Jump-starting dead batteries with portable jump-packs has never been easier, and in the case of cars and pickups, never more economical.
Portable jump-packs are essentially a high-capacity battery in a carrying case, sprouting short positive and negative battery cables with heavy-duty clamps. The big difference between a standard lead-acid battery and a jump-pack battery is the design of the battery and associated controllers.
“We use a different type of AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat) battery with special lead plates, a different kind of acid paste and special internal connectors,” says Jim O’Hara, vice president of marketing, Clore Automotive. “All are designed to handle the large rapid discharge of electricity necessary for jump starting.”
Jump-packs not only have batteries designed to endure rapid discharge, but use special circuit boards in their controllers designed to stand up to brief blasts of high amperage.
“A cheap circuit board in a discount store jump-pack might work a couple times, jumping a big engine whose battery is totally discharged on a zero-degree day,” says Scott Schafer, CEO of Antigravity Batteries. “However, it’s not going to last like a commercial-duty (circuit) board designed specifically for jumping big engines under tough conditions.”
Fast-discharge batteries also require special design for re-charging. A mini-processor monitors the heat of the battery and the state of charge, and adapts the charging rate to minimize re-charge time without damaging the unit’s battery.
Jump-pack design has changed dramatically in the past decade. It’s now possible to get lithium-ion jump-packs that weigh less than 4 pounds that will start gas or diesel engines up to 8L (488 cu. in.) Small, consumer-grade jump-packs the size of a paperback book that can easily start cars and pickups have flooded the market for $100 or less.
Schumacher Electric, Clore Automotive, NOCO and other quality battery charger manufacturers now offer 12/24-volt jump-packs that can push out more than 1,200 amps to high-horsepower diesel engines on cold days. The all-in-one units weigh around 40 pounds and fit easily behind the seat of a pickup truck. Prices range from $400 to nearly $2,000, depending on amp-output and accessories.
Final tip: “A sniff test for a heavy-duty jump-pack capable of starting big engines under cold conditions is the size of the braided wire in its cables,” says O’Hara. “An industrial-quality unit will have at least #4 AWG cables, and maybe even #2 AWG cables, with rubber insulation. Plastic insulation gets stiff in cold conditions. Rubber insulation stays flexible.”
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