Portable Jump Starter

That exactly how I use mine. I’ve got a smallish NOCO GB40, and I use it all the time to recharge anything that will plug into it.

I didn’t buy it to jump start the truck. If the truck need a jump while hauling the camper (most of the time), my plan is to start the generator and use my Vector battery charger to get it started. The NOCO is big enough to start the generator on its own if necessary.

:):)

You can actually use them for more that just jump starting a car. I used my at the lake to attach to my 1000w converter, plugged in the 110v air machine to fill the tubes to drag behind the boat. Use them to charge cell phones, laptops, etc. Actually a pretty handy gadget.

There's tons of those devices on Amazon, you can read the reviews. Costco has had one for a while at about $60. I worked with a gal a while back that had some electrical issue with her car causing the battery to go dead. She carried one of those jump starters in the glove box and used it all the time.

I thought about picking one up but not sure how much I'd use it.

I have one of these. Got it on Amazon. $70. Works great. It loses about 10% charge a month if you don't use/charge it.

I've used it several times. Lights get left on and sometimes a battery just needs a jump... Wife is glad I had it!

Li Ion jump packs are great.
I don’t carry one regularly. But bought one for my Snowbike.
For kicks I disconnected the battery on my 5.3 Chevy truck. It started it.

I have an old school sealed lead acid that I have used for years replaced the battery in it twice over the years and still use it around the shop. Just have to remember to plug it in every few months to top it off. About 6 or 7 years ago I bought one of small Lithium units after a friend swore by his and have carried it in my truck or B camper ever since. I top of the charge once a year or after I use it and it works great I have started large V8s and our Honda CRV when the OEM battery died unexpected and left my wife stranded. I showed up with the B expecting to get the jumpers out but remembered the little lithium in the back. I hooked it up and got her started in nothing flat. Followed her to AutoZone and had a new battery installed.

I also use it as a backup USB charger when camping.

Battery manufacturers do not build to "obsolescence" so I really do not understand how that "dealer" could spout that.


No where did I say that battery builders build to obsolescence. Re read my post please. They build batteries knowing that most will have a working life of 3 - 5 years and few warranty anything more than a prorate after the first year or two. How they are used in the real world varies greatly and that affects the working life.


They build the battery to PROVIDE a certain amount of energy and YOU pay for the "warranty period" buy paying a "premium price" from that brand (in your case Trojan and they are not known for low cost batteries because they warranty the batteries for a longer period than most).

Yep, see my comment above... 3 - 5 years is about all they expect the average consumer to get.



Bring your "Arizona" battery up north for summer and winter time.. You think Arizona heat is hard on batteries, try on some summer heat of upper 90's then plunge below zero for winter for weeks on end.

Like I said weather is a factor, no disagreement that your climate is tough on batteries. I have started my 1995 LTD with 187,000 miles up in Angel Fire when it was 14 degrees below zero and at 115 back home.


If all you get is 3 yrs out of a starting battery, there IS something wrong with your vehicles or how you use them.


If that were true, and it is not, why does almost every new car manufacturer recommend/require that the battery be replaced in or will no longer warranty it after 3 years? My 2019
Honda Ridgeline sat in the AZ sun for about a year before I took delivery and the battery crapped out in 4 days. The manager of the dealership along with a couple of service advisors all agreed that this was not unusual due to the heat they are subjected to here in southern Arizona.



My DW has a very short commute, 11 miles round trip, THAT is hard on batteries, vehicle NEVER really gets the battery fully charged after each start. Even then, typically am able to get 5-6yrs out of the batteries in her vehicle. They are consistently under charged. You really need 30 minutes of driving at moderate speeds to put back the energy that was pulled when you started the vehicle. Short trips, stop and go traffic and use of a lot of accessories can easily prevent your vehicle from fully recharging the battery.


Like I said the life of any battery is largely contingent on how it is used and/or abused along with weather which we also agree with. All of my starting batteries {I own 5 vehicles} get checked on a regular basis and I have never had one show anything but fully charged until they moved into the 4th or 5th year.


Contrast that to my commute of an hr each way, the worst battery life I have gotten out of vehicle batteries has been 9 yrs, the best has been 13 yrs! And yes, I drive and keep vehicles for a long time, the highest mileage one was 240,000 miles and 16 yrs old when I sold it, it had exactly ONE battery replacement. By the way, that 13 yrs WAS with the ORIGINAL OEM battery!


If you want to say so it is OK with me but in your original post you make the blanket statement that everyone should get 9-10 years out of their starting batteries and that is absurd. Then you tell me that 3 - 5 years from a starting battery indicates there is something wrong with my electrical system which is also absurd. My post is intended for the benefit of those folks out there that don't know any better.


The life you get out any battery highly depends on the depth of discharge and how fast you FULLY recharge it, not so much with brand name or just how much you paid for that brand name. In other words, if you care for it, it will treat you with a long life.


