Portable Jump Starter

I have had and carried...and every time I went to use it, was dead. They are just a cheap wet cel that doesn't hold a charge. Needs to be left plugged in. I now carry a battery charger and will use THAT if I have a dead starter batt. I also carry long cables to beg a jump if I need that.


Gary Haupt

No.

Been driving for nearly 40 yrs, have never needed such critters.

I attribute that success to knowing WHEN to replace my vehicle battery BEFORE it dies. When the weather gets colder towards winter time typically notice the engine turning over much slower, it is time to replace..

Carry jumper cables but never used them to start my vehicle, only have used them to help someone else out.

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

For towing a trailer, Ford for many yrs has added a relay into the charging line. That relay only allows the charging line to be active when the vehicle engine is running. It was done this way to prevent your trailer from drawing the vehicle battery down to dead.

If your talking about say a Motorhome, you should have some means of isolating your vehicle starting battery from the house. That way you do not flatten your house and vehicle starting battery at the same time.

As Gary mentions, jump boxes are only good IF you remember to recharge them, even the ones with AGM or Lithium batteries will eventually over time self discharge. Some may take a month or two, some may take a year but the result is the same if you forget to charge it often enough..

The best way is by being proactive and change your vehicle battery once you notice the starter struggling to turn it over..

I'm with Gary. Both times I needed mine it was dead because I'd forgotten to recharge it occasionally. I now carry a set of jumper cables.

I bought one five years ago at Harbor Freight. I've used it several times and it works pretty good. I've even used it on my trolling motor when the regular battery became weak.
I don't leave mine plugged in and charging all the time, but, I do remember to charge it overnight about once a month. Seems to work OK for me.
You can't blame the booster battery for being dead when you need it if YOU forget to charge it.

I’ve been carrying a lion jump starter for 2 years now, used it a half dozen times.
Twice on vehicles that we laid up for 6 months the rest for others.
Only about the size of a 2# block of cheese. After 6 months it’s still 95% charged.

I've got one, but I'm guilty as charged with neglecting to make sure it is recharged.

I've had a couple batteries fail with no warning. Some newer cars will simply not crank when the voltage gets below a certain level. They crank fine to that level. Old cars will crank slowly, but newer ones don't necessarily act that way.

Mine weighs as much as a truck battery and has other features such as air compressor, flashlight, USB port but as mentioned, must be charged once a month....Costco.

Never have I traveled with it though, jumper cables work.

3-1 from Harbor Freight. Carry one year round in vehicles. Not only for me but others. Most say to check and re-charge monthly.

I have one that is nine years old, it started my tractor this week. The battery in it is the size of one in a computer UPS. I charge it about twice a year.

I’ve carried one for years. First was a lead acid and now a L-ion. The best use has been your buddy comes over and needs a jump start, they expect you to close up your camper and drive over to their spot. With a portable, you point to the storage bin and tell them to put it back when done. The old lead acid had a compressor and that was handy for bikes and toys. I now have a separate 12v compressor. When boondocking, I also use the portable to run a water pump for transferring extra water to my main tank.

The few times I’ve needed a jump start, I was able to use the Ford onboard/ built-in booster that uses the coach battery.

The newer lithium batteries are small, clean and hold a charge for a very long time- 6 mos to a year, maybe longer. They also usually come with usb and 12v outlet. The brands keep changing, check for online recommendations.