Rolson Jump Start Battery

[onenyala]

I have had one of these for a number of years and never had to use it in anger. A few weeks a go I decided to give it a try.
I fully charged it from the mains, disconnected the boat batteries and connected it up.
It struggled to start the engine - a Beta BZ482 but eventually the engine fired up.
I bought a small 1.5 watt windscreen type solar panel thinking if it was left permanently connected up to the jumpstart battery that it would bring it back to charge.
After two weeks I went to the boat and tried to start the engine but it would hardly turn the engine over.
Three questions:
Are Rolson jump start batteries useless for diesels due to the high compression ratio ?
Are 1.5 watt solar panels useless for recharging jumpstart batteries even after two weeks tricle charging (1.5amps/12volts) x 5hrs x 14 days = 1.75 amps ( how many amps are needed to start a BX482?)
I have two batteries in paralell tricle charged from an 18 watt solar panel which keeps the batteries fizzing both are fitted with diodes so they cannot lose charge to each other.
I only ever use the 1,2 Both switch on Both.
Should I ditch the Rolson and 1.5 watt solar panel.

 

[NealB]

My limited experience of Rolson tools, in general, is that they are the cheapest of cheap, horriblest of horrible, rubbish. They are absolutely as useless as an absolutely useless thing.

I wouldn't buy any of their tools now.

No experience of their jump start thingy, though.

 

[rickym]

1.5 watts won't recharge anything, charge your jump starter from the mains and try again if it don't turn the motor over then junk it.

I have a draper jump start box, only used it once in anger when left the batteries on 'both' and managed to discharge both domestic and starter so engine woud not turn over. Put the switch to engine start and connected the box switched on and cranked the motor into life. Rewired the switches so couldn't happen again!

 

[sarabande]

a small solar panel will only replace the natural discharge loss, (say 1% per day ?). Your calcs on the input are wrong. You need to express it in amp/hours (Ah).


What is the capacity and CCA of the Rolson pack ? I'd suggest it is not meaty enough to spin the engine fast enough to get the compression/ignition going.


You say you have the pack for some time. Batteries have a finite life and really need loving care and attention, and being kept as fully charged as you can. Neglecting them for a long time is a recipe for weakness.

 

[Sandyman]

Without going into your electrical calculations.............just aim it at the skip

 

[gljnr1983]

I have had the £25 rolson booster pack for a couple of years, always worked well and fired my mums 1.9td citreon up a few times no probs the only time it went wrong was when i loned it out to a freind who never charged it after using it.After that it would not take a charge so i put a good golf cart battery in it.

 

[MrCramp]

I will never buy cheap tools etc because you get what you pay for. A jump-starter needs to work. Throw it in the skipp and buy a proper one next time. I have had the biggest one that Argos used to sell and have used it to start boat engines and my diesel Discovery engine and it is still going strong after 5 years. I charge it up after use and try not to leave it in the cold garage in winter as they don't work as well at lower temperatures.

 

[Cymrogwyllt]

It will self discharge. Like any lead acid stuff running the charge too low and leaving it there will kill the battery.

You know how I found that out of course.

I keep the replacement on permanent charge if in the house and connected to 12V socket if in the boot of the car.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Why not combine your two batteries into one bigger house bank and add a small reserve or start bank? Use B only for when charging sources are available or buy a echo charger, ACR or the UK equivalent? I remain amazed that folks simply don't build in a backup instead of carrying around another piece of gear that usually fails, because in this case its battery was left undercharged and therefore useless.

 

[onenyala]

Thanks all

 

[alant]

I have had the £25 rolson booster pack for a couple of years, always worked well and fired my mums 1.9td citreon up a few times no probs the only time it went wrong was when i loned it out to a freind who never charged it after using it.After that it would not take a charge so i put a good golf cart battery in it.

I was given one of these, but never used it.
How do you charge it?
There's a cigarette lighter type socket on the side, but nothing else I'm aware of.

 

[Norman_E]

I was given one of these, but never used it.
How do you charge it?
There's a cigarette lighter type socket on the side, but nothing else I'm aware of.

