Portable battery jumper

[JC68vert300]

Getting ready for the 2020 season. in the summer of 2019 I was asked to jump dead batteries twice at car shows. As much as I love pulling my big Chrysler in front of a Ford, then another time a Chevy, there are a lot of inattentive people walking around and the space is tight to swing the Chrysler in place at these shows/cruise nights. I was thinking of purchasing a portable battery jumper to bring with me. Autozone has a Duralast for $40 and Harbor Freight has a Cen-Tech for $50. It says a single charge of the portable jumper will last 20 hours for 12 volt jumps. Any experience or opinions on these units? Thanks, Jim

 

[Davea Lux]

Getting ready for the 2020 season. in the summer of 2019 I was asked to jump dead batteries twice at car shows. As much as I love pulling my big Chrysler in front of a Ford, then another time a Chevy, there are a lot of inattentive people walking around and the space is tight to swing the Chrysler in place at these shows/cruise nights. I was thinking of purchasing a portable battery jumper to bring with me. Autozone has a Duralast for $40 and Harbor Freight has a Cen-Tech for $50. It says a single charge of the portable jumper will last 20 hours for 12 volt jumps. Any experience or opinions on these units? Thanks, Jim

I have not used either of these units. Both are made in China for what ever that is worth.

Dave

 

[JC68vert300]

I just thought it might be convenient to keep in the trunk for the price of a tank of gas. I will have to look at on-line reviews to see if one actually holds the charge.

 

[bnz84]

I don't have the bigger ones you are referencing but I do have more than 1 of the smaller lithium jump starters. I got this one recently and it was less $ than it was now. Check "techbargains.com". They have a few with discount codes. I was skeptical that these little things would work and got a cheap one at first. Dang if it didn't jump my V8 explorer 2X in 10 min (bad alternator). My daughter was driving it and she did it herself the second time so that one stayed in the truck. I have since bought bigger ones for the wife and other daughter and they have worked when called on. Other daughter jumped a friends car with it. But I don't think any of the batteries were truly drained. And yes, when I forgot to use the trickle charger on the fury and ran the battery down on a cold night the jumper started the 440 right up. Plus it also acts as a big battery for cell phone with USB outlets. And jumps my tractor nicely. I stopped removing the battery in the winter and just bring this up to the shed. All of mine held a charge even while in the trunk outside. I think one went from 100 to 80% the entire winter.

 

[Big_John]

I have a Harbor Freight version that was given to me as a gift. I gotta say, it works pretty well. I mean it wouldn't start the Ford diesel I used to have when it was cold and both batteries were dead... But it has started everything else.

 

[commando1]

But it has started everything else.

A high compression 440 after it's hot?

 

[Big_John]

A high compression 440 after it's hot?

Don't think I ever did that. I have started a cold one though.

It does have its limitations, but it's more common sense than anything. It's like a set of light duty jumper cables. Yea, it'll work for 99% of the time, but a hot, high compression engine with zero battery power... Don't expect miracles.

I was never a fan of the jump packs, but I changed my mind with this one. I carry it when I travel.

 

[65Fury440]

I use jump boxes daily at work.
My advice is to get the biggest you can afford, and get the extended warranty if offered.
Compacts don't seem to last as long as the big ones.
All the fancy digital doohickeys tend to give up.
Might have something to do with riding in a bouncy truck though.

 

[DocMcNeedy]

Don't leave home without it.

 

[1970cat]

i have the mid grade cen-tech. it works well but takes a while to recharge. the air compressor is fairly useless, but the led trouble light is nice and bright.

 

[crazyboutwagons]

Here is what I carry. I won it at a car show a couple years ago as a door prize. weighs about 3-4 pounds has a 12volt outlet, a USB port and a charger. I had a larger jumpstart I carried was about twice as big.

 

[Gerald Morris]

If you're going to spend money on one, get the highest charge capacity you can, This is normally given in "amp*hrs" FWIW. The new Li3PO4 tech looks promising for charge density / unit mass. That consideration rates high in priority if you need to lug one around.

 

[Fury440]

After years driving around the bush, my only go-to is a pair of 25' jumper cables made up using old welder cables. They stay flexible in -40C weather, simple but hard to beat! LOL

 

[Polara_500]

After years driving around the bush, my only go-to is a pair of 25' jumper cables made up using old welder cables. They stay flexible in -40C weather, simple but hard to beat! LOL

I've got the same thing, can reach the car behind or in front altho not so useful any more now that everyone has locking hoods.....

 

[Big_John]

Jumper cables are great (I have a couple pair) . I don't know as people are quite as willing to help out as they used to be. Some of it is absolute ignorance of how everything works and worry about getting their cars damaged. I can remember when computer/electronic systems first came out that many "pros" recommending to never jump start anyone else's car because they may short everything out. Some is that people just don't want to help or are paranoid about strangers.

 

[bnz84]

If you're going to spend money on one, get the highest charge capacity you can, This is normally given in "amp*hrs" FWIW. The new Li3PO4 tech looks promising for charge density / unit mass. That consideration rates high in priority if you need to lug one around.

So here you go on Techbargains.com