Jumpstarters (Battery boosters) are devices usually fitted with a lead 12V AGM battery, but new fancy models come with a lithium-polymer battery. Primarily used to jump start a car with a dead battery. They can be very useful in jump starting a car, since it does not require a second car to get a jump start it. However they are also useful as emergency power sources. Here are some things you need to know about them.
The battery
First of all, not all jumpstarters are created equal. The most important component is the battery. A large high capacity battery, obviously is able to provide more power than a smaller one. Make sure you buy one which is appropriate for the size of your engine and correct voltage.
12V AGM batteries versions
The smaller jumpstarters generally use a 12V 17ah AGM battery, the larger ones will have something like the 12V 22ah or two 12V 17ah for 24 Volt vehicles. Looking at jumpstarters most have the 12V 17ah written on the label. This however is not always true (and even if it's true it really isn't that much power). The battery inside might say it is, but just like many cheap (Chinese) batteries, a lot of them have inflated figures. One easy way to find out if the battery is good is by weighing them. When it comes down to lead battery, more lead is good and lead is heavy. If the battery is too light compared to similar capacity batteries, it doesn't have enough lead in it. This is usually the case with really cheap jumpstarters, which are cheaper than a cheap separate 12V 17ah battery.
To get the most of your battery, you need a decent (build in) charger. Continues overcharging a battery is bad for the battery and dangerous. Many cheaper jump starters only have a fuse between the 12V input and nothing else. These can be recognized by charging instruction as 'Charge for X amount of time and then unplug the unit'. if you want a long life for the battery, get a jumpstarter with a smart charger and automatic shut off (sometimes it is possible to connect a cheap one to a proper seperate charger). A build in smart charger will allow you to keep the jumpstarter attached to a wall socket without any risks of overcharging and the battery will be continuously be topped off. If lead batteries are not topped off regularly there will sulfration and the battery will lose capacity and eventually become useless. A jumpstarter with a proper charge might cost more, but in the long term the battery will last longer, is more reliable and is probably cheaper then buying a cheap new one every one or two years.
A advantage of AGM battery based jumpstarters, is that you can generally just buy a AGM battery and replace the one in the pack. Some brands they recommend you to bring it to there service station for a replacement, while other allows you to do it your self.
Lithium Polymer versions
If you do not want the heavy weight, bulkiness and maintenance of a lead battery, some new jumpstarters use a Lithium Polymer battery. These batteries are capable of delivering a lot of emergency for a short period of time. This means a relatively small capacity battery (compared to the lead alternatives) can provide the burst of power needed to jump start a car, making these versions light and small . They also have a lot less self-discharge, so you will not need to top them off every month. There are however some disadvantages of a Lithium Polymer; they are not as suitable as a 12V power source for other devices, so they generally do not have a 12V output or compressors. There are not many available, the ones I can find are:
- Startmonkey 400
- Asianbright JPR series (sold under various brand names)
- Mini jumpstarter (Not sure whom the manufacture is, but sold under various brandnames)
- Staneley LI1000 (Not listed on there website anymore)
LiFePO4 replacement for 12V AGM
There are LiFePO4 batteries (lithium based), which are suitable as a direct replacement for the 12V AGM batteries. Are these usable in a jumpstarter and does it combine the best of both worlds? Unfortunately I have not seen these placed in any jumpstarters yet and don't have answers for these questions.
Powersupply
Most lead battery based jumpstarters can also be used as an emergency power supply. You should make sure what fuse is used and not exceed the fuse rating. (usually 10 Amps) I would suggest to use as many 12V appliances as possible. Converting 12V to 110 or 220 Volt simply isn't that efficient. Make sure that you do not over discharge the 12V battery; it will damage the battery. This can be done by regularly checking the voltage gauge on the jumpstarter.
Inverter
If you want to use a device using 110 or 220 volts with a 12V jumpstarter, you will need a inverter. Build in inverters are generally really cheap. There are also many types of inverters: Block, modified sinus and pure sinus versions. The cheaper inverters are generally block or modified sinus version, which does not give a nice sinus wave for your electronics. A pure sinus wave is what comes out of you wall outlet and electronics are made to run on this type of sinus waves. Some electronics will not run (properly) if a block or modified sinus is used. However pure sinus inverters are generally a lot more expensive.
Regardless of the inverter type, there is some inefficiency. So a 100W draw from the battery does not translate in 100W output. You need to take this in to account when using this with your jumpstarter. Most 12V outlets are equipped with a 10 Amp fuse. So make the inverter and the device connected to it does not exceed the fuse rating.
Compressors
The build in compressors in jumpstarters are generally not the quality ones. So don’t expect very high pump rates or accurate pressure gauges. Like any compressors, you need to let it cool down after 10 minutes (or whatever the manual states) to prevent overheating and damaging the compressor. A separate compressor can be more versatile, however if you want to connect a separate compressor to a jumpstarter, check if the compressors does not use more power than the fuse allows (usually 10 Amps).
