jump pack cheap

[Bill Edwards]

The pack linked to in post 1 is pretty much a waste of time, in my experience - I had a couple.
Ok, if they're in as new condition fully charged and a small (ideally petrol) engine isn't quite turning fast enough then they might be enough to give it that bit extra to fire but that's about it. Expensive torch, the compressor is useful for the short period they work before something goes wrong.

I have the snap on version at work
Just a starter pack no light etc.
The battery died after a year or so
A fortune from snap on
Same battery half the price from RS
This will start a 3 litre diesel in below zero temps
Used daily probably the best bit of kit I have ever bought

The 1700 amp version? Among the best bit of kit I've ever bought too. Starts a 3.7ltr diesel tractor without even having a battery connected, it's got me out of trouble a lot of times. Worth every penny, my only complaint is the crocodile clips are weak and thin.
When you opened yours up what is inside, is it just a battery connected to the outlets or are there electronic bits inside too (apart from the charging indicator)?

As to a battery with jump cables they're better than nothing but nothing like a decent starter pack. I can't explain how or why but the tiny battery in a starter pack seems to pack a lot more punch when it comes to starting a dead vehicle than a bigger 'ordinary' battery. It's more like jumping off a running vehicle, with good cables.

After having two of these things die on me, my next jump pack will be a car battery with a handle and a set of jump leads. I can keep the car battery on a proper battery trick charger and it will keep going for an awful lot longer....

If I were after a booster pack but without spending mega dosh I'd be looking at the tiny handheld units that are now available. I've not used one myself but hear they're pretty impressive - again, I don't know how such a small device can give out so much but obviously they do.

 

[pedrobedro]

Usually SLA batteries in them as far as im aware.

It was in my old Clarke version and it lasted over 7 years used as a jump and camping battery. Never run it dead flat and charge it once a month when not in use and top it up whenever it's been used. When mine died I replaced it with another the same and that's been good for 5 years now. We used the leads off it to make a jumper with a bike battery for bikes round at the shop.

 

[doubleboost]

The pack linked to in post 1 is pretty much a waste of time, in my experience - I had a couple.
Ok, if they're in as new condition fully charged and a small (ideally petrol) engine isn't quite turning fast enough then they might be enough to give it that bit extra to fire but that's about it. Expensive torch, the compressor is useful for the short period they work before something goes wrong.



The 1700 amp version? Among the best bit of kit I've ever bought too. Starts a 3.7ltr diesel tractor without even having a battery connected, it's got me out of trouble a lot of times. Worth every penny, my only complaint is the crocodile clips are weak and thin.
When you opened yours up what is inside, is it just a battery connected to the outlets or are there electronic bits inside too (apart from the charging indicator)?

As to a battery with jump cables they're better than nothing but nothing like a decent starter pack. I can't explain how or why but the tiny battery in a starter pack seems to pack a lot more punch when it comes to starting a dead vehicle than a bigger 'ordinary' battery. It's more like jumping off a running vehicle, with good cables.



If I were after a booster pack but without spending mega dosh I'd be looking at the tiny handheld units that are now available. I've not used one myself but hear they're pretty impressive - again, I don't know how such a small device can give out so much but obviously they do.

Yes the 1700 amp version not much inside at all I think the heavy short leads make a big difference compared to jump leads

 

[ukracer]

Might be this one.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

and a small (ideally petrol) engine

Well, I can only speak from experience. Mine started a 2.8 petrol engine when it's battery would only 'click' the starter [i.e.....flat].

 

[zx9]

...............


If I were after a booster pack but without spending mega dosh I'd be looking at the tiny handheld units that are now available. I've not used one myself but hear they're pretty impressive - again, I don't know how such a small device can give out so much but obviously they do.

IIRC @normspanners was singing their praises when he got one a year or so ago, think we need an update.

 

[Robotstar5]

Might be this one.View attachment 94010

Took the back of mine and searched the part No. found this one

 

[Bill Edwards]

Well, I can only speak from experience. Mine started a 2.8 petrol engine when it's battery would only 'click' the starter [i.e.....flat].

Fair enough - mine were about as close as can be to useless, the idea of it actually starting anything (infact, even both together) from flat is rather funny.
A neighbor had one or two and it didn't seem to do much. Another neighbor came to me after borrowing one from the other and his car still wouldn't start, did I have any jump leads...?
Two minutes later his car was running, something to do with a decent booster pack!

