Funny acting battery jump starter...

softdown
softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,812 ✭✭✭✭
You know those jump starter you see in automotive sections for about $60-90? They work great....for about two years.

Mine is now three years old and reads 11.2 volts. Yet says it is fully charged when using the built in ac charger. I am charging it with a charger now. The charging light is flashing on and off. The charging needle is bouncing back and forth. 

I am sure it is shot. Just wondering what would cause such a condition. 


Just venting now...probably don't want to read this:

Three cars malfunctioned in a nine days. Ruptured axle housing on truck.....there is a good reason for getting heavy duty trucks vs 1/2 ton trucks. My washboard roads killed it when carrying a couple heavy loads. Ouch. Expensive too. 

Gas line ruptured right above fuel tank on Jeep when very remote. Good thing I looked under the Jeep before the hike or I faced an approx. 25 mile hike with three dogs and a stretch of highway. Decent sized chore due to dropping fuel tank. Ouch. 

Insured minivan after long sit. The drivers window collapsed when I activated the electric window. Learning how to remove window tint and install new window regulators. Ouch.

These are the small problems. Don't get me started on the ones that are 1000 times larger. Think I need a good hour of therapy.
First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries

Comments

  • 706jim
    706jim Solar Expert Posts: 514 ✭✭✭✭
    softdown said:

    I am sure it is shot. Just wondering what would cause such a condition. 


    A GM electric car once said: "There are liars, damned liars and battery suppliers".

    Island cottage solar system with 2500 watts of panels, 1kw facing southeast 1.3kw facing southwest 170watt ancient Arco's facing south. All panels in parallel for a 24 volt system. Trace DR1524 MSW inverter, Outback Flexmax 80 MPPT charge controller 8 Trojan L16's. Insignia 11.5 cubic foot electric fridge. My 30th year.
  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,812 ✭✭✭✭
    706jim said:
    softdown said:

    I am sure it is shot. Just wondering what would cause such a condition. 


    A GM electric car once said: "There are liars, damned liars and battery suppliers".

    After over 120 years of using lead acid batteries, they still seem a bit mysterious. I placed a 2007 marine battery in my truck with a 488 last week. It is working great. It spent its life sitting in the battery bay of an unused sailboat close to San Fransisco. Had about 5 volts in a 12 volt battery. 

    I "experiment" with lead acid batteries. Not as a real scientist, more out of curiosity. Batteries are weird. Sometimes fragile, sometimes not. 
    First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
  • littleharbor2
    littleharbor2 Solar Expert Posts: 2,039 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Those jumper boxes need a freshening charge every month or two. I had a couple cheaper ones not last, mostly due to neglect. The latest one from Costco has worked well for about 3 or 4 years now. It has an air compressor built in and gets used more often than if it were just a jumper.

    2.1 Kw Suntech 175 mono, Classic 200, Trace SW 4024 ( 15 years old  but brand new out of sealed factory box Jan. 2015), Bogart Tri-metric,  460 Ah. 24 volt LiFePo4 battery bank. Plenty of Baja Sea of Cortez sunshine.

  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,812 ✭✭✭✭
    An hour of trying to charge...with bouncing meters and light. Voltage dropped from 11.2 to about 10. Toast.

    Is it possible to change the battery in these things?
    First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
  • pdh
    pdh Registered Users Posts: 31 ✭✭
    > Is it possible to change the battery in these things?

    I have a JNC 300XL and the user manual says, "The jump starter battery may be removed by unscrewing the perimeter screws on the back cover. Disconnect the wires from the battery terminals. Note the position of the battery and wire locations."

    I'm going to guess that not all of them are this user-serviceable -- check your user guide and see what it says.


  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,812 ✭✭✭✭
    pdh said:
    > Is it possible to change the battery in these things?

    I have a JNC 300XL and the user manual says, "The jump starter battery may be removed by unscrewing the perimeter screws on the back cover. Disconnect the wires from the battery terminals. Note the position of the battery and wire locations."

    I'm going to guess that not all of them are this user-serviceable -- check your user guide and see what it says.


    Contacted them and received this:  "We haven’t found it economical to replace batteries in the units, but if it is something you are pursuing, PowerStation recommends you find a technician to help with replacing any parts in the unit.  Batteries and Bulbs, or Batteries Plus are companies that may have technicians to assist."

    I wonder if the newer and very small lithium battery jump starters would last very long. They *should* do much better.
    First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries
  • westbranch
    westbranch Solar Expert Posts: 5,183 ✭✭✭✭
    I bought a NoCo(Li) battery booster , the 1000Amps model for my quads to eake out another summer of use on the existing batteries... definitely need replacement as they just click the solenoid when the temp dips to freezing...they do make a 2000A model too at almost 2 x the price of the 1000... great little unit that can sit for a long time before needing to be recharged.
     
    KID #51B  4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
    CL#29032 FW 2126/ 2073/ 2133 175A E-Panel WBjr, 3 x 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM 
    Cotek ST1500W 24V Inverter,OmniCharge 3024,
    2 x Cisco WRT54GL i/c DD-WRT Rtr & Bridge,
    Eu3/2/1000i Gens, 1680W & E-Panel/WBjr to come, CL #647 asleep
    West Chilcotin, BC, Canada
  • Estragon
    Estragon Registered Users Posts: 4,496 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Unfortunately, I'll probably find out mine is bad at about the worst possible time; when I'm trying to start my only means of transportation in the dark when it's -40.

    My guess is they fail prematurely if charged below 0°C, or if kept on a float charge.

    I thought by now, if we kept a few di-lithium crystals handy, we'd be okay, but I guess not.
    Off-grid.  
    Main daytime system ~4kw panels into 2xMNClassic150 370ah 48v bank 2xOutback 3548 inverter 120v + 240v autotransformer
    Night system ~1kw panels into 1xMNClassic150 700ah 12v bank morningstar 300w inverter