Battery Jumpers

[John Terefenko]

After reading all the stories in the Electric Car thread, I started thinking what is the best 12 volt battery jumper for emergency jumps. You know these battery packs that you can carry in the trunk. Do they work and what are the do's and dont's with them? Are they worth it. I see ones advertised on QVC many times. How long do they last? Thanks.

[Jim Koepke]

With some of my vehicles it was always prudent to carry a set of jumper cables. If you are the type to wonder off to the middle of nowhere with an older vehicle high on the possibility of needing a jump, then it might be a good idea to have the back up battery. Back in my days of not having two nickels to rub together, my old '57 VW bus was best parked on a hill. One time it took about two blocks of rolling down hill in gear to get the motor to start due to a low battery. Fortunately it was close to payday. See the story below about keeping the battery clean.

The way around this is to take care of your vehicle and be aware of signs of an old or weak battery. If you leave your lights on when turning off the engine and the lights go dim, your battery is close to failure. There are other signs if you are good at trouble shooting with a voltage meter.

It is also wise to make sure the battery is kept clean. Someone once gave me a demonstration by placing a couple of quarters on top of my battery and then touching the probes of a volt meter to the quarters. It indicated the dirt on the top of the battery was conducting electricity and draining my battery 24/7.

Decent jumper cables are usually easy to tell by the quality of their build and making sure they are made with an adequate size wire. The clamps/clips at the ends should be able to connect to top mounted or side mounted battery terminals.

jtk

[Tom M King]

Noco..........

[Ole Anderson]

I have an old Warn 1 GA jumper set in my car. One end is "permanently" affixed to the battery with a quick disconnect. Seldom used anymore, but they are the best. I also have a pocket sized jumper used for my snowmobile (no pull starter) which I have also used with my boat. Amazing what those little jump packs can do.

[Jim Becker]

I carry a jump start battery in my vehicle. They can be very handy and can be used for other purposes in addition to an emergency jump start of the vehicle. Mine is the often recommended Noco

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B015TKUPIC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

BTW...the one thing that folks sometimes forget about these things is that they have to be charged back up from time to time. Set a reminder on whatever electronic calendar you use (or paper if that's your thing) to be sure you don't have a jump pack that can't jump... ;)

[Edward Weber]

They work
For the price of one tow or other inconvenience, they pay for themselves.
There are tons of models out there, mine is a Halo Bolt, sort of basic+ but has USB ,AC power and a air compressor. It can get you out of trouble, cheap insurance IMO

[John K Jordan]

After reading all the stories in the Electric Car thread, I started thinking what is the best 12 volt battery jumper for emergency jumps. You know these battery packs that you can carry in the trunk. Do they work and what are the do's and dont's with them? Are they worth it. I see ones advertised on QVC many times. How long do they last? Thanks.

I have several and have used them often over the years. Those I have are large and heavy, with built-in inverters for 110v, one with an air compressor.
But I wouldn't be without good jumper cables. While the battery jump starters work fine for the most part I need way more power to jump start my skid steer with a diesel engine.

One thing I WON'T ever do again is buy one of those tiny units like this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084ZPSG5N
I don't know if they lie about the capability, if the one I bought was not up to par, or if my expectations were too high but even after a fresh full charge it wouldn't start a car here.

JKJ

[Jim Koepke]

One thing I WON'T ever do again is buy one of those tiny units like this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084ZPSG5N
I don't know if they lie about the capability, if the one I bought was not up to par, or if my expectations were too high but even after a fresh full charge it wouldn't start a car here.

One thing to consider is the laws of physics. As woodworkers we know a 1 ounce hammer isn't going to do very well to drive a 16d nail.

The same with energy. We have not reached a state where something that will fit in your back pocket isn't going to deliver 1200 amps long enough to turn over a large engine, let alone start it. If there were sources of that much energy density, we would all be driving electric cars and loving them.

jtk

[roger wiegand]

I've got this one (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000JFJLP6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) from Amazon; it can turn over my diesel truck when it's 10 degrees out. You only get one shot pulling that much current, but it's worked when it needed to. It starts the cars with ease and holds charge for a long time between uses. I find it much handier than trying to maneuver the cars into place for jumper cables (which I also carry in each car)

[Clint Baxter]

I've got this one (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000JFJLP6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) from Amazon; it can turn over my diesel truck when it's 10 degrees out. You only get one shot pulling that much current, but it's worked when it needed to. It starts the cars with ease and holds charge for a long time between uses. I find it much handier than trying to maneuver the cars into place for jumper cables (which I also carry in each car)

After significant research, I chose a Clore as well. However I got the 950, which is even larger than the 660 listed here. I wanted as much capability as I could get with the type of winters we can get here. I have yet to recharge it despite using it for multiple jumps.

