My portable battery jumper box no longer works. Since the little lithium ion ones are smaller and easier to store and handle, I had considered replacing it with one of these newer technology devices. When Menard’s sent a “deal of the day” offer for a 800 Amp Schumacher power pack for $30, I went after one. Reading the manual for the thing, it cautions to not let the battery freeze. My intention was to store this thing in a vehicle, use it around the house to start a lawn tractor, bail myself out of an “emergency”, etc. I know that a lead-acid battery, not charged, will freeze and be ruined. Can I safely store this power pack in my vehicle? Do lithium ion batteries freeze in some fashion? Those things catch fire now and then; maybe I don’t want to drive around with it anyway?
Lithium ion batteries definitely become less efficient/lose power in very low temps, and that is the reason why EVs and PHEVs have a warming device for the batteries. I think you should probably heed the mfr’s warning, but if you want to carry it in your car, perhaps a good way of handling it would be to take it out of the car overnight, and keep it near your car keys so that you don’t forget it the next day.
Mine can be stored down to -4 F if I remember correctly, so perhaps you should look at another brand.
I agree, The manual should give you the operating/storing range for the battery, if colder or hotter, do not leave in the car…
Lithium batteries are a fire hazard in heat, cold, etc. that’s why the warning. I keep mine in my trunk and never thought about it before but probably should. The fire department warns about parking scooters away from dwellings etc. I’m sure we have not seen the end of the whole=thing.
Good point. Plus there are toxic byproducts to consider as well. fyi, here’s a link about an industrial-size battery fire recently involving lithium batteries.
I have an EV with a lithium ion battery. Despite near zero temperatures in Maryland the past few weeks, my battery still works fine. Maybe if your area gets substantially below zero you should worry. Another thing you can do is bring it inside overnight. That should handle most of the freezing issues.
Most Li-ion fires are during charging and are because of low quality products. If you trust the manufacturer, no problem. If you charge outside, then a fire is unlikely to cause you problems.
Do not allow an unheated lithium ion battery pack to sit in freezing temperatures. It will damage the batteries. There is plenty of information available on the failure modes if you spend a little time looking. I have first hand experience with a couple packs in recreational equipment that I left in an unheated space that fell below zero and were seriously compromised afterward. Both had almost no capacity after that event.
Wife bought kid old school jump pack. Sla battery. They never used it. I got it now. battery is weak/useless. Might dig up a better battery. I assume internal charger is designed for sla battery. And not a lion version
Thanks to all. I just have to make a decision about this power pack: keep it in the house or return it. My goal was to get the jumper cables out of the vehicle and, on the surface, this appeared to be a reasonable option to replace the old jumper pack and accomplish this. I just dragged the cables out to help a guy get his kid’s vehicle started at a McDonald’s. While I was winding those things up I thought how convenient one of these lithium ion power packs would have been. But I wouldn’t have had it because we’ve had a stretch of “real” winter. My ideas to simpllify aren’t always good ones!
fyi, I have a portable camera that is powered by a substantial li- battery pack. The instructions are poor otherwise, but very clear to never power up the camera if the pack is discharged. bc that might make it impossible to recharge. .
Good to know. Thanks.
I bought one of these for my new vehicle just to have in case. I have not used it on my vehicle but have jumped my neighbors handicap van with electric lift twice. and the battery was stone dead both times and did not have a problem. it has a boost button which allowed me to jump his van. It is rated from minus 4 to 140 degrees. they have one rated down to minus 40 degrees with a built-in heater. but being I’m in Florida so I don’t need it. they have sales all the time and they have different models that are cheaper. I keep mine in the house and take it with me when I leave. With the high temps here, I worry about leaving in the vehicle. better safe than sorry. All my life I have kept jumper cables in my vehicles until now. The only problem with jumper cables is that you need to find another vehicle to jump you. and make sure you are the one to hook the cables to both batteries because if the other person hooks it up wrong you can have a problem.
I’m going to have to look at the instruction manual again. It just said to avoid excessive temperatures and I do not recall seeing specific guidelines as to what the limits are. Thanks for the recommendation of the GooLoo. That thing has juice!
This thought comes from a non-battery related thing. I’ve spent at least some of my work time in life as a residential/commercial painter. This involves many kinds of supplies that should not freeze, and ideally are at at least 50F when they are used. (Caulks, spackling materials, paints…)
In the winters I always had that one crate or bin or whatever of critical items that came inside overnight. Something of a “go box.”
There are no batteries that are “happy” with freezing temps. Maybe during the winter just have a small bag or tool box or whatever that comes in and out with you. I get just wanting to have it permanently stashed, but a small change to that logic is pretty easy. Stash it long term in the vehicle spring/summer/fall. Bring it in and out with you in the winter.
I seem to remember some of the early lithium ion jumpers didn’t have that override feature, which meant you actually could NOT jump a dead as a doornail battery
I’ve needed my override twice, so I’d definitely recommend getting one with that feature if there’s a choice.
One other thought is that keeping it in a small cooler should in theory keep it closer to the day’s average temperature instead of exposing it to the day’s temperature extremes, if you have room for that.
My experience is once the car gets going It will run until the next no start usually after a really cold overnight sit… If you have to jump it to get started then it is time for system and battery check So my jump pack lives in the basement. Only one instance of a car no start after it is warmed up, my daughter stopped for gas, and I took the jump pack out for her. Probably too many short trips in the cold that did not let the battery recharge.