What Should You Look for in a Jump Starter Before Buying One?
Before you go out and purchase a jump starter, there are a few key points that you should consider to ensure that you’re buying a quality jump starter that will be reliable when you need it. Some of these features include:
- Emergency lights
- USB chargers
- 12-Volt Outlets
- Inverters
- Air Compressors
Though these are extras, emergency lights would be essential if you were stuck at night or in a whiteout snowstorm, and USB chargers could help keep your phone charged for calling for help.
How Does a Jump Starter Work?
Portable jump starters are essential to keep on hand in an emergency, as they give you everything you need to get right back on the road without waiting for emergency roadside assistance. Jump starters use a Lithium-ion battery that can use a special high current to give your car just enough power to start the engine again.
On just a single charge, one jump starter would be able to start multiple vehicles and even act as a power bank for devices such as your phone, which is imperative in an emergency situation.
Differences Between Battery Chargers vs Portable Jump Starters
Though portable jump starters and battery chargers may at first appear like they do the same thing, they are actually two different products, both used for different purposes.
How to Use a Portable Jump Starter
Learning how to jump a car with a jump box can seem intimidating at first, especially if you don’t know much about automobiles. However, it’s not as overly complicated as it may seem, and we’ve broken how to jumpstart a car down into 10 easy steps for you:
- Gather what you need. You’ll need the owner’s manual, your portable jump starter, jumper cables, eye protection, and protective clothing to use a portable jump starter. The owner’s manual will let you know if your vehicle has a positive ground (which is very rare) or if they do not allow jump-starts.
- Turn your car off and remove the keys from the ignition.
- Keep yourself safe. Look for any flammable materials nearby, remove any jewellery you may be wearing, and ensure your face is never near the battery. You’ll also want your charger to be as far away from the car battery as the cords will allow.
- Connect the 12V jumper cable to the jump starter.
- Turn the ignition switch on your car to the “Accessory” position or push the START button, depending on the model of your vehicle.
- Plug in the 12V jumper cable into the 12V accessory port.
- Wait for the portable jump starter to let you know that it’s ready. Be patient, as this may take up to 15 minutes to show.
- Start your vehicle.
- Disconnect the 12V jumper cable from the accessory port and the portable jump starter.
- If your vehicle still is not starting, you wait 2-3 minutes to try again. You can try readjusting the humper clamps, but if your car won’t turn on after 4-5 attempts, the car battery will likely be dead and must be replaced.
Overall, learning how to jump a car isn’t a complicated thing to do, but it is something that needs to be done with care. Remember to stick to the owner’s manual, and if you don’t feel confident about how to use a portable jump starter, you can always call someone for help.
How do you Charge a Vehicle with a Plug-in Battery Charger?
With a plug-in battery charger, it’s a bit different to charge your car battery. Here are the steps you’ll need to take to safely charge your vehicle with a plug-in battery charger:
- Turn off your car and read your owner’s manual and the manufacturer's instructions.
- Ensure that your battery charger is off and unplugged.
- Locate the positive terminal and connect the red clamp to it.
- Find your car’s grounded metal, like the frame, and connect the black clamp to it.
- Once both clamps are securely connected, you can plug the charger into an outlet and turn on the plug-in battery charger.
- Turn on your plug-in battery charger and leave it on until morning.
- Check the car by turning it on again to see if it works. If the car still doesn’t turn on, it might mean that you need to replace your car battery.
Some additional things to keep in mind are to ensure that your battery isn’t at too high a rate when getting charged and that you’re reading the manufacturer’s manual properly. Overheating your battery can be dangerous, so when in doubt, call for help.
How to Charge a Jump Starter
Now that you know how to use a portable jump starter, it’s important that you know how to charge your jump starter. Typically, a jump starter will have a light on it that will let you know if it’s in need of a charge. To charge your portable jump starter, all you need to do is insert the power adapter into an outlet and charge the battery until the light tells you that it’s completely charged.
Is a Portable Jump Starter Actually Safe?
Jump starters are perfectly safe to use when they’re used according to the directions provided. They’re extremely useful tools to have on hand as you won’t need to wait for roadside assistance or ask a stranger to help you.
Find the Best Jump Starter Deals Now
Learning to use a portable jump starter isn’t always easy, especially if you’re stuck doing it on your own. However, a quality jump starter can help alleviate the stress of needing to jump your car.
Rack to Door is a company that offers discount electronic items that ship directly from the warehouse. They can provide you with a quality portable jump starter at an affordable price as they’ve taken out the middle-man. Start getting the tech you need at the price you want with Rack to Door today!