Feedback on Jump Start Packs?

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Buy it from a place with generous return privileges so that you can weed out the duds yourself. Locally, Lowes carries one. Walmart used to but I do not believe they do any more. Amazon has a range from around $60 on sale to $125. Every one of them will have at least some bad reviews. You have to look at the most recent reviews and then make the judgement call.
 
I just bought a Clore JNC300XLC. It's a smaller unit but should be good enough for starting 4 and 6 cylinder motors.
 
I have the one that Costco sells with an air compressor, very handy. I have jumped about 6 cars without a recharge. After about 2 years the compressor failed (gear stripped). I returned it and they replaced it without any questions. New one seems better.
 
These contain a special sealed lead/acid battery. The Clore unit you described also have a charging transformer built in. It it VERY important to keep these thoughts in mind.
1. The battery must be charged to do you any good.
2. The battery cannot be left on the charger/extension cord indefinitely, or it will "cook" the battery.
3. Make the connections properly and SAFELY!!!!
A)Red to Positive, B) Black to GROUND!!! C) Let the dead car run for 4-5 minutes D) Turn on the headlights and THEN disconnect the Black FIRST!!! The reason is polarity...incorrect hook-up and un-hook can cause major electronics problems.
4. I don't care that it has a switch. if you get flustered you may forget to turn off the jump pack from last time; a live Black (Negative) clamp will make sparks when you find a good ground. If you ground to the Negative battery post, and the battery is expelling Hydrogen gas, you could....under the "right" conditions....have the battery explode.....literally EXPLODE!
BTW, I train people to jump start cars (and other things) for a living. You can check out everything I post if you like; or just follow the instructions in the box.
 
Originally Posted By: 2cool
These contain a special sealed lead/acid battery. The Clore unit you described also have a charging transformer built in. It it VERY important to keep these thoughts in mind.
1. The battery must be charged to do you any good.
2. The battery cannot be left on the charger/extension cord indefinitely, or it will "cook" the battery.
3. Make the connections properly and SAFELY!!!!
A)Red to Positive, B) Black to GROUND!!! C) Let the dead car run for 4-5 minutes D) Turn on the headlights and THEN disconnect the Black FIRST!!! The reason is polarity...incorrect hook-up and un-hook can cause major electronics problems.
4. I don't care that it has a switch. if you get flustered you may forget to turn off the jump pack from last time; a live Black (Negative) clamp will make sparks when you find a good ground. If you ground to the Negative battery post, and the battery is expelling Hydrogen gas, you could....under the "right" conditions....have the battery explode.....literally EXPLODE!
BTW, I train people to jump start cars (and other things) for a living. You can check out everything I post if you like; or just follow the instructions in the box.


I thought I read in the Clore directions that one could leave the charger connected all the time until the jump pack is needed.
 
The charger's which come with these lead acid AgM battery packs are just basic single voltage wall wart style transformers.

They are NOT ideal for charging a battery, any battery, and arguably cannot fully charge a battery. They are little more than 'maintainers' with a low output and low voltage.

With an AGM battery, when the current required to hold it at a high absorption voltage falls below 1% of the capacity( 20 hr rate) then it can be considered fully charged or very nearly so

I have taken one of these jumper packs which have been on the charger for a week, and put them on my adjustable voltage charger, and the 12AH battery within took another 3.4 AH at 14.8 volts before amperage dropped below 0.012A.

So this battery which had been sitting plugged in on a single stage 13.6v charger for a week+, was not more than 70% charged, and was never going to get more than 70% charged on the provided charger, and the battery was going to degrade much faster when chronically undercharged.

These small capacity AgM batteries are pretty cheap, and widespread, and hardly a high quality battery. More mass produced [censored] from overseas. Their amp ratings as stated by the jumper pack marketers, have absolutely no correlation to CCA figures that come included on starter batteries or marine batteries.

If you have smaller amperage automatic charger available, you can hook it to these jumper packs and recharge the battery better than the included single stage 13.6v wall wart transformer that it came with.

But even those will likely stop well short of a true full charge. If you do not have the tools to measure Amp flow at absorption voltage, you are absolutely blind as to battery state of charge on an AGM battery.

The blinking green light that says any given battery is indeed fully charged, is mocking your intelligence, and rightfully so, if you believe it.
 
Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
Originally Posted By: dlundblad
I know how you guys love Scotty Kilmer, but does anyone have any experience with one of these? I first saw one at a boat show last winter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJ_oIsETIc0


I guess you missed my post in this thread, I already posted my experience with the genius boost.


You're right. I did miss it.

Looks like a good product to say the least.
 
You can get a plugin charger with a quick start mode to get you going in the morning. It worked well on my lawn tractor battery, which isn't too much smaller than a Civic battery I suppose.
Haven't had to use it yet on our cars yet which would be the real test.
 
Better off spending money on good jumper cables. That will cover most situations. Smart charger is good to have, along with maybe a spare AGM battery if worried about not having something around to jump start off of. I jumped my car from the battery on my enclosed trailer a couple times.
 
