Jumpstart battery pack

Joined
Sep 18, 2018
Messages
464
Location
Kern Co. California
Hello,

I was going to get my beater off road vehicle going and its battery was dead. Grabbed my jumpstart battery pack and it was dead. I started to charge it and it swelled up. So i think she's a goner. I am looking at the Noco GB40. What do you think? Good unit or got a better one? Thanks.
 
The Gooloo brand ones seem to be well liked. I bought the GP1500 model when it was on sale for $49 a few months ago. It seems to be well made, but I haven't needed to actually use it to jump start anything, other than using it as a 12V power source to power my tire inflator.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07MJBDD5K

These Clore ones are well respected as well:
https://www.amazon.com/Clore-Automotive-Jump-N-Carry-JNC660-Starter/dp/B000JFJLP6

BTW, most of these small jump starters are only meant to help the engine get started when your battery is just weak, but not completely dead.
 
I have the larger JNC318 lithium.. works good. 2.5 years now.

It has a preheat mode for winter.

lithium jump starters really lose power in the cold. much more so than lead acid.

preheat mode warms up the batteries.
 
I've given up on the LiPo flavor of those things. 100% of the ones I've owned have failed after 2 years. The latest one I purchased at Costco could not even start my ATV.

It's really difficult to determine the quality of the cells they use.

My truck's battery was dead from sitting a few weeks. Hooked up the trusty [sarcasm] lithium jump starter and the headlights came on nice and bright. The engine cranked for 1/2 second, then stopped and the pack showed no signs of life. Utterly useless.

I'm quite sure one could be produced with cells that don't degrade rapidly. They cost much more. LiFePo4 is the common term for ones that "might" last.

Even then, they don't get great reviews.
https://www.amazon.com/EarthX-Jump-Pack-LiFePo4-Starter/dp/B0188VFMH8
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by ripcord
Tow truck truck drivers seem to still all use the lead acid jump packs. Usually the Clore brand from what I've seen.


As a laid off tow truck operator, I like to carry both a lead acid one and a li-on one only because there is some situations that one will work better than the other; hybrids are one option.
 
I have the Clore brand and the Harbor Freight brand.

The Clore, purchased in 2015, still works awesome. Seems to always work and never need a charge. The Harbor Freight failed after one use.
 
Just bought a Schumacher SL1396 yesterday. It was able to start my Suburban with absolutely no hesitation even though the battery was drained down to 7V.

In comparison, the Super Start 55003 that I've owned for a while will start most vehicles (never tried it on the Suburban) but the engines always crank slowly...I think that thing might be able to manage barely 100CCA even though it can do "1000 peak amps"
 
I've had that TopVision one in the above video for 7 months, no issues so far. I tested it helping out a Chevy 5.3 needing a jump and it worked well, depleted 9% of the packs charge. I wanna say some of the big luxury sedans and SUV's especially with variable suspension have too much onboard electronics for many of the lithium ion packs to power everything necessary for the computer and security system to allow the vehicle to start as well as to physically power the starter and turn the engine over.
 
for serious use the ones that take the common 17 ah agm battery is the best.if the battery goes in a few years its easy to replace.
look for good heavy copper cables at least #4awg and heavy copper clamp jaws with heavy springs.
to test disconnect your vehicles battery.
hook up the pack and see if it starts.
if not dont expect it to help when you really need it!
i have 5 of those various lipo jumpers here just for the internal electronics.
the cells puffed and were discarded.
every one i saw bought by friends has landed in my parts pile.
 
Originally Posted by kc8adu
for serious use the ones that take the common 17 ah agm battery is the best.if the battery goes in a few years its easy to replace.
look for good heavy copper cables at least #4awg and heavy copper clamp jaws with heavy springs.
to test disconnect your vehicles battery.
hook up the pack and see if it starts.
if not dont expect it to help when you really need it!
i have 5 of those various lipo jumpers here just for the internal electronics.
the cells puffed and were discarded.
every one i saw bought by friends has landed in my parts pile.


Have a good model with an AGM that you can recommend?

Puffed Li-ion are one step from a major event. Good idea to get rid of them!
 
the clore(sp?) jnc series.
typical 17-20 ah agm available just about everywhere.
decent build quality.
just remember that its a lead acid battery and they dont like to sit at anything less than full charge.
 
Originally Posted by kc8adu
the clore(sp?) jnc series.
typical 17-20 ah agm available just about everywhere.
decent build quality.
just remember that its a lead acid battery and they dont like to sit at anything less than full charge.


Pretty sure the Clore JNCs are gel-but I always keep mine fully charged & in a warm place (preferably indoors), makes a big difference in available power.
 
its hard to buy a gel in the size those packs use.
and a lot more expensive.
they are agm.
gelcell is a common name for any sealed lead battery.
vast majority however are agm.
 
Originally Posted by kc8adu
its hard to buy a gel in the size those packs use.
and a lot more expensive.
they are agm.
gelcell is a common name for any sealed lead battery.
vast majority however are agm.


Gel cels use silica in the electrolyte to literally make a gel. AGM uses a fiberglass mat. Different designs, not just terminology.
 
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