was used on my car earlier today. It worked a LOT quicker than any of those times when I jumped my wife’s older car using regular jumper cables and my own vehicle.
There are also wall-pluggable battery chargers, but that’s not a feasible option for those of us with communal parking lots and without private garages.
An Amazon search shows that prices start at $65 and go up to about $140 for beefier units.
If I had to buy a portable jump-starter, it would probably be something like the PowerAll ($100 via Amazon), which is a 12 Ah portable battery bank that can deliver up to 400 A of power to jump-start vehicle batteries. And when it’s not used for such purposes, it can charge USB-compatible electronic devices.
For the foreseeable future, I’ll keep jumper cables in my trunk/cargo compartment, although I hope to not have to jump a car battery for a while.
If you’ve used these portable car battery jumpers before, which would you recommend?
And if you prefer to stick with jumper cables, is there a brand you prefer?
Cost Considerations
One factor also worth considering, before anyone thinks “oh I need one of those,” is the cost of these units. $65-$100 is a lot of money for something that only might someday be used. That’s why I find the PowerAll appealing, because it can be used for other purposes.
All batteries have a limited lifespan, and so even portable jump starters will eventually have to be replaced. Jumper cables are less expensive and probably more durable and longer lasting than even the least expensive battery-based portable jump starter.
AAA membership can be good to have, if you take a lot of trips away from home, and a lot of insurance companies offer free roadside assistance. Every few years, if you’re stuck in a situation where you cannot jump your car with another, you could always call up for a free jump.
Because of this, I have almost bought a portable jump starter a couple of times now. Even after this experience, I’m still leaning towards the I don’t really need this side of the fence.
jesse
My personal favorite is my brother’s car.
Nate
With a jump box you need to actively remember to keep it topped off with a charge or it to will be dead when your car battery is dead.
Hang Fire
Truth. You have to make it a once-a-month habit.
Hang Fire
If you are shopping for a jump starter, choose by dollars per pound, and ignore bogus amp ratings and huge boxes with lots of air space inside. Basically there are two batteries commonly used, find the one at the lowest price with the larger replacement battery. Good jump starters use an 18Ah AGM battery such as the Powersonic PS-12180. Cheaper ones use the 7Ah AGM such as the Powersonic PS-1270.
Finding out which models use which batteries is easy- just good for the brand and model and the words “replacement battery”. If you get a bunch of 7Ah returns, pass.
I cannot recommend any portably jump starters, because they all blatantly lie about their jump ratings. A quick look at Powersonic’s spec sheets will tell the truth. In addition they will all fail if the car battery doesn’t have at least some charge. If it is totally dead, the car battery will suck the jump starter battery dead. If you manage to get the engine to turn over during the recharge, you won’t have enough voltage to get spark. Alternators need some battery voltage to energize and get to work, so with a very dead battery you’ll often get 2 seconds of engine run time and then you’ll find both batteries dead.
tim
I have an awesome snap on jumpbox i bought on craigslist. I also inherited an awesome trickle charger and maintainer as well (snapon).
As far as jumper cables i make my own. Buy the leads and use a piece of generator cord. Works awesome and you can make the length to fit your needs. Plus they last longer with jacketed generator cable or other heavy gauge extensions.
As an aside I wont change my own battery either. Too many corroded terminals ect to even bother. Why do it when most everywhere does it for free.
Keep up the good work.
RKA
I’ve been using a Clore JNC660 and been pretty happy with it. Of course I would like something smaller and lighter, and the great reviews on the little portables you linked to peak my curiousity, but I don’t think I could bring myself to trust them. Sure, I have AAA, but if it’s the coldest day of the season, I could be waiting a few hours. If my wife leaves the lights on in the car overnight, a quick jump doesn’t take more than a minute. The scolding lasts longer!
As for recharging, I connect it to an outlet every 3 mos. and it takes no time at all to top off, so I think the discharge rate it acceptably low.
Toolfreak
Wow. Really?
You “didn’t want to use your wife’s brand new car” for ANYthing, like jump starting, or even driving to the store to get a new battery???
Did it occur to you that you could have driven to the store, put the new battery in a container (and put it on the floor mat with the passenger making sure it didn’t tip) so it wouldn’t tip over/spill (and would be contained even if it did), then take the old battery back in your car for the core charge refund if you were that concerned about getting the new car even slightly dirty doing a battery run.
