Wal-Mart mini jump starter

[bob from indiana]

Today I was in Wal-Mart and saw these jump packs.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/The-Everstart-Multi-Funciton-Jump-Starter/46528407

They are a bit larger that the Whistler brand they keep in stock all year. I believe they had a similar one last year at Christmas. There are no reviews on the website. I have been interested in a mini jump pack and may get one of these. Another $20.00 would get the Whistler brand that has good reviews. I am cautious of Holiday special merchandise as a rule. Does anyone have anything to add.

 

[Ed ke6bnl]

thats nice but I want the 600 max amp one.

 

[introvertedtraveler]

this is the one you want (you can find them cheaper) its the "DO ALL" jumper

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...=Micro_Start_XP_10-_-0MD-0078-00014-_-Product

 

[Ed ke6bnl]

this is the one you want (you can find them cheaper) its the "DO ALL" jumper

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...=Micro_Start_XP_10-_-0MD-0078-00014-_-Product

I believe I have one saved on list for about $70 for 600 peak amps. just not ready to purchase, too many things on the list.

 

[nh_yota]

I've had a few jump packs over the years and I gave up on them after a while. They constantly needed to be charged up and even then they didn't have enough juice to start a car.

 

[guy48065]

$40 Everstart 12000mAH battery vs $60 Whistler 33000mAH battery. But I don't know if ratings mean much on cheap import stuff at Walmart...

I'm surprised Walmart still carries the Whistler after the big recall. That has to cut into profits having to deal with so many returns. I think the fire safety concerns on these tiny batteries are all BS anyways. I just toss mine onto a pile of old newspapers under the cotton drapes in the nursery to charge overnight. No problems...

 

[guy48065]

I've had a few jump packs over the years and I gave up on them after a while. They constantly needed to be charged up and even then they didn't have enough juice to start a car.

"over the years"? Are you referring to this:

or this:

 

[nh_yota]

The second one, but it was a different brand. It had a built in air compressor, 120V inverter and flashlight.

 

[nh_yota]

Regarding the large jump packs - I guess they're handy if you're a mechanic or tow truck driver and you frequently jump start cars - and you can keep it plugged in and charging all the time so it's ready when you need it.

However if you plan to keep it in the trunk of your car just for emergencies, well it may have a dead battery when it comes time to use it.

 

[AmishFury]

Regarding the large jump packs - I guess they're handy if you're a mechanic or tow truck driver and you frequently jump start cars - and you can keep it plugged in and charging all the time so it's ready when you need it.

However if you plan to keep it in the trunk of your car just for emergencies, well it may have a dead battery when it comes time to use it.

this is the biggest flaw of those... the lithium-ion jump starters hold a charge much better than the big jump packs

 

[HOTFR8]

Have a read of this link >
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=288068&showall=1

 

[BaMaDuDe87]

I just went through this process. Almost picked up these smaller chargers. Kept reading reviews and thought to myself, I have one of these smaller battery packs that I used as a cell phone charger. Held a charge for about 3 months, now barley anything. Most of these have a smaller CCA number, but cost more than the bigger ones. Convenient size - yes, proven to last while jumping cars - I personally don't feel they are really there yet. If my family drove really small cars then I'd prob pick up one of these smaller units and hope it lasts, but all of our vehicles have an extra cubic foot of space to give up for a bigger unit.

At the end of the day, I picked up a Stanley J5C09 1000 Peak Amp Jump Starter with Built in Compressor for the same price as these smaller, but less powerful chargers. Doubt I will ever need anything this big, but better to have and not need than need and not have.

 

[organ]

Have a read of this link >
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=288068&showall=1

Fear-mongering

 

[cbrxfr67]

Microboosters were a hot item when we first got them. Died down a bit but still good sellers. Myself, I've used mine and saved me a serious headache more than once. For me, having it was worth the $.
This one, Calvan 560, has done really well this past year. Snap On dealers consistently buy this one from me. 18000 MAH. The only thing about these that recently got pointed out is that after the warranty period, there is no sending them in to get fixed or anything like that. Basically -that's it- according to the manufacturer.

 

[Hootbro]

I have never understood the market for "jump packs" outside someone in the repair trade industry.

At a consumer level, I can count on one hand with fingers to spare in 30+ years of vehicle ownership that I have had to jump start my own personal vehicle. People that run around constantly needing a jump start are just avoiding the fact they have battery or charging issues that need dealing with.

 

[bczygan]

Right now, with the change in daylight savings time, is a very dangerous time for people to leave their lights on.

My wife specifically asked me to make sure her jump pack was in the car because she is apt to do so. She drives in to work in the dark, but by the time she gets there it's light, and she sometimes forgets to turn the lights off.

It's a 30 minute drive each way for me to come save her.