Clint

[Lee DeRaud]

I've got a couple of the mid-size Gooloo units: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07XPNGD4H
[EDIT: that model shows as 'unavailable', but it looks like there's a newer model with the same specs.]

Each has worked the one time needed, on a 3.5L V6 Honda and a 3.8L V6 Buick respectively. I check the charge before vacation, but if they have any self-discharge, it's very low.

And they have USB outputs...probably have enough capacity to run my laptop for a month, or charge my phone for a year.
[EDIT: that model shows as 'unavailable', but it looks like there's a newer model with the same specs/price.

[John Terefenko]

They work
For the price of one tow or other inconvenience, they pay for themselves.
There are tons of models out there, mine is a Halo Bolt, sort of basic+ but has USB ,AC power and a air compressor. It can get you out of trouble, cheap insurance IMO

I like the air compressor idea too. Thanks.

[Bill Dufour]

I opened up a few basic ones. All they have is a simple wet battery like a barbie car. If yours dies just replace the battery for about $25 dollars. Keep it recharged with a low power solar panel. Panel in the window, battery on a shelf.
Jumper cables, cheap ones have thick, stiff insulation. good ones have thick copper wire, insulation is not as thick as it is one the cheapies. Good idea to cut one or both ends, by 6-8 inches so the clamps at that end can not touch and short. Walmart has some decent ones for cheap.
Bill D
.

[Thomas McCurnin]

I carry a jump start battery in my vehicle. They can be very handy and can be used for other purposes in addition to an emergency jump start of the vehicle. Mine is the often recommended Noco

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B015TKUPIC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

BTW...the one thing that folks sometimes forget about these things is that they have to be charged back up from time to time. Set a reminder on whatever electronic calendar you use (or paper if that's your thing) to be sure you don't have a jump pack that can't jump... ;)


+1 on Noco. They come in a couple sizes--I got the big one.

[Ole Anderson]

Mine is a NOCO GB40 from Amazon. Hint: look to see how many reviews an item has when comparing similar items. The NOCO has nearly 46,000, the next closest has 14,000, some as few as 25. Tells you of the popularity. Crap products don't hit those number of reviews.

[Bert Kemp]

I've had to use mine a few times when I left thr lights on and it always started the car, but it would not start a friends boat .any ideas why? does a boat take more power or something?

[Lee DeRaud]

I've had to use mine a few times when I left thr lights on and it always started the car, but it would not start a friends boat .any ideas why? does a boat take more power or something?What type of motor?

I've never tried one on an old-school engine, i.e. one with mechanical fuel pump, carburetor, and standard ignition. I suspect those need more from the battery/starter than what we consider standard in today's engines.

[Bert Kemp]

What type of motor?

I've never tried one on an old-school engine, i.e. one with mechanical fuel pump, carburetor, and standard ignition. I suspect those need more from the battery/starter than what we consider standard in today's engines.


50 HP outboard

[Ole Anderson]

As with most jumpers, you will have better luck if you attach the jumpers (or jump pack) and give it a minute to dump some juice into the vehicle's battery before engaging the starter.

[Perry Hilbert Jr]

20 years ago, I was given a cheapo Kmart special jumper unit. Weighed about 15 pounds. Sure did the trick around the farm with all the different equipment, trucks, tractors and batteries. It just died about 7 years ago. Got another better model, don't recall what brand, but I could charge/operate cell phones and operate the 12 volt TV we had during outages. Right nor we have mostly new vehicles and so I no longer have one. Have a couple trickle chargers I use on the equipment to keep the batteries up, especially when a winter storm is expected. My back hoe/loader is the one that is the most trouble to start in the cold.and of course it is the most powerful and efficient at clearing the 982ft driveway. (Sometimes takes longer to start than the 15 minutes for the machine to clear the driveway.)

[Curt Harms]

The way around this is to take care of your vehicle and be aware of signs of an old or weak battery. If you leave your lights on when turning off the engine and the lights go dim, your battery is close to failure. There are other signs if you are good at trouble shooting with a voltage meter.

It is also wise to make sure the battery is kept clean. Someone once gave me a demonstration by placing a couple of quarters on top of my battery and then touching the probes of a volt meter to the quarters. It indicated the dirt on the top of the battery was conducting electricity and draining my battery 24/7.

Decent jumper cables are usually easy to tell by the quality of their build and making sure they are made with an adequate size wire. The clamps/clips at the ends should be able to connect to top mounted or side mounted battery terminals.

jtk

I noticed some corrosion on a battery terminal and made up a solution of baking soda and water. The solution and a brush cleaned up the terminal. I then dumped what was left of the baking soda solution on the top of the battery. The whole top surface began to fizz so yeah. Cigarette lighter - USB adapters are common. Some of them include voltmeters. If the voltmeter doesn't show about 13.5 volts or more with the engine running I'd wonder about the charging. If the volts are less than 12 with the engine being off for a couple hours I'd consider a new battery before winter. Seems like a useful gadget for a few bucks.