You could also have bought a DieHard Platinum or Optima battery, both of which are AGM batteries and won’t leak even if you put them sideways or upside down. Then you won’t have a reason to whine about not putting a battery inside a car, however new, ever again. Or you could have, you know, taken the battery out of the new car and put it into the old car, and driven to the store in the old car, or even just bought a new battery for the new car instead since factory batteries are usually short-lived anyway.
I can’t even believe you posted this on the site, or admitted to it on the internet.
Must be nice to be able to sit around waiting for a jump from your insurance company and avoid using a working vehicle to get something as basic as a battery for another vehicle.
As for jump boxes, I just get the cheap-o Schumachers from wallyworld. Even the smallest box will jump start the largest V8 engine with the largest batery. Wallyworld will also trade them out under warranty, so you can just get a new one when it gets old or no longer holds a charge. There are lots of better boxes, but none with that kind of replacement deal.
Stuart
Yes, of course that occurred to me. Would have taken me 30 minutes to clear out either a bucket or large enough plastic tote. Second idea was to strap a battery to a cardboard base with side uprights, but I don’t have enough cardboard.
Wife still seemed hesitant as I was rolling through containment ideas, and offered to call for free jump.
Couldn’t find an Optima near me, at least not in the size I need. AGM battery at Advance Auto has to be ordered and wouldn’t arrive before Monday or Tuesday at earliest. Nearest Sears store with DieHard AGM battery to fit my car is 25 miles (40 minutes) away.
Honesty, didn’t think to borrow the battery out of her car. She probably would have objected to that, even if it did fit, which doesn’t seem likely.
Yes, it would look a lot better if I handle everything in the way I “should.” But why pretend to be someone I’m not. I’m not a does-everything-himself kind of guy. Does-a-lot, yes, does-everything, no.
I’m also not the kind of guy to argue with his wife when she asks him not to jump start his car with hers, or not to use it to transport a new car battery. I’m sure I could have convinced her about one or both things, but it was simply easier for me to say “okay, but then you have to call for the jump.”
I don’t change my car’s oil myself, I don’t rotate my own ties, and I don’t tackle other routine maintenance tasks on my own, at least nothing I cannot do within 30 minutes in a parking lot.
Wife called Geico, I called the shop to make sure they had the battery I wanted in stock (they said yes, inventory was wrong). Went down to reinstall/tighten down old battery, truck was there with a jump pack within 5 minutes as I was sliding the battery cover back on.
So yes, it was nice to wait for the jump. Took less time than it would have for me to move my wife’s car to a spot where I could attach the jumper cables.
If I knew earlier what I know now, I would do everything the same, except I might have gone with the Autocraft Gold battery at Advance Auto instead of the Bosch Premium at Pep Boys. I would be out an extra $50 or so, but would probably have taken a lot less time, whether I or a service tech there installed it.
And knowing what I know now, I absolutely still would have called for the jump, instead of hesitating about it. I thought it was silly to call for a jump when I could do it myself, but in hindsight, the jump was so much quicker and easier this way.
Toolfreak
Hm, guess I misunderstood, thought you were a do-everything-yourself kinda guy due to the blog.
I agree keeping the wife happy is a good idea, but theres also a point where “you can’t do this” demands are unreasonable. Personally, I think a wife refusing to allow use of “her” vehicle (assuming it’s “hers” because she bought it with her money and she pays the insurance and for all the maintenance) to get something like a battery is rather unreasonable, since she would probably find it unreasonable if her husband made the same demand if the battery in *her* car were dead and needed to be replaced.
I’d also suggest getting a battery charger that has a 100A jump start setting. I spent $40 on one, and it has been a fantastic investment, so I am not stranded at home if the jump box is either dead, or in another vehicle that isn’t at home. Usually if a battery will jump, then it will charge, so often it’s worth just charging it at 15A for awhile and see what happens.
Stuart
I’m a do-as-much-as-I-possibly-can kind of guy. I’ll learn what I can along the way, but there are limits as to how much time I can commit to minor but time-consuming maintenance tasks.
For certain things, taking the easy route frees up time and effort I can use on other design, woodworking, metalworking, fabrication, or ToolGuyd-related projects. For example, I’d rather put time into woodworking or machining than an oil change. Even before the baby, there was never enough time for all my projects. I can’t tell you how many things are on the backburner due to time constraints.
