If you ever woke up in the morning and went to turn on your car and only heard the whine of the starter and the battery will not turn over, you know how annoying it can be when your battery fails. It is even worse if you are away from home or home alone without another vehicle to charge your car battery. These are the times to have a portable battery charger.
Portable battery chargers and car jumpers should be an essential need for those that live alone, as you do not need another vehicle to jump your battery. The self-contained car jumper is all you need to restart your battery until you can get a replacement.
Why do I Need a Portable Battery Charger?
A portable battery charger should be kept in your car at all times. You can think of it as a larger version of a phone charger as it performs the same function. The difference comes in how the charger looks. It will have positive and negative battery leads (blue and red leads) that connect to the battery. The jumper is charged by plugging it into a wall or 12-volt car port.
One of the great things about portable battery chargers today is that they do double duty. Many have additional USB ports built-in, so they can charge several cell phones when not in use charging dead batteries.
Different Chargers Have Different Uses:
With the mobile world we live in, the need is growing for access to portable charging units. Just like to need to charge cell phones, those that rely on laptops and tablets also need access to power sources. Many upgraded models have enough power to keep laptops and tablets powered up.
Some portable battery chargers come with built-in air compressors to fill deflated auto tires, bike tires, and pool toys. Some more advanced models even have AC inverters which can be handy for camping trips, fishing and hunting trips, and any outdoor activities when light or small appliance is needed.
As expected, the more advanced models with the most features tend to be larger components and cost more than basic models. But they are small enough to keep in the car at all times, at the ready in case a battery disaster occurs.
What Should I Look For When Buying a Portable Charger and Car Jumper:
Those that have never purchased a portable battery charger before may not know what to look for. Since portable chargers and car jumpers today offer more bells and whistles than early models, drivers have to choose the unit that best fits their needs and pocketbook.
The more amps a jump starter offers, the more powerful it is, but do you need all that extra power, especially if it comes with a higher price?
Here are some helpful tips from CNET, that may help the “non-techy” car owner find the right portable charger for their needs.
- What will you use it for? If you are looking for a charger to start your car’s battery when it is low or dead, then you can suffice with a basic model. It will be smaller and less expensive than those with AC inverters, adapter ports, etc.
- How many starting amps are required? If your vehicle has a large V8 care engine, it may need 500 amps to start it. Smaller car engines don’t need as much power. So, if you have a big V8 engine you will need a more powerful portable charger to start the battery.
- What is the storage capacity? In most cases, car owners don’t care about this unless the portable jumper is used for charging other devices. Chargers store energy in milliamp hours and most batteries range between about five and 22 amp-hours. This information should be helpful when researching the charging power of the unit.
- What features do you need? This is a question you will need to ask yourself before you begin your search for the perfect battery charger. If you need additional power ports, an air compressor, or a larger capacity charger for a V8 engine, these should be considered. Remember, the more features, the larger the unit and the higher the cost.
Getting stranded with your vehicle can be an upsetting situation. It can also put you in a dangerous situation, so before the extreme cold or hot weather hits, or before a long road trip, make sure you have a reliable battery jumper.
