Lithium Jumper Packs

[veebs]

I’m considering adding a lithium jump starter pack into the disco, just in case. Hard wire into the ignition power to keep it always topped up and ready to go. I have space where the rear Ac fan would be.

Never had an issue with the batteries in our D4, but have needed to help others out, without any gear to do so. Jumper cables strike me as outdated now, and useless if you need to help your own car…

Anyway, these being big Diesel engines, plus a big electronic draw, I imagine they need a pretty sizeable starter?

Has anyone got a recommendation for one of these things?

[Blknight.aus]

if you think a disco has a big diesel engine.....

it takes more to turn over a tdi300 but you dont need to keep the electronics up to it.

the costco starter I have will start a tdi300 its also started a couple of other vehicles in the drive in. its also the cheapest powerbank you're going to buy.

I figure its got 2 moderate goes in it.

No way known is it going to start anything but the smallest petrol engine on its onesies though, the main battery has to have some life in it.

best results come from hooking it up and doing the power up sequence and trying to time the turn of the key to about 3 seconds before the jump pack times out automatically.

[PhilipA]

I bought a Gooloo after seeing this comparison from Project Farm.
This bloke tests all sorts of things and has no product affiliations.
The Gooloo was AFAIR $119 on Amazon.
Best Car Jump Starter? NOCO GB70 vs Antigravity, Schumacher, Gooloo, Tacklife. Let's find out! - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixWPx79g3yk&list=PLjT3B9r2z3fUGTsmTmU76zbWu2YUdlBwf&ab_channel=ProjectFarm)
I haven't had to use it yet so don't know how good it is .

Regards PhilipA

[ian4002000]

I use a jump starter quite often , they boost the voltage not the amps on diesels. you still need a reasonably good battery to start a diesel but if it is a little low in voltage they should work. If the battery is really flat you will need jumper cables. the bigger the cables the quicker you can start the car. if you have really small cable you may need to connect to the flat battery for 10 minutes before starting.

Ian
Bittern

[Arapiles]

I’m considering adding a lithium jump starter pack into the disco, just in case. Hard wire into the ignition power to keep it always topped up and ready to go. I have space where the rear Ac fan would be.

Never had an issue with the batteries in our D4, but have needed to help others out, without any gear to do so. Jumper cables strike me as outdated now, and useless if you need to help your own car…

Anyway, these being big Diesel engines, plus a big electronic draw, I imagine they need a pretty sizeable starter?

Has anyone got a recommendation for one of these things?


Not sure how you envisage it working - the lithium packs I have are about the size of a big lithium battery for recharging a phone but they all have plug in jumper leads. One of them has wireless charging built in and it can start your car.

The one I bought from Costco started our D4 a couple of times when the battery was cactus. It lives in the upper glovebox and is permanently plugged into the USB plug in there so should always be fully charged.

[veebs]

Thanks all, valuable insights here.

Intention is a set and forget kind of deal, and use when, for instance we’re camping in BF nowhere, fridge has drained the aux, and kids have drained the starter by opening a door every 30 seconds.

Also for when/if friends suffer battery failure etc

I’ll take a look at Costco :-)

[matti4556]

I used to travel with jumper leads but you need a donor vehicle.
Then I tried all sorts of lithium 10-20AHr power banks like the Gooloo. I have had about 8 of them because in my line of work I get to try most before they hit the market- no good for my flat D3 battery. So for something I can recommend that actually works get yourself one of these... you leave it connected once the vehicle starts for about a minute and the internal BMS will charge it ready for next time(I leave the 240V charger "base" in the shed when I'm on long trips. 172338
Matti
Projecta Intelli-Start 12V 1500A Lithium Jumpstarter | Supercheap Auto (https://www.supercheapauto.com.au/p/projecta-12v-8ah-lithium-jumpstarter/SPO4462824.html)

[SeanC]

My lithium jump starter is 2x100Ah lithium batteries behind the second row seats and a set of long jumper leads. Gets the job done.

