I have a Supercheap "1900 amp" jump starter and have successfully used it "in anger" to start my diesel Pajero. It also has about 35 amphour capacity and can power a compressor type fridge (Engel Waeco etc) for about a day in reasonably favourable conditions.
I strongly endorse both Justcruisin's and Loki's comments regarding the replacement of the cig lighter plug/socket and the installation of a solenoid to cut the power to the fridge when the engine isn't running.
Jim
PS: also strongly advise against using your main battery to power the fridge when the engine is not running as flattening the main battery will not only be inconvenient but will seriously shorten the life of the battery.
-- Edited by jimricho on Friday 8th of June 2012 05:46:09 PM
Dougwe said
10:19 PM Jun 8, 2012
Hi all, I have a Toyota Prado with single battery and a wire wired into the car wiring and hangs out the back with a plug that plugs into a cig lighter socket attached to the end and is live all the time (I Have a cover for it), that plugs into a cig lighter like socket on the front of my Avan so I can run the fridge on 12 volt while driving along. I would disconnect the plug when car not running. I hope that all makes sense.
My question is, would there be a chance of the car battery going flat with the extra work and if so I have seen Jump Starter Packs around but not sure of what size I should get.
As much as I like Auto Barn and Supercheap Auto I find most of the time they are young kids and not all that helpful, now I don't have a problem with kids earning some money, good on them for doing so and not walking the streets BUT when it comes to Tech advice I get lost.
Can someone advise what size Jump Starter I should get OR is there a better way around it for about the same cost???????
justcruisin01 said
10:28 PM Jun 8, 2012
As long as you remember to remove the fridge plug when stopped there should not be a problem.
This can be eliminated by fitting a heavy duty relay or a solinoid to the fridge circut where it is connected to the battery, this will auto disconnect when you switch of the car.
As for a backup battery pack for a jump start go the biggest one if its a diesel.
JC.
Dougwe said
10:32 PM Jun 8, 2012
Thanks JC, I should have mentioned the tug is Gas/Petrol, sorry.
Loki said
10:33 PM Jun 8, 2012
Hi,
I have a HiAce poptop and there is a solenoid that connects the house batteries (2 at 105AH each) so they can charge off the alternator as I drive and I have had no problems. My fridge is 12VDC only, draws about 3A when running (about 50% of the time) and it is on all the time.
One suggestion I would make is a sturdier connection, Eg Anderson plugs, as the cigarette lighter connections are a bit iffy.
I will be connecting in a DC to DC charger between the alternator and house when I get back to Brisbane. This is a smart charger that will cut out if the starter battery gets below about 12.5V, and also charges the deep cycle batteries at about the 14.4V they require.
Can't comment on the jump start packs as I am unfamiliar with them.
justcruisin01 said
10:40 PM Jun 8, 2012
Loki wrote:
Hi,
I have a HiAce poptop and there is a solenoid that connects the house batteries (2 at 105AH each) so they can charge off the alternator as I drive and I have had no problems. My fridge is 12VDC only, draws about 3A when running (about 50% of the time) and it is on all the time.
One suggestion I would make is a sturdier connection, Eg Anderson plugs, as the cigarette lighter connections are a bit iffy.
I will be connecting in a DC to DC charger between the alternator and house when I get back to Brisbane. This is a smart charger that will cut out if the starter battery gets below about 12.5V, and also charges the deep cycle batteries at about the 14.4V they require.
Can't comment on the jump start packs as I am unfamiliar with them.
Have to agree with you on the cig lighter s****et system, I will not use them as I have seen many melt down.
I use a dc-dc charger & very good, The redarc unit will run on up to 32volt input, so if you ever wanted to fit it to a 24volt system its ok. Others are anly 12 volt.
JC.
Keith19837 said
10:41 PM Jun 8, 2012
Dougwe wrote:
Can someone advise what size Jump Starter I should get OR is there a better way around it for about the same cost???????
G'Day Dougwe, generally your battery size will tell you what you'll need. Take a look at the label which should give the amperage etc. This usually equates to a 'porta pack' style jump starter which (depending on the brand) will state words similar to "6 cylinder 'x' to 'y' amperage". I bought one about 3 years back from K Mart. Just a cheapie (MotorPro or similar name, yellow in colour) and it re charges from either 240v or 12v (as they all do). It got one heck of a work out when She Who Must Be Obeyed's EB Falcon started having alternator problems and not charging the battery properly. This poor little charger was getting used twice a day, for up to three days a week, for some months until we tracked down the actual cause and found the cash for an alternator replacement. I had it for about 2 years before it collapsed (I neglected to keep it charged when I tossed it in the boot and forgot it for for 6+ months). You can buy much better units for much much bigger dollars and they may last much longer. The cheapie was about $40 to $50 and your thread has reminded me to get another for the MH. (THanks for that). For what it's worth.
-- Edited by Keith19837 on Friday 8th of June 2012 10:44:30 PM
Happywanderer said
12:51 AM Jun 9, 2012
I also have a jump starter (power station), bought from BigW, 59.00 on special. See they are now 80.00 I also have a flat battery and can do nothing about it as lent my jump starter to sons to go camping on Fraser Island.
Dougwe said
03:31 PM Jun 9, 2012
Thanks everyone for the info, as usual you are all very helpful (thanks Cindy for the forum).
I am going to Supercheap Auto today at some stage so will check out the 1900 jimricho as I was thinking along those lines.
