TheBackShed.com

Forum Index : Other Stuff : Jump starter packs.

Author

Message

George65
Guru

Joined: 18/09/2017
Location: Australia
Posts: 308

Posted: 11:07am 11 Jul 2018

Copy link to clipboard

Print this post

After another Jump starter pack as the last one has never been great and unsurprisingly died pretty quick. I use these things all the time and want a decent one but there are so many with ridicilous capacity and other claims, clearly price in NOT an indication of quality.

Anyone have a recommendation for these things?

Chopperp

Guru

Joined: 03/01/2018
Location: Australia
Posts: 1057

Posted: 02:39pm 11 Jul 2018

Copy link to clipboard

Print this post

I've seen plenty of jumper leads made from welding cable. Make your own. Most welding suppliers have cable & suitable clamps. Some even have made up leads.

Yes, so called heavy duty jumper leads just have thicker insulation so they look more impressive & you don't feel the heat as much when being used.

ChopperP

Warpspeed
Guru

Joined: 09/08/2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 4406

Posted: 11:33pm 11 Jul 2018

Copy link to clipboard

Print this post

I agree, make your own using decent heavy duty parts. Its one situation where cheap Chinese is not a particularly good choice.

My own preference is for a really potent mains powered rectifier that can deliver enough current to very quickly put some charge back into a totally flat battery, and also provide the extra cranking amps to get it started, all within a couple of minutes.

Cheers, �Tony.

ryanm
Senior Member

Joined: 25/09/2015
Location: Australia
Posts: 202

Posted: 12:14am 12 Jul 2018

Copy link to clipboard

Print this post

I've sold a few of these in my store and been quite impressed. Turns over a V8 no problem.

Boppa
Guru

Joined: 08/11/2016
Location: Australia
Posts: 814

Posted: 01:24am 12 Jul 2018

Copy link to clipboard

Print this post

We used jump packs at my former work and one thing was noticed, the ones used in the utes and charged by the ciggy lighter (switched by acc) lasted heaps longer than the workshop ones (plugged in mains charger)

I suspect that the mains chargers (which were 18vdc@1.5A) were actually overvolting the SLA battery during charging and killing them

Ive taken a few apart and internally, they were pretty much identical, even to the battery brand (mostly Sanyo), both the cheapest $49 from Supercheap and the most expensive Bosche, $299!!! both had Sanyo 4AHr batterys in them, although the plastic case on the Bosche was definitely much stronger than the supercheap one

George65
Guru

Joined: 18/09/2017
Location: Australia
Posts: 308

Posted: 01:30am 12 Jul 2018

Copy link to clipboard

Print this post

I was thinking more the Lithium ones.

I use them for everything from charging phones to running camera's and computers.
Something I have become quite dependent on. :0)

M Del
Senior Member

Joined: 09/04/2012
Location: Australia
Posts: 155

Posted: 09:17am 12 Jul 2018

Copy link to clipboard

Print this post

Are you after something for light, long duration use, or something with larger capacity and some grunt that will also kick a vehicle in the guts.

For lithium you might see a battery rebuilder for an idea of cost, reuse your standard jump pack case and leads just add a lithium battery management system, never played with lithium.

for light use a good heavy name brand 12/18 volt drill battery pack might do the trick.

Mark

Boppa
Guru

Joined: 08/11/2016
Location: Australia
Posts: 814

Posted: 11:28pm 12 Jul 2018

Copy link to clipboard

Print this post

Ah right those little ones- never had one yet (the old sla one is still going strong after much use)

One thing I do for 5v and 12v stuff is use my dewalt batterys with a 12v reg (lm7812)
The advantage is that they last mega long time and the little terminals inside take a standard spade connector, so a flying lead to a jiffy box with a fuse and reg inside and a couple of ciggy lighter sockets, plus a 5v usb ciggy lighter plug lets me charge phones/tablet etc when camping

I can even pump up 2 dead flat tyres with the air pump off it before it goes flat!

I got a small lith bat pack, about the length of a pen and its been great on my old phone which has a dying battery, I just recharge (2 or 3 times) off the battery pack so I can get a full day out of it still (only lasts about 5-6 hrs on its internal battery)

I should really get a new phone (this one still runs android 2 lol) but it makes phone calls, which is really all I use it for

Print this page

To reply to this topic, you need to log in.