Emergency start packs ?

I bought on from amazon years ago, (can't remember make) it became one of those items you only need if you haven't got it.
Anyways I found plenty of other use for it in emergency situations.
When you start the engine I ensured I did not rev it until I disconnected the device as the alternator could shove a lot of energy up the cables, I don't know if it had a blocking diode.

However one day I looked at it and the plastic case had ballooned and split, the unit still worked but I was afraid of fire so I disposed of it.
 
OK .. the Baseus Li starter pack ... got my Opel Movano 2.5L TD going ... battery on the truck was only clicking solenoid so test was severe ... the Li pack did not like it - took 3 attempts using short max 10sec tries ... black -ve lead smoked when it started ... think it was poor connection to battery terminal ... Li pack after starting the truck was warm - mildly hot but I could hold it OK ... light and display did not work on Li pack - but once cooled a bit and connected to USB C to charge - all working fine. To start the truck - Li pack was at 100% at start - after truck started Li pack showed 45% charge. Manual says not to use below 50% .. so maybe thats why display did not work till USB connected ...

Result ? Looks good for petrol cars ... diesel OK as long as not big engine .... better if battery still has a small amount in it ..

Looks ok - for small diesels etc in sail boats .... like my 2GM ... but my Perkins 4-107 may make it struggle a bit ...
 
Refueler said:
I've been carrying my old Halfords style SLA starter pack as a backup on the boat at times ... but its bulky ....

Last few days - that old SLA unit been used to start my Volvo XC70 and Opel Movano Truck - both of which have stood too long ...
Click to expand...
I bought the new Halfords one, much smaller, and holds charge much longer.
 
Refueler said:
OK .. the Baseus Li starter pack ... got my Opel Movano 2.5L TD going ... battery on the truck was only clicking solenoid so test was severe ... the Li pack did not like it - took 3 attempts using short max 10sec tries ... black -ve lead smoked when it started ... think it was poor connection to battery terminal ... Li pack after starting the truck was warm - mildly hot but I could hold it OK ... light and display did not work on Li pack - but once cooled a bit and connected to USB C to charge - all working fine. To start the truck - Li pack was at 100% at start - after truck started Li pack showed 45% charge. Manual says not to use below 50% .. so maybe thats why display did not work till USB connected ...

Result ? Looks good for petrol cars ... diesel OK as long as not big engine .... better if battery still has a small amount in it ..

Looks ok - for small diesels etc in sail boats .... like my 2GM ... but my Perkins 4-107 may make it struggle a bit ...
Click to expand...

Ok that's two engines started with it so far ...

Opel Movano TD truck .... was obviously struggling a bit - but it did it.

Range Rover TDV8 4,4 .... after a week at Airport Parking ... decided it did not want to start ... used the Li pack ... fired up nicely without any struggle at all ... I wonder if actually there might have been another reason the RR did not start as it seemed to turn over far too easily on the Li pack .. but on checking pack after ... showed only 10% left in it !! Sadly I did not check what was in it before use.
 
I’ve got an Amazon cheapo one and I’ve had mixed results with it. I’ve used it twice, on a 1.9 diesel and a 1.6 diesel, and it’s worked both times but only just. Starter had just enough oomph on third attempt on the 1.9 and 2nd attempt on 1.6. My friends Noco one seems to pack more of a punch - much less of a struggling starter motor. Physically it’s twice the size of my cheap one but I haven’t compared the specs. My advice, as someone who (once again) cheaped out, would be to spend a bit more for extra start power, and treat recommended engine size figures with a pinch of salt.
 
They tend to need regular battery maintenance or they destroy their batteries. I was given one recently with a dead battery in it---it looks new---but the instructions say to charge it monthly and/or every time it is used. I have not found a suitable replacement battery (18 AH) for less than £50 which is probably not worth it. Jump leads and a spare car battery it is then!
 
colind3782 said:
I have three, one in each car and one on the boat, about the size of a large phone. They have all been used successfully in anger to start the various engines and they stay charged for several months. However, I'm sure I read somewhere that there has to be at least a bit of charge left in the battery as the starter takes that into a capacitor. Happy to be corrected if I'm wrong.
Click to expand...
The one I have senses residual power in the battery. If there is any life a green light comes on and it’s a simple clip on and go. If the battery is completely dead you have to press a button which carries a warning of possible overheating of the pack but it will then kick out a charge regardless of what it it is sensing. I guess it briefly overrides the battery management system in the booster. Needed that a few times, no apparent damage resulted.
 
Biggles Wader said:
They tend to need regular battery maintenance or they destroy their batteries. I was given one recently with a dead battery in it---it looks new---but the instructions say to charge it monthly and/or every time it is used. I have not found a suitable replacement battery (18 AH) for less than £50 which is probably not worth it. Jump leads and a spare car battery it is then!
Click to expand...

You can replace the batterys - but care needs to be exercised to make sure you get the correct Li format ... AND the right C rated.
 
stuartwineberg said:
The one I have senses residual power in the battery. If there is any life a green light comes on and it’s a simple clip on and go. If the battery is completely dead you have to press a button which carries a warning of possible overheating of the pack but it will then kick out a charge regardless of what it it is sensing. I guess it briefly overrides the battery management system in the booster. Needed that a few times, no apparent damage resulted.
Click to expand...

That may be why I had difficulty with the Movano jump start ... the on-board battery was basically dead and the jump pack didn't like it ... once I got it to start the truck ... it had got hot ....
 
stuartwineberg said:
The one I have senses residual power in the battery. If there is any life a green light comes on and it’s a simple clip on and go. If the battery is completely dead you have to press a button which carries a warning of possible overheating of the pack but it will then kick out a charge regardless of what it it is sensing. I guess it briefly overrides the battery management system in the booster. Needed that a few times, no apparent damage resulted.
Click to expand...

Bought the Lidl one couple of Sundays ago.

Think it will work with dead flat battery – ‘override’ button not needed and not present.

This conclusion based on just measuring a healthy voltage at the croc clips (13 V maybe) with nothing (no load) connected, and assuming this is equivalent to a dead flat (0 V) battery (could be wrong though).

Started by 1000 cc twin cyl bike OK (boat engine 500 cc twin diesel - wondering if this will present the same challenge as the bike - will diesel's higher compression ratio cancel out smaller capacity).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top