Cold Weather Battery Booster Recommendations

[fsdork]

I've looked at the first couple pages of "booster" search results, and haven't quite seen what I'm looking for. If there is in fact a related thread, please feel free to point me to it.

I'm looking for recommendations relating to a battery booster suitable for cold weather usage. The application would be vehicles with 4.6-6.2L V8s.

To be clear, I'm not trying to band-aid a failing electrical system or battery, but would like to have one just in case. I've had a couple instances of coming home from a warm-weather holiday to a vehicle parked at the Edmonton airport in -30°C or worse weather, and would prefer not to have to wait for the assistance truck to come give me a boost. As you can probably imagine, I wouldn't be taking it on the plane, so it would need to be able to sit in the cold and still perform. Aside from airport parking and other extended trips, I would keep it in the house to maximize lifespan.

I'm currently looking at the Noco GB40 based on Amazon search results.

 

[mrsilv04]

Real world test results... right here.

 

[DemoFly]

The NOCO boosters are honestly quite great and they are much smaller than the giant lead acid charge boxes of yore. They also hold more starts than a lead acid unit despite being smaller.

They charge with USB, which means you can top it off with your phone charger in the car once you are done getting the car started.

I use mine all the time, my dad has a Duracell branded one that he also likes.

Amazon.com: NOCO Boost Plus GB40 1000 Amp 12-Volt UltraSafe Portable Lithium Jump Starter Box, Car Battery Booster Pack, And Heavy Duty Jumper Cables For Up To 6-Liter Gasoline And 3-Liter Diesel Engines: Automotive

Buy NOCO Boost Plus GB40 1000 Amp 12-Volt UltraSafe Portable Lithium Jump Starter Box, Car Battery Booster Pack, And Heavy Duty Jumper Cables For Up To 6-Liter Gasoline And 3-Liter Diesel Engines: Jump Starters - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

smile.amazon.com

 

[Danno]

We use this one a a car dealership. Works great.
The 1000 just doesn't give enough juice for the Hemis or diesels.
NOCO Boost HD GB70 2000 Amp 12-Volt UltraSafe Portable Lithium Car Battery Jump Starter Pack For Up To 8-Liter Gasoline And 6-Liter Diesel Engines, Jump Starters - Amazon Canada

 

[DemoFly]

I use a 1000 amp on my 5.2L V8 in my Jeep and it's overkill amperage wise. But I wouldn't trust it to do more than 5 starts.

 

[SubLGT]

For cold weather boosting, you should look at capacitor based jump packs

Home - Clore Automotive

12 Volt Portable Jump StartingDon’t sacrifice the power you need.START YOUR VEHICLE12 Volt 100A Flashing Power Supply60/40/10A Battery ChargerOPTIMAL SUPPORT

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[bmwpowere36m3]

NOCO GB70 works great... before it, I had an off-brand amazon booster, which worked great actually. However after a year it wouldn't hold a charge anymore. NOCO's been working well for the last couple years.

 

[fsdork]

Thanks to all who replied. I settled on the NOCO GB50, which is 1500W. It's not quite as powerful as the 2000W some suggested, but seems to give me a little headroom (7.0L gas engine max displacement spec) for starting my 6.2 if I need it. It arrived from Amazon a few days ago, so I haven't had cause to use it yet. All I can speak to so far is charging: a capacity of 35 watt-hours means about a 3.5 hour charge time (plus time for charging efficiency losses) from fully depleted using a 2A (5W) USB charger. I didn't time it, but the real-world charge time was about that.

It isn't quite the magic bullet I was hoping for, as the specs say the bottom end of its operating and storage temperature range is -20°C. It does have cold protection, so I'll have to try it out in temperatures colder than -20 and see how cold it has to get before it actually shuts down. With that said, I won't be leaving it outside for long in excessively cold temperatures, lest I ruin the thing.

If I end up needing the cold weather airport parking solution I mentioned in my OP, I'll have to look at the capacitor-based units as suggested. For now I have something that I can use to help others out, take into a hotel if I have to overnight somewhere cold, or save myself from having to drag out the stiff (cold) extension cord and charger to boost a street-parked vehicle on a miserable winter morning. On that note, my next house needs more parking than this one. Single-width driveways are for the birds.

