Antigravity or traditional jump pack?

[signcrafter]

Trying to figure out which one would work best for me. I have an older jnc jump pack with a bad battery that I can replace for about 35 bucks. Or I can pick up an antigravity jump pack for about 85 bucks. My biggest concern about the antigravity is what I've read from leaving them hooked up too long and melting down or damaging the antigravity jump pack. I used my jump pack for diagnostics a lot. If the battery in the car was bad or missing I could hook my jump pack up and do electrical testing without worrying about killing the battery. I've also used my jump pack to move a car when I needed to when it was missing a battery. But most of the antigravity jump packs say not to leave hooked up for more then 30 seconds.

I've been PMing a company that sells the antigravity pack today and he basically told me that he can't come out and say I can leave it hooked up longer then 30 seconds but said there are guys using their packs who do electrical testing using the antigravity pack hooked up longer without any issues. He said the main issue is leaving it hooked up while the car is running and the 14 or so volts from the alternator back charging it.

So with that said should I get the lightweight antigravity jump pack or just replace a battery in my old jump pack? I'd like to get the anitgravity pack just because it would be a lot nicer to carry around then a heavy "old school" jump pack for the times when I have to go jump someone's car or help them with a no start. But just worried that it won't do everything I would like it to do.

 

[454ragtop]

I'm in the same boat myself, have a high end traditional jump pack, polarity protected, doesn't matter how you hook it up, but it won't hold a charge anymore. Seriously thinking about trying one of these new mini jumpers, going to ask around if anyone I know has used one. Surprised I hadn't heard of these before this.

 

[colin39]

Our worky shop has 4 fitters and 2 vehicle engineers and we all have antigravity boosters in one form or another, and in the last 12 months non have failed and I mainly work on 24volt comercial and using 2 starts my buses and coaches no problem

 

[kctyphoon]

im curious how long that thing last as your cranking a dead car over? i mean, do you get one or two attempts at starting, and its done after that? i have a sears platinum and a stanley pack i keep in each of the car..

 

[Ign]

There was some mention of this in the AP thread today. One guy said he uses his in a 4.6 Mustang w blower for testing w no battery. I still really want the bigger AP so I can do oil burners if necessary - I don't like limitations if they can reasonably be avoided.

 

[signcrafter]

Our worky shop has 4 fitters and 2 vehicle engineers and we all have antigravity boosters in one form or another, and in the last 12 months non have failed and I mainly work on 24volt comercial and using 2 starts my buses and coaches no problem

My concern isn't really the starting of cars. More about using it while doing testing. When I have an electrical issue that I will have the car on for a while I like to hook up a jump pack so I don't wear down the car's battery. Or if the car's battery is weak and I'm trying to trouble shoot I will hook up the jump pack to make sure I'm getting accurate readings in case the battery drops down to low and gives a bad reading on something like a computer controlled circuit. Or if the car has no battery I will hook up my jump pack in it's place to do my testing. Wondering if the anitgravity will work for all those situations or not is my concern. Since the antigravity says not to leave hooked up for more then 30 seconds.

 

[blown94conv]

I'd use at tradional jump pack. Those anti gravitys are good in an emergency, and IMHO fall into the better then nothing category. Ideally, I would use a battery charger when doing any testing, the steady current rules out another variable.

 

[GSteg]

The only issue with these portable jump starter is the battery capacity. They're great for jump starting (d'oh) but terrible as a 12v battery source. Most of the pack I've seen have maybe 3ah of capacity at 12v, which is not much.

 

[signcrafter]

I'd use at tradional jump pack. Those anti gravitys are good in an emergency, and IMHO fall into the better then nothing category. Ideally, I would use a battery charger when doing any testing, the steady current rules out another variable.

This was kind of my thinking also. I can get a replacement battery for my JNC for 35 bucks shipped. Although I was kind of hoping the antigravity would work since it would be very nice to take to go jump a car since it's smaller and lighter then the JNC pack. I guess I can't have my cake and eat it too!

Any reason you would use a charger when testing instead of a jump pack? The only reason I use the jump pack is so I don't have to run a cord and drag out the charger.