 

[brightspark]

I just carry long thick jump leads in van all the time and have a spare battery at home in case I leave the radio on and it flattens battery if I'm out and it happens I just bum anyone to let me jump start it of there car

 

[Bill Edwards]

I carry a set of jump leads (decent, i.e thick) in my car in case the battery ever dies because sometimes I (for obvious reasons) don't want a £200+ VAT booster pack left in the car just in case something goes wrong. They're good for a safety net, I don't think my car has ever needed them in the last 7 years or so but they're there, just in case. Helped others out though!

 

[GW8IZR]

If the engine you are trying to start has ONLY got a flat battery then one of these little 17aH dryfit cells will start it no matter how big the engine is.. it wont help the battery last as long as it should but the engine will almost certainly start.

Failures of the small boost packs usually happen 'cos the type of vehicle needing a jump start has often had almost no maintenance in the past years and will hardly start with a good battery..

 

[pedrobedro]

Fair enough - mine were about as close as can be to useless, the idea of it actually starting anything (infact, even both together) from flat is rather funny.
A neighbor had one or two and it didn't seem to do much. Another neighbor came to me after borrowing one from the other and his car still wouldn't start, did I have any jump leads...?
Two minutes later his car was running, something to do with a decent booster pack!

My present Clarke version is a Jump Start 900 with no compressor. It has started our 2.0Hdi Berlingo with the jump battery only. It was about £40 when I bought it but it is £66 now. I would definitely get another one, it's the second one we've had.

 

[Robotstar5]

My present Clarke version is a Jump Start 900 with no compressor....

I've got the same model

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Fair enough - mine were about as close as can be to useless, the idea of it actually starting anything (infact, even both together) from flat is rather funny.
A neighbour had one or two and it didn't seem to do much. Another neighbour came to me after borrowing one from the other and his car still wouldn't start, did I have any jump leads...?
Two minutes later his car was running, something to do with a decent booster pack!

Mine is still in the boot, along with a good set of jump leads as I'd not rely on it now [unless I can find the charger.....]. For home 'non-start' I have a) a spare 12V battery which is kept topped up, and b) a Ring charger with engine-start facility [a gift from my daughter]. Then, there's always the RAC full cover included with my insurance policy.

Belt, braces and 'sky-hook', to be sure....to be sure.....to be sure

 

[normspanners]

IIRC @normspanners was singing their praises when he got one a year or so ago, think we need an update.

mine worked well but it was left on a running vehicle I think, (not me) and damaged the battery, have tried to get another battery but seems like it has loads of wires coming out, as if the cells are separate.
But it was very handy. and unbelievable, there is a new style one now which is a bunch of caps it takes seconds to charge to full. https://www.jaycar.co.uk/capacitor-based-12v-300a-jump-starter/p/MB3765

 

[Bill Edwards]

Mine is still in the boot, along with a good set of jump leads as I'd not rely on it now [unless I can find the charger.....]. For home 'non-start' I have a) a spare 12V battery which is kept topped up, and b) a Ring charger with engine-start facility [a gift from my daughter]. Then, there's always the RAC full cover included with my insurance policy.

Belt, braces and 'sky-hook', to be sure....to be sure.....to be sure

Whereas I have a set of jump leads and the booster pack, no ordinary battery, starter charger of breakdown cover in the plan but I don't feel that I will ever have a situation where I'm at home and an engine won't crank through lack of battery power. Anyway, the jump leads are actually for when I've traveled without the booster pack. I have 100% confidence in the thing.
Plenty of other things can stop a vehicle starting or driving, but for me at home it will not be battery power!
The one and only time my booster pack hasn't got an engine to fire was when the starter motor was gone, and I mean well and truly gone - two large tractor batteries and the jump starter couldn't make up for shorted innards! Not really possible for a booster pack - or anything - to make that turn an engine!

 

[slim_boy_fat]

I keep the spare battery & charger at home because it'd take the breakdown RAC franchised garage at least an hour to get to my door, and I often leave early to attend hospital appointments 40 miles away so can't afford to wait.......

 

[Bill Edwards]

I keep the spare battery & charger at home because it'd take the breakdown RAC franchised garage at least an hour to get to my door, and I often leave early to attend hospital appointments 40 miles away so can't afford to wait.......

I'm very confident that if I go out to a dead battery the time taken to get started will be however long it takes to access the vehicle battery or starter motor connections plus the time taken to connect the jump pack, no more!