Jump-starters

[Guest]

Does anybody have experience of the portable battery jump-starter kits that have arrived in recent years?

Which are the best, where to buy, what to pay?

Cheers, B

 

[Joe_Cole]

Seems an expensive way of buying what you could do equally well with a car battery and a set of jump leads

 

[Guest]

Thank you for such a positive, helpful and constructive reply.

 

[dah]

I bought the Clark jumpstart 900 from Argos, costs £45 and have found it quite useful. It also has a cigarette socket built in which comes in handy for running the wife's 12v hair-dryer (sad or what) and my 12v vacuum cleaner etc. Do as I did and get the kids to buy you one for Christmas.

 

[bedouin]

Okay not very constructive, but I tend to agree with the sentiment.

I looked at these in some depth a couple of weeks ago, and ended up buying a cheap car battery from Halfords instead as it met my requirements better, and was cheaper.

What do you want to use it for? They do have a very impressive CCA rating, but comparatively low capacity (e.g. 17Ah). They are convenient, and I'm sure they do their job well, but you do end up paying over the odds for what is in effect just a battery with a fancy handle.

 

[Guest]

I bought one some time ago as it was advertised as "used by the AA", but the AA did not know about it. I found it useless as a jump starter. A friend found one useful for charging the gps. I put mine in the dustbin.

Peter

 

[Guest]

I am thinking of one after the experience of arriving at our friend's holiday home and finding that the person looking after the place had not taken the car out for a 30 mile drive every fortnight, as promised, which keeps the battery charged and stops other nasty things happening as anybody who has experience of leaving cars unused will know. So, faced with a dead battery, I borrowed a "Power On Board" jump start unit from a neighbour and was very impressed with it, it cranked over a decentsized V8 without any difficulty and the car started immediately. But as the house is in the USA I am not too keen on bringing one back with my luggage if only because I would then need to get a different mains charger for it.

Yes, I could keep a spare car battery for use here and another one for use in London where the motor-cycle and scooter batteries don't like being left without being on charge, but if you have ever seen what happens when there is an accidental short of a decent sized car battery, or what happens to the floor of a car boot if acid spills out, oh and by the way, untangling the jump leads after somebody else has used them and left them lying around etc etc...... you would see why I thought that a self contained unit that can be left permanently plugged into the mains without damaging it and is safely portable seems to be a good idea.

The reason I requested info from the YBW board was that in the past I have found most responses to be genuinely helpful rather than simply critical of the motives/wisdom/stupidity of the questioner and while I know what I would buy in the USA, I would like to know what is available in the UK.


Thanks.

PS I forgot to mention the other great attribute of a spare car battery, if it is big enough to be better than a purpose designed jump-start unit then it will be heavy enough for the the thought of one dropping on somebody's foot (other than mine) to bring a smile to my face.......

 

[Col]

Ah! So that's what you want it for!
Have you considered an optima charger? It's a bit like a sterling charger as used on boats, but much smaller and cheaper. It was originally designed for motor cycles that spend all winter unused.

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.arweb.co.uk/argallery/colspics> Cols Picture Album</A>

 

[dah]

In adition to my previous post re the Clark 900, in deference to PWCL I have used mine to start my car (volvo 740 estate) on several occasions when I was having probs there. I also take it to my yacht (Centaur-23hp volvo md11c circa 1978) which is currently ashore with both boat batteries removed and at home. I have used the jumpstart several times to start the engine when winterizing without any problems. All in all I think they are handy to have and worth the money.

 

[petery]

If money doesn't matter ! try

http://www.herts-web.co.uk/notes/aesirpower/index.htm

Their Red Flash batteries - which they offer in a 'starter pack' - are light; retain their charge for 2 years and are about half the size of a 'normal' battery.

No connection with the firm - but I use one as my starter battery.

 

[petery]

If money doesn't matter ! try

http://www.herts-web.co.uk/notes/aesirpower/index.htm

Their Red Flash batteries - which they offer in a 'starter pack' - are light; retain their charge for 2 years and are about half the size of a 'normal' battery.

No connection with the firm - but I use one as my starter battery.

 

[castaway]

Bernard

Dont listen to the detractors... I bought one of these things from Makro in the spring as I was having charging problems and it was only 25 quid, so I thought Id give it a go. (previously being a believer of the 'how can anything that small be any good' camp)...Until I finally got the problem sorted out I guess I used it on 10 or so occasions which ranged from saving my weekend when the batts were flat, to firing up the engine in the middle of Lyme Bay

I add that my inboard is a Perkins 4108 50 hp and I suppose about 2.5 litre.

Mine is very small and is prob only around 7kgs. I keep it in the back of my Mondeo diesel and it started that easily a while back. I think that possibly the very short, but quite thick leads help, as most jump leads have huge voltage drop.

My unit is most likely the cheapest and nastyest one you can get, and yet is still a really well worth having piece of gear.

There was a rash of posts re this subject earlier in the year around May

Regds Nick

 

[bedouin]

Judging by the figures, that may well be what is on the inside of the JumpStart packs - similar capacity, power and weight.

 

[Guest]

Thanks

Thanks for the feedback, I didn't really want advice about how to buy things that I don't want, so yours was a very helpful posting.

Can you describe the Makro unit for me and also let me know what it cost and if you know if they still have it in. As you know, you cannot rely on Makro maintaining stock of special items and if it is the samew as the US unit, made in China, that I have just used thenm I will ask a friend to get one for me before I get back home.

Thanks

 

[colin_jones]

Waeco manufacture a very impressive Mobitronic power store, which also has a 12v take off point. I have used mine very rarely (but it performs sterling service for friends and casual trouble finders) and only recharge it about once a year. We once used it when we had a power cut and have occasionaly used it for 12v tools during Spring fit out.

This is not the cheapest power store on the market, but you get what you pay for.

Waeco UK 01305 854000 <tech@waecouk.freeserve.co.uk>

 

[tr7v8]

Their have been a load on E Bay recently, my cousin has just brought one and found it very useful.
I've just won one on E Bay for £ 46 complete with 80 watt inverter.

Jim
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[dickh]

Bernard, have you thought of the alternative of having a small battery charger permanently on the battery while you are away?
Look at www.race-technology.com - who do a small battery charger which will keep your battery fully charged. Recommended for batteries used infrequently, like boats & classic cars which might only be used in the summer. Not sure if they do one for US voltage though.


dickh
I'd rather be sailing...

 

[tr7v8]

I had one of the first Race Tech units and it's been great. Was on the TR7 and is now on the boat keeping the service battery happy 'til I can get the Sterling installed.

Jim
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[castaway]

Re: Thanks

Bernard

My Makro one is Black with a volt meter and cig lighter on the front side and a couple of moulded/shaped shoulders on each end to wrap and tidy the cables, It also has a moulded in carry handle. Actually it looks a bit like Margaret Thatcher's hand bag (except she didnt have the cig lighter)

I went out and took a pic of it in the back of the car, but found that Ive lost the cable the connect the camera to the PC.. if I find it I'll send u a pic.

I think these things are all the same at the cheap end of the market which ever you get, and that the people who knock them simply havn't ever tried one.

Mine cost 25 quid.

Regds Nick

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.yachtsite.co.uk/fairweather>http://www.yachtsite.co.uk/fairweather</A>

 

[castaway]

Bernard

Don't know if this will work but here goes

If it does Im rather pleased! All at no extra cost!
If it doesn't you can see it on page 5 of the gallery on the below site.

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.yachtsite.co.uk/fairweather>http://www.yachtsite.co.uk/fairweather</A>

Happy starting Nick