Milwaukee M18 jump pack

[Terra Nova]

Well, looks like Milwaukee is coming out with a jump pack. Always surprised me they didn’t already make one.

Milwaukee 3841-20 M18 HOTSHOT Jump Starter, Tool Only

Key Features 2000 Peak Amps The Milwaukee 3841-20 M18 HOTSHOT Jump Starter delivers enough output to start up to 8.1L gas and 3.0L diesel engines, so it is built for real roadside and fleet service work, not just small passenger cars. Ready Fast Internal capacitors let this jump starter get...

www.toolnut.com

 

[whateg01]

I've used my jump pack a few times the past couple weeks. I had a thought, why doesn't somebody make one to use one of my 20v battery packs. They read my mind!

 

[2ndGearRubber]

Seems kind of pricey versus buying a NOCO or a traditional jump pack that the $299 price point. 2000amp noco is 199 on Amazon, the regular 1700 Jump N Carry is sub 150 bucks.

 

[Terra Nova]

I've used my jump pack a few times the past couple weeks. I had a thought, why doesn't somebody make one to use one of my 20v battery packs. They read my mind!

My understanding, albeit limited, is that power tool batteries were not designed to handle the rapid discharges needed for jump starting. Looks like Milwaukee worked around this by using capacitors. That will make the jump pack physically larger than your common Noco style. Still may be a good option. I already carry a couple M18 batteries and cordless impact on trips so this could be handy from that standpoint. Hopefully the price comes down some.

 

[Nobody-named-Olli]

Obviously the proof is in the pudding, but my guess would be longevity and the option to change the battery when empty make this a winner in commercial/ mobile mech. application.

I’ve seen a shop or two with larger rechargeable units, but they tend to forget to charge them/ switch on the circuit it’s hooked up to. (I know …) Still might be worth it to some. And the price most likely will come down.

For personal once in three moons or road side emergency use, a pack like the Noco might still be a better option, I agree. That is, unless you’re traveling with M18 tools anyway.

Kind regards,
Olli

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

Cool unit, but far too large to throw under the seat like a standard lithium jump pack. I can see how this would be great for a mobile mechanic or even for a shop tech.

 

[dnschmidt]

Cool unit, but far too large to throw under the seat like a standard lithium jump pack. I can see how this would be great for a mobile mechanic or even for a shop tech.

Considering our climate the supercapacitors are way better than the battery powered packs when you keep your jump pack in the car. I've had three normal Noco type jump packs simply irreversibly die from our heat. Went with a supercapacitor model and although you need to wait for it to charge from the semi-dead battery it still gets the job done in our Phoenix heat.

 

[dscheidt]

Obviously the proof is in the pudding, but my guess would be longevity and the option to change the battery when empty make this a winner in commercial/ mobile mech. application.

Yes, a replaceable battery would be great for a jump pack, at least in tow trucks, and other frequent use applications. Pretty common to run them out of battery -- even if you remember to recharge them, which is a different problem that swapping batteries can fix. Battery failure is also the end of life for lots of these things, so removable battery changes that, too.

I hadn't considered it, but I'm now surprised it's taken anyone this long to make one. if it will run a car w/ a dead alternator, it would be a slam dunk in lots of shops. Techs already have m18 impacts, etc. one of the limitations of most of the lithium jump starters is that they won't supply current for more than a few seconds, so if a car starts, but won't run without external voltage, you can't use one to drive it into the shop, which you can w/ a lead acid pack. That's one reason the lead acid clores (jnc660 et al) are still popular.

 

[Callelle]

If they really wanted to target tow truck drivers, they should have given it a massively large peak amps, like 10k. That way, all the HD tow truck drivers that haul around M18 3/4 and 1" guns anyway could get away from the StartAlls that constantly die.

 

[mrjaw14]

I love the idea of using power tool batteries and capacitors. one of the things that kept me from the noco and others is that the battery has a lifespan. I always put it off and was planning on getting one timed for winter when my batteries age.

I hope they make one that goes for more than a 3.0 diesel. So I think this first gen is good for gas hopefully, but diesel I'm hoping they come out with another one with more beans. It's cool they have USB charging on it. Light is a nice idea, but not sure it's positioned in a useful way.

