Eswyn Posted October 22, 2017 Share Posted October 22, 2017 Hi All, Has any one had experience of the small lightweight starter packs? are they worth the investment. They look as if they could get one out of trouble in an emergency without taking up valuable space or weight, Regards R Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted October 22, 2017 Share Posted October 22, 2017 I'd of thought the leisure battery and some jump leads would be sufficient (?) ........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted October 22, 2017 Share Posted October 22, 2017 I have been unimpressed by these on a car, never tried one on a van. They seem to be OK if your main battery is not too flat but are not very good when you really need it. However technology moves on and the latest designs might be better? We always carried a set of long jump leads just in case although as long as you are very careful how you connect them you could join two sets to create long leads depending on how far the engine and leisure batteries are apart. The longer the leads the heavier duty they will need to be to carry the current without loss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KT88 Posted October 22, 2017 Share Posted October 22, 2017 My Ducato Based camper (2.3 diesel) once suffered total battery failure, I parked in a layby and 3 minutes later went to move on and the battery couldn't turn the engine over. The AA man first tried a jump pack, which wasn't enough on its own to even turn over the warm engine. His very heavy jump leads did the job though. We kept the engine going until we reached the nearby campsite, then next morning begged a jump start from a car owner. It took two sets of car-type jump leads connected in parallel before the engine would turn over quickly enough to start. Since then i carry a set of 1000 Amp very heavy duty all-copper leads. Many of the jump leads on sale are rather lightweight and described as "booster cables". they are really meant to allow you to rapidly put a bit of charge into a flattened but otherwise OK battery. Jump packs are similar, but have a built in low ampere-hour battery. I doubt if either are enough to deliver the hundreds of amps needed to start a big diesel straight away on their own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartO Posted October 23, 2017 Share Posted October 23, 2017 Starter Packs come is all shapes and sizes and only a big, beefy one will be of any use to start a MH diesel. Buying acheap one designed to start cars will be a waste of time. Likewise buying one on price on EBay of similar will not work for a MH. Machine Mart carry a range of them and from that range (or from a similar reliable source) for a MH you need one which is liklely to cost £100 or more; anything less is simply not going to work when you need it to. It neeeds to be capable of delivering the best part of 1000 amps to crank your big diesel engine. You also need to remember to keep it charged up. You hould be able to do this from your MH 12v supply while you are driving and the Starter Packs are usually supplied with a 12v charging lead. But charging froa a discharged state takes a long time, so do it when you are making a long trip or by using your MH's mains charger when you are on EHU. Don't leave it on continuous charge, that will wreck it. The bigger ones are not lightweights, so it might be too heavy for your vehicle. I have one but I don't carry it,instead I carry a (genuinely) heavy duty set of jumper leads, which are lighter and cheaper and don't need to be kept charged up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eswyn Posted October 23, 2017 Author Share Posted October 23, 2017 Hi All I fully understand the fact that good quality jump leads are by far the best answer, however what if there is no donor vehicle around? I was thinking merely as back up insurance rather than relying on Mr AA /RAC. Regards to all thanks for your thoughts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ham Posted October 23, 2017 Share Posted October 23, 2017 I recently had a problem. I pulled up at some services in France ,when getting back in van no lights no power. checked the van battery completely flat. Ok no panic jump leads out connected leisure battery to van battery started first time. whilst disconnecting jump leads noticed 2nd leisure battery was hot so disconnected that and away we drove. no expensive tow required thanks to jump leads. The battery was flat as I found 2nd battery had gone defective and was drawing all the current form the van battery and alternator once disconnected all ok . