Portable Car Jump Starters

[ramithad]

I am planning to buy portable car jump starter with 900 peak amp. one electrician suggested its more economical to keep maintenance free battery and charge it twice a week by a battery charger. can 35amp lead acid maintenance free battery supply 900 peak amp for jump starting. i already own jump starter lead in my car. i highly appreciate your valuable suggestions

[terrabytetango]

Follow your mechanic's advice, invest in a good trickle charger and a battery suited for diesel engines. You can use google to find out which battery is best for you.

[Sylvi]

  On 2/11/2013 at 10:42 AM, ramithad said:

I am planning to buy portable car jump starter with 900 peak amp. one electrician suggested its more economical to keep maintenance free battery and charge it twice a week by a battery charger. can 35amp lead acid maintenance free battery supply 900 peak amp for jump starting. i already own jump starter lead in my car. i highly appreciate your valuable suggestions

ramihad,

Please inform what is your Vehicle. Who tested the Self starter motor with a Amperage meter, to inform you the starting amperage.

There were some Jump start cables advertised yesterday H/A very cheap.

Sylvi Wijesinghe.

[HardHat]

IMHO jump starting should only be for emergencies and if you've got vehicles lying around with batteries going flat, better invest on a trickle charger.

While on the topic, is it ok to trickle charge while battery terminals are connected to vehicle or should the leads be disconnected?

[ramithad]

My car is Honda Fit Hybrid bought recently. What is starting AMP required for this type of small hybrid car ?. Is it possible to supply that starting AMP by a AMG or Deep cycle battery (12-20 AH) ?. I have a seperate question regarding prius. I heard prius cannot be disconnected from auxiliary 12V battery and some settings will be lost if disconnected. It is true ?

[Rumesh88]

  HardHat said:

IMHO jump starting should only be for emergencies and if you've got vehicles lying around with batteries going flat, better invest on a trickle charger. While on the topic, is it ok to trickle charge while battery terminals are connected to vehicle or should the leads be disconnected?

It is OK to trickle charge while the battery is still connected but the voltage should be limited to around 14.5V. Only issues or risks are 1. there is a chance of battery acid or acid fumes escaping, 2. I have personally witnessed a maintenance free battery exploding while being trickle charged. But please note that there is a safety valve fitted to every battery of this type and the same happening again in my lifetime is extremely remote and 3. A lightning surge may end up in vehicle electronics through the electrical supply.

ramithad do you intend to use this portable car jump starter on a regular basis? Got this impression from the way OP sounds.

Edited February 18, 2013 by Rumesh88

[ramithad]

  On 2/18/2013 at 1:12 AM, Sylvi said:

ramihad,

Please inform what is your Vehicle. Who tested the Self starter motor with a Amperage meter, to inform you the starting amperage.

There were some Jump start cables advertised yesterday H/A very cheap.

Sylvi Wijesinghe.

Mr. Sylvi

My car is Honda Fit Hybrid. I am looking for a AMG or Deep cycle battery to keep in my car in case of emergency. If someone need a help i should be able to jump start their cars too. so my jump start battery should be capable of starting non hybrid car like toyota vitz or axio (any type of patrol car)

I heard starting toyota hybrid need very low amperage since cranking amp is not needed and it just have to start computer to bring it into ready mode. it it true ?

reason i am looking for amp or deep cycle is jump starting may fully drain my battery and its life will be substantially shortened.

[HardHat]

Rumesh88, thanks for the response. Yes trickle chargers are actually meant to be used while battery is on the vehicle but I'm a bit apprehensive about leaving the thing connected to the vehicle unattended for a long time for the very reasons you've pointed out. Especially I'm worried about lightning strikes and the possibility of that causing the whole vehicle to go up in flames. Despite all the correct earthing, MCBs and what not, lightening strikes have taken out quite a few of my domestic appliances over a period of time.

[Sylvi]

Members,

Hybrid battery pack, consists of battery cells in series to give high voltage for normal running of the car which special motor operates.

