My guy wants a jump starter for Christmas for his fleet of aging clunkers:) Any suggestions for a good one that doesn’t cost a fortune? Are the ones with air compressors any good? The clunkers always seem to have a flat here and there!
A portable “power pack” costs about $50+, and will have enough juice to start any car in resonably good condition. After use, just plug it in to recharge it. Any car not in reasonably good condition should be fixed or scrapped, especially in the kind of weather we’ve been through lately. Jump starting an old car regularly is not a solution for relaxed living.
I’m not familiar with anything using a portable compressor for starting an engine; they are used to inflate the tires. The cost about $30 or so.
It looks like your guy needs both a jump starter and a tire inflator.
They make combo units favored by third tier used car lots…I would guess the best measurement for these things would be the cranking amps available. The bigger the self-contained battery, the better they will work and the more they will cost…
Everyone I bought (and it must be 6 different ones) I bought off the tool trucks. Good quality but high prices. Perhaps a stop in to a local garage would help. Its been 7 years since I bought one and maybe there has been a tremendous improvement in technology.
Good idea for a gift
Look at cable quality,internal/external charger,state of charge readout.
Get at least a 17amp battery and good size cables and make sure it is not a reconditioned one.
Some of them have trumped up cranking amp ratings