Small occasional use jump pack-recommendations

[locknut]

I've had one of the heavy lead-acid packs and it went kuput. Are the new small ones any good?

 

[Jstpssng]

I bought one this spring but haven't had a use for it so far. It's got a great LED light on it though, and doesn't roll away the way that a regular flashlight does when you set it on the hood of the pickup.

 

[mrmikey]

We had a Noco 1000A booster pack at work, first time I used it I thought this POS isn't going to do a thing. The delivery guy that dropped off a new 1500GMC pickup with a I believe a 6.2, left the ignition on and the battery was stone dead for at least two days in 0 deg C weather.. I had to use the bypass mode on the booster pack to get it to power up the cables as there wasn't even enough juice to turn the booster pack on. That pack turned that engine over like there was no tomorrow. Never even dropped the state of charge light on the pack. I used it 3 or four more times without charging it and each time it impressed me to no end as it would start a dead engine in the middle of winter.
We had a couple of the the conventional booster packs that wouldn't do a thing, the leads wouldn't power up as the truck battery was stone dead and there was no option to bypass that safety option on the booster packs to supply juice.
As was said, the light is nice and bright also and the one we had also had the option to be able to be recharged in a vehicle as well as it could be used to supply a usb port to charge your phone.
I was so impressed by it, I went and bought myself a 2000A model LOL https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/...ter-and-power-bank-2000-amp-0111908p.html#srp .....Mike

 

[gsganzer]

I have a 3000Amp NOCO GB150 and it's been very impressive. I have a diesel truck so I needed the larger size. I would think a 2000amp model would work for most people.

 

[CH4Ohio]

I bought a Schumacher brand that was about the 10" x 4" x 2". Close to the size of a brick. Nice and portable. It worked a couple times, but seemed a little complicated. It died about the time the warranty did.

For the last few years I've kept a full-size marine battery around. It can power anything I need (inverters, clay target thrower, etc.) when I need it, but serves as an excellent jump starter when you add a set of jumper cables. No lights, switches, error codes . . . Just plenty of CCA when needed. It has a nice handle on it so heavier than a jump pack, but still plenty easy to get it where you need it. Simple.

It's also standard top-post so can drop into a tractor in a pinch.

 

[Jstpssng]

I bought a Schumacher brand that was about the 10" x 4" x 2". Close to the size of a brick. Nice and portable. It worked a couple times, but seemed a little complicated. It died about the time the warranty did.

For the last few years I've kept a full-size marine battery around. It can power anything I need (inverters, clay target thrower, etc.) when I need it, but serves as an excellent jump starter when you add a set of jumper cables. No lights, switches, error codes . . . Just plenty of CCA when needed. It has a nice handle on it so heavier than a jump pack, but still plenty easy to get it where you need it. Simple.

It's also standard top-post so can drop into a tractor in a pinch.

Most GM pickups come with two battery trays, or at least they did for years. I used to carry a spare battery in the spare tray.

 

[oosik]

I have the OEM Group 31 battery out of the Kubota. Keep it charged up - does great for jump starts. Not nearly as "mobile" as the little jump start units you guys are talking about. I put a Group 31 Odyssey battery in the Kubota when I pulled the OEM battery.

 

[locknut]

Thanks to all for the good advice. I think I'll buy the GB40.Should be all I need to to jump a car or lawn tractor and easy to store in my main vehicle.

I do have one question. It appears the leads on these packs are maybe 8-12 gauge wire. How on earth can that carry 1000-3000 amps ?

 

[AWSubie]

I just thought it was a typical typo u see in some of these descriptions from certain countries. It would more likely be 10-30 amps on a 12 volt system. Or maybe they’re referring to an equivalent cold cranking amp capacity. In any case these emergency jumper products really work well (even the HarborFreight ones).

 

[Oaktree]

Or maybe they’re referring to an equivalent cold cranking amp capacity. In any case these emergency jumper products really work well (even the HarborFreight ones).

I'm guessing that's what it is. You're right, those things work really good. I've got a Tacklife I keep in my work vehicle. Never had to use it on the truck itself (knock,knock), but it's been a lifesaver to get generators at worksites whose batteries have died back up during a power outage. We seemed to have had a run of ones that totally failed after only a year.