[C7Driver]

I've seen these new, small battery jumper packs but didn't give them a 2nd thought until I saw one in use at Corvettes at Carlisle. A new Stingray had a dead battery and I watched a GM guy jump start it with his Micro-Start XP-1. I asked if it could jump another dead battery and he told me this was the sixth battery jump start without re-charging the unit. That was it for me, had to have one.
Notice the size difference between my old unit that weighs 17.5 pounds and the 14 ounce Micro-Start. The units retail for about $170 but you can find them on the Internet for $100 or less. I paid $95.99 for my unit. It comes with a carrying case, two chargers (110V and 12-volt) and a bunch of connectors to power various things like cell phones, tablets and so on. I consider this a "must have" item when traveling and it takes up very little space. Having suffered with a dead battery after just five months with my Stingray I want the piece of mind of having this jumper pack with me when I travel.

 

[glen e]

Nice unit, but don't put a band aid over the real problem. A c7 should last at least 3 weeks without any charger and still start. Get the system checked out.

And a batt that has been flattened is never the same, some perm damage is done......

 

[rdslon01]

What a find. And it is even smaller than booster cables!

 

[jsvette]

Very impressive unit. Thanks for posting. I read a number of reviews on it and they were quite glowing (but then they figured out the proper way to hook it up so they didn't shock themselves... weak pun intended). The only thing I did not find is how long it will hold a sufficient charge without being plugged in.

 

[rdslon01]

Jeff, I like your sense of humor!

 

[jsvette]

Jeff, I like your sense of humor!

Thanks Rodney.

 

[C7Driver]

JSVette: Instructions say the unit will hold a charge for about six months, when not in use, before needing a re-charge. The five blue LEDs let you know what state of charge the unit is in.
Glen-E: I'm pretty sure what killed my battery was a long session in the full accessory mode. I saw the "battery saver mode" alert at one point. After charging the battery at 16 AMPs for a few minutes it still would not turn over. I used the 100-AMP jumper mode to get it running. The battery was charged overnight at the 2-AMP setting and the car was fine for one day. Thereafter, it would not hold a charge. The OEM battery was just 550 cold cranking amps. The dealer told me the battery had a bad cell. The replacement AC Delco battery is 615 CCA. I use a CTek 3300 battery tender to keep the battery charged as I don't drive the car every day. I'm hoping the new battery will last for several years. I don't plan to run it down again in the long-term accessory mode.

 

[greggshere]

Found it on Amazon, added it to my wish list. Now I can show my wife or daughter when it gets closer to Xmas, and maybe I will get it as a Xmas present. Thanks for posting this up C7driver, I never knew they existed. I think it will be nice to have, not necessarily to jump my own car but to help somebody else out.

 

[jsvette]

JSVette: Instructions say the unit will hold a charge for about six months, when not in use, before needing a re-charge. The five blue LEDs let you know what state of charge the unit is in.

Thanks- that clearly answers my question.

 

[Torch-Red-Z06]

On a related topic. My ONSTAR remote link has lost communication with my car several days ago. Currently away and nobody at home is driving it. Been gone for 11 days. Will be interesting to see the state of the battery when I get home. This was a test as my CTEK is not hooked up. : )

 

[Torch-Red-Z06]

On a related topic. My ONSTAR remote link has lost communication with my car several days ago. Currently away and nobody at home is driving it. Been gone for 11 days. Will be interesting to see the state of the battery when I get home. This was a test as my CTEK is not hooked up. : )

Car started just fine. ONSTAR communication to my iPhone came back after starting her up. Glad the battery was fine. Not sure what was going on with ONSTAR.

Regarding this battery product, may have to get one before the next long road trip.

 

[C7Driver]

Be sure and post what you find when you get home. If your battery is in good shape you should be able to start the car. I'm in the Northeast and could start my 2008 after it had been sitting, in the cold, for two weeks without a battery tender hooked up. Just to be safe I connect my CTek 3300 if I don't plan to drive the car for a week or more.
I agree with Glen-E about a battery being damaged in some way if it is run down completely. Modern batteries are made with very thin plates. (Marine grade or deep cycle batteries are a different story.) Running down a standard battery isn't a good idea. Had another AC Delco battery fail in my 2001 Corvette after just two years. My dealer tested the battery, this was in 2003, and found a bad cell. (Same problem with my Stingray's battery.) When I sold that car in August of 2008 the replacement battery was still in good shape. I used a 2-amp charger to maintain the battery during winter storage.
One other point, I always thought that cold weather was tougher on a car's battery. Turns out the heat of summer is harder on a battery than cold temps. I learn something new every day.

 

[KEYSMAN]

Amazon shows many brands, but after wading through over 200 reviews I ordered this @$100.00 w/free shipping. Jumper cables and chargers may be obsolete!

 

[thrilled]

Your right.I go to Thailand regularity and the batteries go bad frequently.