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevec176 Posted October 23, 2017 Share Posted October 23, 2017 There was a good article in the September issue of MMM about jump starting motorhomes and also a round up of jump starting products but beware. One of their recommendations is the Suaoki T10 400A Jump Starter at £42.99 which I thought would be ideal as the spec in the magazine stated it would start diesel engines up to 3L. When I went to Amazon to order one their spec stated that it was only suitable for diesels up to 2L so I went to the Suaoki site and it also stated it was only suitable up to 2L. I've emailed MMM asking if it was a typo in their mag or had they actually started a 3L diesel using it but as yet I'm still waiting for a reply. They did also recommend another make of starter pack but at £954, I think I'll give that one a miss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len Salisbury Posted October 26, 2017 Share Posted October 26, 2017 I bought one from Maplins two years ago and decided against advice to buy one for £50 odd.The one that they recommended was £90. When I had to use it in Belgium it wouln't turn the engine. Maplins did look on the internet to see which pack was sitable and told me so. Ah well you pays your money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keninpalamos Posted October 27, 2017 Share Posted October 27, 2017 I couldn't resist a reply here as the topic came up in conversation with a fellow mechanic of many years experience a couple of months ago. He had one of these units in his van and I asked about his experience using it. Three times only he said and never failed to do the job. It was recommended to him by a well known motor racing team mechanic. Knowing that my M/home battery was not in a good state (and has now been replace) I asked if I could test it on my Fiat 2.5L Diesel Hymer. to cut ALSS it worked. You can see a load of demo's on Utube on this unit with engine batteries disconnected. If you are interested have a look at DBPower portable jump starter, in particular the 18000Ah 600A version which is suitable for 6.5L petrol & 5.2L diesel engines. You should find the 600A for around 75-100 pound. A good back up If your jump leads won't stretch to your auxiliary/leisure battery and no other vehicles around. It has good instructions and tells you what it can do and what it can't. Hope that helps OP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted October 27, 2017 Share Posted October 27, 2017 keninpalamos - 2017-10-27 9:30 AM If you are interested have a look at DBPower portable jump starter, in particular the 18000Ah 600A version Ken, I think you mean 18,000 mAh which equates to 18 Ah !!! As confirmed by this Amazon item... https://www.amazon.co.uk/DBPOWER-18000mAh-Portable-Starter-Black-DJS50-Red/dp/B01BEZV0IA An 18,000 Ah battery would be HUGE :D Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billggski Posted October 27, 2017 Share Posted October 27, 2017 Careful how you connect the batteries. https://www.manualslib.com/manual/804021/Fiat-Ducato.html?page=137 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keninpalamos Posted October 27, 2017 Share Posted October 27, 2017 Keithl - 2017-10-27 11:32 AM keninpalamos - 2017-10-27 9:30 AM If you are interested have a look at DBPower portable jump starter, in particular the 18000Ah 600A version Ken, I think you mean 18,000 mAh which equates to 18 Ah !!! As confirmed by this Amazon item... https://www.amazon.co.uk/DBPOWER-18000mAh-Portable-Starter-Black-DJS50-Red/dp/B01BEZV0IA An 18,000 Ah battery would be HUGE :D Keith.mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm :D oops! Quick everyone in the shelter :D To Quote Capt Mainwaring, " I wondered who would spot that one" :$ Yes that is the unit I now have now and works well. They recommend not to turn the engine more than 4 times so don't think this unit will be good to prime a fuel system or anything like that, I wouldn't expect it to, Most modern engines will fire up in a couple of turns. so this bit of kit can do what the manufacturer states but thanks for pointing out my mistake Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keninpalamos Posted October 27, 2017 Share Posted October 27, 2017 Just for information, This is the details on the spec sheet which came with the unit Capacity 18000mAh/66.Wh, Jumping Peak Output Current 600A, Jumping Starting Output Current 300A See manual below. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil Posted October 28, 2017 Share Posted October 28, 2017 Must admit I was sceptical about these but after the MMM article I decided to research and buy a suitable one, as it seemed a prudent back up as the cost was now fairly reasonable, mine cost £35.95 postage free. I eventually purchased one of these Suaoki U10 https://www.amazon.com/U10-20000mAh-Portable-Starter-Charging/dp/B01MUI349K/ref=pd_sim_263_5/137-8722628-9908538?