Glad I reminded you Kieth and all those that suggested changing the plug set up, I have been thinking of that as well so will find a Mobile Auto Sparky and have a chat to him about it. I say Mobile because our local Auto Sparky has a very small and tight area to get vehicles into. I had the Prado in there a while back and that was a struggle so to have the Avan hooked up as well, well you know the rest.
milo said
08:50 PM Jun 9, 2012
im thinking about one of those units just to have in the car , as i dont always have people around to help out..
DeBe said
08:57 PM Jun 9, 2012
With Jump starters keep charged & dont leave partly flat as they are only sealed lead acid batterys, & will die to sulphation prematurely. My current one is 6yrs old & still going & it was only a cheepy.
Dougwe said
09:52 PM Jun 9, 2012
Just got a SCA 1900 AMP Unit.
It's half charged when I got it so after your comment DeBe I will fully charge it and keep it that way. I put the Avan on charge every couple of weeks to keep the battery system charged so will do the Jump Starter at the same time.
I have a Supercheap "1900 amp" jump starter and have successfully used it "in anger" to start my diesel Pajero. It also has about 35 amphour capacity and can power a compressor type fridge (Engel Waeco etc) for about a day in reasonably favourable conditions.
I strongly endorse both Justcruisin's and Loki's comments regarding the replacement of the cig lighter plug/socket and the installation of a solenoid to cut the power to the fridge when the engine isn't running.
Jim
PS: also strongly advise against using your main battery to power the fridge when the engine is not running as flattening the main battery will not only be inconvenient but will seriously shorten the life of the battery.
-- Edited by jimricho on Friday 8th of June 2012 05:46:09 PM
Hi all, I have a Toyota Prado with single battery and a wire wired into the car wiring and hangs out the back with a plug that plugs into a cig lighter socket attached to the end and is live all the time (I Have a cover for it), that plugs into a cig lighter like socket on the front of my Avan so I can run the fridge on 12 volt while driving along. I would disconnect the plug when car not running. I hope that all makes sense.
My question is, would there be a chance of the car battery going flat with the extra work and if so I have seen Jump Starter Packs around but not sure of what size I should get.
As much as I like Auto Barn and Supercheap Auto I find most of the time they are young kids and not all that helpful, now I don't have a problem with kids earning some money, good on them for doing so and not walking the streets BUT when it comes to Tech advice I get lost.
Can someone advise what size Jump Starter I should get OR is there a better way around it for about the same cost???????
As long as you remember to remove the fridge plug when stopped there should not be a problem.
This can be eliminated by fitting a heavy duty relay or a solinoid to the fridge circut where it is connected to the battery, this will auto disconnect when you switch of the car.
As for a backup battery pack for a jump start go the biggest one if its a diesel.
JC.
Hi,
I have a HiAce poptop and there is a solenoid that connects the house batteries (2 at 105AH each) so they can charge off the alternator as I drive and I have had no problems. My fridge is 12VDC only, draws about 3A when running (about 50% of the time) and it is on all the time.
One suggestion I would make is a sturdier connection, Eg Anderson plugs, as the cigarette lighter connections are a bit iffy.
I will be connecting in a DC to DC charger between the alternator and house when I get back to Brisbane. This is a smart charger that will cut out if the starter battery gets below about 12.5V, and also charges the deep cycle batteries at about the 14.4V they require.
Can't comment on the jump start packs as I am unfamiliar with them.
Have to agree with you on the cig lighter s****et system, I will not use them as I have seen many melt down.
I use a dc-dc charger & very good, The redarc unit will run on up to 32volt input, so if you ever wanted to fit it to a 24volt system its ok. Others are anly 12 volt.
JC.
G'Day Dougwe, generally your battery size will tell you what you'll need. Take a look at the label which should give the amperage etc. This usually equates to a 'porta pack' style jump starter which (depending on the brand) will state words similar to "6 cylinder 'x' to 'y' amperage". I bought one about 3 years back from K Mart. Just a cheapie (MotorPro or similar name, yellow in colour) and it re charges from either 240v or 12v (as they all do). It got one heck of a work out when She Who Must Be Obeyed's EB Falcon started having alternator problems and not charging the battery properly. This poor little charger was getting used twice a day, for up to three days a week, for some months until we tracked down the actual cause and found the cash for an alternator replacement. I had it for about 2 years before it collapsed (I neglected to keep it charged when I tossed it in the boot and forgot it for for 6+ months). You can buy much better units for much much bigger dollars and they may last much longer. The cheapie was about $40 to $50 and your thread has reminded me to get another for the MH. (THanks for that). For what it's worth.
-- Edited by Keith19837 on Friday 8th of June 2012 10:44:30 PM
I also have a flat battery and can do nothing about it as lent my jump starter to sons to go camping on Fraser Island.
Thanks everyone for the info, as usual you are all very helpful (thanks Cindy for the forum).
I am going to Supercheap Auto today at some stage so will check out the 1900 jimricho as I was thinking along those lines.
Glad I reminded you Kieth and all those that suggested changing the plug set up, I have been thinking of that as well so will find a Mobile Auto Sparky and have a chat to him about it. I say Mobile because our local Auto Sparky has a very small and tight area to get vehicles into. I had the Prado in there a while back and that was a struggle so to have the Avan hooked up as well, well you know the rest.
as i dont always have people around to help out..
With Jump starters keep charged & dont leave partly flat as they are only sealed lead acid batterys, & will die to sulphation prematurely. My current one is 6yrs old & still going & it was only a cheepy.
Just got a SCA 1900 AMP Unit.
It's half charged when I got it so after your comment DeBe I will fully charge it and keep it that way. I put the Avan on charge every couple of weeks to keep the battery system charged so will do the Jump Starter at the same time.
Another Happy Camper.
Thanks again everyone.