 

[darkzero]

As I commemted on reddit when I first saw this, "they're out of their mind for the price" since there's no power source/battery. I'll stick with the two Nocos that I already have.

All my tools are currently red & have been for the past 10 yrs (used to be yellow). But I feel MW is way overpriced now & although I joke saying they don't get it right until gen3 there is actually some truth to that. And I'm very disappointed in their batteries, I've had my share of failure ls for certain batteries yet I have M18 5.0s from 2015 still working fine.

Which leads me to my next concern. Will they recommend/demand only certain batteries for use with that thing? I don't see a way for them to prevent users from trying to use whatever size M18 battery they have on hand. I really hope that thing has great protections built in to prevent battery damage.

I suspect either a lot of users will say it's junk for not performing well due to insufficient batteries and/or cause damage to certain batteries. MW batteries are way to expensive for me to risk jump starting vehicles for more than just an emergency. No thanks, I'll wait to see what happens with these long term.

 

[pbon]

I agree the cost is high and the output low, so I won’t be buying one though I have cabinets full of Milwaukee tools.

 

[LB-1911]

Will they recommend/demand only certain batteries for use with that thing? I don't see a way for them to prevent users from trying to use whatever size M18 battery they have on hand. I really hope that thing has great protections built in to prevent battery damage.

any M18™ Battery, optimized for M18™ REDLITHIUM™ XC5.0 and above.
Source @
https://www.milwaukeetool.com/news/...hotshot-a-new-to-world-jump-starting-solution

 

[darkzero]

any M18™ Battery, optimized for M18™ REDLITHIUM™ XC5.0 and above.
Source @
https://www.milwaukeetool.com/news/...hotshot-a-new-to-world-jump-starting-solution

Fair enough, I'll admit I did not bother reading the literature for it. But I'm still skeptical about the performance on this one. Not the first time MW has fooled people with their lies. I'll sit back & wait for the show. Hopefully I'm proven wrong.

 

[CJM8515]

Seems kind of pricey versus buying a NOCO or a traditional jump pack that the $299 price point. 2000amp noco is 199 on Amazon, the regular 1700 Jump N Carry is sub 150 bucks.

ill stick with my JNC 660 tyvm lol.. suckers never failed me besides the battery finally kicking the bucket after years and years. then you can just buy a new one lol.

 

[whateg01]

It's not the same, in that it doesn't use regular battery packs, but I didn't realize DeWalt has a jump pack.

I was chatting with somebody a couple days ago and he mentioned his jump pack is the style that you hook up and it quickly recharges the vehicle battery and doesn't provide high cca to start the vehicle itself. Is that a thing? Searching for jump pack slow charger doesn't show me anything like that.

 

[assassin10000]

I've got one of the generic ones off amazon that uses m18 batteries.

It outputs 30a at 13.5v iirc to charge the vehicle battery, so no use on truly dead or shorted batteries. But it'll get something going if need be, and it's not complete toast. Just takes a while longer.

 

[Odd-job]

Interested to see where the street price settles in at. Would be more compelling for me if it was m18 battery optional meaning that it would could charge off the dead battery like the Clore/JNC capacitor jump pack, but then be supplemented with the M18 battery for when waiting ***** or the battery is super dead.

edit: Lithium batteries hate being stored in freezing and hot temperatures.

 

[darkzero]

Lithium batteries hate being stored in freezing and hot temperatures.

And fully charged, well for long term that is.

 

[signcrafter]

ill stick with my JNC 660 tyvm lol.. suckers never failed me besides the battery finally kicking the bucket after years and years. then you can just buy a new one lol.

I have 2 of the jnc 660s and like them, have replaced the batteries a few times over the years. I don't use mine often so don't keep them plugged in or really take care of them. Only have two because I needed one and my other one wasn't around. But I have a bunch of m18 batteries. It would be nice to just grab a battery and throw it in the jump pack and not worry if the jump pack is charged or not since I alway have m18 batteries charged.

According to what I can find the milwaukee is 2000 peak amps and the jnc is 1700 peak amps. Milwaukee doesn't list a CCA and I don't know enough to know if that directly correlates with peak amps or not or if it's measured different, meaning maybe the milwaukee has more peak amps but jnc has more CCA even though it has less peak amps.

