Having a dead car battery is not only a nuisance, it can leave you stranded in dangerous situations, like a deserted parking lot on a cold snowy night. In situations like this, having an emergency jump starter is not just a good idea, but it is a must have safety tool. Simply attach your jump starter to your car’s battery, start your car, and drive away.
There are many power ratings available for portable jump starters. They start at about 300 cold cranking amps and go up to over 3,000 amps with the average being around 400 amps. Most perform in 12 volt-mode but some can perform at 24 volts as well.
Basic jump starters come equipped with a battery clamps to hook to your car’s battery, a built-in light, and a 12V DC outlet. The more advanced jump starters can come with a built-in air compressor, USB outlet for iPod charging, additional DC power outlets, and more.
The starting price for basic jump starters is about $50 to $70. The more features you add and the more amps you need, the price goes up. The high-end portable jump starters range from about $200 to over $400.
The Clore Automotive ES5000 Portable 12 Volt battery booster delivers plenty of power for jump starting dead batteries. Its power comes from a high performance sealed lead acid (AGM) battery that delivers 1500 peak amps. In fact, it has enough power for multiple jumps between charges.
The high capacity 12 Volt ES6000 Booster Pac jump starter from Solar delivers serious power for jumps starting applications. Its power comes from dual 17 Amp Hour batteries that deliver 3000 peak amps to any dead battery its hooked to. In fact, it has enough power to jump start dozens of vehicles between charges.
The Schumacher IPD-1800 Instant Power is a portable power charger and jump starter. The 18 amp-hour maintenance-free lead acid battery assures ample starting power for extreme conditions.