Important Features To Consider While Buying A Jump Starter

1 Types Of Jump Starters

You must first comprehend the kind of jump starters your car needs. Three categories can be used to classify jump starters broadly.

• Jumper Cables
• Battery Chargers
• Portable Jump Starter

The best way to jump-start your vehicle is by using a portable jump starter. In this article, we will discuss the factors you need to consider before buying a car jump starter.

2 Important Factors to Consider When Buying A Jump Starter

You don’t need to call a tow van or depend on a passerby to give you a jump start. Modern jump starters are very easy and safe to use. The most economical, simple, and secure jump starters are portable ones. However, there are different kinds of portable jump starters with several features. You need to choose the right size and capacity to ensure you can get your car jump-started easily. Some factors to consider while purchasing the correct portable jump starter are mentioned below.

The Size And Shape Of The Jump Starter

Jump starters are offered in various shapes and sizes. The correct size and shape of the jump starter depend on the space available in your car. While choosing a jump starter, ensure it will fit in your glove box or the trunk of your vehicle. It is essential to consider because you should always carry your jumpstarter with you. 

Your vehicle’s engine also affects the size and shape of the jump starter. The bigger the engine of your car, the bigger the size of the jump starter. Usually, most jump starters are offered product information that shows the maximum engine size they can restart.

The Right Amount Of Amps (Cranking Amps And Peak Power)

To jump-start your car, you must ensure that the jump starter has enough amps.  The peak amp is the maximum amount of current that a jump starter can produce in a single burst. For instance, a jump starter with 1000 amps of peak power will deliver 1000 amps in the initial burst. The value does, however, decrease noticeably with each attempt. With each attempt, the current becomes less consistent. Since it’s giving you maximum power in a short initial burst, it’s called peak amps. However, cranking or starting amps refer to how many amps a jump starter puts out for 30 seconds at 32°F (-18 °C). This differs from Cold Cranking Amps (CCA) discussed later.

Most modern jump starters have 400 to 600 amps of cranking power, which is enough to get your car started. However, heavy and commercial vehicles might require up to 1000 to 1500 amps of cranking power and require bigger jump starters. This is why bigger engines are equipped with bigger batteries, as they need more current to crank the engine. For example, a diesel engine requires more amperes to turn the engine compared to a gasoline engine. 

Some rough estimates of the required power are mentioned below. However, these values can change depending on the condition of your battery. For example, a battery that is half-depleted requires less power compared to one that is completely discharged.

	4 Cylinder Engine	6 Cylinder Engine	8 Cylinder Engine
Gasoline Engine	150 to 250 amps	250 to 350 amps	400 to 550 amps
Diesel Engine	350 to 450 amps	450 to 600 amps	600 to 750 amps

Cold Weather Capability (Cold Cranking Amps)

Cold-cranking amps of a jump starter are the measure of how many amps the jump starter can generate for 30 seconds at 0 °F (-18 °C) while keeping the battery current at 7.2 volts. Did you know your automobile battery might lose up to 50% of its cranking power in cold temperatures? You can expect this lower performance with a conventional jump box. 

However, modern lithium-ion (Li-ion) jump starters function more effectively, even if they lose some power in the cold. The best portable jump starters can jump a frozen battery when used at room temperature. Therefore, checking the cold cranking amps of a jump starter is necessary while purchasing one. If you live in a cold region, purchasing a jump starter with higher cold cranking amps (CCA) is a good idea.

Security Features In A Jump Starter

Some jump starters have built-in safety mechanisms. For example, if the cables are not plugged in properly, some jump starters sound an alarm or cut the power. Short circuit protection stops a high current from flowing from the positive to the negative clamps when clamps are mistakenly touched together. This prevents short circuits and sparks.

• Short Circuit Protection: When accidentally touched together, this feature prevents high currents from flowing from positive to negative clamps.
• Over Current Protection: Keeps the jump starter from being damaged by preventing it from supplying more current than its maximum capacity.
• Overload Protection: Prevents the jump starter from receiving more electricity than what is allowed by the manufacturer while it is charged.
• Over Voltage Protection: Prevents the jump starter from receiving more voltage than what is allowed by the manufacturer while it is charged.
• Overcharge Protection: This will “float” charge the device when the jump starter’s batteries are full, preventing excessive voltage from being applied to the cells. 