[John K Jordan]

I noticed some corrosion on a battery terminal and made up a solution of baking soda and water. The solution and a brush cleaned up the terminal. ...

How I eliminate corrosion of battery terminals: Clean terminals and connectors well. Coat the connecting surfaces with dielectric grease. Tighten firmly. Cover the entire terminal and connector (and wire ends) with a thick coating of heavy grease. No corrosion, ever.

[Mark Rainey]

The jump starters are rated on Consumer Reports, FWIW. Noco gets knocked...Antigravity, Bolt, Spirit, New Brights and Powerall recommended.

[Wade Lippman]

I have several and have used them often over the years. Those I have are large and heavy, with built-in inverters for 110v, one with an air compressor.
But I wouldn't be without good jumper cables. While the battery jump starters work fine for the most part I need way more power to jump start my skid steer with a diesel engine.

One thing I WON'T ever do again is buy one of those tiny units like this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084ZPSG5N
I don't know if they lie about the capability, if the one I bought was not up to par, or if my expectations were too high but even after a fresh full charge it wouldn't start a car here.

JKJ
I gave my son one like this. He used it to start his FIL's car. So... I know they can work.

[John Terefenko]

The jump starters are rated on Consumer Reports, FWIW. Noco gets knocked...Antigravity, Bolt, Spirit, New Brights and Powerall recommended.
Why is the Noco not rated high? You said antigravity, what does that mean?? What makes it different?

[Mark Rainey]

John, Consumer Reports rates the jump packs in 3 areas: warm temp jumps, cold temp jumps & reserve capacity which estimates how long the jump pack can be used to power other electrical equipment such as cell phones & laptops. The Noco was fair in cold jumps, & poor in reserve capacity. The antigravity jump pack was better in cold jump & reserve. All jump packs were poor at 0 degrees when the car battery and jump pack were at that temperature. The jump pack had to be warmed up to perform.

[Edward Weber]

I had to use my Bolt unit yesterday to start my tractor, saved a lot of hassle.
On the unit I have, you connect it, press the button and wait until it tells you it's ready to start. I find it works well.
Now I have to shop for a new battery.

[Jim Koepke]

I noticed some corrosion on a battery terminal and made up a solution of baking soda and water. The solution and a brush cleaned up the terminal. I then dumped what was left of the baking soda solution on the top of the battery. The whole top surface began to fizz so yeah.

People in my past have killed a car battery that way. It depends on the caps on cell covers. if the baking soda gets to the acid in the battery it can neutralize it. Mixing alkali and acid solutions can make a lot fizz.

jtk

[Curt Harms]

People in my past have killed a car battery that way. It depends on the tips of cell covers. if the baking soda gets to the acid in the battery it can neutralize it. Mixing alkali and acid solutions can make a lot fizz.

jtk

So far so good. The battery is supposed to be sealed, there is no way to service it. Why is there an acidic deposit on the top? I presume there's some sort of vent. Is that where whatever the baking soda reacted with came from?

[Jim Koepke]

So far so good. The battery is supposed to be sealed, there is no way to service it. Why is there an acidic deposit on the top? I presume there's some sort of vent. Is that where whatever the baking soda reacted with came from?

It may have reacted to something else. A lead/acid battery can outgas hydrogen and other contents as it charges. A sealed battery contains or is supposed to contain this. Older batteries had to be topped off occasionally. In olden days the guys pumping your gas would often check one or more of the battery's cells while looking under the hood.

jtk

[Kev Williams]

I have 2 jumper packs,
this little Red Fuel thing-
466814

and this Stanley thing-
466815

I don't get to use them much, but when I HAVE used them, they never failed to start my cars or truck.

The little Red Fuel unit amazes me. No, it won't start a skid-steer or the 8.3 Cummins in our motorhome, gonna need a lot more grunt for those things. But for daily drivers, fantastic :)

[Jerome Stanek]

So far so good. The battery is supposed to be sealed, there is no way to service it. Why is there an acidic deposit on the top? I presume there's some sort of vent. Is that where whatever the baking soda reacted with came from?

Is it a true seaaled battery or one of those that have the big blocks on top.

[lowell holmes]

I have an old fashion battery and jumper cables in my truck.
I also have a trickle charger. I do not remember the last time I used them.
I also have one of these, https://search.yahoo.com/search?fr=mcafee&type=E211US739G0&p=battery+post+cleaner