Jumper Cables vs Jumper Battery Packs

[tx_shooter]

So my old faithful jumper cables broke down and need replacement. My issue is a good set of jumper cables cost close to as much as a battery pack with jumper cables on it. Does anyone have experience with these setups? It would be easier to use and take up much less space. The jump start battery pack also has other benefits of charging/ powering USB devices when needed. I use a couple of USB fans in my RTT so this would be a benefit I could use.

But do they really work for jump starting vehicles?

 

[Taco Loco]

DEWALT 1400 Peak Amp Jump Starter with Digital Compressor-DXAEJ14 - The Home Depot

I picked up one of these on sale for $109 plus 10% off Veteran discount.
I had a Stanley one I used for about 5 years until battery crapped out.

Comes in handy to jump start or air up tires on tractor, trailers etc.

 

[tx_shooter]

Like the idea but it is to big to fit under my backseats.

 

[Taco Loco]

It is bulky.

 

[Oswego]

Good timing... MHS lift is here working on our forklift right now. Either the battery is toasted or the new ignition one of my guys put in was done wrong and is draining the battery, or the alternator is bad. That said we have had to jump it multiple times over the past two weeks and based on that I would never replace jumper cables with a jumper pack. First I need to insure the pack is fully charged which it wasn't, on multiple occasions, then after waiting for hrs I needed to try and start the lift. Due to our lift being ol school coal roller the pack just plain sucks and doesn't have the balls needed. Once we get a truck close enough to jump it - she starts right up. With good cables and another vehicle I know I can start just about anything. Now I live in NJ so there is an abundance of people to ask for help. If I was rural I may consider the pack a better option.

 

[Anathollo]

So my old faithful jumper cables broke down and need replacement. My issue is a good set of jumper cables cost close to as much as a battery pack with jumper cables on it. Does anyone have experience with these setups? It would be easier to use and take up much less space. The jump start battery pack also has other benefits of charging/ powering USB devices when needed. I use a couple of USB fans in my RTT so this would be a benefit I could use.

But do they really work for jump starting vehicles?

View attachment 10859

You can probably pick up some welding wire and fix your old set of jumper cables. I have my father's old set of jumper cables and the wire gauge is much thicker than the ones they sell now. I can jump a car with mine and they get a little warm. Awhile back, I jumped a ladies car using her cables and the damn insulation burned my hands it got so hot. I wanna say the new ones are like half the wire size of my old ones (at least it feels like it ).

 

[Taco Loco]

Like the idea but it is to big to fit under my backseats.

The alternator check on it came in handy when my taco starter solenoid was acting up.

 

[CowboyTaco]

Interested in the outcome of this discussion.

You can still buy thicker gauge jumper cables, they just cost more (but not too bad IIRC). Advantage: don't need to worry about battery booster charge level. Disadvantage: can be bulky, needs another vehicle (out of luck if solo camping) and person willing to help.

Husky 20 ft. 4-Gauge Booster Cables-0160420-UL1 - The Home Depot

Ultra Performance 20 ft. 2-Gauge Jumper Cable-35204 - The Home Depot

Battery packs have different sizes. Obviously, bigger is better. I hear good things about NoCo. Advantage: I don't need no help! Disadvantage: may not be reliable.

at a minimum: https://www.amazon.com/NOCO-GB40-UltraSafe-Lithium-Starter/dp/B015TKUPIC

or up your game: https://www.amazon.com/NOCO-GB70-UltraSafe-Lithium-Starter/dp/B016UG6PWE

 

[Oswego]

Good point you bring up about solo camping in an isolated place since I'm about to go solo for two days before my friends show up and I will not see anyone else due to our spot being hidden and far off the beaten track- one of the reasons I want to look into solar someday. Would take a long time, but better than nothing.

 

[tx_shooter]

Solo recovery is a good point. I did not think about that aspect. I have a 2nd battery on my 4R but I doubt it would jump start it with 350 cca. I plan to upgrade it at some point but I still do not plan to run a full size battery. Space limitations is the biggest issue.

 

[Mauzer]

Interested in the outcome as well. My neighbor who is a mechanic loves those jump packs but he uses the Dewalt and not those little USB ones. He says he just doesn't want to fuck around with getting two cars close enough yadda yadda. He also "moonlights" and his driveway is full of cars so its just easier for him to use the jump pack. We used it to start my 4runner during its resurrection and it worked like a charm, but again...its BULKY.