I have a similar jump starter (not Rolson). The socket you mention is to connect 12 volt small appliances, not for charging. You should have a small mains plug adapter that puts out the charging current and connects via a small co-axial plug. The batteries in these small jump starters are generally 17 amp hour lead acid types, capable of putting out a lot of amps for a short period. It is essential that you recharge them straight after use and not leave them in a discharged state, or the battery will soon fail. Most are supplied with a charging lead that plugs into the car's lighter socket, so that having started the car you can recharge the jump starter as you drive.

 

[Blueboatman]

I think the R name is with synonymous with pound store quality ( well ok mebbe £1.99).
However I bought one of these things for under 20quid some years ago and it still works, charges from 12v or mains, once even started my neighbours auto petrol RR ( but the engine was not cold).
A lot of tools get rebadged, the knack being to suss the design and spec behind the label..or take a £19.99 chance
I would imagine that a trickle charge from flat isn't the kindest charging regime for an inexpensive wet battery.

 

[Cymrogwyllt]

As has been said the key is to keep it charged up else it dies pdq. Some cars have a 12V socket in the boot. If you have one use it.

 

[maby]

Few of those portable starter packs have the grunt to start a medium sized engine on their own. They are intended to boost partially discharged main batteries - compare the relative sizes and think about what you are asking of something that is effectively a motorbike battery.

 

[William_H]

Jump start battery box

As said they promise so much and deliver so little. They may be useful for giving additional power to a weak starter battery but inevitably because of their physical size and price they are limited in capacity. (cranking amps).
The next problem is that they are often neglected and they do self discharge like any other lead acid battery and when discharged and not recharged the short life is even more limited.
So recharge it on the mains and try it again if it is still no good the battery is dead. Either buy a new battery or best I would think is to bin the whole thing.

It does make me wonder however how a set of D cell dry batteries would go in one of these things. Good batteries can have a shelf life of 5 years or so and given good connections they will deliver some amps.
You would have limited assist capability however the long life when neglected could make it worth while.
Best bet however is to have dual battery system and frequently check each battery's capabilities.
Re the solar panel. amp should be calculated from watts divided by 20 volts (the max voltage) not 12. A 1.5 watt solar panel will not give much amp hours in UK yet I have one about 3watts which does all battery charging on my boat bu then in very sunny location. don't ditch 1.5w good luck
olewill

 

[robertj]

My limited experience of Rolson tools, in general, is that they are the cheapest of cheap, horriblest of horrible, rubbish. They are absolutely as useless as an absolutely useless thing.

I wouldn't buy any of their tools now.

No experience of their jump start thingy, though.

Don't beat about the bush, give it to us straight!!

 

[lw395]

Where I used to work, the security guard used to keep one in his hut.
It started most cars after the owners had flattened the batteries by leaving the lights on.
But it was always charged up.
It shouldn't take a very big panel to keep one trickle charged, best thing is to get a voltmeter and monitor it. If it's floating above 13.7V most of the time in daylight, you are there.

Rolson stuff is cheap.
OK for bodging, most of it gets the job done.
I like expensive tools, but a Rolson tool is sometimes what you need for those dirty horrible jobs.

 

[MudShipper]

The few Rolson tools that I have in my collection have been fairly good quality and certainly upto the jobs I've put them to, especially surprising given the price I paid for them. I agree that you do need to look twice though at some of the ones I've seen (and not bought!).

I have a similar battery box to the one described. Main fault is a dodgy joint, so it won't give many amps. For information, I opened it up and found it only has a 9 amp hour battery, but rated for a high discharge current.

As said by a previous poster, enough to supplement a weak battery, probably not enough to go it alone.

 

[boaterbaz]

A bit of a thread wander but here goes. Yesterday I dug out an old deep cycle battery that has stood for about eighteen months in a warm dry environment.
To my suprise it still showed 11.5 volts on a voltmeter (not a drop tester).
Gave it a charge from a small domestic charger for about six hours and the volts went up to 12.5. Great thinks I no need for a new battery it lives. Fitted back to boat but wont turn engine. Nothing no clicking from solenoid or starter at all. Any one got any ideas what is going on?