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Hook#3287
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« on: December 25, 2017, 01:02:44 PM » |
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....anyone got one they like??
Went to plow the driveway with the bobcat and she didn't want to start.
Had to start up the dually to jump start it.
Then it hit me, I NEED a portable jump starter.
Recommendations?
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Challenger
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« Reply #1 on: December 25, 2017, 01:27:55 PM » |
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I have a JNC 1700 Amp jump box ($120.00) that I have carried in the service truck for almost ten years and still works, It charges off the cigar lighter in the truck or 110 volt wall outlet. It's a bit heavy but I pick up up 30 to 40 Lawn tractors every spring for tune ups and most all of them are dead from sitting all winter, It works great. We use it in the shop a lot for a power pack running combine concave actuators during leveling check. I would stay away from the ones the ones that have built in flash lights and air compressors. Not sure if one is better than another.
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John Schmidt
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Posts: 15324
a/k/a Stuffy. '99 I/S Valk Roadsmith Trike
De Pere, WI (Green Bay)
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« Reply #3 on: December 25, 2017, 02:58:24 PM » |
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Doesn't DDT carry some version of one in his saddlebag? I think that's what saved his bacon coming back from Alaska when the alternator wouldn't alternate any longer. Believe he just clamped the cables to the battery and away he went, headed for the border north of Michigan or thereabouts. Anybody know for certain what he uses 'cuz I'm thinking of getting one for future trips.
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sandy
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« Reply #5 on: December 25, 2017, 04:41:25 PM » |
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I have a NOCO GB40 and love it. Amazon sells it. It's good for a V8 up to 350 CuIn. I also ordered a set of smaller jawed cables to better fir a bike's battery.
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Hook#3287
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« Reply #6 on: January 04, 2018, 12:45:40 PM » |
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I decided to get the Jump-N-Carry JNC660 1700 Peak Amp 12V Jump Starter, thanks to Challenger's suggestion and the fact that I needed something that will start equipment.
Already used it twice due to the below 0 conditions we've been experiencing around here.
It works great, seems heavy duty and appears it will serve for years to come.
Thanks for all the suggestions.
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¿spoom
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« Reply #7 on: January 04, 2018, 04:05:13 PM » |
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I decided to get the Jump-N-Carry JNC660 1700 Peak Amp 12V Jump Starter, thanks to Challenger's suggestion and the fact that I needed something that will start equipment.
Already used it twice due to the below 0 conditions we've been experiencing around here.
It works great, seems heavy duty and appears it will serve for years to come.
Thanks for all the suggestions.
Sorry I noticed this thread too late, but that one looks like a good choice. I've had this "Rescue" brand for many years, happened to get it with my Fastenal account when I decided the business "needed" one for the work van. I use it primarily to operate a winch inside the van that I use to pull a golf cart or bike loader in & out. Mine is really just a gel battery, compressor and lights combined in one. I've used them all and love the little LED in the end of each jumper clamp to light up where you're clamping it. Also great to have the on/off switch to keep the clamps dead until ready to jump, along with polarity protection that shows a green or red LED when connected and blocks output to the clamps when reversed. Probably standard stuff for most all these units. I could probably get one with more CCA output in the same size (or a smaller size with the same output) by going with a Lithium battery, but size wasn't a problem in a van or car, and I have one of the small lithium ones for saddlebags already. The standard battery turned out to be a good thing when I didn't notice I'd bumped a light button while packing it in the old Winter car behind the front seat, and it slowly went dead and stayed dead over the next month or so-I noticed it when I went to bring it into the house to recharge overnight it like I do every 4-5 weeks. Wouldn't take a good charge so I was able to just take it all apart and order the same size gel cell off Amazon for under $50 shipped. http://www.quickcable.com/products.php?pageId=177
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¿spoom
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« Reply #9 on: January 04, 2018, 07:08:01 PM » |
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Yeah, that's the one I have for bikes, but never had to use it jump anything yet. So far it's only use has been as an external cellphone battery at our trailer "up north". Works fine for that.
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Super Santa
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Posts: 1907
VRCC #27029
Houston, Texas
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« Reply #10 on: January 04, 2018, 07:41:38 PM » |
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I have started cars, Valks, and Harleys, and charged cell phones. They are strong enough to start many different ones, many times without charging.