 

[BJD78]

I dont know about the Noco, but I have a GOoloo 2000 that i have had for a couple of years. I last charged it back in about July 2020 and it has been in my trunks since then. Yesterday when it was -16 I jumped a neighbors old F150 V8 with it. My Gooloo had not been charged for months and still had 2 green bars, about 1/2 charged. Supposed to charge them every 90 days and at full charge 4 green bars Gooloo claims you can jump start 40 vehicles. I brought it in an charged it overnight . I also have an old Die Hard Jump starter as well that still works well,but it is big and heavy (probably weighs 25-30 lbs. This Gooloo can easily fit in a glove box. I now have them both full charged now since we are expected to have Rolling Blackout over the next couple of days and both those chargers can also charge and power cell phones, laptops, and serve as a light as well. Right now as I type this it is -27 here in Lincoln NE. I would kind of like to try it out in -27 to see how well it works, but on the other hand I hope I dont have to. I dont want to even go outside to day and since I am retired,I have that option. LOL!

 

[zzyzzx]

Is a solar battery maintainer an option here? I've been sucessfully using a cheap Harbor Freight one on a rarely used truck that's parked in a partially shaded area for a couple of years now. The solar panel just sits on the dash. Having written that, snow cover isn't that much of an issue here.

 

[Bear]

Is a solar battery maintainer an option here? I've been sucessfully using a cheap Harbor Freight one on a rarely used truck that's parked in a partially shaded area for a couple of years now. The solar panel just sits on the dash. Having written that, snow cover isn't that much of an issue here.

I used a 5watt panel for several years on a van we didn't drive during winter. kept the battery charged.

 

[E365]

For the battery experts, any thoughts on just keeping a little Group 26 AGM battery (secured to the car, and in some type of plastic case/box) in the trunk vs a capacitor-type jump pack for extreme cold weather?

I’ve attempted to use a TackLife Lithium jump pack at around -20F (-29C) numerous times on other people’s cars and it’s been worthless. Too cold - doesn’t do a thing. It’s rarely practical to warm it up first.

Looks like a 550CA Group 26 might still produce about 450A at -20F(??)

I’d trust a big battery and a pair of jumper cables over some cheap no-name Amazon/eBay type electronics. I see Schumacher makes a “hybrid” capacitor unit, but most everything else is cheapo Amazon/eBay type stuff.

Other than the weight, what would be the downside to this plan? I’d have no problem putting it on a battery charger every few weeks during the winter to top it off.

 

[meep]

^^^ An AGM powersports battery, charged every once in a while, and a set of cables might be what you’re talking about. You’ll get a couple hundred CCA out of one. $75 at Walmart, so not the cheapest, though probably a higher grade battery than what’s in the booster pack.

 

[E365]

^^^ An AGM powersports battery, charged every once in a while, and a set of cables might be what you’re talking about. You’ll get a couple hundred CCA out of one. $75 at Walmart, so not the cheapest, though probably a higher grade battery than what’s in the booster pack.

Thanks! I’ll look into it

 

[wrcsixeight]

I carry 18 and 22 Ah AGM batteries, cheap ones. Ub12180 and the UB12220, 35 and 47$ respectively at the time of purchase.
The 18 could start my 2 week unstarted 5.2 liter v8 engine when new, but just barely, and in warm ambient

I mostly have them for portable 12v power sources, Lights, fans, inverter powering some 120 vAC powertools.

While I try and recharge them to full ASAP, after any use, sometimes it is not convenient, and i do not want to leave them in parallel with other batteries.

I have what is referred to as an Ideal Diode. Most Diodes drop 0.4 or 0.7 volts, which slows and extends charging batteries to such levels as to basically insure they never get fully charged and sulfate and die prematurely.

The Ideal diode only drops 0.04v across it, @ 40 amps. Mine is rate to pass 50. I have exceeded that, for quite a while.
I use 45 amp Anderson powerpoles as connectors,

so in my case... regular engine battery---45APP->diode.....45APP.......> Ub12180/Ub12220

Every time I drive the alternator can charge the UB12180, and once the vehicle's voltage drops below that of Ub12180( which rests at over 13.0v for a week+, they are no longer in parallel, and loads on the starter battery cannot draw from the ub12180.

If jumping the engine battery was required, I could just remove the ideal diode, and return it after engine starting to recharge what was taken from it.

The ideal diode could insure the additional powerpsorts or even cheapo AGM battery you desire as a backup cold weather booster, is charged every time you drive, and you dont have to worry about its own self discharge making it useless for if and when you might need it.

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If you search Ebay and Amazon you can try looking for 'high rate' AGMS, which might or might not be any battery than the regular UB/UPG AGMs.

Odyssey makes some small TPPL AGMS, lots more CCA and cycleability and much less self discharge than the cheapos, but 3x more $$.

I Think a good strategy for long term cold weather airport parking is stuffing the largest AGM one can in engine compartment, but a booster AGM can be Kept inside the cabin or trunk, kept fully charged with the diode is another good option.

I've parallelled my Ub12180 and UB12220 to start a built, high compression SBC that sat unstared for a 11 months with stereo memory having sucked it to 1.88v. They together, had no issues, by themselves, but it was warm outside.