The battery
First of all, not all jumpstarters are created equal. The most important component is the battery. A large high capacity battery, obviously is able to provide more power than a smaller one. Make sure you buy one which is appropriate for the size of your engine and correct voltage.
12V AGM batteries versions
The smaller jumpstarters generally use a 12V 17ah AGM battery, the larger ones will have something like the 12V 22ah or two 12V 17ah for 24 Volt vehicles. Looking at jumpstarters most have the 12V 17ah written on the label. This however is not always true (and even if it's true it really isn't that much power). The battery inside might say it is, but just like many cheap (Chinese) batteries, a lot of them have inflated figures. One easy way to find out if the battery is good is by weighing them. When it comes down to lead battery, more lead is good and lead is heavy. If the battery is too light compared to similar capacity batteries, it doesn't have enough lead in it. This is usually the case with really cheap jumpstarters, which are cheaper than a cheap separate 12V 17ah battery.
To get the most of your battery, you need a decent (build in) charger. Continues overcharging a battery is bad for the battery and dangerous. Many cheaper jump starters only have a fuse between the 12V input and nothing else. These can be recognized by charging instruction as 'Charge for X amount of time and then unplug the unit'. if you want a long life for the battery, get a jumpstarter with a smart charger and automatic shut off (sometimes it is possible to connect a cheap one to a proper seperate charger). A build in smart charger will allow you to keep the jumpstarter attached to a wall socket without any risks of overcharging and the battery will be continuously be topped off. If lead batteries are not topped off regularly there will sulfration and the battery will lose capacity and eventually become useless. A jumpstarter with a proper charge might cost more, but in the long term the battery will last longer, is more reliable and is probably cheaper then buying a cheap new one every one or two years.
A advantage of AGM battery based jumpstarters, is that you can generally just buy a AGM battery and replace the one in the pack. Some brands they recommend you to bring it to there service station for a replacement, while other allows you to do it your self.
Lithium Polymer versions
If you do not want the heavy weight, bulkiness and maintenance of a lead battery, some new jumpstarters use a Lithium Polymer battery. These batteries are capable of delivering a lot of emergency for a short period of time. This means a relatively small capacity battery (compared to the lead alternatives) can provide the burst of power needed to jump start a car, making these versions light and small . They also have a lot less self-discharge, so you will not need to top them off every month. There are however some disadvantages of a Lithium Polymer; they are not as suitable as a 12V power source for other devices, so they generally do not have a 12V output or compressors. There are not many available, the ones I can find are:
- Startmonkey 400
- Asianbright JPR series (sold under various brand names)
- Mini jumpstarter (Not sure whom the manufacture is, but sold under various brandnames)
- Staneley LI1000 (Not listed on there website anymore)
LiFePO4 replacement for 12V AGM
There are LiFePO4 batteries (lithium based), which are suitable as a direct replacement for the 12V AGM batteries. Are these usable in a jumpstarter and does it combine the best of both worlds? Unfortunately I have not seen these placed in any jumpstarters yet and don't have answers for these questions.
Powersupply
Most lead battery based jumpstarters can also be used as an emergency power supply. You should make sure what fuse is used and not exceed the fuse rating. (usually 10 Amps) I would suggest to use as many 12V appliances as possible. Converting 12V to 110 or 220 Volt simply isn't that efficient. Make sure that you do not over discharge the 12V battery; it will damage the battery. This can be done by regularly checking the voltage gauge on the jumpstarter.
Inverter
If you want to use a device using 110 or 220 volts with a 12V jumpstarter, you will need a inverter. Build in inverters are generally really cheap. There are also many types of inverters: Block, modified sinus and pure sinus versions. The cheaper inverters are generally block or modified sinus version, which does not give a nice sinus wave for your electronics. A pure sinus wave is what comes out of you wall outlet and electronics are made to run on this type of sinus waves. Some electronics will not run (properly) if a block or modified sinus is used. However pure sinus inverters are generally a lot more expensive.
Regardless of the inverter type, there is some inefficiency. So a 100W draw from the battery does not translate in 100W output. You need to take this in to account when using this with your jumpstarter. Most 12V outlets are equipped with a 10 Amp fuse. So make the inverter and the device connected to it does not exceed the fuse rating.
Compressors
The build in compressors in jumpstarters are generally not the quality ones. So don’t expect very high pump rates or accurate pressure gauges. Like any compressors, you need to let it cool down after 10 minutes (or whatever the manual states) to prevent overheating and damaging the compressor. A separate compressor can be more versatile, however if you want to connect a separate compressor to a jumpstarter, check if the compressors does not use more power than the fuse allows (usually 10 Amps).
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