With the wife, I felt she was reasonable. And we made a deal. If I didn’t try to use her brand new car for the jump, she’d make the phone call for the jump. As mentioned, the service driver was there with the jump pack before I even had my old battery fully strapped in. If I pressed, I’m sure she would have OK’ed the jump, but I didn’t see a need to do so. Doesn’t matter who pays for what, I respect her wishes regarding her possessions, she respects mine, even though everything hers is mine and vise versa.
Toolfreak
Is her car a Rolls or something exotic?
I do think you need a battery charger if you don’t have one – a 2A trickle/15A charge/100A start is a good one to have that will do it all.
Battery packs are good too, but just like everything else, better to be prepared and have the charger.
Stuart
It’s a small Mazda. But why should price matter?
I’ll keep a charger in mind, but really a multi-purpose tool seems like it would be better.
David
You are making the mistake of assuming that females are logical beings. I have compelling proof that they are not.
Tomas
The #1 rule in a successful marriage is don’t piss off the wife. Stuart did the right thing.
Hang Fire
Ding ding ding Tomas is the winner. Keep the wife happy is rule #1.
Also an AGM battery in a vehicle that is not OEM so equipped is an expensive mistake, unless you also add an expensive voltage charge limiter on top of your expensive AGM battery. Lead-acid batteries will take any alternator voltage and current, gel cels will die on too high a current, AGM will age out very quickly on a typical car’s high charging voltage. I knew all that before my robotics company tried to return a palette full of AGM batteries- and was warranty rejected.
Optima recommends 15V max on alternator charging. Surprisingly most US vehicles go over that voltage.
Toolfreak
I keep hearing this about AGM batteries and it doesn’t make much sense. What vehicle that uses a 12V battery charges them at more than 15V?
Maybe some newer vehicles do, but my 80’s and 90’s era cars and trucks charge at 14.4-14.7V, voltage regulated. I have seen some with a voltage of 15.1-15.2, but nothing higher, other than 24V systems, of course.
The Optima and DieHard batteries (along with the EnerSys originals) are all made to go into old and new cars, and the warranty is valid for them with no modification to any of the charging systems. There might be some vehicles that have slightly high charging voltage and so do damage AGM batteries, but I have yet to see or read anything about this being a widespread phenomenon, otherwise millions of Optimas and DieHard Platinums would be dying with overcharging as the cause, that isn’t the case at all, going by the long-term results on internet forums.
John
Actually funny I got done reviewing and researching both jumper cables and portable jumper after the third time failing to turn on my truck.
After much research I settled on a “Clore JNC660”:
http://amzn.com/B000JFJLP6
Which has amazing power and very favorable reviews. Some mechanic friends of mine use them professionally too which solidified it as a good choice for myself. They even have a handy email program you can sign up that reminds you every 3 months to plug in and ensure it is fully charged. Though honestly it has not lost any charge that I can measure since delivery and initial charge. Works great first time everytime for me.
As far as jumper cables go, don’t skimp on them. The cheapy ones they bundle in “emergency kits” or even most you pick up at local stores are terribly under gauged to deliver the proper amperage for a successful jump. Don’t forget also as temperatures fall, wire gauge becomes more of an issue for transferring full power. The cheapys are also incredibly short.
The best jumper cables I’ve been able to find are the “DieHard Platinum 20ft 450A 4 Gauge Booster Cable Kit”:
http://amzn.com/B009YORFT2
better yet at Sears:
http://www.sears.com/diehard-platinum-20ft-450a-4-gauge-booster-cable/p-02871304000P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1
I picked this particular kit up for half the price at Sears during a sale and they actually had them in stock. It also comes with protection glasses and gloves. (Seriously wear the glasses for safety you’re dealing with hot sulfuric acid)
The gator clip ends are amazing and the length (20 ft) more than enough from front to back of my truck to a vehicle behind. Remember when you need a jump, Morphy’s law seldom puts you ever in a perfect nose to nose jump situation. Not to mention the gauge wire is excellent to ensure the amperage transfer.