The nice thing about the larger pack, is the number of jumps it will do, so even if it discharges over time, and needs periodic recharging, the reserve capacity saves you.
Add in the small one, that keeps it's charge, and you have belt and suspenders.

I'm tempted to get her the smaller pack, so she has more convenience,as well as a backup, and it also recharges your cell phone, which is especially good in a roadside emergency.


Wondering if the Walmart one is good enough for a 6 cylinder 3.0 engine.

Bill

 

[Hootbro]

Right now, with the change in daylight savings time, is a very dangerous time for people to leave their lights on.

My wife specifically asked me to make sure her jump pack was in the car because she is apt to do so. She drives in to work in the dark, but by the time she gets there it's light, and she sometimes forgets to turn the lights off.

It's a 30 minute drive each way for me to come save her.

The nice thing about the larger pack, is the number of jumps it will do, so even if it discharges over time, and needs periodic recharging, the reserve capacity saves you.
Add in the small one, that keeps it's charge, and you have belt and suspenders.

I'm tempted to get her the smaller pack, so she has more convenience,as well as a backup, and it also recharges your cell phone, which is especially good in a roadside emergency.


Wondering if the Walmart one is good enough for a 6 cylinder 3.0 engine.

Bill

Wondering, what does the wife drive that does not have a "lights on" reminder buzzer/ding to be constantly forgetting?

 

[bofe954]

If the car is always dead at work could she have a cheap jumper plugged in at work? Maybe pass the hat at work and buy a charger to leave there for everybody to use. Or cables...

 

[guy48065]

Wondering if the Walmart one is good enough for a 6 cylinder 3.0 engine.

Wonder no more. After a local counter guy that sells the Anti-Gravity brand told me they started a diesel wrecker with one (not just jumped), I disconnected the battery in my cold 4.6l Explorer, hooked my $60 Walmart "Jump & Go" to the empty clamps and it cranked at a normal rate & fired right up. I'm no longer a skeptic and keep a 2nd one in my ATV.

 

[kblee27]

In my business, I get call-outs to jump start cars.
I must have jump at least 50 cars with these lithium-ion jump packs.
I've 3 of them, all chinese made of cuz.

I'm always careful about the danger of lithium-ion.

I'd connect up carefully to the car battery and ask the driver to start the engine.
When the engine is started I'd quickly pull away the cables.

On some diesel engine, it doesn't have enough juice to jump start. The wires would get warm. I'd tell the driver not to crank anymore, and let the lithium battery cool down.

In this case, I'd use the traditional heavy jump start cables and lead-acid battery to start.

My thoughts are that when you're using lithium-ion jump pack, you have to be very careful and pay attention to what you're doing. Any sign of the battery heating up, you should quickly remove it.

 

[bczygan]

Wondering, what does the wife drive that does not have a "lights on" reminder buzzer/ding to be constantly forgetting?

1990 Pontiac 6000, with electrical problems. Horn and cigarette lighter don't work and until recently, the inside lights didn't either. That may be the same circuit for the warning buzzer, so now it may be working. She would like it just for the ability to charge her phone, since the cigarette lighter doesn't work. Of course, I could fix that too...

She always carries a good set of cables and the big jump pack and the battery is a new Everstart.

She likes gadgets, so it would make a nice gift.

Bill

 

[nh_yota]

I have never understood the market for "jump packs" outside someone in the repair trade industry.

At a consumer level, I can count on one hand with fingers to spare in 30+ years of vehicle ownership that I have had to jump start my own personal vehicle. People that run around constantly needing a jump start are just avoiding the fact they have battery or charging issues that need dealing with.

Yeah I'm in the same camp. I've never had to jump start my own vehicles because I always keep them in top shape, and all of the vehicles I've owned just happened to be ones that shut the lights off automatically.

My neighbor across the street is about the same age as me (mid 30's) and very nice, but I think he's smoked too much weed in his life and has become pretty absent minded. He leaves his car doors open all the time and sometimes he'll forget to close them and the dome lights will run the battery down. I'll get a knock on the door a few times a year asking for a jump start, and I'm happy to help him out since he's a good guy. However I did joke with him last time that I was going to get him a jump pack for Christmas.

 

[Wanna Ride]

I have something similar that I bought about a year ago. Actually, I bought two of them. One to keep in my motorcycle and one to keep in my travel bag. I bought them primarily to use as portable power packs for my phone and iPad. I travel frequently for work and it comes in handy for charging them when you experience flight delays, etc. Not sure the power stats, but I've had absolutely no issues with mine, ever. It's amazing how long the charge on them lasts, but I can't even tell you because they literally lasts for months. I paid about $100 for each of them.