Hybrid vehicle has a 12-volt battery on the car for the starting charging engine to start normally separate battery.

Hybrid batteries are in the rear of vehicle. Batteries are installed in different places on different vehicles.

Starting battery terminals are fitted on a separate place on the vehicle which is easily accessible.

Can jump start a hybrid car if that 12 volts battery on the said car is below the required level to start the charging engine.

This above is my experience, I have jump start the hybrid cars and also started other petrol cars with Hybrid 12 volt battery.

Sylvi Wijesinghe.

[Sylvi]

Double post.

Edited February 18, 2013 by Sylvi

[Sylvi]

ramithad,

My advice is not to carry extra weight on your Hybrid vehicle.

If you want you can carry a battery, you have to recharge with a small charger to keep that battery in trim condition.

Every 5 to 10 days the battery. The battery you are referring is used in high performance on special requirements.

It is wastage of money. if you still want to have have same it is OK. Next best is to have your low voltage system battery recharged every 5 to 10 days .

Get a battery Isolator switch fitted by a qualified Electrician, who understand about Hybrid vehicles Electrical system so that when you Isolate.

LOW VOLTAGE BATTERY THE ELECTRONIC MEMORY WILL NOT GO OFF ON THE VEHICLE.

I have read on the web that Honda Fit Hybrid is having 20-kwh lithium-ion battery, to power 90-kW Electric Motor, (120/240-volt) 6.5-kW charging.

Sylvi Wijesinghe.

[Rumesh88]

Hi ramithad Can we have your contact number to call on you, if we run into trouble with our batteries in and around your locality. I believe you are located in SL.

My point is that your generosity in offering help to others is one thing, but keeping an additional battery for you car is certainly an overkill unless of course you intend to run a service like Bat-Mobile. Stop being so paranoid about your battery. If you maintain it properly and replace on time it would not let you down.

[ramithad]

My questions have general importance to toyota hybrid owners- specially toyota prius

1. Its adviced that never jump start another vehicle by a prius since it would drain the prius AUX battery. reason is prius engine is not always running to recharge the battery. But honda hybrids are different. in IMA engine is running and aux battery is charging via alternator in full time when engine is running.

2. Prius cannot even move an inch if it's not come to ready mode. There is no mechanical gear system in prius unlike other automatic cars. you cant change prius gear into N position unless computer has started and system comes to the READY mode.

if battery is completey drained jump start is the only viable solution to move the prius.

3. Batteries are not failed suddenly if its properly maintained. but discharging battery may happen accidently to anyone if dome light turned on long time or Lights kept ON accidently in day time.

There are portable battery chargers which charge the AUX battery via cigerette lighter socket. is it fairly safe to be use in hybrid cars.

[Rumesh88]

  ramithad said:

My questions have general importance to toyota hybrid owners- specially toyota prius 1. Its adviced that never jump start another vehicle by a prius since it would drain the prius AUX battery. reason is prius engine is not always running to recharge the battery. But honda hybrids are different. in IMA engine is running and aux battery is charging via alternator in full time when engine is running. 2. Prius cannot even move an inch if it's not come to ready mode. There is no mechanical gear system in prius unlike other automatic cars. you cant change prius gear into N position unless computer has started and system comes to the READY mode. if battery is completey drained jump start is the only viable solution to move the prius. 3. Batteries are not failed suddenly if its properly maintained. but discharging battery may happen accidently to anyone if dome light turned on long time or Lights kept ON accidently in day time. There are portable battery chargers which charge the AUX battery via cigerette lighter socket. is it fairly safe to be use in hybrid cars.

If you are referring to the auxiliary batteries of Toyota Prius cars then,

1. You are right. Prius aux battery should not be used for jump starting, but not for the given reason. It is a 28AH battery of absorbed glass mat (AGM) maintenance free type which is not designed to handle high discharge or even charge currents for that matter.

