What jumpstarter do you have

Lazylahma

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My car is about a year old and I’ve heard the battery can get a bit weak expecially if you run the battery without the engine, I have not had any issues yet but since I do run my battery here and there I wanted to get a jump starter, any recommendations for ones you’ve been using?
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DBPOWER 1200A Peak Portable Car Jump Starter (for 6.5L Gas, 5.2L Diesel Engine and More), Car Battery Booster Pack & Charger, Portable Phone Charger with QC3.0 Built-in LED Emergency Flashlight https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MU1CPOE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_MnxqCb9BBJSZR

I keep it in the trunk, allot easier than a jumper cable plus it can charge your phone, win win
 

kg4fxg

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Antigravity Batteries AG-XP-1

The only downside to these types of things is that you have to remember to periodically take them out of the car and charge them back up.
 

gtman

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typemismatch

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My car is about a year old and I’ve heard the battery can get a bit weak expecially if you run the battery without the engine, I have not had any issues yet but since I do run my battery here and there I wanted to get a jump starter, any recommendations for ones you’ve been using?
F-150 and jumper cables does the trick for me.

When that's not available ...
Honda Civic 10th gen What jumpstarter do you have DC5-R%20Pedals
 

SCOPESYS

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Jumper cables are relatively inexpensive, but have some disadvantages.
(1) You need someone to help you -- ie another Car.
(2) Other person may sue you if they are able .. ie Claim you damaged their car, etc (Especially in the USA) - I know, not likely, but any time to interface with a total stranger, on a deserted dark road, at night, you are taking a risk.

The big advantage of the small Lithium units are that you are totally independent of needing assistance from anyone else, and can typically be started and off on your way within 1 few minutes.

While they are not as inexpensive as Jump Cables, not skimping on one, and getting one with adequate capacity is, IMHO, a good move.

In an Ideal world... you carry both . even if you have AAA or Honda Assist.
 


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Antigravity Batteries AG-XP-1

The only downside to these types of things is that you have to remember to periodically take them out of the car and charge them back up.
I have two of these as well, one for a few years now, and it's worked 4 times.

I have a lead-acid one that someone gave me, and that one doesn't work - won't start a car - maybe it did when brand new once, but not since. And you have to keep it plugged in so you can't carry it around.
 

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I would only use a booster pack to avoid jump start damage. See this article for more information.

http://ricksfreeautorepairadvice.com/can-a-jump-start-damage-a-car/
"The possibility of jump start damage is much higher if one or both of the engines are running when the jumper cables are connected or disconnected."

Damage may not be apparent right away. Read this...
https://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/31/at-witz-end-throw-away-those-old-jumper-cables/
"Here is why: You hook up the old-style cables properly and get the car with the dead battery started. At this point, there is one vehicle with a strong battery and one with a dead one, both running, so both alternators are working hard trying to charge the dead battery and replenish the energy drawn from the good one.

"As long as the cables are connected," Goss continued, "the two batteries act as buffers to contain maximum voltage rise. But as soon as the first cable end is removed, the systems go nuts. When the first cable is removed, the voltage reference is gone. It instantly changes from the level of two batteries and two alternators to one battery and one alternator.

"During this period of adjustment, the voltage regulator allows the alternator to climb to a very high voltage level. The alternators of both cars are unregulated for a few milliseconds, and during that brief time, the alternator can produce several hundred volts of low-amperage electricity. This high-voltage spike shoots through the electrical systems of both cars."

The effect is like a voltage surge running through a computer. It rarely destroys anything instantly but can weaken components of both vehicles, including engine control computers, alternators, sound systems or any of the dozens of electronic modules in modern cars, and there are usually no immediate symptoms because these parts are merely weakened.

But as the vehicles are used, those weakened components will eventually fail. And since those failures may be weeks or months later, you'll probably never realize that it was caused by your use of conventional jumper cables."
 

typemismatch

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I would only use a booster pack to avoid jump start damage. See this article for more information.

http://ricksfreeautorepairadvice.com/can-a-jump-start-damage-a-car/
"The possibility of jump start damage is much higher if one or both of the engines are running when the jumper cables are connected or disconnected."