Now you are confusing deep cycle batteries with starting batteries which are two totally different animals with distinctly different functions. Starting batteries use a relatively small amount of energy for an extremely brief period of time. They are designed to do this over and over again. You do not need to drive 30 minutes to replace the energy expended in a simple start, the truth is about 5 minutes or less will easily do that unless there is something seriously wrong with your vehicle. You can pull a starting battery down flat and 30 minutes of driving will replace the bulk of that expenditure but... sadly a starting battery will only survive this sort of abuse 2 or perhaps 3 times and then it is toast.

Abuse the battery and it treats you to a very short life.

Once again we agree but you need to keep your expectations in the real world recognizing that there are a host of factors in play.

As always... opinions and YMMV

:)

Desert Captain wrote:
"Batteries are a wear item, typically should be able to get 8-10 yrs then replace them."


I used to sell a lot of batteries {starting and deep cycle} as the marine chandlery I worked in was a Trojan dealer. The Trojan rep assured me that the planned obsolescence of any battery is 3 years... yes lots of folks do better depending on use and maintenance not to mention weather {our southern Arizona sun can kill just about any battery in 3 years or less.

When the local auto shop sells you a 5, 7 or more year battery that is the same 3 year battery sitting next to it on the shelf but just with a much higher price. Battery manufacturers know that the average owner of a vehicle turns it every 3 - 5 years and chances are they will never have to prorate much less replace it. At three years I start watching it closely and know that before 5 it will need to be replaced.

Some folks keep tires for 8 - 10 years but in both cases you are inviting a problem and Mr. Murphy is not your friend.

As always... Opinions and YMMV.

:C

Battery manufacturers do not build to "obsolescence" so I really do not understand how that "dealer" could spout that.

They build the battery to PROVIDE a certain amount of energy and YOU pay for the "warranty period" buy paying a "premium price" from that brand (in your case Trojan and they are not known for low cost batteries because they warranty the batteries for a longer period than most).

Bring your "Arizona" battery up north for summer and winter time.. You think Arizona heat is hard on batteries, try on some summer heat of upper 90's then plunge below zero for winter for weeks on end.

If all you get is 3 yrs out of a starting battery, there IS something wrong with your vehicles or how you use them.

My DW has a very short commute, 11 miles round trip, THAT is hard on batteries, vehicle NEVER really gets the battery fully charged after each start. Even then, typically am able to get 5-6yrs out of the batteries in her vehicle.. They are consistently under charged. You really need 30 minutes of driving at moderate speeds to put back the energy that was pulled when you started the vehicle. Short trips, stop and go traffic and use of a lot of accessories can easily prevent your vehicle from fully recharging the battery.

Contrast that to my commute of an hr each way, the worst battery life I have gotten out of vehicle batteries has been 9 yrs, the best has been 13 yrs! And yes, I drive and keep vehicles for a long time, the highest mileage one was 240,000 miles and 16 yrs old when I sold it, it had exactly ONE battery replacement. By the way, that 13 yrs WAS with the ORIGINAL OEM battery!

The life you get out any battery highly depends on the depth of discharge and how fast you FULLY recharge it, not so much with brand name or just how much you paid for that brand name. In other words, if you care for it, it will treat you with a long life.

Abuse the battery and it treats you to a very short life.

First, forget any lead acid based portable jump starter. Lead acid batteries discharge too quickly and even when not used, need to be recharged every 2-4 weeks. Also "power per pound" is terrible on lead acid batteries.

That leaves lithium. The sad thing is that there hundreds of different models available and even some of the name brand ones are not that good.

I will leave video of two skeptics who purchased "off brand" lump start packs and were pleasantly surprised !

PRODUCT REVIEW: Rockford Pocket Power Jump Starter RFDPPJS2976DLX(old video, this model may no longer available)

New KING of Jump Starters? TrekPow JT2500 The best part about this model is that not only can you charge phone from it via the USB-A ports, but it can be recharged from an phone charger via the USB-mini-A port or the newer much faster USB-C. This means that you can leave it charging in your vehicle all of the time and will always be ready to go !

I have two one in car one in RV one in RV is a good size (900 peak amps) AGM type (Lead acid) and is big and heavy.. In need a new battery clamp for one of the wires.
The one in the car is a light weight Lithyum type.

Have used 'em several times for one reason or another. not always personal use.

Been carrying one for over 20 years (only had RV 15) use the big one as a 'portable car' from time to time when I need 12 volt "out and about" works great. This is my 3rd one I think first one was while I told cops where to go died of old age. 2nd one was used for a while at a towing company to jump start customer's cars... It came with me when I left their employ.. this is #3 or 4 not sure which. Very handy boxes.

Oh and you can replace the battery I've done that on this one.