Hang Fire
John, this is the replacement battery for your Clore: http://www.cloreautomotive.com/sku.php?id=255
It is an 18Ah AGM battery which does make it one of the better jump chargers, especially since most of the smaller uprights use a 7Ah AGM battery. However the specs are still bogus. Here is a spec sheet of one of the best 18Ah’s:
http://www.power-sonic.com/images/powersonic/sla_batteries/ps_psg_series/12volt/PS-12180_12_Sept_10.pdf
As you can see, the max instant discharge is 180 Amps. This will be derated considerably if turned into CCA’s. The 1700A/425CCA rating on this jump starter is completely bogus.
Unfortunately the jump starter cable business has discovered aluminum wire, but 4 ga of aluminum should still handle anything.
John
Not sure what you’re talking about, the “DieHard Platinum 20ft 450A 4 Gauge Booster Cable Kit” is 4 gauge 100% copper, that is why it costs so much. Its definitely not aluminum.
As for the “Clore JNC660″ I only care about results of my own vehicle, its not like I’m jumping 8 or 10 vehicles a day nor am I working at a garage. So the difference for lbs per dollar, portability, and the ability to put this neatly behind the truck seat more than outweighs perhaps 2X CCA of a wheel around of double the specs and price. It is, however, much more powerful than the reviewed one above and just eyeballing the connection gator cables not even close to to the that of the Clore. Not to mention over 800 5 star reviews from owners shows its a good product and company.
Isaac
I work at a Lexus/Maserati/Fiat/Alfa Romeo dealership and have the Powerall in my toolbox to use. It starts anything I can throw at it. LX, GX, Quattroporte, Ghibli, 500, etc it starts them all. I haven’t been using a normal large jumper for months since I got it. It pretty much is a necessity for all technicians in the shop. I can get it to start a car at least 8 or more times before needing to charge the unit again
Joaquim
I use and recommend this portable jump pack, these stand up to everyday use in an auto repair environment:
http://www.amazon.com/Clore-ES2500-Booster-Peak-Starter/dp/B0002SQTYG/ref=sr_1_14?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1411991632&sr=1-14&keywords=solar+jump+starter
For jumper cables I recommend purchasing cables made with arc welder cables, at least 1 gauge, they remain flexible in very cold weather because of the jacket material and high conductor strand count. Be weary of cheaply priced heavy gauge jumper cables because they are very often not made with 100% copper conductors. I purchased custom made 25′ long 00 gauge cables on ebay a few years back for about $150 made of welder cables and very heavy duty solid copper jaws.
Bruce
When I’m going someplace where there is no hope of a jump I carry the Solar brand jump pack. It’s what the tow truck guys around here use. It’ll jump dozens of vehicles before needing a recharge and holds it’s charge very well. They’ll even send you an email to remind you to maintenance charge the pack.
As a side note, alternators are not designed to take a battery from dead to fully charged. They have a tendency to overheat and shorten or end the life of your alternator. If you’ve got a 10-15 amp battery charger and have the time to wait, use that. If you don’t have one, pick one up while you are buying your jump charger as well. I’m not a fan of the all in one device models. The solar charger comes with a 12volt accessory outlet on it and a ‘good’ emergency tire filler that runs on 12 volt is cheaper than a meal deal at McDonalds.
As long as we are talking about emergency car stuff. A mushroom plug tire repair kit or at least a can of fix a flat should be in the car as well.
Oh, and a good flashlight. I like models with a 50 lumen mode in addition to the ‘eye of God’ mode. 50 lumens will run forever by the side of the road on any flashlight in 150 or greater lumen light range.
Dave L.
I picked up an old Sears charger at a garage sale for $5 bucks, figuring for that much it might come in handy one day. It did last winter when my gal’s Camry wouldn’t start. Since it wasn’t designed to START a car, merely charge, I had to leave it hooked for a few hours to get the battery to the point where it would kick the V-6 over, but it did the trick. As it happened the car needed both a battery and alternator, so just buying a battery wouldn’t have done it.
If you DO put one in yourself, be aware that some cars have a “box” around the battery to insulate it from heat under the hood. DO NOT neglect to put this back on-the battery will die prematurely. As far as jumper cables, anything less than best quality won’t push enough amps to start you on a cold day. Welding cable and big, meaty clamps are what you need.