2. Again right, but that's almost the same situation with all auto vehicles. I do not see an additional risk with Prius.

3. You are right, but it is the same story with any other vehicle. However, if you use an external charger for Prius make sure it is current limited to 3.5 ampere to prevent damage to the battery on the long run.

[WCW]

Bit OT, but from where can I purchase a float charger for a car?

Thanks.

[ramithad]

  On 2/23/2013 at 2:07 PM, WCW said:

Bit OT, but from where can I purchase a float charger for a car?

Thanks.

here is my solution

you can get deltran junior battery tender from ebay. but you need step down transformer since this particular deltran charger supports 110v. you can get one for about rs 1200. you dont need a car battery as jump starter. you can get sealed lead acid 12 20AH DEEP CYCLE battery for about rs 6000 which is not much heavy as ordinary car battery. but this battery is capable to jump start patrol car up to 2000cc.

sealed deep cycle batteries are very low self discharge rate (bellow 4% per month). so you dont need to worry about charge and once a month charge is sufficient.

since this type of batteris are small and not much heavy and you can keep that with good quality jump start cable in your toolbox.

I already have this type of setup battery fully charged by a battery tender.

[WCW]

  On 2/23/2013 at 2:26 PM, ramithad said:

you can get deltran junior battery tender from ebay. .........

Any known local joint to buy other than ebay.....? Some where at Darley Rd or Panchi...?

There is no alternator, ....It uses a DC to DC converter to charge the fwd 12V battery.

Edited February 23, 2013 by WCW

[Kavvz]

  On 2/19/2013 at 4:46 AM, ramithad said:

My questions have general importance to toyota hybrid owners- specially toyota prius 1. Its adviced that never jump start another vehicle by a prius since it would drain the prius AUX battery. reason is prius engine is not always running to recharge the battery. But honda hybrids are different. in IMA engine is running and aux battery is charging via alternator in full time when engine is running. 2. Prius cannot even move an inch if it's not come to ready mode. There is no mechanical gear system in prius unlike other automatic cars. you cant change prius gear into N position unless computer has started and system comes to the READY mode. if battery is completey drained jump start is the only viable solution to move the prius. 3. Batteries are not failed suddenly if its properly maintained. but discharging battery may happen accidently to anyone if dome light turned on long time or Lights kept ON accidently in day time. There are portable battery chargers which charge the AUX battery via cigerette lighter socket. is it fairly safe to be use in hybrid cars.

Doesn't all that stuff automatically time-out and switch off after 5-10 mins? It should, as it does on most new cars. ( I don't have a Prius, but as other members do, perhaps they could check?)

[Sylvi]

  On 2/23/2013 at 2:07 PM, WCW said:

Bit OT, but from where can I purchase a float charger for a car?

Thanks.

WCW,

Float charges are available from E bay I have read several members of A/L forum got them down for, few thousand rupees only thing If you buy from E bay you have to waste for about 15days for the charger to come.

1st cross street Pettah there are plenty of Electrical shops you can buy small Battery charges. Locally assembled ones for above 6000.00 Rupees.

DIY or having, a electronic technician, you can buy all parts from 1st cross street assemble one will be around Rupees 4000.00 to 5000.00.

If you have any difficulty of getting a battery charger contact me.

novus@slt.lk; sylvest@sltnet.lk;

Sylvi Wijesinghe.

[ramithad]

There is a difference between tricle charger and a battery tender. battery tender is Intelligent charger wich charge battery in Three levels. 1. Charging mode (upto 80%) 2. Abosorbe mode (hight cosistent voltage applied) 80 to 100%. 3. Float Chargimg mode maintains a charge in the rate loss by self discharge.

[WCW]

  On 2/23/2013 at 9:47 PM, Sylvi said:

If you have any difficulty of getting a battery charger contact me.

novus@slt.lk; sylvest@sltnet.lk;

Sylvi Wijesinghe.

Thanks Sylvi!

I will do.