Damage may not be apparent right away. Read this...
https://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/31/at-witz-end-throw-away-those-old-jumper-cables/
"Here is why: You hook up the old-style cables properly and get the car with the dead battery started. At this point, there is one vehicle with a strong battery and one with a dead one, both running, so both alternators are working hard trying to charge the dead battery and replenish the energy drawn from the good one.

"As long as the cables are connected," Goss continued, "the two batteries act as buffers to contain maximum voltage rise. But as soon as the first cable end is removed, the systems go nuts. When the first cable is removed, the voltage reference is gone. It instantly changes from the level of two batteries and two alternators to one battery and one alternator.

"During this period of adjustment, the voltage regulator allows the alternator to climb to a very high voltage level. The alternators of both cars are unregulated for a few milliseconds, and during that brief time, the alternator can produce several hundred volts of low-amperage electricity. This high-voltage spike shoots through the electrical systems of both cars."

The effect is like a voltage surge running through a computer. It rarely destroys anything instantly but can weaken components of both vehicles, including engine control computers, alternators, sound systems or any of the dozens of electronic modules in modern cars, and there are usually no immediate symptoms because these parts are merely weakened.

But as the vehicles are used, those weakened components will eventually fail. And since those failures may be weeks or months later, you'll probably never realize that it was caused by your use of conventional jumper cables."
I've read and heard similar things before.

I agree you should have some kind of booster in your car, but most people aren't going to spend $100-150 on a quality booster pack.

Another problem is that most people [including me] throw those things in the glovebox and forget them. Then when it comes time to use them they've discharged, so you're back to using jumper cables.

While the points in the article are reasonably valid, they're also controlled environment, lab setting, academic exercises.

In the real world, it can be -20 with a wind chill or "real feel" of -50 to -60 [at least where I live] and I've got to get to work. I'm more concerned with the humans getting frost bite than I am about having to replace an alternator at some later date that never seems to come.

I know the argument is about newer vehicles, but my 02 F150 has many of the same critical electronics [ECU, TCU, BCU] as newer cars and I haven't had an issue. The assertion in the article is that because I haven't had a problem doesn't mean I won't. To be fair, if I had to replace an alternator 1 time out of 20, I'd still jump vehicles, mine or otherwise. In the climate I live in people come first, fixing the damage can be dealt with later.

At least the article make a recommendation about how to jump correctly:
"the safest way to jump start a dead vehicle is to connect the cables with both engines off. Then start the donor vehicle and let it run to charge up the dead battery and shut off the donor vehicle before trying to start the dead vehicle. Also, shut down both vehicles before removing the cables"
 

charleswrivers

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Little old OP but...

Not to talk down on carrying cables with you or a self-contained battery jumper... but if you think your battery, even when charged, is not able to start the car due to low capacity for any number of reasons... you can just get a free load test done to verify this and replace your battery. There's no reason to live with a weak battery. If you have a problem that a jump starter is needed to get by... the solution is to just replace your battery. It's no different than having jumper cables eternally in your trunk, the only difference is you don't have to carry cables and ask someone for a jump. You're self-sufficient in having not solved the problem and covering for the battery that likely should just be replaced. If it's under warranty, get a free replacement. If it's not and you were unhappy with it... replace it with a quality one with a higher rated capacity. It does suck our little 51R or whatever-it-is battery is small... and it will always somewhat limit its overall capacity… but not to the point you have to live with a jump starter or cables in your trunk as the best solution.

Just my $.02.

If you're concerned... get your battery load tested for free and know if it's even a problem. If it is... fix the actual problem. Batteries, even good ones, are cheap enough... there's not reason to not change them every 3-5 years or at their first sign of struggling and failure to pass a load test. If a battery is failing well inside it's free replacement period... you can get a new one for no cost. However, it's probably 1) garbage or 2) you're using it in a very harsh environment (every 20F beyond a 77F [25C] environment reduces a battery's service life during that time by about 1/2... or if it's below freezing, capacity is roughly halved compared it warm temps) or 3) you're cycling your automotive battery... and they're not made for that. They'll work for a while, until they don't.
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