Recommendations for a Jump Starter pack?

[sorekiwi 761]

I havent started any research yet but I either need to buy or build another set of jumper cables or just buy a jump starter pack. Seems to me that by the time I buy some nice big welding cable and a decent set of clips for the jumper leads, I'll probably have spent as much as buying a jump pack.

Anyone got any recommendations on one?

[Martin 2,133]

dont have recommendations or prior experience mike, but am interested in getting one myself. just get tired of dragging the battery charger and drop cords out all the time and jumping them on the start setting.

scott moreau had one at kellys show last year that we used to jump the 1277 after kent wore the battery out...... it looked like a nice unit and he seemed happy with it. im sure he will chime in if he sees this thread......

[perry 82]

dont buy a diehard . spend the money if you can and get a decent one . I had a cheap $40 husky jumper and it was great. used the heck out of it for 3 yrs. went to buy another and they are discontinued. witch figures because it was cheap and worked good.

[sorekiwi 761]

Thanks guys.

Have done a little reading and it looks like what I would want is going to cost me $200 plus. I may buy a cheapy and build (or buy) a decent set of cables.

The attraction of the jump box is the portability and I think it would be great with the tractors. I seem to have to buy a couple of new tractor batteries every year and I still end up with a dead one in the one tractor I want to use at the time. .

Of course, whatever I buy will always end up in the wrong vehicle at the time I need them. Maybe I need to buy 3 sets of cables!

[baerpath 517]

This is the one I have Walmart special. This one is strong enough to do anything I need and I have gone through 8 different ones in the last 5 yrs. It does a good job will crank over my wifes puller and still have a charge in it. Also has some nice features like reading charge voltage of what it's hooked to. Cost $70 on sale reg $100

Schumacher XP2260 6-in-1 Jump Starter:

• Portable jump starter has 1200-peak amps
  
• 300 cranking amps
  
• 22-amp, maintenance free AGM battery
  
• 2 x 12V DC power outlets
  
• 400-watts of AC household power with twin outlets
  
• 150 PSI air compressor
  
• Air flow inflator and deflator
  
• Built-in light
  
• Reverse hook-up protection
  
• Digital display
  
• Built-in charger
  
• USB port
  

[stevasaurus 23,307]

Mike, I have been using a 12 volt, automatic float charger this winter (made by Chicago Electric Power Tools). Not sure what they cost, but they can not be much. It is not a trickle charger, but keeps a battery at full charge. I have 2 of them working now. The batteries on my 857 and the B-100 will not hold a charge anymore. I have had these on since the start of winter (in an unheated garage) and they start right up. Looks like I am getting another year out of these batteries. Wish I knew what they cost, my dad bought these back around 2000, and I finally got tired of throwing a charger on the horses to use them, so I dug them out and started using these chargers. Guaranteed to not over charge a battery. Says it is distributed by Harbor Freight...Battery Float Charger...Model 37137. Not a trickle charger. See what you think.

[sorekiwi 761]

Thanks Steve,

I'm not after a charger I have a couple of those already. I'm looking to cover the unexpected dead battery in the middle of nowhere

What started this off was that I got the "Stranded" call from my Mother-in-Law this afternoon. Her battery was dead, and the car I was in didnt have a set of jumper cables in it. Usually in winter I'm not in my truck (2wd) so I'm trying to decide if I want to buy a set of cables to live in each vehicle, or a couple of sets of cables and a jump pack?

[squonk 43,944]

Mike, I have been using a 12 volt, automatic float charger this winter (made by Chicago Electric Power Tools). Not sure what they cost, but they can not be much. It is not a trickle charger, but keeps a battery at full charge. I have 2 of them working now. The batteries on my 857 and the B-100 will not hold a charge anymore. I have had these on since the start of winter (in an unheated garage) and they start right up. Looks like I am getting another year out of these batteries. Wish I knew what they cost, my dad bought these back around 2000, and I finally got tired of throwing a charger on the horses to use them, so I dug them out and started using these chargers. Guaranteed to not over charge a battery. Says it is distributed by Harbor Freight...Battery Float Charger...Model 37137. Not a trickle charger. See what you think.

I bought one of those. Put it on my Power King. When I went to start it the first time the engine just about flew out of the tractor it cranked so fast. I was worried about it hurting the battery so I quit using it and am keeping it as a back up.

[squonk 43,944]

I was thinking about buying a jump box but I don't use one often and thought it would turn to junk from sitting. We have to replace our generator batteries every 2 years at work. One of them uses group 31 tractor/truck batteries 750 CCA. I went to a yard sale and bought one of those little suitcase carts with the extending handle and mounted the battery to that and made some cables with alligator clamps. Heavy but you roll it anywhere and in another year I'll get another battery and keep on tractoring. :thumbs:

[6wheeler 669]

I have a jump box as I call it. I have had it for 10 years and it still works fine. I can't remember what brand it is(the decal came off 5 years ago). I just bought one of the "PEAK" ones for my son at Christmas time. He has used it several times to jump his buddies cars and he said it works great. The air compressor takes awhile to air up a low tire but, it works(his words). He took it ice fishing up north and said the AC outlets charged every ones phones and ran a radio and charged a laptop and they didn't run out of power. It has a charge left switch on it so you can see where the power level is at too. He likes it .

[nylyon-(Admin) 8,017]

I have this one, sorry Perry it's a Diehard. I've had it for several years (4 I think) and it's been perfect. I have used it to jump the tractors, fill bike tires, take camping and use the 110V ports just about anything. I do not leave on an extended trip without it! It's a little pricy, but it does go on-sale often.

Once my truck was low on battery (alternator went bad) and this little unit was able to give it enough to get it started. It can't do it by itself but it can certainly help start a diesel pickup. It will start my other vehicles with very low battery and start the tractors no problem.

[octfst 378]

I couldn't live with out mine. We take it to the tractor shows. jump tractors, air tires, run fans, charge cell phones, light inside the trailer,

[rydogg 186]

This is the one I have Walmart special. This one is strong enough to do anything I need and I have gone through 8 different ones in the last 5 yrs. It does a good job will crank over my wifes puller and still have a charge in it. Also has some nice features like reading charge voltage of what it's hooked to. Cost $70 on sale reg $100

Schumacher XP2260 6-in-1 Jump Starter:

• Portable jump starter has 1200-peak amps
  
• 300 cranking amps
  
• 22-amp, maintenance free AGM battery
  
• 2 x 12V DC power outlets
  
• 400-watts of AC household power with twin outlets
  
• 150 PSI air compressor
  
• Air flow inflator and deflator
  
• Built-in light
  
• Reverse hook-up protection
  
• Digital display
  
• Built-in charger
  
• USB port
  

I saw this thread and got to thinking a jump pack would be a lot nicer than dragging around my battery charger/starter so I did a little checking online and found a person local to me that gets Walmart merchandise by the truckload...the stuff is returns and merchandise that has been replaced with newer models, I think I will take a little trip and see about getting one of the Schumacher jump packs he has them for $25 for choice so I don't think I can go wrong.

[baerpath 517]

Grab a couple if he's got them, ya could make a few bucks.

I'm going to get another one for my son. when the power went out he used mine on his coal stove for auger and fan 5 hrs and still had 40% left when he brought it back.

[Tim 97]

i have the same one Nylyon has. had it about 2 years very happy with it.

before that i had one i bought from Home Depot, had it about 8 years. battery finally died and they stopped selling that model