Compact battery booster/jump starter.

[KNS]

My daughter came out to her car (in chilly Iowa) this evening and found the battery dead.
It had been sitting outside for over a week while she was home for Thanksgiving, I was afraid this might happen.

She's at College and the car only gets driven on shorts trips. She doesn't have any way of plugging it in or hooking it up to a maintainer/tender. It sits outside and there's no way around it. I have told her she needs to drive it on some longer trips.

She did get it started with one of those booster packs. The campus security loaned it to her (but wouldn't come out on a dark cold night to give her a hand with it). I helped her with it over the phone.

Anyway - there's a whole bunch of them on the market and I'd like to get her a compact one she can keep handy. Anyone have any positive experience with any brands/types?

Thanks

[gshase]

I bet she needs a new battery......I just bought this and it comes in tomorrow. I don't know why, possibly to charge a phone or I was just curios.

.https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01J75DLCM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

If her car sat only 1 week and wont start her car something is wrong....Battery, Charging system or some type of load like the dome light was left on.

[rusnak]

She's a girl. Get her AAA.

[id10t]

If it is cold enough to sink a car battery like that, I don't think the stow-n-go battery will fare much better... I know the ones our campus PD has stay plugged in unless in use

[id10t]

Originally Posted by rusnak

She's a girl. Get her AAA.

This.

Also good for manly middle aged men driving old funny furrin' cars.

[Steve Carlton]

How about a super heavy duty car battery and a jumper battery?

[KNS]

Thanks guys-

The battery is one year old, I bought it uprated with Iowa winters in mind. She has a Mazda Extended Vehicle Service Contract which covers dead batteries/jump start. But - sometimes, like AAA, they can be a long time getting to you. It was dark and cold and I like the extra alternative of getting the car started and on her way like she was able to do this evening.

gshase - thanks, what I was thinking of. No one else has any experience with a battery booster/starter?

[Icemaster]

Got a deal on one of these a bit ago, used the compressor and USB charger more than the jumping a battery, but it's been pretty damn reliable the past 1.5 years.

https://www.amazon.com/Stanley-J7CS-Battery-Starter-Compressor/dp/B002X6VXL4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1480475855&sr=8-1&keywords=Stanley%2BJ7CS%2B350%2BAmp%2BBattery%2BJu mp%2BStarter%2Bwith%2BCompressor&th=1

[wdfifteen]

I have a friend with one that he likes. Been thinking of getting one myself. Less than $100 bucks.

[Tobra]

I have a little solar panel that you can put in the window, and a little battery jumper pack that I got at Harbor Freight. Battery with a handle, light that is steady, or flashes SOS, opted to not get the compressor thing, because I have a tire pump most of the time anyway. Habit picked up from driving an air cooled VW that ran the windshield washer off the spare tire air. They have pretty nifty cheap or free flashlights at HF, LED, little magnet on the back to stick on the trunk lid, hook if you need to hang it off a Miata hood.


Battery pack needed to have initial charge, then maintained, check it monthly and plug it in until the charge light goes green. It started wife's truck just fine. Could not use it on brother in law's 911 because the clamp was too big. I would think the little jumper battery would have to go inside over night, or it would get just as cold as the one in the car.

[rusnak]

The ideal thing is to disconnect the battery before you leave for a week, or better yet, take the battery out, bring it inside. Maybe put it on a float charger. But like I said, that's not an option.

As far as a battery jump pack, the bigger ones have more power. They use lead acid batteries that you should leave plugged in. Don't let them run down.

We have a few of them. Do they work? Yes, but you have a limited amount of juice from them. A far better way to go is to store jumper cables in the trunk for emergencies. Check the battery clamps often. I really think AAA is your best option.

[stealthn]

I got a Cobra one, amazing unit for the size

[porsche4life]

I have the harbor freight jump pack. Use it all the time and it still works great. Dad has 4 or 5 of them scattered amongst his trucks and they work great. They are on sale for like 39.99 pretty regularly.

[petrolhead611]

I only use my Clio Cup at most once a month, so I use a cheap Harbor Freight solar panel on the windshield to maintain the battery, the whole year, and it gets below freezing here in Leeds November thru March most evenings.

[1990C4S]

Idiot proof jumper cables. Only $43.00

https://www.amazon.com/autosport-smart-booster-cables/dp/b0074b97de

[jrj3rd]

Have an Astro 7775 mini jump kit in each of our cars. My daughter used hers regularly at college when she kept leaving a light on. My son used his every other day or so when he was too lazy to buy a new battery for a couple of weeks. Mine has been used numerous times by folks in my office. Never failed to start any vehicle it was used for. Picked them up on Woot a couple of years ago for less tha $60 apiece.

Saw a similar unit at BJ's last week for $30. Know a few folks who will be getting them for Christmas this year.

Cheap insurance.

[berettafan]

bought this one based on statements from others that it's used by many commercial operations. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000JFJLP6/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

it is beastly powerful.

[URY914]

Originally Posted by 1990C4S

Idiot proof jumper cables. Only $43.00

https://www.amazon.com/autosport-smart-booster-cables/dp/b0074b97de

What keeps a person from putting the clips on the wrong battery posts?

[1990C4S]

Originally Posted by URY914

What keeps a person from putting the clips on the wrong battery posts?

LED On = Polarity correct.

LED off = Polarity incorrect.

Both on=Good, Both off=probably also good.

Only one on = Not good...

[tcar]

Sounds like she may have a parasitic battery drain... try to find it.

Voltmeter and pulling fuses 1 by 1.