It definitely is expensive considering it doesn't even have a battery in it. But I wouldn't mind having one just because of the batteries going bad in my jnc every few years and I have plenty of m18 batteries and don't see that changing.

 

[dcg9381]

And fully charged, well for long term that is.

I get it. But modern what modern lithium really doesn't like is charge (and perhaps discharge) at extremes. Store it at 80% in freezing all day long, you just can't CHARGE it below freezing.

I'm pretty sure I'm getting better life out of modern lithium batteries than I did out of NiCd or (NiMH), but we don't get below freezing very much. It's just hot as heck all the time and they seem to work fine.

I like any "accessory" I can throw a Makita battery on... And I build some of my own.

 

[whateg01]

I get it. But modern what modern lithium really doesn't like is charge (and perhaps discharge) at extremes. Store it at 80% in freezing all day long, you just can't CHARGE it below freezing.

I'm pretty sure I'm getting better life out of modern lithium batteries than I did out of NiCd or (NiMH), but we don't get below freezing very much. It's just hot as heck all the time and they seem to work fine.

I like any "accessory" I can throw a Makita battery on... And I build some of my own.

I definitely get better life out of lithium than previous technologies. Some of that could be the fact that lithium will work pretty well right up until it's done and I typical use them that long before putting them back on the charger. Whatever the reason, I know I had nicad and nimh repacked more often. I've never had to repack a li-ion though I did finally have a DeWalt 2 Ah die last week. No lights at all when I push the button. Doubtful it's a cell problem though. Another that was in the same tool bag is fine. And they were in a hot car all week.

 

[Sumboodie]

If they really wanted to target tow truck drivers, they should have given it a massively large peak amps, like 10k. That way, all the HD tow truck drivers that haul around M18 3/4 and 1" guns anyway could get away from the StartAlls that constantly die.

And 24 volts

 

[whateg01]

And 24 volts

Aren't there more tow services taking care of 4 wheelers than otr?

 

[dnschmidt]

As I commemted on reddit when I first saw this, "they're out of their mind for the price" since there's no power source/battery. I'll stick with the two Nocos that I already have.

All my tools are currently red & have been for the past 10 yrs (used to be yellow). But I feel MW is way overpriced now & although I joke saying they don't get it right until gen3 there is actually some truth to that. And I'm very disappointed in their batteries, I've had my share of failure ls for certain batteries yet I have M18 5.0s from 2015 still working fine.

Which leads me to my next concern. Will they recommend/demand only certain batteries for use with that thing? I don't see a way for them to prevent users from trying to use whatever size M18 battery they have on hand. I really hope that thing has great protections built in to prevent battery damage.

I suspect either a lot of users will say it's junk for not performing well due to insufficient batteries and/or cause damage to certain batteries. MW batteries are way to expensive for me to risk jump starting vehicles for more than just an emergency. No thanks, I'll wait to see what happens with these long term.

The mistake you're making is that you're incorrectly assuming that the Milwaukee batteries are actually what's doing the jump starting. This is not the case. Their only purpose to to charge the capacitors that actually do the job. The way these capacitor jump starters work, or at least the one that I have works, is that you connect it to the so called dead battery, wait for the tool's capacitors to charge, this takes a minute or two, and then the capacitors fire to jump start the car. In this case it's the Milwaukee battery which is taking the place of the "dead" car battery to charge the capacitors which should happen a bit faster than the dead battery method. According to the press release this waiting time is 70 seconds with the 5.0 battery.

 

[Crazyjake8493]

People with more money than brains will certainly buy those. I think that's who Milwaukee targets with these wacky products.

I'll stick with a $99 Noco vs. a $299 jumper that doesn't even include the power source LOL. I think my Noco was actually $65 on sale.

 

[dnschmidt]

People with more money than brains will certainly buy those. I think that's who Milwaukee targets with these wacky products.

I'll stick with a $99 Noco vs. a $299 jumper that doesn't even include the power source LOL. I think my Noco was actually $65 on sale.

See how long that Noco lasts in your trunk in Phoenix at 120F. Your reality doesn't match my reality. I went through three of the Noco's and never even used any of them even once because all of their batteries were killed by our heat. My supercapacitor jump pack is unaffected by our heat. "Different strokes for different folks" - Sly Stone.