Car Jump start packs recommendations

Probably any of the lithium (?) packs off Amazon. I have one - no idea what size but it will be big enough to start my v6 diesel.
Built in torch and USB charging ports are nice too.

Something like this?

I have an Utrai J-star. Works well enough that it's done my diesel van a couple of times and for starting other folks cars more often than that 🤣

I bought a cheap halfords one a couple of years ago and it was useless. I was going to post a link of it do you could avoid it but I see they have stopped doing it now. Read the reviews and go from there, I read the crap reviews and thought it can't be that bad.... .it was. Never started the car once so I took it back.

I got one of the small jobbies off Ebay.... It has been superb and started motorbikes, cars and even vans that other big monster ones wouldn't

Wouldn't be able to find it now as it was 3-4 years ago... .but just a generic one from Ebay.

Probably the wrong time of year to make this suggestion but when I had to leave my van unused for 6 weeks I used a solar panel on the dashboard to keep the battery topped up. If you're lucky you can do this through the ciggie lighter. If not, there's probably enough give/gap in the bonnet and door seals to just run the plug into the car and pop the panel on the floor when driving.

Thanks all
will look at these suggestions

I got a Noco from Halfords (rather than their own brand which was a fair bit cheaper) as they're very well regarded online. Looks like they've got 10% off for BF.

I have a little jumpstarter, it's great but ime it'll start a barely-flat battery, it's got no chance with a really flat battery. And most of the time that's fine. Lives in the glovebox which makes it much more useful most of the time than a really big jumpstarter that lives in the shed miles away.

Also got an old car battery and some jump leads, works far better but doesn't really fit too well in a jeans pocket.

iMars J01 does fine for a 2l petrol car. If you're within reach of a plug socket though then pick up a cheap smart charger and put it on that every month or so, I do that if we're not using the car much and it'll keep the battery healthier.

Hi
i bought a Clarke one rated for up to 4 litre diesel, but it couldn't start my 2.2 litre diesel Ford Mondeo, and the customer service from Machine Mart was crap, so gave it to a friend and bought a Noco one from Amazon last Black Friday, which is much better, however the first one i received was DOA! Think you have probably missed the ones on the most recent Black Friday offer, however they do have up to 20% off every now and again.
mat

Was looking at these earlier, as it happens.

Good Whatcar grouptest at https://www.whatcar.com/news/best-jump-starters-2022/n22349

The 13000mAh Ring Automotive pack can be had on Amazon for £65 ATM - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ring-Automotive-RPPL360-Starter-13000mAh/dp/B09W33GPD7/

I've got the absolute cheapest one from halfords, it's just a motorbike battery in a box, an isolator switch and some jump leads attached.

Did the job even on the 2.0 Diesel berlingo when it was dead. Just plug it in and walk away for a few minutes so the voltage has chance to rise a little.

Only con was the power supply/charger was fragile rubbish, so I now charge it from my battery charger clipped to the jump leads. One that charges from the cigarette lighter would make more sense.

Based on that, I can't really see how literally anything wouldn't work?

If you dont mind spending a bit more and value reliability then I vote for Noco.

I've used mine a few times on my 2.0l diesel van and 3.5l V6 petrol engine car and its been faultless. Seems well built, easy to use and lives up the cranking power it claims to have.

The internet is full of glowing reviews for Noco jump starters so they should be good quality if a little expensive.

I've got a RING one from Screwfix, mine was 99£, but they also have cheaper ones for smaller cars.
I had a current leak for 2 weeks so used it every morning on 2.5l diesel engine, charged it once a week.
Current leak was broken interior light door switch, I turn off my interior lights anyway as I hate them, but the cars brain was still pumping current...

I've never used any of those lithium booster packs. The cables on most look suspiciously thin for starting a cold engine with a fully discharged battery.
They do look handy in a pinch but I'd be properly wary of them.

If you park it on a drive it would be better for the overall battery health just to plug it into a cheap smart charger one night a week. Discharging the battery until it won't start and solving it with a jump pack will mean you'll need a new battery fairly often. PS daytime running lights/stereo/charging a phone can discharge the battery surprisingly quickly if she is in the car waiting for kids etc, I had a Fiat Doblo until recently and 20 minutes with the radio and sidelights on whilst having my lunch would flatten the battery (and that was doing 100 miles per day and breakdown stating the battery was healthy)

If you park it on a drive it would be better for the overall battery health just to plug it into a cheap smart charger

I leave mine connected to a smart charger as it doesn't see much mileage. The battery is in the boot, so pretty easy. I have been known to drive away with it still connected, snapping the cable. I'd recommend one with a quick connect plug

Based on reviews we have a Noco in each car. We have never had to use them though so I can't comment on how good they are. I have an irrational fear of the time my car won't start being somewhere like the far end of the Loch Arkaig Rd with no phone signal.

