Modern cars are thirsty for electricity, even when they\u2019re not running. The parasitic draw from a car\u2019s electronic gizmos draw can drain a battery surprisingly quickly. An even bigger surprise is that some cars can\u2019t be put into neutral unless they have electrical power, which means that you\u2019re out of luck if you have to push the car to reposition it for a jump start. That\u2019s a dead battery double-whammy.<\/p>\n
I got hit with this double-whammy, so I took a look at the modern world of hand-held jump starters. Want to jump on a consumer trend? This seems like a good one to join.<\/p>\n
A typical hand-held jump starter is about the size of a thick paperback book. This portability eliminates the hassle of having to do a conventional, vehicle-to-vehicle jump start. Every example I\u2019m aware of is powered by a lithium battery. From what I\u2019ve seen, these devices are running anywhere from $30 to $210. <\/p>\n
Consumer Reports took a look at this realm in a July 2015 \u201cJump starter buying guide.\u201d Their website has some information that\u2019s available to non-subscribers. Their top pick was the Antigravity Batteries XP-10. I took a look at the manufacturer\u2019s website and noted that this model lists for $209.99.<\/p>\n
So, that\u2019s the top end. If you\u2019re more in the mood for contemplating the more affordable end of the spectrum, though, read on.<\/p>\n
The recent holiday season was the first time I noticed hand-held jump starters on display in discount stores. The stores must have really stocked up on these things, because they were soon offering some steep discounts. That was good timing, since I was ready to try one out.<\/p>\n
I decided to buy the EverStart Multi-Function Jump Starter. Now, as a stand-alone specification, this number doesn\u2019t tell the whole technical story, but I\u2019ll note that the model is rated at 12,000 mAh. It cost $30 on clearance sale.<\/p>\n
The car at issue has a 3.0-liter engine, so I guess that\u2019s a medium-sized engine by today\u2019s standards, hence a moderate test of the EverStart\u2019s ability. I attached the device\u2019s clamps to the car\u2019s battery terminals, and, to my eternal surprise, we got the car started right away. That\u2019s due entirely to the EverStart\u2019s muscle, since the battery in the car was not just weak, but was totally dead.<\/p>\n
So it\u2019s a reassuring result, especially if you\u2019re thinking about a Saipan context where so many cars have small, 4-cylinder engines. By contrast, if you have to crank a large-displacement V-8 engine, I don\u2019t know how you\u2019ll fare, but I intend to run a test when the opportunity presents itself.<\/p>\n
Just to put things in perspective, there are larger, heavier jump starters that professional garages and tow trucks often use. These have a lot more juice, and are essentially powered by smaller versions of car batteries, which are lead-acid as opposed to lithium. Unless you\u2019ve got a truck or SUV, though, and a chunk of spare space, you\u2019re probably not going to haul one of these things around when you\u2019re out and about. <\/p>\n
Anyway, back in the realm of the hand-held jump starters, the EverStart came packed with its accessories in a storage bag. I don\u2019t know how they packed things in that efficiently, but I sure couldn\u2019t get everything back into the bag. Nobody else could, either. I therefore procured a bigger storage bag from a Japanese discount store. Only the Japanese can match my penchant for hyper-organizing things. <\/p>\n
As it typical of the breed, the EverStart has a little integrated flashlight. It also has a single USB port that can be used to charge stuff. That\u2019s all well and good, but I just want the jump-starting capabilities, so nothing beyond that matter holds my attention. <\/p>\n
Of course, batteries are batteries, so the battery in a jump starter will, just like a car battery, discharge over time. The EverStart manual says that the device should be charged every three months.<\/p>\n
As useful as the thing is, it\u2019s not a magic wand, so I\u2019m not willing to let it replace jumper cables, and I\u2019m probably not willing to let it simmer in a steaming-hot car for a long time, either. <\/p>\n
Between the top-end pick of Consumer Reports, and the inexpensive model I bought, there is a swirling galaxy of brands and prices, with varying amounts of power, and with various features and accessories for charging iPhones and laptop computers and such. <\/p>\n
Of course, there\u2019s no use in sweating some theoretical ideal here. The best thing to buy is often a function of what\u2019s easy to get your hands on; that\u2019s why I bought what I bought, it was simply there when I needed it. Your procurement situation in Saipan will be different than if you are in Guam or New York. Still, this is a very useful type of tool, so I thought you\u2019d like to know about it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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