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baird4444
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« Reply #11 on: January 04, 2018, 10:21:59 PM » |
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Made a run over to Gunnison late this summer to answer an S.O.S. call from Valkorado.... because of the fresh and loose pea gravel in his drive I pulled a DUMBASS being concerned about the bike tilting on the stand that I left my key on.... (the Dumbass part) After a couple hours of gettin greasy it was time to split and my Dumbassness became evident......DEAD. Seth goes in the house and brings out his case aboot the size of a 5x7 planner.... we pop the seat and connect the clips to the batt and BAM!!! Bobs yur uncle and we be jumped. Don't know which jumpbox he had but it was great, convenient, and motorcycle sized..... I will have one - Mike
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Riding a motorcycle isn't like driving a car.... - ya gotta be SOBER!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "You can't drink all day if you don't start in the morning!! " -Cody Baird
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Hook#3287
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« Reply #12 on: January 05, 2018, 03:53:03 AM » |
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I think you guys are talking me into needed another for the bikes 
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The emperor has no clothes
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« Reply #13 on: January 05, 2018, 04:10:09 AM » |
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I think you guys are talking me into needed another for the bikes  I keep meaning to get one like DDT used to limp into civilization when his alternator went out.
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Misfit
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« Reply #14 on: January 05, 2018, 05:58:52 AM » |
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DDT and I use the Rugged Geek. Works well and comes with an air compressor and enough leads/adapters to charge just about anything. 
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If you're lucky enough to ride a Valkyrie, you're lucky enough. 
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JimC
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« Reply #15 on: January 05, 2018, 10:03:10 AM » |
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DDT and I use the Rugged Geek. Works well and comes with an air compressor and enough leads/adapters to charge just about anything.  Me also, it came in handy to start my daughters lawn mower, and keep a laptop going when I forgot the charge chord. The air compressor is a PLUS, earlier today I was able to top off my my tires when I could not find a gas station air pump that worked. Jim
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« Last Edit: January 05, 2018, 08:45:35 PM by JimC »
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Jim Callaghan SE Wisconsin
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Kep
Member
    
Posts: 481
My "Mid-life Crisis "
Indiana
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« Reply #16 on: January 05, 2018, 10:01:25 PM » |
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Micro-Start is the best quality , but also the most pricey.
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Robert
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« Reply #17 on: January 06, 2018, 03:34:44 AM » |
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My experience has been they all die, I have owned 2 dont remember the brand and I know of 3 others owned by others and they do jump start if the car battery is not totally dead and will not jump start anything to big. They are at most 18000 m Ah lithium batteries and by using them in this fashion putting them to severe duty use. The reserve is not to long either and some once you start the vehicle take them off immediately or they will be ruined. If you charge something like a laptop or a couple of phones it puts the battery to low to effectively jump start also. The other trick is I have seen them say they are fully charged only to die immediately.
They are a great idea, and occasional or small start use are good and have saved me a couple of times. Glad some here have had better luck with them.
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« Last Edit: January 06, 2018, 03:58:42 AM by Robert »
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“Some people see things that are and ask, Why? Some people dream of things that never were and ask, Why not? Some people have to go to work and don’t have time for all that.”
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Michvalk
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« Reply #19 on: January 06, 2018, 05:42:06 PM » |
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I have an Everstart from Walmart, and it works great. I use it for starting my tractor in the spring, and pumping up tires on said tractor. It has a work light, two cigarette lighter size plugs, and two USB ports, And a 110 outlet. It all works great. I really bought it for when the power goes out in stormy weather, to run my portable tv, and charge phones, and run my laptop. It will do all of that at once, and for a couple days
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¿spoom
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« Reply #20 on: January 06, 2018, 06:33:10 PM » |
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Holy cow, does that have an inverter in it to provide 110vac or is their "AC Outlet" Chinglish for an INPUT to charge off AC wall current? FWIW, mine's the "Powerall Supreme" 16,000mAh 600w Jump Start current according to the plastic carry case. Typical red & black case with a pair of USB on the side and flashlight in the end. Has an LED bar graph charge indicator. https://www.thepowerall.com/ Looking at their website just now, they have some newer models out since I bought mine around 2 years ago. Mine's on the "Original Standard" page as the Supreme. The newer one looks really nice, haven't looked at the numbers since I'm not in the market.
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« Last Edit: January 06, 2018, 06:37:29 PM by ¿spoom »
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BINOVC
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« Reply #21 on: January 06, 2018, 11:53:02 PM » |
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Micro-Start is the best quality , but also the most pricey.
I bought in to the Microstart XP1 several years back after watching a youtube of a guy repeatedly jumpstarting his bike and truck. I'll never go back to those big clunky jumpstarters! Have 2 or 3 around that are dead from always forgetting to keep them charged up. Lots of competing products now-a-days, probably as good and even better, but I'm happy with the XP1.
