Any Experiences With Supercapacitor Jump Starters?

[Koolau]

My lithium starter is good to go after a year, I rarely charge it. Always shows full charge when I check it - I end up charging it as a precaution but I don't think it needs it. I used it once to start a friend's 6 liter V8 truck after it had been sitting in my car for many months and it handled it with no issue.

Really no need nowadays to look any further than these boxes.

I've had to use my lithium starter a couple of times. I'll be honest in saying I was surprised that it worked at all. In fact, it worked great. Now, supposedly, a really dead battery will not work with the lithium. But if your car will show signs of life (dome light comes on dimly or starter will click - my situation) the lithium will work. I'm fascinated by the Cap starter, but have a lithium for each car. My lead-acid "portable" starter failed rather quickly - less than 3 years, so I think I'm good to go now. YMMV

 

[RetiredAt55.5]

I have a "thing" for these - don't know why, but I have both the super caps (Schumacher) and a couple lithiums.

Maybe someone mentioned it and I missed it, but there is one problem with the lithiums - they're not supposed to be left in a hot car. Think summertime with a car sitting in the sun for hours. Every one I have (different brands), says not to do that.

I haven't needed to jump with the supercaps yet, but I did the charge up test on each one and they all fairly quickly charged up. I leave them in the cars all the time. The lithiums I take in/out of the car in hot weather, which is tedious.

 

[GTFan]

I have a "thing" for these - don't know why, but I have both the super caps (Schumacher) and a couple lithiums.

Maybe someone mentioned it and I missed it, but there is one problem with the lithiums - they're not supposed to be left in a hot car. Think summertime with a car sitting in the sun for hours. Every one I have (different brands), says not to do that.

I haven't needed to jump with the supercaps yet, but I did the charge up test on each one and they all fairly quickly charged up. I leave them in the cars all the time. The lithiums I take in/out of the car in hot weather, which is tedious.

I live in the ATL, my lithium has never torched my CR-V and it's been in there a couple of summers now (at least). I do keep it under the seat so it's not in the sun, but it gets hot.

Really don't think these guys would sell chargers that can torch cars no matter what the disclaimers say. Way too much liability there.

 

[Walt34]

Maybe they need one with a crank that allows you to exchange mechanical energy to get the plates charged.

Right. Back to the future we go:

 

[yakers]

Right. Back to the future we go:

That, or just park on a big hill

DWs first car was an MGA that still had hand crank capacity. She says she met a few guys when she needed a crank start.

 

[NW-Bound]

Both supercaps and lithium cells have a very low self-discharge. To keep them topped off, perhaps all you need is a small solar panel of a few square inches, kept inside the car but exposed to sunlight.

I wonder if anyone has produced one like that. Maybe I can patent it, make, and sell it?