Posted on 11/25/2011 10:39:09 AM PST by WOBBLY BOB
does anyone know of one made that can be recharged? all the ones I own (and ones sold in stores) are sealed . if they are left in a cold place(like an unheated garage), they become just as dead as the battery in the car you're trying to start.
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Most of them use a SLA (Sealed Lead-Acid) or AGM (Absorbent Glass Mat) battery so it’s perfectly safe to store them indoors. Most of the ones I’ve seen are rechargable with an A/C adapter.
All of the ones I’ve seen come with a wall wart and are rechargable. Put it on a timer if you need to.
All of the ones I’ve seen come with a wall wart and are rechargable. Put it on a timer if you need to.
Carry an extra battery in your trunk ?
Get a small Honda generator?
I found one online like you described.
the local auto parts stores by me don’t have this type.
only wish it had higher CCA , but oh well.
I don’t know your situation, but seems to me there are units out there that charge batteries, as well they have jump start, or what are called “quick-start” features.
I know that Harbor Freight Tools sells them, and they really don’t cost that much. They have 360 stores across the Nation. Perhaps one is near you.
Possibly Craftsman has a unit like that with “Quick-Start” feature as well, but will be more money, and the same mfg. as the less expensive Harbor unit.
Most are rechargable, but between the incentive to use the cheapest possible batteries and charging circuits, and the benign neglect most receive, the batteries fail during storage. Maintaining AGM or other battery types requires understanding how they work and some diligence. (No, I don’t do it either!)
Sorry - didn’t ready your comment line before replying. My choice for batteries is the local farm supply store, a good deep-cycle marine battery will run $60 or so and along with a “maintainer” type charger that can float charge it, less than $100 total for capability far better and more maintainable than any of the portable jumpstart units. I wouldn’t have concerns about putting one in a heated indoor space as long as it wasn’t close to flame sources and well ventilated, even thought the charger-maintainer should not cause hydrogen release.
Any way, just the other week, I helped a neighbor start his Caddie with it. I think it was a 4 year old DTS that the battery died overnight.
The pack has a 12v "accessory" jack, and I think an 3LED light, plus LEDS to show charging progress, as well as a push-button charge status.
I've had the pack for 5 or 6 years, iirc.
Nitpicking, the charge jack cover doesn't work all that well, but it's on the order of a 1/4" port with a rubber flap.
“if they are left in a cold place(like an unheated garage), they become just as dead as the battery in the car you’re trying to start.”
A lead acid battery will go bad if it’s not kept charged. Keep it charged and it will do fine in the garage. It’s no different than a car battery in that respect.
Commercial UPS units use racks of them.
I have never seen one WITHOUT a trickle-charger to keep them ready to go
I picked up a 450 amp rechargeable portable jump start unit at Pep Boys about 5 years ago, and it’s still going strong. I keep it in the trunk for emergencies, whenever I (or some stranded motorist) needs a jump with the attached booster cables. Mine also has a compressor/tire inflator, a work light, and a 12V cigarette-lighter-sized outlet port. If the unit is checked once a month or so, and topped-up as necessary via the wall-wart power supply, something like this should do the trick for you. I’d be amazed if every other major auto chain - Advanced Auto, AutoZone, etc. - didn’t carry a similar product. Pricing from about $50 to $200 or so, depending on how much power’s on tap.
Hope this helps.
Maybe a Lithium battery is available. They make them for cars. I don’t know if they need constant charging, though.
The one I have charges from 110V. When it charges fully, it goes into “trickle mode”, meaning it only does maintenance charging. Safe to keep plugged in all the time.
I leave it in my vehicle, hooked up to a 110V 400 watt inverter that only runs when my vehicle is started. According to the built in power meter, it has never fallen below a full charge since I started doing this.
I use it when camping to recharge cell phones, run lights, etc., and of course, if there’s an emergency, to start my vehicle. I can also take the inverter and plug it into the jump starter and run my netbook for about 9 hours or so.
Similar to this: http://www.batterychargers.com/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductName=94026904
That one is 18Ah. The more Ah (amp hours) the longer you can run it on a charge. I’ve seen them well above 25 in places, but obviously, the more amp hours, the more expensive.
Lots of good ones here: http://www.batterychargers.com/CategoryDetail.aspx?CategoryName=Jump-Starter-%2F-Portable-Power_Emergency-%2F-Recreational
thanks. will check it out.
Jump N Carry 660. $127 @ Tooltopia. Have had one 5 years. No problems. Works every time.
Not totally clear on what you’re trying to accomplish, but I have a vehicle which is used only periodically and the battery at times gets low and even to the point it won’t start every few months. Just this week I happened across devices called trickle chargers. They’re little solar panels which are placed on the dash of the vehicle and connected to the cigarette lighter or battery, and they are advertised to keep the battery charged by providing a constant, small recharge.
Mine is on order and I haven’t received it yet, but I’m sure they could be set up with the small solar panel outside with cables running inside to the stored batteries (if they work as advertised and per the customer reviews).
Amazon carries several of varying wattage, in case you haven’t heard of these.
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