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Michvalk
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« Reply #22 on: January 07, 2018, 02:58:52 AM » |
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Holy cow, does that have an inverter in it to provide 110vac or is their "AC Outlet" Chinglish for an INPUT to charge off AC wall current? FWIW, mine's the "Powerall Supreme" 16,000mAh 600w Jump Start current according to the plastic carry case. Typical red & black case with a pair of USB on the side and flashlight in the end. Has an LED bar graph charge indicator. https://www.thepowerall.com/ Looking at their website just now, they have some newer models out since I bought mine around 2 years ago. Mine's on the "Original Standard" page as the Supreme. The newer one looks really nice, haven't looked at the numbers since I'm not in the market. If your asking me, yes it has an inverter built in, and it works good
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Rams
Member
    
Posts: 16703
So many colors to choose from yet so few stand out
Covington, TN
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« Reply #23 on: January 07, 2018, 03:25:08 AM » |
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I don't own one but have sold hundreds of them. The vast majority of returns are from folks who used it one time and then put the charger in their trunk and never took it out again until they needed a jump and then (of course), it didn't have sufficient charge left in it to do the job. They have to be charged back up to do their jobs.
Won't suggest that there aren't some bad ones out there but, if it built by man, it needs some attention paid to it periodically. I have several battery maintainers that I keep on my different vehicles. I prefer to do that versus having a jump starter around and moving it from vehicle to vehicle. On the Phat Lady, I carry a small set of jumper cables just in case. They take up so much less room should I need a jump. Never had to use them for my own Valkyrie but, have given other folks a jump. YMMV
Rams
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VRCC# 29981 Learning the majority of life's lessons the hard way.
Every trip is an adventure, enjoy it while it lasts.
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Hook#3287
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« Reply #24 on: January 07, 2018, 04:57:23 AM » |
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I don't own one but have sold hundreds of them ???
Do you work at a retail joint?
In my original post, I stated I needed the jump box for my equipment and mostly in my yard.
Lull, bobcat, excavator, dump trailer, etc.
I try to keep the batteries on them in good condition and fully charged, but crap happens.
I like that this post turned into a Valk related post with everyone suggesting the smaller starters for bikes.
If I traveled like DDT, I'd have one with me at all times, but most of my riding is day trips, close to help if needed.
I also carry some homemade jumper cables and have only used them on other's bikes.
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Rams
Member
    
Posts: 16703
So many colors to choose from yet so few stand out
Covington, TN
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« Reply #25 on: January 07, 2018, 05:01:31 AM » |
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I don't own one but have sold hundreds of them ???
Do you work at a retail joint?
Yeah, I'm semi-retired and work part time at an auto parts store. It helps pay the bills.  Transporting is too sporadic, sometimes it's more than I can possibly do, other times it's non-existent. Seems to roll with the season and of course, the economy. Rams
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« Last Edit: January 07, 2018, 05:17:02 AM by Rams »
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VRCC# 29981 Learning the majority of life's lessons the hard way.
Every trip is an adventure, enjoy it while it lasts.
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¿spoom
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« Reply #26 on: January 07, 2018, 11:09:42 AM » |
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Holy cow, does that have an inverter in it to provide 110vac or is their "AC Outlet" Chinglish for an INPUT to charge off AC wall current? FWIW, mine's the "Powerall Supreme" 16,000mAh 600w Jump Start current according to the plastic carry case. Typical red & black case with a pair of USB on the side and flashlight in the end. Has an LED bar graph charge indicator. https://www.thepowerall.com/ Looking at their website just now, they have some newer models out since I bought mine around 2 years ago. Mine's on the "Original Standard" page as the Supreme. The newer one looks really nice, haven't looked at the numbers since I'm not in the market. If your asking me, yes it has an inverter built in, and it works good Wow, impressive for such a small unit! My little 375 Watt Inverter https://www.tripplite.com/375w-powerverter-ultra-compact-car-inverter-2-outlets~PV375/ is bigger than your whole charger AND inverter combined. How many watts is the AC outlet rated at?
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gordonv
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Posts: 5766
VRCC # 31419
Richmond BC
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« Reply #28 on: January 08, 2018, 07:33:30 PM » |
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I see your charger is rated for 400 Amps. Have you tried jump starting something yet? For something cheap like that, I wouldn't mind buying one and have on the bike for those just-in-case times.
Reading up on a few, the 400a will do a 2.5L engine, and the 300a will so a 2.0L engine.
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1999 Black with custom paint IS  
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PAVALKER
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Posts: 4435
Retired Navy 22YOS, 2014 Valkyrie , VRCC# 27213
Pittsburgh, Pa
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« Reply #29 on: January 08, 2018, 07:45:28 PM » |
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I see your charger is rated for 400 Amps. Have you tried jump starting something yet? For something cheap like that, I wouldn't mind buying one and have on the bike for those just-in-case times.
Reading up on a few, the 400a will do a 2.5L engine, and the 300a will so a 2.0L engine.
Just got it today....no bigger than my phone. The cables are more substantial than I expected. I charged it up with a USB cord (included). Flashlight solid/slow SOS/Fast SOS. My plan exactly for those "just in case" times. Don't have anything that needs jumped at the moment.
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John 
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