[Shop-talk] Battery Starter/Charger

[Bob Spidell]

Begs the question--that I posed, sort of, in a previous reply--can these 
'candy-bar sized' jump starters REALLY jump start a totally dead battery 
on a larger car or truck?  The bulky one, with air compressor, lights 
and USB ports that I have jumped a not-totally-flat Tercel, but wouldn't 
jump my Mustang (it probably has nickel-metal-hydride batteries based on 
its size and cost, about $80).

I'll bet most on this list buy batteries with the most CCA they can 
get.  Some, like AGM, boast CCAs approaching 1,000, and I think a 
typical, medium-sized sedan needs about 300CCA or more for cold 
starting.  My understanding of battery technology isn't great, but AFAIK 
Li-Ion batteries are designed to supply more-or-less constant current 
over time; that's why they are used in electric cars (sort of a modern 
'deep cycle' battery, like those used in trolling motors).   To start a 
cold car with a totally flat battery you need quite a bit of juice; even 
the wheeled chargers I've been looking at only claim about 200A of start 
capability; enough to get a somewhat discharged battery over-the-top.  
Has anyone with a small, Li-Ion jumper actually started a cold F150 with 
a totally dead battery?

At any rate, I have a '55 T-Bird and an old Ford tractor that are both 
6V (there's a reason why most cars went 12V many moons ago, and may go 
to 24V in the future).  What I mostly need is something that will charge 
up a flat 6V or 12V battery as quickly as possible, and maybe help crank 
these vehicles with a weak battery.

Bob


On 9/6/2018 7:23 AM, Peter Murray wrote:
> How much capacity do you need? Most modern "jump start" kits with 
> lithium batteries can be carried by my 5-year-old, so it may not need 
> to be wheeled!
>
> -Peter
>
> On Thu, Sep 6, 2018 at 3:22 AM Bob Spidell <bspidell at comcast.net 
> <mailto:bspidell at comcast.net>> wrote:
>
>     Listers,
>
>     I'm in need of one; one of the larger, (usually) wheeled type (I
>     already
>     have 'trickle' chargers).  It has to start/charge both 6V and 12V
>     engines.  The prevailing brand appears to be Schumacher, does anybody
>     have opinions on that brand or know of any better?  I'm thinking
>     in the
>     $200 range, but will go higher if there's a 'must have.'
>
>     TIA,
>     Bob
>

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