 

[tx_shooter]

I am looking at something like this with 900a peak power. Should start anything I care to start; but still not as powerful as a set of jumper cables hooked up. I do like not having to move my 4Runner around and get hooked up. A setup like this removes the issue of possibly frying my rig.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07F1RN6FN/ref=sspa_dk_detail_4?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B07F1RN6FN

 

[tex]

I am looking at something like this with 900a peak power. Should start anything I care to start; but still not as powerful as a set of jumper cables hooked up. I do like not having to move my 4Runner around and get hooked up. A setup like this removes the issue of possibly frying my rig.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07F1RN6FN/ref=sspa_dk_detail_4?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B07F1RN6FN

I would buy something with a few more reviews. It's almost half as much as the NoCo so that's a plus

 

[tx_shooter]

Even better option. With the adapter to go to a standard cigarette plug it could be used to power most anything away from the vehicle.

https://www.amazon.com/TACKLIFE-Car-Jump-Starter-Certified/dp/B075K42Z1M/ref=sr_1_30_sspa?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1533133394&sr=1-30-spons&refinements=p_72:1248861011&psc=1

 

[CowboyTaco]

I remember reading somewhere that the rating is not entirely true. I'm going off memory here, so forgive me if I start speaking incorrectly. I think it was something like a 1000A battery booster was not a true 1000A booster in the sense that it cannot deliver that much power in a single burst (i.e. to start a car). Sure, the battery holds that much power, but it cannot deliver that much power on demand. I'm pretty sure that is why the "bigger is better" mentality applies to those things.

 

[Anathollo]

I remember reading somewhere that the rating is not entirely true. I'm going off memory here, so forgive me if I start speaking incorrectly. I think it was something like a 1000A battery booster was not a true 1000A booster in the sense that it cannot deliver that much power in a single burst (i.e. to start a car). Sure, the battery holds that much power, but it cannot deliver that much power on demand. I'm pretty sure that is why the "bigger is better" mentality applies to those things.

Yep. Here's AvE's review on it. I had to find someones uploaded version since they copyright striked it.

Thread I found it on.
r/ave - The NoCo Genius Boost video was taken down?

 

[Taco Loco]

I remember reading somewhere that the rating is not entirely true. I'm going off memory here, so forgive me if I start speaking incorrectly. I think it was something like a 1000A battery booster was not a true 1000A booster in the sense that it cannot deliver that much power in a single burst (i.e. to start a car). Sure, the battery holds that much power, but it cannot deliver that much power on demand. I'm pretty sure that is why the "bigger is better" mentality applies to those things.

I think the bulky jump starts have capacitors to increase the peak power, I don't think those other smaller stand alone jump starts have them

 

[Silverback]

I have a Noco jump box (medium sized one.. good for a small V8), and a Noco 7.5 amp charger.. plus a few Noco marine shore chargers (10 amp in trailer, 4 amp in back of truck and a dual 4 amp I have never used). Never had any issues but I'm not testing what they put out, just connect and wait. I still carry a set of 2 ga jumper cables with me though. Fuck technology.. I like simplicity because it works.

 

[PSU Taco85]

I can tell you that I'm not a fan of those Jumper packs, for the very reason Boyd talked about earlier. For them to work they have to be charged, I've ran into more than one occasion where I wanted to use it and it needed to be topped off first before it was usable. I guess if you remember to keep it charged it would be better but I don't have the time to remember I keep a pack of these in each of my cars/trucks

Pro-Start Booster Cables — 25ft.L, 1-Gauge, Model# PS1BC001 | Northern Tool + Equipment

They are a monster jumper cable, it jumps the ford or any big truck with no issues so it handles a car/backhoe/motorcycle just about any vehicle. My tacoma has two batteries with an isolator so I do not keep jumper cables in there. Maybe I'm old school but I just don't trust those battery packs. That being said all my vehicles are stick too so worst case I just push it and pop the clutch. If I was going to get one of those charger packs I'd get a LiPo type one. Those things have some serious power

 

[achirdo]

You can probably pick up some welding wire and fix your old set of jumper cables. I have my father's old set of jumper cables and the wire gauge is much thicker than the ones they sell now. I can jump a car with mine and they get a little warm. Awhile back, I jumped a ladies car using her cables and the damn insulation burned my hands it got so hot. I wanna say the new ones are like half the wire size of my old ones (at least it feels like it ).

This was gonna be my suggestion. Got buy some welding cable and make your own. #1 ultraflex would work for you nicely. Stuff is around $2/ft if I remember correctly.

I can tell you that I'm not a fan of those Jumper packs, for the very reason Boyd talked about earlier. For them to work they have to be charged, I've ran into more than one occasion where I wanted to use it and it needed to be topped off first before it was usable. I guess if you remember to keep it charged it would be better but I don't have the time to remember I keep a pack of these in each of my cars/trucks

Pro-Start Booster Cables — 25ft.L, 1-Gauge, Model# PS1BC001 | Northern Tool + Equipment

They are a monster jumper cable, it jumps the ford or any big truck with no issues so it handles a car/backhoe/motorcycle just about any vehicle. My tacoma has two batteries with an isolator so I do not keep jumper cables in there. Maybe I'm old school but I just don't trust those battery packs. That being said all my vehicles are stick too so worst case I just push it and pop the clutch. If I was going to get one of those charger packs I'd get a LiPo type one. Those things have some serious power

These seem like a good deal actually without the hassle of making your own. Now I just happen to have like 300' of 1/0 laying around so I need to just go cut some off for jumpers and buy the alligator clips