Some jump starters are also equipped with a reverse polarity protection feature. These jump starters will illuminate a caution light if the connections are not made correctly. Some of them even sound an alarm. The fact that the circuit is still open allows you to switch the wires before starting the automobile, which is the greatest feature of jump starters equipped with reverse polarity protection. Look out for these protective features before purchasing a jump starter for your vehicle. 

Additional Features Of A Jump Starter

• USB Charging: Some jump starters are also equipped with USB charging ports so you can hook up your laptops, mobiles, and tablets. This helps you reduce extra luggage as you don’t have to carry extra chargers for all your equipment. Just plug in your device, and you have instant charging at your disposal.
• Multiple Power/Charging Outlets: Some bigger jump boxes have built-in power outlets, including standard electrical outlets and 12-volt charger plugs. The fundamental benefit of having these power sources is versatility. You can use your jump box for camping and starting your car. Some lithium-ion jump starters contain specialized ports, such as 12V for accessories like fans, heated blankets, or lanterns, or 19V for charging laptops.
• Air Compressor: Some jump starters are also offered with built-in air compressors. These air compressors are very helpful in inflating your tires whenever you get a flat tire or your tire pressure monitoring system senses uneven tire pressure. It is a very helpful feature on a jump starter if you love to go camping and on vacations.
• LED Lights: Jump starters can also feature built-in LED lights that help you illuminate dark areas while camping or servicing your car in the dark. These features not only make your jump starters versatile for a variety of purposes, but they also help in an emergency situation by charging and providing ample light. A helpful feature to consider while purchasing a jump starter for your vehicle.

Vehicle Age

The older the vehicle, presuming similar-sized automobiles, the more amps are required to jump it. For instance, a 20-year-old pickup with an 8-cylinder engine requires more amps to start than a brand-new one. Modern starting motors and improved engine design are to blame for this. As a general guideline, most passenger cars should start with 400 to 500 cold cranking amps (CCA). Keep in mind that you might need to jump-start other things besides just your car. Choose a portable jump starter to assist a fellow driver in need.

Type Of Battery Used In A Jump Starter

Jump starters come in two battery types: Lead Acid and Lithium Ion battery

1. Lead-acid Jump Starters

Lead acid jump starters have been used for a long time and are more powerful compared to lithium-ion jump starters. However, they are bulky and not portable, making them unsuitable for passenger cars with limited space.

2. Lithium Ion Jump Starters

Lithium Ion jump starters are compact and light compared to lead-acid ones. Due to their smaller size. It is easy to carry them in your car and you can use them to charge your batteries, mobiles, and other electronics due to the compatibility of lithium-ion batteries. The only downside to these batteries is that they are less powerful compared to lead-acid batteries. However, modern lithium-ion jump starters have enough power to jump-start your vehicle.

Capacity Of The Jump Starter

The good news is that all reliable manufacturers offer jump starters with enough capacity for multiple starts. Even the capacity of units as tiny as 6000 mAh can allow multiple vehicle jump starts.

Warranty

A decent warranty is offered with some jump starters. Some, however, are of poor quality and have a very short guarantee period. Make sure you can return the jump starter if it breaks down during the first few years. Therefore, read the warranty documents before purchasing the car jump starter.

Affordability

The last thing to consider while buying the best jump starter for your vehicle is the price. If you have a tight budget, you won’t be able to choose amongst a wide range of jump starters available today and you will also miss out on various features. Although purchasing the most expensive jump starter is not a wise thing to do, a low price jump starter won’t do much for your vehicle either. It’s necessary to select a jump starter with a good price to quality ratio and if it’s offering the correct value for money. You can always stick to the jumper cables as they are very cheap, but jump starters are better than jumper cables and very safe to use.

Portable jump starters come in a variety of sizes and designs and have a wide range of functions. Making the right choice depends on many factors, like strength, safety, design, and reliability. You won’t make a mistake if you keep these points in mind and choose the best one. However, it is necessary to keep your car’s battery charged and protected so it doesn’t deplete. Refer to our comprehensive battery maintenance guide for more information.