Portable Jump Start Battery Packs

[Jamie Summers]

Following on from the various 'flat battery' threads on this and other forums, does anyone have any experience of these portable jump starters. My car is suffering from battery drain problems at the moment and as it lives on street and I have no access to a power source for a charger / maintainer I thought one of these might be just the job to get me going if the battery decides it doesn't want to turn the engine over. They are available from Halfords and similar, but was wondering a) What power is required to to crank a very flat 3.6l flat six ? (they all quote a cranking power rating in amps - 900 peak and 400 cranking seems to be about par). b) are these things any good anyway ? c) How much to spend ? They are anything from £30 to £500 ! (as with anything I suppose you get what you pay for, but some practical examples of what has or hasn't worked would be appreciated)

Thanks,

Jamie

[James s]

My 964 used to destroy batteries for reasons we never understood. Sowetimes things were so bad it wounldn't even take a jump from another car unless the battery was massive and band new. A chap from AA came along with a batterry pack which was alittle over 2 inchs thick. I politley laughed at him (if such a thing is possible) and then stoped at the car roared into life on the first turn of the key.

I recently purchaed a £50 one of my own with similar performance figures to that which you describe. It won't start my 968 if its completely flat, but if there is a bit of life in the battery we can usually get it going.

Not much help I guess but probably case of you get what you pay for

[phelix]

Have a look at www.autoexpress.co.uk/product_test/product_test_story.php?id=45943 I bought a Clark Jumpstart 900 from Machine Mart (the one without the air compressor) and it's already been used (successfully) in anger. I think the price is now around £35 as opposed to the £41 within the Autoexpress article. There are Machine Marts all over the place; see www.machinemart.co.uk