Jumper Packs

[RichardK]

Anyone had experience with Jumper Packs, I get into some remote areas and I would like to add a Jumper Pack to my kit for use around camp and as an emergency backup.
I generally look for quality not cheap price as I like to have kit that gives good service and I can rely on.

[HangOver]

Anyone had experience with Jumper Packs, I get into some remote areas and I would like to add a Jumper Pack to my kit for use around camp and as an emergency backup.
I generally look for quality not cheap price as I like to have kit that gives good service and I can rely on.

Hi
If you are talking about those portable power thingys with jumper cables I got one from kmart, cheap and rubbish.
"buy cheap, buy twice"
I would recommend just buying a second battery. Much more power, more reliable and cost about the same.
But the packs do look nice :)


Just my two cents, maybe others have had better experiences?
Steve

[Aussie]

I bought one of those red jumper pack thingo's with the jumper cables and little analog test gauge "with built in torch". POS wouldnt jump start a morris minor with FA Compression

[mns488]

don't mean to hi jack but what about a bushranger power pack or engle power pack.

does anyone know if they are suitable to carry in the car... fumes and all?

[cewilson]

As already mentioned the cheap ones are crap. But if you get hold of a decent one they are great. We use them flat out at work and never have a problem as a rule. And we use them to start everything from Commodores to Mack Fleetliners.

[DEFENDERZOOK]

i dont think they are meant to start anything with a dead flat battery......
if the battery just wont crank the car......then you hook up the BOOSTER pack
and it just gives it that little bit more oomph.....just enough to get it started......
all they have in them is a small 12v battery......similar to what is found in home alarm systems
and UPSs on computer systems...........



a better option would be.....
spend a bit extra and install a second battery with an isolator......you can run accessories off this......
and then if you need to jump start the main in the morning for some reason.....you can use the second battery for that.....
it should still have enough charge in it for that bit of boost even if you were using it all night......

i have this setup.......a battery cost me $70 and around $120 for the isolator (from drivesafe).....
all i needed was a few short lengths of wire which i had sitting around and a bit of time to install it all.....
simple job.....and i never looked back.....

it also got me out of trouble when my battery died.....i just swapped the leads over and was on my merry way.....
(because i didnt have any jumper leads :angel: )


i also had one of those jumper packs from supercrap......its great when you dont need it.....
but when you do need it the battery is dead.....
and yes.....i did always carry it......and i did keep it charged....

[stevo]

do not buy them from super cheap! we had one at work that could switch from 12 or 24 volt and it could jump start a truck with dead batteries and you could carry it with one hand,I have the thumper brand have had it for 6 years that could jump start cars with dead batteries run the fridge and lights when camping etc.

[Michael2]

Why not just carry a good spare battery? If you want to get fancy, put it in one of those plastic marine battery boxes (about $15). You've already got jumper leads, but you can drill some holes in it and wire in a cigarette lighter socket for 12V power. A charge lead from your battery will keep it charged while you drive.

I made one up and fitted the Traxide battery management box to the inside of the lid. Then a 6mm wire ran from the battery to where I stowed the box. I did that so I could use it in the SIII and the RR, but now the Traxide is in the Defender which has 2 Batteries.

[RichardK]

I've already got a second battery installed in the D3, however there is little room in the area they give you and I can only fit a 55AH battery there.

The Idea of a Jumper Pack is to support a light or shower around camp as well as an emergengy starting battery.

CEWilson: What is the brand of the good one you use?

Michael2: At the moment that is where I am heading as I can put a 100 + AH battery into one of the containers that have all the bits you have mentioned, they are around $85.

Has anyone had experience with the Bushranger 4000?

[Jamo]

Richard,

I've got an Outback Thumper 40AH pack.

The jumper leads are detachable and connect to the pack via an Anderson plug. Also has one cig lighter typ socket and two hellas.

You can get these ones from 24AH up to 100AH I think.

I carry it in case the main and aux batteries fail and I need to start. I't also good when I run into others needing a jump as I'm not connecting my car to theirs.

Great piece of kit.

[waynep]

I agree those cheaper jump start packs are only good for auxiliary power, and maybe jump starting a small 4 cylinder car. They won't kick over a diesel. ( I've tried ). The best option is a permanent second battery and a good set of jumper leads. If you think you are going to use your second battery for starting consider a dual purpose one that has both a CCA ( cold cranking ) rating and a Amp Hour rating on it. Something like the Exide Extreme. A pure deep cycle battery will not handle starting amps very well.

