Battery Booster packs - thoughts?

[Braddock54]

Anyone use anything like this? Good, bad, waste of money? Have to leave my truck at an airport parking lot for a week of -20 to -30 (no plug ins). Be nice to have to have something on hand to jump myself.

 

[slededjr]

Use them all the time at work. Make sure you get a big enough one for what you need.

 

[GYMBRAT]

Saved my azz numerous times! Well worth it imo

 

[Syclone74]

Yup bought one to boost my '10 cummins it fired right up and its only a couple weeks old so take my 2c lightly. It did what I needed to do but we will see how well it does in the long run

 

[Braddock54]

Thanks guys. What do I need for my half ton, 1000 max battery ok? I don't mind that this one has a little compressor as well.

 

[teeroy]

they are worth every penny. I think mine is 800A motomaster eliminator and it cranks my 8.1L over no problem. it also has 3-110v plug ins, a 12v cig lighter port, and a USB charging port. the booster cables are detachable

 

[Braddock54]

Sweet. Thanks for the info. I can't believe I have gone this long without one.

 

[InFeRnO]

Absolute must. Very useful. Put it on your Christmas list and Santa might get it for you

 

[Braddock54]

I am Santa. My hair is turning the right colour, thankfully I'm not ballooning outward yet.

 

[Braddock54]

I assume these have to be plugged into the cigarette light or an outlet to work? Ie. if I have no power at all when I turn the key on my truck, will this be useless?

 

[teeroy]

I assume these have to be plugged into the cigarette light or an outlet to work? Ie. if I have no power at all when I turn the key on my truck, will this be useless?

not sure what you're saying, charge it up with either cigarette lighter plug or 110v plug at home. pack it around until you need it and it will start your vehicle if the battery is stone dead via the booster cables

 

[rsaint]

I assume these have to be plugged into the cigarette light or an outlet to work? Ie. if I have no power at all when I turn the key on my truck, will this be useless?

Suppost to have it charged up ready to boost when needed the booster cable to boost your vehicle then when running recharge via cigarett lighter or plug in at home.

 

[S.W.A.T.]

definitely needs to be charged prior to use, probably says it somewhere on the box

 

[Braddock54]

not sure what you're saying, charge it up with either cigarette lighter plug or 110v plug at home. pack it around until you need it and it will start your vehicle if the battery is stone dead via the booster cables

Yeah sorry, you got the gist though. Just wondering if this was a stand alone unit, so it had the ability to hold its own charge, or if it was dependant on having a power source whenever you needed it. Thanks! Electricity is not my thing if you couldn't tell.

 

[aiden1983]

I assume these have to be plugged into the cigarette light or an outlet to work? Ie. if I have no power at all when I turn the key on my truck, will this be useless?

You actually charge them for like 24 hours before you put it in he vehicle so it's ready to go when you need it. It's basically a battery with jumpers so you don't need another vehicle. Mine worked OK but I needed to start my vehicle 3 times in one trip and it didn't work on the last one. My battery was frozen so I knew before hand that my 4.5hr drive to get it fixed was going to be interesting. Without it I would have been screwed.

 

[teeroy]

Yeah sorry, you got the gist though. Just wondering if this was a stand alone unit, so it had the ability to hold its own charge, or if it was dependant on having a power source whenever you needed it. Thanks! Electricity is not my thing if you couldn't tell.

lol...no problem man. the one I have now from crappy tire has a digital meter on it that you can check how much % of juice is left in it at the touch of a button. you won't regret buying one

 

[DaveB]

I run 2 batteries with an isolator in the 1/2 ton. Haven't needed a boost since I did that. This GM and my last one...both 5.3 L supercab 1/2 ton car-trucks...would never hold a charge for more than a few days sitting. Too many electronic things running all the time. Since filling the already installed empty extra battery tray and adding an isolator it's never not started, even after sitting a couple of weeks when I was in Mexico and it was chili cold here.

 

[teeroy]

I run 2 batteries with an isolator in the 1/2 ton. Haven't needed a boost since I did that.

they are useful for so much more than just boosting Dave, I use mine for a lot of different things.

 

[InFeRnO]

Most handy tool out there. I bought a Mac tools booster pack which is very small and has a lot of cranking power. Love it. IMO everybody should have one of these sitting in their garage

 

[cancritter]

save your coin..invest in gd alstate deep cell...haven't plugged my 07 ram cummins in since l bought it and were talkin -40 or better some mornins