Booster pack

[willster]

After being caught out the other day by a flat battery, stopping a friendly stranger in a new 1 series bm only to find his battery not present in the engine bay! I fancy treating myself to one of these http://www.sipuk.co.uk/sip-03981-pro...ower-pack.html like the idea of it being compact enough to fit in the glove box. Any one any thoughts on these type of gadgets and specifically this one? Cheers

[freck]

That's a lot of money for something you may only use once in a blue moon.
I'd just spend half of that and get a new battery which will be reliable.
Saying that, I have one of the cheaper booster packs in the garage which was about £40 from ECP in a sale.

[vindaloo]

I purchased one of these new fangled micro power booster packs from Amazon, which also includes a mini tyre compressor. Claims to be able to start a 3 litre diesel up to 12 times without a recharge. It was a mere £49.99 delivered and it does look very well made. I will keep it in the car in case of emergencies and it may help someone else out at some time as well, much safer than using jump leads. It will also charge your laptop, tablet or smartphone.
Here is the version without compressor.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B...ilpage_o02_s00

[planenut]

Okay then what about this for £29.95, and jumps the power through the lighter socket? anybody got or used one?
http://www.theoriginalgift.co.uk/ogc...r-jump-starter

[Pistonbroke666]

The battery being in the boot on BMW's (I've only experienced the new ones) is frickin awesome. Makes jumping someones car so much easier and safer as you only need pulling in front of the broken down vehicle. Very convenient.

[freck]

Originally Posted by Pistonbroke666

The battery being in the boot on BMW's (I've only experienced the new ones) is frickin awesome. Makes jumping someones car so much easier and safer as you only need pulling in front of the broken down vehicle. Very convenient.

Many BMWs with the battery in the boot also have a positive terminal located in the engine bay, usually in a square housing with a '+' marked on it.
The one on my Mini is clipped to the air filter housing.

[SD1too]

Originally Posted by willster

... like the idea of it being compact enough to fit in the glove box. Any one any thoughts on these type of gadgets and specifically this one?

Your starter motor Will is rated at 2kW so it will require 166 amps to operate. The battery which impresses you is rated at 20Ah. If you do the calculation it will struggle to maintain the required current and that is assuming that it is fully charged when you need it. You will have to keep to a regular charging schedule to ensure that it is in peak condition at all times. You'd be better off doing the same thing with the lead acid battery in your 75/ZT, then you won't need this device and you'll save yourself £150!

Originally Posted by planenut

Okay then what about this for £29.95, and jumps the power through the lighter socket? anybody got or used one?
http://www.theoriginalgift.co.uk/ogc...r-jump-starter

Absolute rubbish Fred. Look at the rated current in the technical section; it's useless!

Originally Posted by Pistonbroke666

The battery being in the boot on BMW's ... is frickin awesome.

That's nothing new. Alec Issigonis designed the original Mini with the battery in the boot, so I hope you'll direct your approval to BMC and not the Germans!

Simon

[vindaloo]

My unit is virtually the same as the unit mentioned by the OP and is £100 less, not a lot more money than a hefty set of jump leads and much safer to use and you don't need another vehicle or battery to jump from, considering it also includes a tyre compressor, I think it well worth the money to carry with me in the car.

[SD1too]

Originally Posted by vindaloo

My unit is virtually the same as the unit mentioned by the OP ...

The capacity of that one is quoted as 18Ah. Have you tried it out yet Jim, just to see if it will start your engine from cold?

Simon

[vindaloo]

Yes starts a cold diesel instantly, several times.