What jumpstarter do you have

fenix-silver

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I gave up on jumpstarters that use lead-acid batteries. Unless you keep them constantly charged, they go bad in a year or two. Such a waste. Need to look into a Li-Ion one at some point.
 

Gruber

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I gave up on jumpstarters that use lead-acid batteries. Unless you keep them constantly charged, they go bad in a year or two. Such a waste. Need to look into a Li-Ion one at some point.
A lead-acid battery capable of starting a car and at the same time tolerating well longer periods without charging would need to be massive. Completely unlike those in little jumpstarters.
You certainly wouldn't want to carry this type of battery with you.
 

fenix-silver

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A lead-acid battery capable of starting a car and at the same time tolerating well longer periods without charging would need to be massive. Completely unlike those in little jumpstarters.
You certainly wouldn't want to carry this type of battery with you.
Prior to the li-ion packs, all portable consumer jump-starters used sealed lead acid batteries.
 
OP
OP

Lazylahma

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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.
Thanks for your reply but there is no reason to say it’s something that’s not needed just get a new battery. My battery is one year old and shows no signs of failure, but at times I do have the radio playing during my lunch at work and would rather not risk having a dead battery because I chose to listen to the radio without using gas.

Also it reached temps of -30 this winter by me, what’s the saying...better safe then sorry...
 


Gruber

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Prior to the li-ion packs, all portable consumer jump-starters used sealed lead acid batteries.
Well, of course, there is really nothing else that would work well for this purpose. But they are relatively small for a lead battery, so starting a car is a significant workout for them, and they don't last long if they are cycled.
 

charleswrivers

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something that’s not needed just get a new battery
If batteries never failed to start the cars... there wouldn't be any reason for these to exist. Many times, weak cranks precede them failing to get you going and test exists to quantify their health to where, hopefully, you'd never let it get to that point.

Still, I acknowledge the peace of mind they can bring. Especially when you live in a location where your car stranding you can result in your death from the elements (-30F!? I feel for you. I broke a sweat in the ~70F weather outside yesterday doing work). Given the consequences, it's cheap insurance. For additional peace of mind, do consider the load check that's free, other than your time.

I just hate thinking of folks getting by on having these things in their trunk and jumping off their car all the time instead of just fixing the problem by replacing the battery. It's like having a slow leak your tires and carrying a 12V air compressor in your trunk to top them off if they go down as the car sits overnight/while you're at work, rather than getting them patched/replaced. It's a solution to a problem that has a better and more permanent solution. Good luck, OP. :thumbsup:
 

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Well, of course, there is really nothing else that would work well for this purpose. But they are relatively small for a lead battery, so starting a car is a significant workout for them, and they don't last long if they are cycled.
Which is what my point was. I've stopped wasting my money on them as they are unreliable and don't last.
 

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martindtjr

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I have Booster PAC ES2500 1100 Peak Amp 12V Jump Starter. Good to have around if the power goes out and we can keep our cell phones charged up. It's not light or as portable as an antigravity.
Just get it tested.
 

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The problem with the Li-Ion jump starters is lithium batteries vary a lot in lifespan, especially with no-name batteries that many items use, and poor quality control. While some people may get lucky and get 3 years or so, some people may only get a few months out of them, and you can see that by the reviews for those jump starters. Add to those problems is the fact that weather extremes, especially heat, reduce the lifespan of lithium batteries. Where do people store their jump starters? In the car, where it can get to over 170 degrees inside. Of course, this can also be dangerous, as lithium batteries can explode at room temp, but are even more likely in the heat. And some have. This is why RC enthusiasts keep their lithium batteries in special containers, though the type they use (Lithium Polymer) seem to be more likely to explode than Lithium Ion. Some have burned down houses.

This is the same reason I about to buy a new gas mower instead of cordless, as I don't want to have to buy a new $200-$400 battery every few years. Maybe that will change soon (I hope). Battery technology advancement has stagnated.
 

martindtjr

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The problem with the Li-Ion jump starters is lithium batteries vary a lot in lifespan, especially with no-name batteries that many items use, and poor quality control. While some people may get lucky and get 3 years or so, some people may only get a few months out of them, and you can see that by the reviews for those jump starters. Add to those problems is the fact that weather extremes, especially heat, reduce the lifespan of lithium batteries. Where do people store their jump starters? In the car, where it can get to over 170 degrees inside. Of course, this can also be dangerous, as lithium batteries can explode at room temp, but are even more likely in the heat. And some have. This is why RC enthusiasts keep their lithium batteries in special containers, though the type they use (Lithium Polymer) seem to be more likely to explode than Lithium Ion. Some have burned down houses.

This is the same reason I about to buy a new gas mower instead of cordless, as I don't want to have to buy a new $200-$400 battery every few years. Maybe that will change soon (I hope). Battery technology advancement has stagnated.
Before the ones sold on Amazon were fake Antigravity.
IDK if they are real or fake from Amazon now.
 

Gruber

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The problem with the Li-Ion jump starters is lithium batteries vary a lot in lifespan, especially with no-name batteries that many items use, and poor quality control. While some people may get lucky and get 3 years or so, some people may only get a few months out of them, and you can see that by the reviews for those jump starters. Add to those problems is the fact that weather extremes, especially heat, reduce the lifespan of lithium batteries. Where do people store their jump starters? In the car, where it can get to over 170 degrees inside. Of course, this can also be dangerous, as lithium batteries can explode at room temp, but are even more likely in the heat. And some have. This is why RC enthusiasts keep their lithium batteries in special containers, though the type they use (Lithium Polymer) seem to be more likely to explode than Lithium Ion. Some have burned down houses.

This is the same reason I about to buy a new gas mower instead of cordless, as I don't want to have to buy a new $200-$400 battery every few years. Maybe that will change soon (I hope). Battery technology advancement has stagnated.
Smal Li jumpstarters are great in theory but not a complete solution to car battery failures. I have one for some time but have never used it, because I didn't need to. I would need to recharge it periodically, another thing to remember. So it's just sitting there for years fully charged or not charged enough to work.

I don't keep it in any car, it stays at home. I never got in any trouble because of battery failure somewhere far away. I would take it with me on long trips or when I need to drive around for a day or two with a dying battery before I get a new one. You can buy a protective container, but I can't decide which one is better for me....:hmm:

cheap or
less cheap
 

Slickone

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Smal Li jumpstarters are great in theory but not a complete solution to car battery failures. I have one for some time but have never used it, because I didn't need to. I would need to recharge it periodically, another thing to remember. So it's just sitting there for years fully charged or not charged enough to work.

I don't keep it in any car, it stays at home. I never got in any trouble because of battery failure somewhere far away. I would take it with me on long trips or when I need to drive around for a day or two with a dying battery before I get a new one. You can buy a protective container, but I can't decide which one is better for me....:hmm:

cheap or
less cheap
A battery-less jump starter like the Schumacher DSR108 would be the way to go. They use capacitors instead.
Sponsored

 


 


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