Originally Posted By: SIXSPEED
I just bought a Clore JNC300XLC. It's a smaller unit but should be good enough for starting 4 and 6 cylinder motors.

I got a chance to try out the JNC300XLC on our Honda Odyssey with a V6 engine when its battery took a dump and it cranked and started without any problem. I also bought a JNC660C and used it to start up my GT500 V8. It is big and heavy (~19 lbs) but it works well with its long 46" cables. Both units can be left plugged into an AC outlet indefinitely for charging without damage.

 
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I've got a honking big JNC...it weighs like 40+lbs and has 2 AGMS in the pack..

Back on topic. I have ~wondered~ how safe are the ~charging systems~ in these small lithium packs. Regardless, these little itty bitty jump packs may serve the need to just give enough boost to start a small engine car if the battery is depleted just enough so that it won't start. I don't see it starting bigger engines when it's needed though..
 
Originally Posted By: chefwong
I've got a honking big JNC...it weighs like 40+lbs and has 2 AGMS in the pack..

Holy cow! Might as well carry around an Optima Yellow Top
laugh.gif
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: SIXSPEED
Originally Posted By: chefwong
I've got a honking big JNC...it weighs like 40+lbs and has 2 AGMS in the pack..

Holy cow! Might as well carry around an Optima Yellow Top
laugh.gif



I'd rather lug a Northstar or Oddyssey ;-)

I was having a parasitic draw and I did not have any time to work on diag during the weekends.
So I went online and bought the best CCA pack there was . In hindsight/foresight, I should have gotten something smaller. + side, this JNC has nice long cords. It can sit on the floor and the reach is long enough to get uptop
 
Originally Posted By: wrcsixeight
The charger's which come with these lead acid AgM battery packs are just basic single voltage wall wart style transformers.

They are NOT ideal for charging a battery, any battery, and arguably cannot fully charge a battery. They are little more than 'maintainers' with a low output and low voltage.

With an AGM battery, when the current required to hold it at a high absorption voltage falls below 1% of the capacity( 20 hr rate) then it can be considered fully charged or very nearly so

I have taken one of these jumper packs which have been on the charger for a week, and put them on my adjustable voltage charger, and the 12AH battery within took another 3.4 AH at 14.8 volts before amperage dropped below 0.012A.

So this battery which had been sitting plugged in on a single stage 13.6v charger for a week+, was not more than 70% charged, and was never going to get more than 70% charged on the provided charger, and the battery was going to degrade much faster when chronically undercharged.

These small capacity AgM batteries are pretty cheap, and widespread, and hardly a high quality battery. More mass produced [censored] from overseas. Their amp ratings as stated by the jumper pack marketers, have absolutely no correlation to CCA figures that come included on starter batteries or marine batteries.

If you have smaller amperage automatic charger available, you can hook it to these jumper packs and recharge the battery better than the included single stage 13.6v wall wart transformer that it came with.

But even those will likely stop well short of a true full charge. If you do not have the tools to measure Amp flow at absorption voltage, you are absolutely blind as to battery state of charge on an AGM battery.

The blinking green light that says any given battery is indeed fully charged, is mocking your intelligence, and rightfully so, if you believe it.


The battery in the jump start packs are SLA (sealed lead acid). So is that AGM?
 
It's Absorbed Glass Mat, a type of construction. The battery chemistry is exactly the same as a flooded lead/acid battery. Keeping the electrolyte soaked in a fiberglas mat, vs. as a liquid into which the plates are submerged; gives a battery the battery much more vibration resistance and also allows for installations in any position except upside down. AGM batteries are also, due to the construction, able to be discharged to a deeper level without damage vs. flooded. That is why they are the only battery type to be used for start/stop system in newer cars.
 
Originally Posted By: Donald
The battery in the jump start packs are SLA (sealed lead acid). So is that AGM?


If so you got cheated with a cheap jump starter. While the battery looks much the same, SLA is a poor choice due to severe in/out amperage limitations. The gelled cells will boil at over 10 amps and then with permanent bubbles in there, it's done.

Nearly all jump packs are fictionally rated. Ignore the bazillion amp rating and buy the one with the largest AGM cell inside you can find for the least money. At best you're getting 70A or so, which will start all but the most depleted batteries and/or coldest large engines.
 
Originally Posted By: HangFire
Originally Posted By: Donald
The battery in the jump start packs are SLA (sealed lead acid). So is that AGM?


If so you got cheated with a cheap jump starter. While the battery looks much the same, SLA is a poor choice due to severe in/out amperage limitations. The gelled cells will boil at over 10 amps and then with permanent bubbles in there, it's done.

Nearly all jump packs are fictionally rated. Ignore the bazillion amp rating and buy the one with the largest AGM cell inside you can find for the least money. At best you're getting 70A or so, which will start all but the most depleted batteries and/or coldest large engines.


I had one with SLA battery inside.
After jump starting about 8 times, the battery died.

I never replaced that battery.
Instead, I bought the small lithium-ion jump starter and it last a much longer time, and is still working today.
 
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