Countless people find themselves stranded every day because of dead batteries. Maybe it has happened to you on occasion. Whether you rushed into a store on a rainy day, inadvertently leaving your headlights on in the process, or your alternator didn’t do its job while you were driving, you know how frustrating it can be. Even if you happen to have jumper cables, you could spend hours waiting for someone to come along who’s willing to give you a jump.
Of course, those aren’t the only times when having a dead battery causes problems. Imagine planning a nice day of fishing on the lake only to find that your boat’s battery isn’t charged. What if you’re all geared up for a day trip on your motorcycle but its battery doesn’t have enough juice to get you on the road? What would happen if you took a UTV into the woods and the battery died while you were out? It might be possible to push it onto a trailer and get it home, but that’s at least a two-person job. The Battery Tender line of jump starters is designed with issues like those in mind.
Choosing a Jump Starter
Jump starters are wonderful tools to have on hand. They’re incredibly useful in numerous situations. Having said that, there are several types on the market, each with its own features and selling points. Not all of them are right for all circumstances or types of vehicles. Choosing the right one to best suit your needs can help you take full advantage of these versatile and extremely helpful devices.
Power Output
One of the most important points to consider when choosing a jump starter is the power output. Different jump starters have different peak amp capabilities, and various types of batteries require diverse amounts of power to get them started. Batteries in cars with four or six-cylinder engines are generally rated at around 400 or so cold cranking amps. Vehicles with eight-cylinder engines need roughly 800 CCAs. Large boats may need 1,000 CCAs whereas motorcycles usually require anywhere from 250 to 500 CCAs.
Standard jump starters can have power outputs of 600 to 2,000 peak amps. Peak amps and cold cranking amps aren’t quite the same, though. Jump starters with 1,000 peak amps may provide 800 CCAs. Those with a power output of 800 amps should easily be able to start a 400-CCA battery.
It’s typically best to choose a jump starter with more peak amps than you think you’ll need. At the same time, if you have an eight-cylinder diesel truck, a four-cylinder sedan, a motorcycle, and a riding lawn mower, there’s no harm in going with a 2,000-amp jump starter to cover all the bases as long it has the right safety features in place. That takes us into the next point.
Safety Features
Built-in safety features are also essential. Overdraw protection keeps a jump starter from sending too much power to your battery. That feature makes it safe to use one with a higher peak amp rating on batteries that don’t need quite quite so much power. Voltage regulation ensures steady power delivery, and reverse polarity safeguards protect you if you get the cables and battery terminals crossed. Those are a few of the most important safety features to look for.
Finding the Right Jump Starter
When you’re looking for a jump starter, be sure to choose one that offers the power output your vehicles’ batteries need. Look into the safety features different models are equipped with as well. For even more versatility, consider jump starters with additional built-in features, like USB ports for charging phones and laptops and an air compressor for inflating tires. Whether you choose a basic jump starter or a complete power station, it’ll save you from a long list of unexpected situations.
