School me on portable jump starters

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School me on portable jump starters

Post by Lorgar » 24 Jul 2020, 8:20 am

Long story short, I came up to Sydney recently for what was supposed to be 2 weeks. This is more likely to be months now. I'm expecting when I get home my motorbike battery will be dead as a dodo from lack of use.

II had it fail to start about a month ago after riding dropped from daily to once every few weeks with the lockdown, too.

So, I'm looking at mobile jump starters. Specs and prices are all over the place for these things.

Anything from 400 amps to 2,400 amps. In the handheld/battery styles ones anything from 3,000mAh to 18,000mAh.

As I understand the basics, the started will only draw what it needs. More amps are needed for larger engines, but as long as there are enough the actually amps doesn't matter.

I'm not really sure how mAh or amp hours is relevant when you're only using it for a few seconds. is 1 amp hour, 60 amp minutes, or a 3600 amp second? Not sure if they can supply power like that, as by that math some of the bigger units would have colossal amperage available for the second it takes to turn over a motor, more than you could ever need.

For a motorbike battery, is something like this $35 portable unit the go?
- https://www.supercheapauto.com.au/p/cal ... 66282.html

There are more powerful units like the Adventure Kings one for $140
- https://www.4wdsupacentre.com.au/advent ... arter.html

Then there's $300 units, $800 units and more.

Am I getting anything for the extra money in the case of having it on hand to start a bike?
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Re: School me on portable jump starters

Post by Blr243 » 24 Jul 2020, 9:39 am

Deisel engines take more juice from a jump pack than petrol engines on start up. In my Deisel a 250 dollar unit from super cheap is plenty So I think u need to be spending less than 200
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Re: School me on portable jump starters

Post by MontyShooter » 24 Jul 2020, 9:50 am

I'd just get a motorbike specific one as it will be alot smaller. I use a motobatt one on my GS. Remember you can roll start your bike if in a pinch.
Once a lead acid battery is flat it's basically toast. I wouldn't trust it. Maybe consider getting a trickle charger to look after your battery.
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Re: School me on portable jump starters

Post by Oldbloke » 24 Jul 2020, 10:07 am

Off topic, But have u considered a small, say, 5 or 10watt solar panel to provide constant charging. Popular for caravan owners.
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Re: School me on portable jump starters

Post by Lorgar » 24 Jul 2020, 1:26 pm

Blr243 wrote:Deisel engines take more juice from a jump pack than petrol engines on start up. In my Deisel a 250 dollar unit from super cheap is plenty So I think u need to be spending less than 200


I did dabble with the idea of a more powerful one I could use on the Diesel Prado as well, "just in case".

Really though there's basically zero chance I'd use it on the truck. I have an auxillery battery setup, so can always jump of that anyway. In 99% of trips there's always a second vehicle with me as well.

Aiming for something that's enough for just the motorbike. 400cc (probably buy a 650cc in 6 months), that's all it would ever need to start.
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Re: School me on portable jump starters

Post by Lorgar » 24 Jul 2020, 1:32 pm

MontyShooter wrote:I'd just get a motorbike specific one as it will be alot smaller. I use a motobatt one on my GS. Remember you can roll start your bike if in a pinch.
Once a lead acid battery is flat it's basically toast. I wouldn't trust it. Maybe consider getting a trickle charger to look after your battery.


I'll check out the Motobatt one, cheers. Looks like a good option, only $100 too.

No possibility of using a trickle charger. My parking is in an apartment complex lot with no access to an outlet.

Normally it wouldn't be an issue and a trickle wouldn't be needed, as I ride 6-7 days a week normally. Just with work-from-home and all the covid BS the last few months my riding routine is out the window.
Last edited by Lorgar on 24 Jul 2020, 1:37 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: School me on portable jump starters

Post by Lorgar » 24 Jul 2020, 1:33 pm

Oldbloke wrote:Off topic, But have u considered a small, say, 5 or 10watt solar panel to provide constant charging. Popular for caravan owners.


My parking is underground, so wouldn't be an option in this case unfortunately.
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Re: School me on portable jump starters

Post by TassieTiger » 24 Jul 2020, 1:40 pm

Oldbloke wrote:Off topic, But have u considered a small, say, 5 or 10watt solar panel to provide constant charging. Popular for caravan owners.


^ this
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Re: School me on portable jump starters

Post by Lorgar » 24 Jul 2020, 7:14 pm

TassieTiger wrote:
Oldbloke wrote:Off topic, But have u considered a small, say, 5 or 10watt solar panel to provide constant charging. Popular for caravan owners.


^ this


Still in an underground carpark, still not an option :lol:
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Re: School me on portable jump starters

Post by MontyShooter » 24 Jul 2020, 7:24 pm

Even with solar you would still need to regulate the output from the panel for 12v. Somewhere around a 30-40w panel. Just another thing for someone to steal.
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Re: School me on portable jump starters

Post by TassieTiger » 24 Jul 2020, 7:28 pm

I’ve got an old 4wd I use for wood...hardly gets driven...so on the roof is a Flexi 120w panel, wired to a 20amp regulator, in the dash, connected to battery that now lives at 13.6v 365 days a year.

Missed the UG part...solar is difficult underground - I have wondered about mirrors on a tracking device pointing at a panel lol.
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Re: School me on portable jump starters

Post by CrackThump » 24 Jul 2020, 8:27 pm

How about one of those maintenance chargers that you leave plugged into the battery when the vehicle is not in use.
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Re: School me on portable jump starters

Post by boingk » 24 Jul 2020, 10:44 pm

Hi mate, get something like this:

https://www.supercheapauto.com.au/p/sca ... rt=1&sz=60

Its basic, cheap, and has a light plus USB charger built in. All for just over 100 bucks. Winning.

I've been using the older version of this in the big stand up plastic case for over 5 years now, got it on sale for about $70. LED light up front, USB on the back, two leads on it and a battery inside. That's all you need.

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Re: School me on portable jump starters

Post by targetshooter900 » 25 Jul 2020, 10:56 am

Don't forget to keep it charged lol. Every time I've gone to use a mates one it's always dead. Defeats the purpose of it really.
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Re: School me on portable jump starters

Post by Lorgar » 25 Jul 2020, 12:11 pm

TassieTiger wrote:Missed the UG part...solar is difficult underground - I have wondered about mirrors on a tracking device pointing at a panel lol.


I'm all for a bit of hair brained mechanics, usually. Just zero possibility of this where I am.

Multi levels deep, no windows/skylights/exterior doors etc. with access to light at all.
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Re: School me on portable jump starters

Post by Lorgar » 25 Jul 2020, 12:13 pm

CrackThump wrote:How about one of those maintenance chargers that you leave plugged into the battery when the vehicle is not in use.


No access to a mains outlet where I have to park.
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Re: School me on portable jump starters

Post by Lorgar » 25 Jul 2020, 12:15 pm

targetshooter900 wrote:Don't forget to keep it charged lol. Every time I've gone to use a mates one it's always dead. Defeats the purpose of it really.


That's another reason I think the handheld size / motorbike syle one is the go.

If I can also use it to charge my phone etc. while out, it'll be something I carry and charge with some regularity.
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