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B01MUI349K&pd_rd_r=ZW6PFWZT9H0DEH54PTK8&pd_rd_w=q5ejY&pd_rd_wg=gnoFD&psc=1&refRID=ZW6PFWZT9H0DEH54PTK8 though not from Amazon as it was available cheaper at other outlets on the net. The spec is higher than most giving 800A peak from a 20000mAh unit, supposedly suitable for up to a 5Litre Diesel or 6 Litre Petrol engine. Still sceptical, as until the worst happens who knows if it will work, I have now had the opportunity to try it, and yes it does work albeit on a 2Litre Diesel car!! After starting the car it had dropped in charge from100% to 97%. I am now much more inclined to think it is a worthwhile addition to the 'get you out of trouble' toolkit. So easy to use and much easier than removing the leisure battery and the possible corresponding damage to the battery using it for a purpose it was not designed for. As said they are small, even in the supplied case, and light so easy to store. So to the OP its a bit like the spare wheel argument, some are happy without one, some are not, I fall into the later and like to be as self sufficient as possible. Bas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartO Posted October 29, 2017 Share Posted October 29, 2017 UNfortunately until you do use it the try to start your bigger MH diesel engine, requiring much more CCAs, you won't know whether it's worth carrying. Short of deliberately flattening your starter battery (which wouldn't do its durability much good) there is no way of knowing. I suffered a failed starter battery in France a few years ago and the recovery truck arrived with a big starter pack but it wouldn't start my engine. In fact I think he tried two of them. He then used jumper leads connected to his own truck starter batteries and that did the trick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keninpalamos Posted October 29, 2017 Share Posted October 29, 2017 Must admit I was not confident on trying this, but thought it better to try it at home than in the middle of nowhere. So lift bonnet on Hymer to reveal 2.5L turbo intercooler diesel engine. Disconnect battery leads pos. and neg. Connect jump starter pack leads to vehicle leads (vehicle battery isolated) Start engine on key. whoopee. the engine started. I tried it 4 times and it started. Turn off engine, disconnect jump starter and reconnect battery, start engine. Everything working as before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyg3nwl Posted October 29, 2017 Share Posted October 29, 2017 Surely simple solution is decent set of jump leads between leisure battery and starter battery. What is the objection to that? tonyg3nwl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartO Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 keninpalamos - 2017-10-30 2:17 AMMust admit I was not confident on trying this, but thought it better to try it at home than in the middle of nowhere. So lift bonnet on Hymer to reveal 2.5L turbo intercooler diesel engine. Disconnect battery leads pos. and neg. Connect jump starter pack leads to vehicle leads (vehicle battery isolated) Start engine on key. whoopee. the engine started. I tried it 4 times and it started. Turn off engine, disconnect jump starter and reconnect battery, start engine. Everything working as before. Encouraging - and cheap too. I suppose the other uncertainty about starter packs is how long they will retain their capacity to hold enough charge and the capacity to deliver enough cold cranking amps. I've only suffered one start battery failure in twenty odd years and the breakdown truck turned up very quickly; I think I'll stick with carrying jump leads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gocro Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 Eswyn - 2017-10-23 11:11 AM Hi All I fully understand the fact that good quality jump leads are by far the best answer, however what if there is no donor vehicle around? I was thinking merely as back up insurance rather than relying on Mr AA /RAC. Regards to all thanks for your thoughts. You are carrying the batteries already, with good quality leads the leisure batteries should be capable of jump starting your engine. If it doesn't fire first or second time though I'd then look for anther source as proper leisure batteries dislike being ran down quickly( even though lots are automotive batteries in disguise), Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil Posted October 31, 2017 Share Posted October 31, 2017 StuartO - 2017-10-29 9:01 AMUNfortunately until you do use it the try to start your bigger MH diesel engine, requiring much more CCAs, you won't know whether it's worth carrying......... .Except a 2.0 litre diesel car engine is not much different to a 2.3 Diesel motorhome engine and it definitely worked easily on the 2.0 litre diesel. I feel pretty confident that it will handle the extra for the motorhome now.like I said 'you pays your money and takes your choice'. For the small cost outlay I think it's worth having, I still have the backup of the rescue services but this will allow the possibility of not having to use them and getting a call out logged to me.tonyg3nwl - 2017-10-29 7:49 PMSurely simple solution is decent set of jump leads between leisure battery and starter battery. What is the objection to that?tonyg3nwlI would not use the leisure battery as a starter as the one time I did it cost me new batteries for both the vehicle and the leisure, the battery supplier stated you should never use a leisure battery as a starter battery, I trust their knowledge having seen the effects.Bas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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