Three Reasons to Own a Car Battery Jump Box

Car battery jump boxes come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Now they’re packed with all different kinds of features on top of holding reserve power to start your car. These things are starting to look like the Swiss Army knife of the automotive world.

The Secret about Car Battery Jump Boxes

Although rechargeable battery technology has turned to the cutting edge science of lithium-ion, chances are that bargain-priced six in one battery jump box you’ve had your eye on at the big box store is still using lead-acid technology. Although manufacturers are starting to lean the way of lithium, these units are considerably more expensive and therefore generate fewer sales.

In an attempt to keep the low-end devices flying off the shelves, manufacturers have added all kinds of fancy equipment. Things like USB ports, 12 V power outlets, AM/FM radios, strobe lights for emergency situations and a power inverter that outputs 110 V for short periods of time are not uncommon. However, I would rather have a long life and steady power output of a lithium-ion battery than all of these other accessories combined. Nevertheless, a lead-acid jumper with a few accessories could very well save the day at some point.

Jumping a Car Battery

Experienced drivers know that a battery won’t last forever. The question is how long will a car battery last and where will you be the first time it refuses to start the automobile. Hopefully, you’ll be sitting in the driveway and can call for assistance from the comfort of home. If you’re out on the road or out of town when this happens, it can put you in a vulnerable position. Even though a cell phone might save the day, this malfunction has just changed your daily plans.

Something else you don’t want to get involved with is begging for someone to come over and jump the dead car with battery cables. An automotive jump box has reverse polarity protection that standard jumper cables don’t possess. Hook those cables up wrong and you could damage the nice person’s car after she went out on a limb to help you. Avoid all of this pain and suffering by having a charged and ready to go car battery jump box in your trunk.

On-Board Compressor and Hose

Some of the features included in a six in one bargain-basement jump box are often lacking in the implementation department. However, the on-board compressors on the newer units are much improved over the low-quality ones used a decade ago when these devices started to become popular. They consume less power and provide reliable air pressure capable of filling an automotive tire in an emergency situation.

With that said, it all depends on what’s wrong with the tire on whether this will be good enough to get you back on the road or to the nearest gas station. If there’s a nail in the tread and the tire is leaking air slowly, the on-board compressor could save the day. On the other hand, if the tires are worn down to the chords and air is leaking from a large puncture wound from a railroad spike, then it’s time to install the spare tire.

Jump Boxes for Home Emergencies

My third reason for owning a car battery jump box has nothing to do with an automotive emergency. As an American, I often take power for granted. Living in South Florida has changed my optimism of always having a steady flow of electricity. Although we were lucky for the last five or six years, hurricane Charley sent us back to the Stone Age for several days.

When they gave the evacuation order I pulled my car battery jump box out of the trunk and gave it a full charge. We drove inland and hunkered down. The hotel lost power and that jump box came in handy. It charged the cell phones, provided efficient LED light and the weather radio provided updates about damage in our area and when it was safe to return home. Fortunately, our cinder block house fared better than the wood frame constructed hotel we stayed in.