The first thing I check when a car has a hard time starting is the top of the battery; a top post battery with vents you can open is prone to electrolyte ending up all over the top. This will actually short the battery enough that you will read good voltage but not be able to pass enough amps to start the car! Cleaning it off can make a difference. Second, if the car has 5 years and/or 50K miles or more, the ground from the battery to the block may be poor (and bad grounds will cause all manor of odd behaviour). It’s usually not real hard to remove, clean and replace it, but remember this may cause you to lose your radio security code and it will clear any fault codes from the computer, so act accordingly. Of course, replacing the battery will do this too.
Jim Felt
My first choice is always AAAPlus. The 50 to 100 mile free tow is always worth the slight additional fee. So we’ve use the jump, “key in ignition with a locked door” break in service and even the occasional tow enough that it’s a long term bargain.
We’ve got mostly NIB extra long HD jumper cables in every car.
Oh. And a modest charger in the garage as well.
And never seem to use anything except AAA.
Pete
remember your suppose to replace the battery once a year as well. theoretically you don’t need to but if your depending on it to work when you need it to than it would be a good idea.
FYI most car insurances offer road side assistance for a couple bucks a month.
John
When I did my research this was “the one” to get.
Used by tow truck guys etc..
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DM6OMWG/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=OLYF5RNTPK5V&coliid=I1UAKYSZAOOLPA
Never did take the plunge myself at the time and I’m still using my locally bought Canadian tire brand jumper that’s a few years old now but surprisingly still works
John
rob
For quite a few years I had a West Marine branded battery jumper/starter. Unfortunately the rechargeable battery in it finally gave out and it no longer holds a charge. I had used it a few times on my boat and once or twice on a car. I also have AAA and have used it many times, problem is when it’s the middle of winter and I am in the Sierra Nevada area I could wait 2-6 hrs for a jump or more if the roads are impassable and tow trucks are needed to clear the roads. I plan to replace my charger/booster again, just haven’t found one I like, reading some of the recommendations I’ll have to check them out.
In the marine industry, it’s common for boaters to carry a battery booster/starter. After running radios and all the other power hungry items on most wakeboard boats it’s not uncommon to kill a battery. I actually know quite a few launch ramps will have their own battery starters just in case someone launches and their boat won’t start. I have never been a fan of dragging out the jumper cables stretching them across two boats over water. Plus with the start you’re not relying on someone else to come along and give you a “jump.”
A side note-for members who have AAA and also tow trailers; for AAA Nor Cal/NV/UT at least you now need AAA Premiere if you want to have your trailer tire changed, air filled in the tires, or even the trailer towed. The other memberships don’t include trailer coverage.
Farid
I researched this a couple of years back after going through a period of sudden battery failures. I found the one to get is the Clore JNC660 (SOLAR JNC660 same thing) . That’s what my local AAA / highway assist service trucks use. If you want more cranking amps, such as for a diesel, Solar makes heavier duty ones, even some with dual batteries.
Most of the portable jumpers you find in stores use gimmicky language to describe the ratings, so be careful. Anything that uses less than 18AH battery is not worth it. And even then, not all 18AH batteries are created equal. Some can deliver high peak currents and some will short and die very quickly when subjected to the low impedance of a starter circuit or discharged car battery.
My van requires a lot of amps to turnover. One time I tried jumping it with heavy duty cables from a small car and it was not enough to make it turn over. A portable jumper rated at 450 amps was not enough either. The Clore did (AAA service truck).
The nice thing about the Clore is the compact size. However, I ended buying the Schummacher XP2250. It uses a 22Ah battery. While it is much larger unit than the Clore (big disadvantage), it has an inverted and USB charger. I wanted one I can use to charge a phone or run a laptop for a few minutes in case of power outage or when camping. It was also the only one available locally without special order and I needed it for trip right away. Hopefully, this one will last.
Hang Fire
You’re right not all AGM batteries are created equal, but will someone please find me an AGM spec sheet with specs that even remotely resembles the ridiculous amperage ratings on these jump starters?
Yadda
I’ve owned two of these and never got my monies worth out of either one. I don’t use them often enough to make it worth my while. The batteries always die before I get to use them more than once or twice.
FYI – My local Auto Zone no longer offers a loaner battery while they charge the battery you bought from them. On the plus side, when my battery proved to be deader than a door nail they provided a new battery at no charge (I was still in the free replacement phase.) and upgraded it free because they didn’t have the correct battery on hand.
