I am looking at the flyer from todays paper from sears. they advertise one of these portable jumpers for 12volt systems. They say they are for a car. I am wondering if this is ok to use on my 34 hunter should the situation ever come up. havent had any starting problems to date but i want to buy one of these and have it on the boat. any comments about safety or how do they measure the power of these things. thanks craig
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Aldo Lozano-WA2IST
Power packs...
I don't know the one from Sears you are talking about Craig, but I have one of them (they are gel batteries) and they are excellent for that purpose. I use it on my work to start airplanes all winter through... And also cars, trucks, etc... very handy, no spill...
I don't know the one from Sears you are talking about Craig, but I have one of them (they are gel batteries) and they are excellent for that purpose. I use it on my work to start airplanes all winter through... And also cars, trucks, etc... very handy, no spill...
Check out Statpower.
Craig: This would be quite appropriate for starting your engine. Take a look at Statpower www.statpower.com Also check out one of the previous issues of Practical Sailor. They tested several models in the past year. Just don't think you would ever use it. The chances of all of your batteries going south at the same time is not that great. Besides if you decompress on of these engines they would probably turn over with a couple of 'D' cells.
Craig: This would be quite appropriate for starting your engine. Take a look at Statpower www.statpower.com Also check out one of the previous issues of Practical Sailor. They tested several models in the past year. Just don't think you would ever use it. The chances of all of your batteries going south at the same time is not that great. Besides if you decompress on of these engines they would probably turn over with a couple of 'D' cells.
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R.W.Landau
How about a gel cell
If you are going to spend the money on something like that, why not just buy a gell cell and keep it on board incase you need it? The gell cell will not need charged for a long period of time if it is fully charged when tucked away. r.w.landau
If you are going to spend the money on something like that, why not just buy a gell cell and keep it on board incase you need it? The gell cell will not need charged for a long period of time if it is fully charged when tucked away. r.w.landau
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Clyde Lichtenwalner
Starting
Actually, pruchasing one of these emergency starting packs has been on my mind for some time. It brings up a basic question of battery management that has me at odds with the prevailing philosophy expressed by most on this board and others that I monitor. Why save a heavy, full size group 24 or 27 battery for starting only? I understand that many have the feeling that it is insurance so they won't be left without starting power if somebody forgets to turn off a big electric consumer over night, but at what cost? It seems to me that most people saving a battery for starting only are carrying around 50 lbs of lead ballast. Ninety nine percent of the time they are simply not needed. For years I have not carried a "starting" battery per se. Our selector switch is left on all most of the time. I monitor the system voltage so that if voltage drops below 12.4, I split a battery out. But in over 18 years I have always been able to start the diesel with the "house" bank (with the "starting battery" still isolated). Think about it, a 400 AH battery bank, half discharged (recommended for maximum battery life) still has much more capacity than any diesel needs to start. I think one of these power packs would be a perfect substitute for a "starting battery." It would probably never be used, and with lights and other 12 v accessories it could serve other purposes. Off season, it could be carried in the car. Seems like a great investment to me. Especially if you start using the space and weight reserved for a starting battery for an additional "house" battery.
Actually, pruchasing one of these emergency starting packs has been on my mind for some time. It brings up a basic question of battery management that has me at odds with the prevailing philosophy expressed by most on this board and others that I monitor. Why save a heavy, full size group 24 or 27 battery for starting only? I understand that many have the feeling that it is insurance so they won't be left without starting power if somebody forgets to turn off a big electric consumer over night, but at what cost? It seems to me that most people saving a battery for starting only are carrying around 50 lbs of lead ballast. Ninety nine percent of the time they are simply not needed. For years I have not carried a "starting" battery per se. Our selector switch is left on all most of the time. I monitor the system voltage so that if voltage drops below 12.4, I split a battery out. But in over 18 years I have always been able to start the diesel with the "house" bank (with the "starting battery" still isolated). Think about it, a 400 AH battery bank, half discharged (recommended for maximum battery life) still has much more capacity than any diesel needs to start. I think one of these power packs would be a perfect substitute for a "starting battery." It would probably never be used, and with lights and other 12 v accessories it could serve other purposes. Off season, it could be carried in the car. Seems like a great investment to me. Especially if you start using the space and weight reserved for a starting battery for an additional "house" battery.
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Dave Mullenax
Jumpstarters
Hi Craig, As an automotive technician, I use these boxes every day. They work very well for starting cars and trucks with dead batteries. The only thing we ever have problems with are the 7.3L power stroke diesels. They pull up to 700 amps when cranking which is a little too much for the jumpstarter. But even then, if it doesn't have to crank too long, they will still get it started. When I take my Hunter 34 south from Seattle to San Diego, I'll definitely have my jump box along for the ride.
