Jump start power packs.

Technical Area Electrics & ICE
2

These jump start power packs that are the size of a packet of fags, has anyone got one and actually used it.

The reason i’m asking is because my battery is over twelve and half years old, it lives on a conditioning charger and has never failed me yet!!! but at some stage i know because of it’s age it will let me down and sods law i will be 100 miles from home.

So for between £50-£100 i am seriously thinking of buying one for when that day inevitably dawns.

Any recommendations of a good make and amp hour model to go for.

Buying and fitting a new battery is not a problem it’s just a back up for the day the battery does decides to say bye bye sucker.

Cheers, Dave.

3

I’d be thinking the £50-£100 would be best spent on a new battery now, especially if you rely on the one car. Keeping it maintained is great but 12 years it is risking it.

4

I understand what your saying but with four cars and three vans in my family it could be a useful addition to the tool box.

 

5

The MX5 will probably not need the largest capacity booster pack.

You are not making sense here as you have to size it for the largest starting amperage car especially a diesel if it has to be used across the fleet.

Replace the battery as advised as you know it is starting to fail and get a booster pack to cover the most amperage hungry starter in the fleet.

6

https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/accessories-tyres/92728/best-mini-jump-starter-packs-2019

7

I’ve had one about 4 years now. It wasn’t an expensive one, about £27 on Ebay, but has started a few petrol cars under 2.0 litre engine size.

It’s stuggled with diesel cars, not surprisingly.

It was a 12000 mAh unit. When I replace it I’ll get one a bit more powerful, at the time of purchase there wasn’t as much choice as there is nowadays.

One non car thing it was handy for, my wife had a month in hospital three years ago and she used it to keep her phone and tablet charged up while there. I’d take it away to charge up every few days and bring it back the next evening.

8

We sell one,

I was cynical and laughed when it came in to stock.

Words along the lines of ‘Good luck, this is going to be a pile of crap, I’ll eat my hat if it would start a car’

 

https://www.beal.org.uk/power-tools/400-amp-jump-starter.html

 

We sold 23 in the last 12 months. I’ve not seen one come back or heard of any complaints.

One of my collegues bought one and says that it works well, which was a surprise.

 

I could probably obtain a discount if anyone was interested.

9

I bought a 600 amp one of eBay for £35 on a recommendation and has been good, started neigbours 1.8 diesel and my boat which has an 1100 inboard no trouble Comes in a little case with loads of leads for charging various phones and has 4 usb ports and a big output led light. Holds charge well and dead handy just to throw in the boot.

10

I bought a DBPower DJS10 a couple of years ago.   Cost around £40, reduced to £30 as it was about to be

a superceded model. 

 

Never had to use it on the MX5.  Used it on a neghbour’s car one winter morning. Started her car up instantly.

No messing around with long cables, driving your car up to their’s, bonnet to bonnet etc.

Also, as mentioned above, with the USB outlets, it’s handy for charging my phone.

 

 

11

I have had one for two years

Brilliant bit of kit

12

Having read about them now I would say it’s a good addition to the tool box, even more with the number of cars in the household

 

13

I have a DBPower of some description, used it to start the neighbours car more than mine! I think he has a parasitic drain or some other electrical gremlin (its a 2 litre Alfa lol) I have used it to start my 3 litre diesel, it turned the engine over like a brand new battery had been put in. Useful for charging phones and the like too.

 

14

I have this Absaar one - bought at the time as a distress purchase in a French supermarket, when I had concerns that my car wouldn’t start and we’d miss our ferry home.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Absaar-jump-starter-062084-mini-6000mAh/dp/B01IN9OKDC/

I didn’t have high expectations of it, but in the last year it has started both my BMW 335i and Toyota GT86, as well as a friend’s Subaru Forester (twice).

It is now in the category of “if it broke, I’d go out and buy another one tomorrow”.

15

Well after much deliberation and review searching i bought the Suaoki U28 from Amazon at £89.99p which arrived Friday and immediately went on charge for around six hours.
Today i disconnected the battery on my other car (admittedly is only a 1300cc) which was stone cold as it hasn’t been run for at least three days and connected the jumper, pressed the force start button which you need to if the battery is missing or below 1 volt, car started 1st crack.
Very happy with my purchase which now gives me the confidence to take the MX5 out knowing the original battery even though it’s coming up to thirteen years old will at some stage let me down, then i will buy a new battery.
Dave.