Battery jump start packs

[Elliejane]

Hi all

Does anyone use a portable battery jump start pack? We have a Peugeot boxer 2.3 2010 engine and want to invest in one. We leave the van on hookup whilst at home, but have been caught out a couple of times with a flat engine battery.

Thanks in Advance

EJ

 

[Tbear]

Petrol or Diesel, the diesel would need a bigger backup but the question to be asked is why your engine battery is going flat. Either something is draining it or you need a new one.

I keep a spare battery on charge for the purpose but have always jump started from another vehicle.

Richard

 

[Obanboy666]

Have one but leave at home as I carry a generator in the motorhome. It's been used a couple of times to start my sons car but to be honest it mainly gets used to check / inflate tyres.
As previously asked why is your vehicle battery going flat ?
Personnelly I never run anything of the vehicle battery when out and about and rely on the leisure batteries.

 

[iampatman]

One of these maybe?
MICROSTART • Antigravity Batteries

Pat

 

[n brown]

i could never see the point of these things,they seem to be a DIY toy for people who need more stuff for their car . you still have to remember to charge it . better to have a set of good quality ,copper cable, jump leads, and maybe a small solar panel to trickle charge your battery

 

[Deleted member 30249]

see Streetwize 900 Amp 5 in 1 Portable Power Station

I have one and it turned my engine over. No good if van battery completly flat.

As an earlier post stated get your van battery tested. It should not just go flat.

Good luck

 

[Siimplyloco]

i could never see the point of these things,they seem to be a DIY toy for people who need more stuff for their car . you still have to remember to charge it . better to have a set of good quality ,copper cable, jump leads, and maybe a small solar panel to trickle charge your battery

Agreed. When Hugo's starter battery went flat in Spain last year the repairman connected one of those packs to the battery. It bounced off and fell down dead and he had to resort to good old jump leads.
Nuff said!
John

 

[Channa]

A lot of these jump packs are simply noy big enough for the job....you have higher cranking hour batteries on diesels for starters. A lot of these packs may jump start a Nissan Micra 1.0l but not a 2.3 diesel ....In effect it is like trying to start a van with a micra battery pointless

You also need to check your manual too, a lot of manufacturers state that vehicles should not be jumped with leads or packs under any circumstances the current rush potentially damaging very expensive ECU.s I tmight be cover backside technology on their part ...but you are asking for warranty rejection claims on newer vehicles....proper charge is advocated.



Channa

P.s I found out the hard way .....

 

[n brown]

i've never noticed the price of these things ,quite pricey ! you could get something like this for that kind of money Portable Super Silent Suitcase Petrol Generator 0.7KVA Camping Caravan Motorhome | eBay and there's some good seconhand ones too

 

[oldish hippy]

if the worse comes to the worse then remove lesuire battery to start van only in dire straits is this method required

 

[jagmanx]

They keep their charge

For quite a long lime

Usually they have a light and a low power invertor (eg mobile phone)
And an air compressor.

If you need to jumpstart MH connect the Powerpack and wait at least 5or 10 mins so it has also put some juice into the engine battery.

I have done this and it works !

 

[witzend]

I carry one of these I feel that a lot of people are more likely to allow their use than a set of Jump Leads just connected for 10 mins or so and your own battery starts your van

Easy connect Charge & Start Car Jump lead replacement system | eBay

 

[Elliejane]

Thanks

Hi all

Thanks for all your input. It's a diesel van, and the battery goes flat if not started for a few weeks and I'm not sure why - unfortunately the other half, who was asked to take the van for a small run every couple of Saturdays (I'm usually out walking all day) thought it was a good idea to just make sure it started without running it for any length of time ...... He knows better now!

I'll do some research using all your links - need to get it sorted for next week's jaunt to Wales.

EJ

 

[Rob H]

Battery Jump start Packs.

Hi Elliejane,

I can see your logic in your research into battery jump start packs if your vehicle battery is being drained, possibly by your vehicle alarm system, or just a tired old vehicle battery, but before you lash out money, take a look at, 'Victron Cyrix 12/24V-120A Intelligent Battery Combiner*', these are intelligent split charge relays allowing excess 12v charge to flow from a topped up and charging leisure battery set (on mains hook up), to the vehicle battery or, from a topped up and charging vehicle battery to your leisure battery set. they incorporate a 30 second emergency battery paralleling function. These are marine quality, and can handle either12v x 120 amps* or 240 amps or 400 amps current flow. I've fitted the 120 amp version and cabling, its proved reliable and not fried itself ..

Factor in the cost of a high current 120amp fusible link and housing or circuit breaker and sufficient length of high current / nominal 150amp vehicle cable, and terminals, (Vehicle Wiring Products Ltd) and if your not confident DIY wiring in, an auto electricians time to fit.

Hope this helps.

Rob H.

 

[AIKIDOMO]

If you are on hook up at home why not invest in a small trickle charger Ring do a couple and we also have one connected. I have the same Base vehicle and we used to have this problem. Its a crap Peugeot battery usually. Changed ours never happened again, even before we trickle charged it, which we only do in Winter BTW.

 

[sak]

Snap on are the only jump packs that are any good but cost £240, you could get a jump lead made that will reach from the positive side of your leisure battery to the positive on your van battery as both are already earthed this would start the van, if you use jump leads on a modern vehicle don't have the engine running on the jump vehicle as you used to do as it can put 13 - 14 volts into your vans electrical system and something expensive will be damaged. Also keep your keys in your hand don't leave them in the ignition as when you connect jump leads etc. the voltage change can cause the central locking to lock all the doors.

 

[GeorgeS]

I carry one of these in my camper (VW T5) and have used it successfully a couple of times when I had a duff battery and it never failed to give enough juice to get the van started
Rechargeable via Mains or 12v, built in torch & USB.

Not badly priced either

Starting current - 200A
Peak current - 400A

We also happen to sell them at work i'll get some prices tomorrow inc hopefully a tempting 'Forum Price' if anyone is interested

 

[trevskoda]

see Streetwize 900 Amp 5 in 1 Portable Power Station

I have one and it turned my engine over. No good if van battery completly flat.

As an earlier post stated get your van battery tested. It should not just go flat.

Good luck

sorry to tell you if that was 900 amps you would require a fork lift truck to get it of the floor.

 

[trevskoda]

if the worse comes to the worse then remove lesuire battery to start van only in dire straits is this method required

all you require is a bypass switch from bat to bat ,save all that lifting and swoping around.

 

[trevskoda]

most batts will discharge in a few weeks thats normal ,have you a solar panel if so fitt one of these and both batts will get a charge the lowest one first.or fitt a numax charger and a charge spliter.