Hi Craig, As an automotive technician, I use these boxes every day. They work very well for starting cars and trucks with dead batteries. The only thing we ever have problems with are the 7.3L power stroke diesels. They pull up to 700 amps when cranking which is a little too much for the jumpstarter. But even then, if it doesn't have to crank too long, they will still get it started. When I take my Hunter 34 south from Seattle to San Diego, I'll definitely have my jump box along for the ride.
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craig
Thanks for your responses
thanks for the help. I will do alittle research on the cranking amps specs and will buy one as i live in minnesota and it gets frickn cold here and will leave it in my car in the winter. Patiently waiting a few more weeks to be outside again. thanks.
thanks for the help. I will do alittle research on the cranking amps specs and will buy one as i live in minnesota and it gets frickn cold here and will leave it in my car in the winter. Patiently waiting a few more weeks to be outside again. thanks.
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Rick Sylvester
Just do it
If you can afford $50 (1000 amps @ Sam’s Club) and about 20 pounds on your boat for the peace of mind that comes with knowing that you won’t have to call SeaTow (or worse) when for whatever reason you can’t crank the diesel due to dead batteries, then don’t leave the dock without an emergency battery. Yeah, I know that in theory you can throw the decompression lever and crank that sucker by hand but have you actually tried it? For those with a three or four cylinder engine I’m not sure that’s the “plan B” I want to rely upon. I’m also not sure that doing without a dedicated starting bank and relying on that small emergency cell for regular duty is a good idea. I mean, the day that you get water/air/dirt (take your pick) in your fuel line and have to crank for a while I imagine that the reserve capacity of that small gel cell will be sucked dry in pretty short order. I don’t think that doing without some battery redundancy in the name of weight savings is reasonable either. I mean, really, how much difference is 20 pounds (for an emergency cell) or even say 50 pounds (for a group 24) going to make in the performance of the average cruiser? Jeez, I carry more than that in beer and rum. Get the battery and sail in peace.
If you can afford $50 (1000 amps @ Sam’s Club) and about 20 pounds on your boat for the peace of mind that comes with knowing that you won’t have to call SeaTow (or worse) when for whatever reason you can’t crank the diesel due to dead batteries, then don’t leave the dock without an emergency battery. Yeah, I know that in theory you can throw the decompression lever and crank that sucker by hand but have you actually tried it? For those with a three or four cylinder engine I’m not sure that’s the “plan B” I want to rely upon. I’m also not sure that doing without a dedicated starting bank and relying on that small emergency cell for regular duty is a good idea. I mean, the day that you get water/air/dirt (take your pick) in your fuel line and have to crank for a while I imagine that the reserve capacity of that small gel cell will be sucked dry in pretty short order. I don’t think that doing without some battery redundancy in the name of weight savings is reasonable either. I mean, really, how much difference is 20 pounds (for an emergency cell) or even say 50 pounds (for a group 24) going to make in the performance of the average cruiser? Jeez, I carry more than that in beer and rum. Get the battery and sail in peace.
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Paul Akers
Do it!
Just for the insurance of it, it's worth having. Mine stays on the boat in the summer and in the car during the winter. I've bought two more for my two sons. My brother has one on his boat and was glad to have it when his engine (aloternaor) died. He had drained his batteries but hooked it up for a long tow home. He was able to still charge his handheld radio with it. Good Luck
Just for the insurance of it, it's worth having. Mine stays on the boat in the summer and in the car during the winter. I've bought two more for my two sons. My brother has one on his boat and was glad to have it when his engine (aloternaor) died. He had drained his batteries but hooked it up for a long tow home. He was able to still charge his handheld radio with it. Good Luck
unless you are going to move it to the car.
Craig: Unless you are going to move this to the car, why not just get an Optima gel cell and hook it into your AC charging system. Isolate it so it never gets used unless you actually hook it to the starter or have a switch to use it as an *emergency only* starting battery. These batteries have about 750-800 amps and could really crank an engine under almost any conditions.
Craig: Unless you are going to move this to the car, why not just get an Optima gel cell and hook it into your AC charging system. Isolate it so it never gets used unless you actually hook it to the starter or have a switch to use it as an *emergency only* starting battery. These batteries have about 750-800 amps and could really crank an engine under almost any conditions.
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Dale Wilson
a little help for your friends
You can also become very popular around the marina because you've got a very portable battery that can help get someone else's boat going. I helped several people last summer and fall with my little battery. fair winds,
You can also become very popular around the marina because you've got a very portable battery that can help get someone else's boat going. I helped several people last summer and fall with my little battery. fair winds,
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craig
Bought One
End of story. Bought a unit at monkey sears. Just got back from our cruise. Last stop was st thomas. spent the day on st johns. sailboats all over the place and i can see why. craig
End of story. Bought a unit at monkey sears. Just got back from our cruise. Last stop was st thomas. spent the day on st johns. sailboats all over the place and i can see why. craig
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