Despite being told the battery is ok, it probably isn't, especially if it has been repeatedly run low. I would get a new battery first / as well.

I’ve never used any of those lithium booster packs. The cables on most look suspiciously thin for starting a cold engine with a fully discharged battery.
They do look handy in a pinch but I’d be properly wary of them.

Several of our mechanics use them. They’re professional motor mechanics, and we have a few hundred cars on site at any one time, so flat batteries are a fact of life. If they’re good enough for them, etc…

We also have a few big Sealey jump packs, but they’re big heavy things with I think a lead-acid battery inside, and there have been plenty of times where even two of those, plus a set of leads from something with a biggish diesel engine have failed to start a car.
Then we call in a man with a van…

I use an old car battery and jump leads.

spooky_b329
Full Member
I had a Fiat Doblo until recently and 20 minutes with the radio and sidelights on whilst having my lunch would flatten the battery (and that was doing 100 miles per day and breakdown stating the battery was healthy)

Spooky's car radio pictured earlier:

Seriously though, it really doesn't sound like it wasn't healthy? (or something else was wrong, poor earth etc)

We also have a few big Sealey jump packs, but they’re big heavy things with I think a lead-acid battery inside, and there have been plenty of times where even two of those, plus a set of leads from something with a biggish diesel engine have failed to start a car.

I thought you said they were professionals

Anyone using one of those supercapacitor jump starters?
Seems like a good option that you dont need to keep toppped up - assuming they work as advertised

I also have one of the Noco ones from Halfords and it’s excellent:

https://www.halfords.com/motoring/battery-maintenance/jump-starters/noco-gb20-500a-jump-starter-721880.html

I’ve never used any of those lithium booster packs. The cables on most look suspiciously thin for starting a cold engine with a fully discharged battery.
They do look handy in a pinch but I’d be properly wary of them.

The idea generally is you connect them up and leave them for a few minutes so the car battery charges up from it, then you start the car.

I have one of the little Noco ones. It’s quite impressive but you need to follow the instructions carefully as it’s maximum discharge current is limited (ie it’s not what it says on the box).

But if you give it 30 seconds to dump a bit of charge into the car’s battery, there’s enough combined power between the two to get you going.

I think I paid about £70. It’s a direct result of leaving the car door cracked open for 5 days which is enough to empty the battery. I was actually only about 30 seconds walk from about three car hire places, none of whom would lend me one of their jump start packs. Avis, Hertz, Europcar - you’re all ****ers.

Just buy her a new battery from tayna.co.uk

Sounds like yours is on the way out. Put a voltmeter on it and watch it when cranking, if it drops under 10v its on its way out.

Also you can install a fly lead to the terminals out of the grill so you can hook up a charger quickly if it bothers you.

A jump start pack will be flat or lost when you need it the most I can guarantee.

Not sure if it has been said above, however if your battery is at the point you need to bump start then the battery is on its way out.

If you are not using a car enough to keep the battery charge up then over time the battery will deteriorate anyhow. Apparently car batteries can never recover charge once it’s been lost so eventually you get to a point where it won’t be enough to keep the car going

A trickle charger is the answer, not something that allows you to boost the battery for one start

Thanks all for the replies!

I'd get a new battery and trickle charger to keep it maintained.
you could try a reconditioning first (with a cycling/ramping trickle charger) but if its been below 10v more than once or twice its probably borked

Gooloo, based on youTube recommendation! Never actually used it (touch wood).

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07NZ33CGT/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I keep a Noco in the van. Haven't actually used it on my van but have used it as a portable power pack a few times and to jump start other cars

Mine is a GB70

The idea generally is you connect them up and leave them for a few minutes so the car battery charges up from it, then you start the car.

Ah, makes sense. If the battery is toast it's game over then.

Bought a halfords advanced one in the summer, cause our hybrid tank will empty its tiny led acid battery in no time at all as its so easy to leave the ignition on position 1 or with doors open and the radio on etc (think camping set up).

It's rated to 3.0 d&p and cranks our 2.5l into life three or four times on a charge. Got us out of bother a couple of times. Cables aren't thick but only 50cm or so long, so less transmission loss I guess.

Ah, makes sense. If the battery is toast it’s game over then.