The power button is on the side, and when you press it once, it lights up the blue LEDs that tell you the percentage of available power reserve; 4 lights=100%, 3 lights=75%, etc. On the end, from left to right; the outlet for the 12vdc jumper cables, an LED flashlight (press the power button twice to turn on/off), the USB port for plugging in your phone/tablet to charge, and then the outlet for recharging the power pack. This power pack weighs about 30% more than my iPhone, so it's super convenient and easy to travel.

I never thought it was going to be too necessary to use as a jump pack, but worth the cost for recharging devices. But if you've ever spent a lot of times riding street motorcycles, you'll eventually have battery issues... or ride with someone who will. Like I said earlier, I bought one to keep in my bike, mainly to keep my phone charged while laying in the saddlebag. The jumpers are small enough, so I threw those in there too. While I was in Sturgis, I ran into about four guys who were broke down with a dead battery. I remembered I had the jumpers, so I offered to help, but I wasn't sure how well this would REALLY work. All four times, people laughed when they saw what I had. Right up until their bike started. And even more surprising, all four bikes started on ONE charge, and it still has 75% power left, after laying in the saddlebag since the first week of August! I'm sold on these little things and the technology built into these.

A buddy of mine showed me his, and that's where I discovered these. He lives up in Edmonton, Alberta and starts snowmobiles and his truck all the time with his. But I'll admit... if I'd never seen it used and worked myself, I'd swear it was impossible. Love these little gadgets.

 

[HOTFR8]

Proper battery maintenance and a good battery tender for a vehicle that sits is good and yes I know we still leave the lights on but nothing beats a decent set of surge protected jumper leads.

I just went through this process. Almost picked up these smaller chargers. Kept reading reviews and thought to myself, I have one of these smaller battery packs that I used as a cell phone charger. Held a charge for about 3 months, now barley anything. Most of these have a smaller CCA number, but cost more than the bigger ones. Convenient size - yes, proven to last while jumping cars - I personally don't feel they are really there yet. If my family drove really small cars then I'd prob pick up one of these smaller units and hope it lasts, but all of our vehicles have an extra cubic foot of space to give up for a bigger unit.

At the end of the day, I picked up a Stanley J5C09 1000 Peak Amp Jump Starter with Built in Compressor for the same price as these smaller, but less powerful chargers. Doubt I will ever need anything this big, but better to have and not need than need and not have.

Fear-mongering

Did you watch the video ? Did you see it burn ? I have seen tests of the Chinese made jump starters and like the post above your heard of them failing after 3 months or less.

 

[tt350z]

I have the antigravity XP10.

I wanted a larger lithium jump pack to ensure that it can jump start my car with a cammed 7.0L V-8. I just used it this week to jump a NMC-Wollard MB2 (used to tow B-52's). Those have a 6.7L Cummins diesel.

Main thing I'm paranoid about is running the battery dead on my boat. It would **** to bot be able to start your nig motor when a storm rolls in out on the lake.

I've only had to jump my truck twice, one when I returned from a deployment and another when my terminals were corroded and only had good enough contact to turn on the lights, so I thought that battery was dead. Either way I'll be getting one for all my vehicles just due to how cold it gets in the winter here.

 

[kblee27]

Lithium-ion jump starter pack doesn't like reverse charging.
Once the engine is running, alternator puts out typically 14~15Vdc.
The lithium is 3-cells in series of 4.2V per cell max, that means 12.6Vdc.

Here, I open up the red box clamp and measure inside.

The power supply is showing 15.8V, 0A, which means no current is going into the lithium pack.
The voltmeter is showing 11.94V which is the voltage of the lithium pack

The 4 components inside are Schottky diodes, which prevent reverse current flow.

 

[Toolhorder]

I just bought this Snap-on one,
https://store.snapon.com/Portable-B...s-12-volt-110VAC-Outlets-Snap-on-P651391.aspx

My JNC jump pack finally **** the bed and I wanted the inverter for camping and the USB port for charging my phone at work. You almost need one if you repair cars for a living. Case in point I had a RO for a Ford Excersion that was powered by the 6.0L diesel. I went out and it wouldn't start (cold outside this morning) Go back and grabbed my new jump pack and it started it no problem.


Matco came by today with their version of the mini jump pack. He said they make one for 12/24V systems for jumping diesel semi's. I told him I might buy that one. I don't want the small one. I might give it a try.

 

[bczygan]

Just ordered the Walmart one for in store pick up on the 19th.

Will try it out.

Bill

 

[anndel]

Tried to order the Stanley J5C09 1000 on Amazon.com but they can't ship this to Hawaii. I guess a visit to Wal Mart tomorrow is in order. Thanks everyone for a informative thread.

 

[bczygan]

Tried to order the Stanley J5C09 1000 on Amazon.com but they can't ship this to Hawaii. I guess a visit to Wal Mart tomorrow is in order. Thanks everyone for a informative thread.

Check online that they stock it locally. My Walmarts nearby did not.