Real Life Lithium Jump pack stories

[Dave9]

I have two battery load tester, one a conductive and one a adjustable carbon pile. But all geared for CCA. What is the CCA for these small SLA batteries?

Small SLA batteries may or may not have a CCA rating unless marketed as a motorcycle/other outdoor power sports starter type battery. If not then it's just an amp rating for time interval, and like any lead acid, have significantly lower current capacity when cold - which is why I store my jump pack w/SLA battery, indoors.

Seek the datasheet from the manufacturer or if incomplete, the datasheet for same type and Ah capacity from another manufacturer.

If I had to guesstimate, there are other 20Ah 12V batteries listed as 310CCA but since mine is 300A /5 seconds, I'd guesstimate the CCA for it is closer to 200A, but CCA is supposed to be rated as a 30 sec. duration (but dropping as low as 7.2V is accepted to meet that!) and I've never tried to crank anything that long... if it's not started in 10 seconds cranking, after leaving hooked up for a minute to get some juice in the main battery, it's probably not going to start the vehicle. Initial CCA for mine is probably closer to the 310A for a few seconds, when needed most.

 

[Creekside]

I really like my NOCO GBX155. 4250amps its either going to start or smoke. By the time I have to jump something I don't really care which.

 

[meep]

I have a midsize NOCO. Around here, someone was usually driving on a weak battery or left their lights on for a few hours, in either case it’s not completely flattened. NOCO has been good for this. I forget it has an override that must be pressed if the lights were left on and it sees no voltage.

 

[Dave9]

I really like my NOCO GBX155. 4250amps its either going to start or smoke. By the time I have to jump something I don't really care which.

Except it's not really 4250 amps. It will never deliver anywhere near that trying to jump a vehicle. It would melt and fry things if it could. It's just another case where consumer protection laws left a gap or lack of enforcement. That doesn't mean it's less than capable of jump starting, only that it's not a uniform playing field when it comes to accurate jump pack ratings.

 

[Sequoiasoon]

I carry jumper cables because I don't want a lithium battery fire in my car.

The hard part might be actually finding anyone willing to help. Most don't know anymore and if they do, they don't want to risk their vehicle to help.

My son left the internal lights on soon after he started driving. I was able to get it jumped with a "Type S" pack from Costco.

My daughter left parking lights and a map light on for at least 2 days. Not enough power to open the door locks or the latch for tailgate. My daughter had climb through the car, pop the access plate on rear tailgate and move the lever to pop hatch. She has an '08 CRV. The Gooloo was always by her spare tire until then. Now it resides under center console tray. There are no cables to rear hatch and shape of it locks down the spare tire cover. It could be broken in middle but that would suck also.

Once she got to the Gooloo, she hooked it up and tried, nothing. She pushed the "override" button on the cables and car started right up. The Gooloo hadn't been charged in a couple months, still showed 100%. I have I think 4 Gooloo, a DB Power and not sure what last one is. They have been used to help others multiple times but also our own fleet.

I used my DB Power with override pushed to start my generator. I don't have a battery on it since I rarely use it but if you give the cables 12V it will crank. I was doing storm prep and the 15W-50 at 8F was not a pull start option. It cranked slow but fired up with the jump pack.

 

[stanlee]

I have six of them, most random brand Amazon specials. First one was from AutoZone, probably 2021 circa. STILL works. The 2nd and 3rd from 2022 STILL work fine. They ALL work on my 5.6L V8 and everything smaller regardless of size or rating. I drive my truck for work (6-7 home visits a day plus wherever else I stop). I’ve had days where the battery died and have had to use one after every stop. They’ve started me half a dozen times and my wife between our 4 vehicles AND I’ve started several random people with dead batteries. One from 2022 and the newest one aren’t pictured. The newer ones with 60w output I sometimes use as fast chargers/power banks. I’ve also given 3 to family members.

 

[meep]

I have six of them, most random brand Amazon specials. First one was from AutoZone, probably 2021 circa. STILL works. The 2nd and 3rd from 2022 STILL work fine. They ALL work on my 5.6L V8 and everything smaller regardless of size or rating. I drive my truck for work (6-7 home visits a day plus wherever else I stop). I’ve had days where the battery died and have had to use one after every stop. They’ve started me half a dozen times and my wife between our 4 vehicles AND I’ve started several random people with dead batteries. One from 2022 and the newest one aren’t pictured. The newer ones with 60w output I sometimes use as fast chargers/power banks. I’ve also given 3 to family members.View attachment 328170

As you said, these make nice gifts for family and friends.

 

[meep]

I keep mine in a toolbox in the bed of my truck. At some point I’d like to throw a small solar panel on top of the toolbox to do some sort of periodic charge to the three usb-charged devices that sit back there.