Automotive Battery Jump Starters

Automotive Battery Jump Starters

Jump starters are portable battery devices used to start a vehicle when the car battery is low. They operate as jumper cables but they don't need an extra vehicle to generate the power required to boost the low or dead battery. Here are some frequently asked questions about these devices.

What strength of battery should be in a jump starter?

The device should have sufficient cranking amps and peak amps to start a car during an emergency. Batteries with high peak amps generate more power for your car battery. Be sure to look for a battery with 225 or more amps and 900 or more peak amps. Simply put, it should match the starting amps of your car battery.

What type of battery is in a jump starter?

Jump-starter batteries are made out of lithium, which makes them small and compact. High-discharge lithium-ion batteries are also available.

How do jump starters work?

You hook the jumper pack to the auto battery. Be sure to match the coloured alligator clamps. The black clamp is for negative and the red clamp is for positive. Turn on the power on the jump starter to transfer the current to the dead battery. Auto jump starters do not have a power on and off switch; they transfer current as soon as the clamps are connected to the terminals.

What size jump starter do you need?

Cars have various kinds of engines that require different cranking currents. A rough estimate of petrol/gas engines shows that a four-cylinder car engine requires a jump starter with 150 to 200 amps. Vehicles with six- to eight-cylinder engines need 200 to 300 amps.

Can jump starters be powered from cigarette lighters?

Cigarette lighter outlets can be used in place of jumper cables to interconnect the 12-volt power outlets of two vehicles. The outlets eliminate the concerns that come with incorrect connections and the creation of arcs near battery terminals.

How do you choose a jump starter?

There are two types of car jump starters: plug-in units and jump boxes. Jump boxes are maintenance-free jump starters with jumper cables attached to them. Plug-in units are battery chargers that deliver enough amperage to help turn your engine on. If you want a plug-in unit, you should consider features such as the float-charge option, multiple-amperage settings and the various charging modes.

Jump boxes consist of a maintenance-free battery attached to cables in a pack. They are portable and provide the required amperage to jump start an empty battery.