Depends on the engine I guess. A small petrol engine you could probably start it directly from the jump starter, anything else the jump starter is just putting Ah's into the big battery (don't underestimate how much current will be passing through the leads though, 1 battery at 13V and another at <10V is only 3V, but there's very little resistance) then it's the big battery that's got to do the cranking.

You can even get jump starters that plug in via the cigarette lighter, they just take ~20min to put enough charge into the battery as they're limited to ~10A rather than the 100A the big boxes with jump leads are probably transferring.

Looking for a bit of advice on this front.

Partner works for a homeless charity and part of her job includes driving a van 2 lunchtimes a week.
This is pretty much the only time the van is used, she does try to take it for a longer drive on these days but it's not always possible.

Warmer months it's okay but as soon as it gets cold and damp the van is sometimes reluctant to start.

She has a jump starter pack (CAT I think) that she's had varying results with.
The van also has a leisure battery fitted with a couple of 240V ac sockets.

The question is would she be better with a smart battery charger plugged into the ac supplied from the inverter?
Rather than relying on the starter pack!

I have a Honda Jazz, I have a Honda Advanced up to 2L Jump starter (it has a lithium battery pack) it has restarted muy Jazz when I was stupid enough to leave it parked for a few days in the garage with the interior light on.

Warmer months it’s okay but as soon as it gets cold and damp the van is sometimes reluctant to start.

it needs a new battery.

To your question, a trickle charger will be a better bet than occasional jump starts. At the least it will be expected to connect up and disconnect when parking/departing rather than the surprise disappointment of getting the jumper out.

Thread resurrection time...

Anyone have anything to add to this or more recent recommendations?

I've had two camping related issues where my car battery flattened because of stupidity. Luckily, other cars weere about so I could get a jump start but I do tended to drive to very remote places.

So I think I've pushed my luck too far and it's about time I could sort myself out if it happens again and I'm looking for something where I've created the problem rather than a need a long term, "trickle charge" solution...

I carry a Noco Boost Sport GB20 in my boot. It's been used twice (not by me) and most recent one was someone near to us on a campsite - their first time, and hadn't realised charging the phone and having doors open flattens the car battery. Works a treat.

I carry it because of camping, either in the tent, or on the bed system in the van. The van is quite new, so shuts down lights etc within a couple of minutes anyway, but, you never know. And less bulky than jump leads, and can charge your phone too.

I borrowed one of these from my brother when my lad needed his first rescue.

www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DQ54YKH9?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

Worked well, so I bought my own and in true Sod's Law fashion I haven't needed it... 

Posted by: Northwind

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I have a little jumpstarter, it's great but ime it'll start a barely-flat battery, it's got no chance with a really flat battery.

A really flat battery can be a real problem. At my last job we had over 1000 cars in storage, and flat batteries were an occupational hazard, as part of my job I’d be given lists of cars to check tyre condition, battery state, ie voltage, and one or two other items. 
Our jump packs were big, hefty lead acid jobbies, and there were frequently times where we would have jump leads from the nearest diesel with a decent size engine, like a 2.5/3.0, and a jump pack, and the vehicle in question just wouldn’t start, there were a few times when we had jump leads and two jump packs on a car or a van, and only got the damn thing started after a half hour or so.

Sometimes we just had to admit defeat and call for a breakdown van… 🤷🏼‍♂️

A big lead -acid sealey job worked for me when the 2.5l diesel needed a start. But it's massive. So for ease of storage in the vehicle I have a lithium one, also sealey I think. It's not small, probably rugby ball ish size case, but smaller than the lead acid one.Been a while since I checked so this is a good reminder to get it out and check it's charge level.

+ 2 for the Noco units.

Due to the dumb ass design decisions by Ford, its all too easy to flatten the battery on my Kuga when camping (cannot turn interior lights off so they ALL  come on for 15 mins at each door opening, remain on when boot is open (often as be have a dawgie) and of course each time a door is opened all the computers boot up too then also run for 15 mins in anticipation of driving off. As do the tail lights and front marker lights. 

9 months into the 3rd battery in 7 years, the AESS never enables even after long runs, telling me this battery is not perfect either (decent Varta battery). 

So I have a Noco GB70 tucked under the driver seat. .used it twice so far, got the engine restarted no problem.  Cables are short on the unit +  decent size + croc clamps are beefy, so no concern of overheating them. 

Mrs now has one in her car too as a back up as on occasions her car is parked up 100 miles from home for a few days unattended. 

Not cheap, but no regrets (should have got one sooner in fact).