[Hawc]

I used to travel with jumper leads but you need a donor vehicle.
Then I tried all sorts of lithium 10-20AHr power banks like the Gooloo. I have had about 8 of them because in my line of work I get to try most before they hit the market- no good for my flat D3 battery. So for something I can recommend that actually works get yourself one of these... you leave it connected once the vehicle starts for about a minute and the internal BMS will charge it ready for next time(I leave the 240V charger "base" in the shed when I'm on long trips. 172338
Matti
Projecta Intelli-Start 12V 1500A Lithium Jumpstarter | Supercheap Auto (https://www.supercheapauto.com.au/p/projecta-12v-8ah-lithium-jumpstarter/SPO4462824.html)

Make sure you get the 1500A as the 1200 won’t start a D4 with a properly cactus battery!

[Celtoid]

Not sure how you envisage it working - the lithium packs I have are about the size of a big lithium battery for recharging a phone but they all have plug in jumper leads. One of them has wireless charging built in and it can start your car.

The one I bought from Costco started our D4 a couple of times when the battery was cactus. It lives in the upper glovebox and is permanently plugged into the USB plug in there so should always be fully charged.

There is a USB plug in the top glove box?

I've owned 2 D4s and never knew that [bigrolf] .... or is it post 2013 build?

[gavinwibrow]

There is a USB plug in the top glove box?

I've owned 2 D4s and never knew that [bigrolf] .... or is it post 2013 build?

Yep - USB not in earlier D4's

[Arapiles]

There is a USB plug in the top glove box?

I've owned 2 D4s and never knew that [bigrolf] .... or is it post 2013 build?


2014 build and it was probably a $900 option ....

[Tombie]

There is a USB plug in the top glove box?

I've owned 2 D4s and never knew that [bigrolf] .... or is it post 2013 build?

Easy to fit one in there...

[DieselLSE]

Easy to fit one in there...
172435

[Tombie]

Better set up too.

The factory one is something like 0.4a and not sufficient to charge any device.

[sharmy]

A couple of years ago I bought one of those lithium jump starters, one that was suitable for diesel engines, used it once, worked fine, recharged it up and stuck it under the front seat, went to use some months later and it had swollen up and was useless. I now use its nippy little case to carry my battery drill.

[BradC]

Projecta Intelli-Start 12V 1500A Lithium Jumpstarter | Supercheap Auto (https://www.supercheapauto.com.au/p/projecta-12v-8ah-lithium-jumpstarter/SPO4462824.html)

Wowza. For $600+ 4kg and only a 12 month warranty that'd want to be bloody good. Oddly enough whenever I've needed assistance, or needed to give assistance I've been able to find another vehicle to put the jumpers on. They don't die with age and with sufficient cable cross section they'll pretty much start a bus.

I love the idea of a Lithium jump starter, but I've seen too many up in smoke to believe any of them are really reliable long term. Most of them seem to use either cheap mosfets in the switching/bms or they use cheap cells which die just outside of the warranty period (if you're lucky). Ok for putting a surface charge on a viable starting battery, but that's about it.

That Projecta looks the business but I'd have to work hard to justify $600 vs a pair of good jumpers.

I've used a Ryobi one+ battery in series with a 21W incandescent to put a surface on a flat battery, but if it'd had dropped a cell I'd have been SOL even with most of the cheaper jump starters.

[Tombie]

If a battery drops a cell etc, most modern vehicles won’t run even with a jump start.

[Briar]

About 2 years back I had to assist a guy whose battery was flat. I was actually parked next to him. NRMA was going to be well over an hour. I didn't have jumper leads but had an idea. I always try to "multi-use" items I always carry. I always carry my tyre air compressor, a 10 metres Anderson plug extension and Anderson to battery clamp adapter. (I use this for pumping up car and van tyres as needed.

Anyway, I ran anderson extension from traxide plug at rear of car to front of adjacent car, plugged in battery clamp adapters and ran my car to put some charge into his battery. Ran for 5 mins, disconnected plugs and he started straight up. Putting in 50 Amps (or whatever) for a few mins is often enough. Cables were barely warm.

[Redback]

We have this, works very well and will start anything, I've even started 3 cars in a row, carry it in the car under the seat.

SJS Power Pack Jump Starter 1500Amp | Power Supplys | Battery & Power Accessories | Batteries, Globes & Electrical | Autobarn Category | Autobarn Site (https://autobarn.com.au/ab/Autobarn-Category/Batteries%2C-Globes-%26-Electrical/Battery-%26-Power-Accessories/Power-Supplys/SJS-Power-Pack-Jump-Starter-1500Amp/p/EL26901)