 

[WhiffySpark]

This was kind of my thinking also. I can get a replacement battery for my JNC for 35 bucks shipped. Although I was kind of hoping the antigravity would work since it would be very nice to take to go jump a car since it's smaller and lighter then the JNC pack. I guess I can't have my cake and eat it too!

Any reason you would use a charger when testing instead of a jump pack? The only reason I use the jump pack is so I don't have to run a cord and drag out the charger.

I'm picking up an antigravity soon. From what I undertand you shouldn't crank for more than 30 seconds. I think we'll be fine leaving it hooked up

Also, this is garage journal. Unless the technology is 25 years old it's not reliable

 

[signcrafter]

I ended up ordering a replacement battery off ebay for my old jump pack. Was 33 dollars and I know it will work for what I want. If astro pneumatic runs a woot deal on the antigravity pack I will pick one of them up also and just use it as a nice lightweight jump starter and keep the JNC for testing and other things that the antigravity might be questionable for.

 

[CobraRed]

I ended up ordering a replacement battery off ebay for my old jump pack. Was 33 dollars and I know it will work for what I want. If astro pneumatic runs a woot deal on the antigravity pack I will pick one of them up also and just use it as a nice lightweight jump starter and keep the JNC for testing and other things that the antigravity might be questionable for.

Astro doesn't make the antigravity, they make their own model.

The 400 amp models seems more or less the same, the Astro just comes with better cords and attachments.

Their diesel versions are different, Anti Gravity's is 600 peak amp and is much longer (not sure how you're supposed to fit it in a pocket like it says)

Astro's 7785 is 650 peak amps and has a setting for macbooks and comes with a magnetic cable to use on macbooks:

 

[signcrafter]

I thought "antigravity" was just the technology of the battery? It's just a brand name?

 

[CobraRed]

I thought "antigravity" was just the technology of the battery? It's just a brand name?

The technology is multi-stack lithium-ion polymer batteries, with a circuit board that steps it down and meters for electronics.
If you crack these things open, there's a couple different companies making the battery cells.
Antigravity is a company name that sells XP-1, XP-10's ect.

 

[Zrexxer]

*SO Disappointed*

I opened this thread thinking something entirely different:

 

[blown94conv]

I'm picking up an antigravity soon. From what I undertand you shouldn't crank for more than 30 seconds. I think we'll be fine leaving it hooked up

Also, this is garage journal. Unless the technology is 25 years old it's not reliable

No, I just know what kind of amperage I will be pulling, look at the size of the wires included, and go "No".

Now, if it came with 4 gauage wires, it would be a different discussion. Can't agrue with electrical law.

 

[lametec]

*SO Disappointed*

I opened this thread thinking something entirely different:

Me too!

 

[Danglerb]

I think the Antigravity type small packs are made to JUST start cars and should not be left connected, but if left connected may internally disconnect (switch off, whatever), they do NOT recharge if connected to a car or should not.

For any kind of continuous use stick with the old style with a real battery inside, and make sure the brand says its OK to use that way as even some of the old style should not be left connected or used instead of a normal battery.

 

[454ragtop]

Personally, I think the problem with leaving them connected is starting the car and trying to backfeed a charge into them. Can't see how leaving it hooked up to a non running car would be a problem. You can leave it hooked up to a phone or other device to charge it.
Think I'm going to try one when I find one on the right (cheap) deal.
Jim

 

[kingnba6]

I have the Antigravity model XP1. Its great. I used to have the normal old jump pack but now i gave that away. The lithium tech in the XP1 makes it light and versatile. I have started v6 engines with no help of the car battery. It holds the charge for a long time too.

 

[CJM8515]

Cant beat a JNC booster, use them every day at work and it takes years for the battery to fail. Also used it as a 12V source a good bit, testing 12V stuff, took a power inverter and ran stuff off it, crapped out alternator it let me ge

 

[dnschmidt]

The reason to use a jump pack instead of a charger is ripple. If you're reprograming an ECM this is crucial. Battery goes dead while reprograming ECM is toast. Two much AC ripple ECM is toast. With a jump pack this problem is avoided.

 

[blown94conv]

I use an EEBC500, which has a reprogramming mode. I think anytime you use a battery during reprograming, you run the risk if using a jump pack of voltage dropping. If I am on AC current, I only have to worry about losing power completely, which means I will probably have to restart anyways.