The Odyssey pc680 is nearly the same dimensions as the UB12180 and UB12220

Amazon.com: ODYSSEY PC680 Battery, red top : Automotive

Buy ODYSSEY PC680 Battery, red top: Batteries - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

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Amazon.com : Ub12180

Amazon.com : Ub12220 high rate

Amazon.com : 45 amp anderson powerpoles

I've started my v8 through a pair of 45 amp anderson powerpoles, 180+ amps, 90 per connector, no issues, but I stuff 8awg into them. The 45s say 10 awg max.
other anderson connectors are not called powerpoles but can accommodate much larger size cables, upto 0000.
there are generics.
Genuine are better, but the generics mate with the genuine and are not horrible, but not worth the small saving in prices, IMO.
The 45s are a bit tricky to crimp without their special crimpers, the 30's basically any dimple crimper can manage.
XT 60 connectors are also respected by some, but good soldering skills needed.

 

[ripcord]

Instead of using a diode to isolate the batteries, I'd suggest a voltage sensing relay like these:

Amazon.com : BEP Digital Voltage Sensing Relay (DVSR) 12/24V : Sports & Outdoors

Amazon.com : BEP Digital Voltage Sensing Relay (DVSR) 12/24V : Sports & Outdoors

www.amazon.com

They allow full voltage to the secondary batteries while the alternator is producing over 13.2 volts. If a load from the vehicle pulls the voltage below 13.2 volts, then the secondary batteries are disconnected. With the voltage drop from a diode, the secondary batteries take forever to fully recharge.

 

[JHZR2]

For cold weather boosting, you should look at capacitor based jump packs

Home - Clore Automotive

12 Volt Portable Jump StartingDon’t sacrifice the power you need.START YOUR VEHICLE12 Volt 100A Flashing Power Supply60/40/10A Battery ChargerOPTIMAL SUPPORT

cloreautomotive.com

Love the concept, but the thing still has a lithium battery inside to charge the ultra cap.

I’d prefer a hand crank or something… what I’m not a fan of is a lithium battery in a hot vehicle in the summer..

 

[JHZR2]

For the battery experts, any thoughts on just keeping a little Group 26 AGM battery (secured to the car, and in some type of plastic case/box) in the trunk vs a capacitor-type jump pack for extreme cold weather?

I’ve attempted to use a TackLife Lithium jump pack at around -20F (-29C) numerous times on other people’s cars and it’s been worthless. Too cold - doesn’t do a thing. It’s rarely practical to warm it up first.

Looks like a 550CA Group 26 might still produce about 450A at -20F(??)

I’d trust a big battery and a pair of jumper cables over some cheap no-name Amazon/eBay type electronics. I see Schumacher makes a “hybrid” capacitor unit, but most everything else is cheapo Amazon/eBay type stuff.

Other than the weight, what would be the downside to this plan? I’d have no problem putting it on a battery charger every few weeks during the winter to top it off.

This was essentially my thought. If it’s a big concern, get a battery that’s a good size, and some decent jumper cables. Such a battery could legitimately start an engine, it’s not just the little undersized batteries that are effectively shorted for a time…

The downside is that it’s heavy and needs to be topped off now and again.

 

[wrcsixeight]

Instead of using a diode to isolate the batteries, I'd suggest a voltage sensing relay like these:

Amazon.com : BEP Digital Voltage Sensing Relay (DVSR) 12/24V : Sports & Outdoors

Amazon.com : BEP Digital Voltage Sensing Relay (DVSR) 12/24V : Sports & Outdoors

www.amazon.com

They allow full voltage to the secondary batteries while the alternator is producing over 13.2 volts. If a load from the vehicle pulls the voltage below 13.2 volts, then the secondary batteries are disconnected. With the voltage drop from a diode, the secondary batteries take forever to fully recharge.

The Ideal diode only drops 0.04v, thats not enough to affect charging.
A voltage sensing relay adds to the parasitic load on the main battery.
Theres a million ways/ products to combine/ separate batteries., and a millions pluses and negatives to each product and strategy.

The OP is wanting a reliable backup for cold weather, not a house battery/ dual/ leisure system.

A good powersports/ motorcycle /AGM battery kept fully charged, clicks that box.
The Ideal diode can insure the powersports battery is charged every time the engine runs and has system voltage up above that of the powersports battery. Overcharging is a possibility, depends on the vehicles voltage regulation and duration of driving, and temperature.

If the 15$ IDeal Diode has a parasitic draw, my tools cannot measure that low.

 

[ripcord]

Sorry, I misread your original post and transposed the decimal. You're right, .04 is excellent. A typical diode will drop about voltage .6v and a schottky type a bit less than half that.