Portable jump starter...any recommendations?

[davehutch]

Last winter, our batery died and according to the nice AA man, it was due to short journeys with all the kit running, heater, llights, heated seats etc.

This year I thought I be ready with a rechargeable jump starter kept in the boot, in case SWMBO gets caught out somewhere on her own.

I've seen one that looks decent enough on half price (allegedly) sale:

https://www.towsure....Starter_300_Amp

What are your opinions if you own one of these or does anyone else have a recommendation for under £50?

I've also seen this type which means you don't have to get out of the car, but you do have to wait 10-15 minutes wile it charges your battery.

Edited 8 December, 2012 by davehutch

[Hairball]

I've seen one that looks decent enough on half price (allegedly) sale:

https://www.towsure....Starter_300_Amp

I've seen some of this type around. I doubt if a 300W version would be enough for a 2.0 oil burner. Maplin have a 400W version that does not get very good reviews.

As for the other link, I get page not found.

[Llanigraham]

As above, 300amp might work just once on a completely flat battery, then would probably need recharging.

If the other one is a thing that plugs into the cigarette socket, don't bother!

[Merlinman]

High power demand, low vehicle usage - you could consider one of these?

http://www.ctekcharg...tek-mxs-3.6.php

I have one permanently fixed in my garage, if I'm going to be away or not using either car for a while, I can hook them up, the battery is charged and conditioned.

I bought mine to deal with a previous Golf, whose battery would slowly discharge - eventually traced to a fault in the factory radio circuitry. Still a handy reasonably priced bit of kit to have available

[Hairball]

High power demand, low vehicle usage - you could consider one of these?

http://www.ctekcharg...tek-mxs-3.6.php

I have one permanently fixed in my garage, if I'm going to be away or not using either car for a while, I can hook them up, the battery is charged and conditioned.

I bought mine to deal with a previous Golf, whose battery would slowly discharge - eventually traced to a fault in the factory radio circuitry. Still a handy reasonably priced bit of kit to have available

May be worth one of these combined with a spare battery. A regular trickle charge and slight discharge would keep the spare in good condition as well.

Edited 8 December, 2012 by Hairball

[davehutch]

As above, 300amp might work just once on a completely flat battery, then would probably need recharging.

If the other one is a thing that plugs into the cigarette socket, don't bother!

Depends what you consider a "flat" battery. I think mine measured at about 11.5 volts and needed a top-up before it would do anything more than click! when I turned the key.

So, the ones that charge your battery for 15 minutes and then allow you to start it aren't up to much?

[davehutch]

High power demand, low vehicle usage - you could consider one of these?

http://www.ctekcharg...tek-mxs-3.6.php

I have one permanently fixed in my garage, if I'm going to be away or not using either car for a while, I can hook them up, the battery is charged and conditioned.

I bought mine to deal with a previous Golf, whose battery would slowly discharge - eventually traced to a fault in the factory radio circuitry. Still a handy reasonably priced bit of kit to have available

I did think about one of these a while back, but I'm more concerned that it won't start when my wife is stuck out on her own somewhere

[davehutch]

I've seen some of this type around. I doubt if a 300W version would be enough for a 2.0 oil burner. Maplin have a 400W version that does not get very good reviews.

As for the other link, I get page not found.

Hopefully this link will be ok

http://www.qvcuk.com/Porta-Jump-Emergency-Car-12V-Rechargeable-Compact-Design-Jumps.product.557909.html?sc=557909-SRCH&cm_sp=VIEWPOSITION-_-1-_-557909

[g6zru]

The Ctek chargers/conditioners are very good but Lidl and Aldi sell a similar one for less than £20.00. I've been using one for keeping my caravan battery up to scratch for 3 years and a classic car battery before that. BUT, it's unlikely that your battery will fail unless the car has a problem that doesn't show until it's too late.

Fred

[speedsport]

The Ctek chargers/conditioners are very good but Lidl and Aldi sell a similar one for less than £20.00. I've been using one for keeping my caravan battery up to scratch for 3 years and a classic car battery before that.

Fred

I agree - the Lidl or Aldi battery conditioners are both excellent.

I've been using the Aldi one on my (stored) 2nd car for 3 years now. It appears to be a Chinese copy of the CTEK one.

According to the instructions, it has the ability to charge a virtually flat battery by pulse charge, it will also act as a normal charger, and when it detects that your battery is fully charged, it becomes a trickle charger that can be left permanently connected without risk of damage to the battery.

So far it has done exactly that, though I don't leave it permanently connected, preferring to give the battery a boost every month or so (only 'cos it saves electricity you know!).

Last time Aldi had it for sale, it was £13.99, and they do seem to do another run of them 2 or 3 times a year. From my experience, I'd recommend one to anyone, particularly at that price.

[P6bJOHN]

Another fan of the Aldi one, it is used on our Mk1 Escort, which is in storage, about twice a year to charge up the battery so we can move it around. Excellent bit of kit. I'll bang it on the Rover as she's been up in the air a nearly two months and the old girls clock etc slowly drains her down. She always spins like a top when started after the slow pulse chargers been on.