[fernockulated]

just bought one off e-bay,cost me $52 has the jump start capability(?),and a air compressor and three cig sockets and two little work lites,mainly got it for the convenience to use the 12 v flouro's around camp,no need to bring vehicle into camp or take spare batt out of car,dont know just how good they would be for jump start of dead flat car,says to connect and leave for 10 mins so some charge trickles across,may do the trick:confused: dont really want to find out tho:cool:
this is it on ebay, http://cgi.ebay.com.au/4X4-Battery-Jump-Start-Air-Compressor-Boat-Camping-Cars_W0QQitemZ190033299844QQihZ009QQcategoryZ30862 QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem

[George130]

attempted to use one last weekend on the ford. Couldn't do the job. Grabed another battery and hooked them up and she started. I don't think it would be a great help on the Landy's but they can help with a small car.

[LandyAndy]

Hi Richard
I saw a setup on Ebay a while ago.Basically what others suggested,a plastic battery box with anderson connections.
Would be easy enough to build yourself using a hi-amp sealed deep cycle battery,then would be safe to store inside and easy enough to shift around the campsite.
Andrew

[RichardK]

Think I've solved the problem.

I think I'll get a battery box, the type that has 2 12V lighter sockets, a lit voltage display, outer 12V connections and fit a 70AH sealed battery inside.

Will be a tad heavier than most battery packs at 25 Kgs but the extra capacity will more than make up for that.

I'll still be able to charge it via the 12V sockets while driving like a jump starter.

Pricewise it will be $250 cheaper than the Bushranger and have more than double the AH capacity

[Yabbie]

Anyone had experience with Jumper Packs, I get into some remote areas and I would like to add a Jumper Pack to my kit for use around camp and as an emergency backup.
I generally look for quality not cheap price as I like to have kit that gives good service and I can rely on.



Still can't work out how adding a cardigan to your emergency pack is going to get you out of trouble:D

Perhaps you could get Nana to knit you one :twisted:

[Phoenix]

I used one on the weekend actually. Not sure what brand, but it's pretty heavy, has jumper leads, 2 cigy sockets and a battery gauge. Also has a cable to charge it from the car. We actually plugged the caravan that we were using into it to run the lights for a few days, didn't even drop below 75%. Mainly took it because the D2 I was driving sometimes has charging problems.

[p38arover]

I've already got a second battery installed in the D3, however there is little room in the area they give you and I can only fit a 55AH battery there.

I had a look over and inside a D3 two weeks ago (I wish I'd had a camera) that was fitted out for touring.

It had the prototype Kaymar rear step bar with dual swingaway wheel carriers, commercial drawers in the back with a cargo barrier, Codan HF radio on the cargo barrier. It also had a bull bar but I forgot to check if it had a winch. It didn't have OEM sat nav so that space was taken up by the HF control head.

It also had a third battery mounted under the centre rear seat (not the third row seating which it didn't have).

Ron

[Redback]

I have this

PS800P
http://www.projecta.com.au/documents/item/19900A 12V 400CCA Jumpstarter and power supply
http://www.projecta.com.au/documents/item/182

I started my TD5 when i flattened my main battery at Cadelga Ruins near Cordillo Downs, pay the extra and get something decent, they have a high performance model as well the HP500, 1000 and 1500 too

http://www.projecta.com.au/catalogue/cid/27/asset_id/61/

Baz.

[Outlaw]

I've got a Supercrap 1200amp jump starter pack i bought on sale a couple years back... starts the disco and defender okay when the batteries are too low... done it heaps of times (just make sure you always recharge it)... as mentioned though they don't like dead flat batteries.

Otherwise it's got 2 ciggy ports on it which i use to keep the ipod or mobile charged and a couple 12v fluros around the campsite going for a couple nights.

[incisor]

/me wonders when we dont fit traxide sc40 or sc80 and forget about flattening the start battery :P

[RichardK]

/me wonders when we dont fit traxide sc40 or sc80 and forget about flattening the start battery :P

Got one of those in my dual battery system.
The extra battery (Jumpstart) is for, as Outlaw says, use around camp and emergency in case the in car batteries fail when we are in some remote area.
The second battery in the D3s' second battery area is only a 55AH due to the limited space.

[mr_sav]

Gidday,

I was going to go for one, but decided to put my money into another Deep Cycle / Cranking Battery, with External Anderson Plugs, Front and Rear. Hence, I just plug whatever I need into the Anderson Plug. I also have Jumper Leads with a Anderson Plug on one end. So I can Jump Start Vehicles from the front or back without accessing the Seat. Likewise I could Jump Start my Vehicle, via the plugs as well.

More Practical than a Jump Pack, which you could easily forget about over time, which then would only trickle.

Just another Suggestion.