Dan
Check out the Stanley Fatmax Jump Starter. They come in various amperage and are sold at the Walmart and Amazon.com. I bought mine from Sams Club for around $50. The compressor works well and as long as you maintain the charge monthly, it works great for jump starting your car in an emergency. It also has a USB outlet to charge a phone or other USB powered device.
Raj
I’ve used Schumacher IP-125C up here in Canada.
Has USB port and 12 Volt accessory outlet and air compressor (so I keep it going just by checking car tire pressure every so often). Does take a while to charge – and you need an extension cord to plug in to charge. Good for aux power camping, etc.
Kurt
I owned a car wash until a couple of years ago, and had to jump a lot of cars. I kept a Harbor Freight unit on hand and it worked like a champ; I still have it at home, just in case. If you have a HF in your area, you can find them for around 50 bucks, and do an online search for a 25% off coupon and you are down to about 35. I set a reminder on my phone to check the voltage level once a month and plug it in to charge it if needed. It would be nice if it had good charging circuitry so you could just leave it plugged in, but for the price it’s not a big deal as long as I have my auxiliary brain remembering it for me.
Drew
Stuart,
Sometime in the past year, I bought a booster from Costco for I think about $70 on sale. While it would be nice to have it to jump a car battery, if needed, I bought it primarily to have on hand in case of a power failure. What I bought, besides the capability to jumpstart a car, has an inflator (not applicable for my use case), a decent LED light, a 12 v port, a 200W inverter, and two USB ports. That may help with the purchasing calculation, and the ROI with the wife. Since moving to the DC area in 2010, I’ve experienced three power outages of 24 hours or more. I have 12v Nextec and 18V Firestorm lights. I tested the inverter and I can get 5 charges (empty to fully charged) for the Nextec batteries, and 3 for the firestorm batteries, before the inverter stops working. It would still charge my IPhone though. Of course, if I can plan, i.e. a pending storm is forecast, every battery is cycled through the charger. But I was also caught off guard by a Derechio (quick moving and powerful windstorm) that wiped out power for a little over a day.
This booster and all of my rechargeable tool batteries are stored and charged in my climate controlled basement, rather than my garage. A repurposed shoe rack next to an outlet with an flexible power strip works great for this purpose. If I really need a charge and this doesn’t work, I still have AAA Plus.
joe
I’ve experience a few dead batteries in my days but I have never really considered a stand alone jump starter but then again I live in a large city where there are people driving all over the place 24/7. I have given a jump start with my battery a lot of times that I have it down to a science. Actually in one of my cars I managed to fry some electrical stuff (when I didn’t know much about jump starting) in the car and that was a costly lesson learned. IOW, never follow the desperate guy/female stuck in the streets to tell you what to do….you always use your method (the actual method that comes with a brand new battery) or you will burn something with todays heavily loaded cars with electronics.
Cables thickness do matter. I just bought thick ones and they have never failed me…can’t remember where I bought them but the plastic is clear. One particular day this guy in his mustang needed a jump and I didn’t have my cables on board…guy said he had some but the cables where very thin try after try, his cables where the weak link so he stayed there and I drove off. What I also noticed about jump starting a car is the jaws/teeth of the cables matter too…what I usually before jump starting a car is turn on the dead car high beams to make sure the car is getting full juice then turn them off and start the car…
I just manage with a pair of jump start cables and a battery charger at home. I also heard of gadgets that you can install in the battery terminals that cuts out the power is it detects drainage….but I have never used one of those.
For leaving cars sitting for a period of time, I just buy a battery terminal connector that you can disconnect manually so the battery does not drain.
B Fetterman
Quick question about newer Stanley fat max jump charger (450 peakA)
there is a positive and negative plastic tab on top that I can’ t determine the function of.
Any help out there?
Mike
Which model do you have? There are more than a few. Also, it would be helpful if you could describe what you’re asking about in more detail. Plastic tab could mean just about anything.
If it’s the same model I looked at in Sam’s club recently and if we’re talking about the same thing, it’s a reverse polarity indicator. It warns you that the cables are incorrectly connected and warns you not to engage the jump or charge features. But those are two very big ifs.
Jason Newhouse
Noco. they stay charged for at least 6 months.