The Ultimate Guide to Car Jump Starters
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A Car jump starters is a portable device that is used to start your car when the battery has died. These devices have become ever increasingly popular in recent years largely due to their convenience and ease of use.
Car jump starters utilizes several different types of battery technology as there power source these, including Lead Acid, AGM, and Lithium Ion. But they all perform differently so how can you tell which types is the right one for your needs.
In this article, we will go over the pros and cons of each of the different types of battery technology to help you understand there differences and allow you to make an informed decision when purchasing a car jump starter.
Table of contents
Lead Acid Batteries
Lead Acid batteries are the most commonly used type of battery used in car jump starters, this is mainly due to the fact that they have been around for a long time. There production cost have also been reduced over time making them relatively inexpensive and hence a popular choice for many manufacturers.
Advantages
- Cost. As we have already mentioned these types of batteries are very cost effective to produce.
- High specific power. Lead Acid batteries are capable of producing high discharge currents.
- Discharge. The self-discharge of Lead Acid batteries is among the lowest of rechargeable battery systems.
- Temperature. Lead Acid batteries give good performance at low and high temperatures.
They are also relatively resistant to overcharging, which makes them a good choice for use in car jump starters.
Lead Acid batteries also have some significant drawbacks that effect there use in modern jump starters.
Draw Backs
- Weight. They are relatively heavy and bulky, which can make them less convenient to carry around.
- Energy Density. The energy density of Lead Acid batteries is very low compared with other battery technologies.
They also have a relatively short lifespan compared to other types of batteries, and they require regular maintenance to ensure that they are functioning properly.
AGM Batteries
AGM batteries, which are also known as absorbed glass mat batteries, are an advanced type of sealed Lead Acid battery that is commonly used in car jump starters.
Although they are similar to regular Lead Acid batteries in many ways, they do have a few key differences.
Advantages
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AGM batteries are more resistant to vibration and shock than regular Lead Acid batteries, this makes them a good choice for use in car jump starters.
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Faster Charging. Compared to Lead Acid Batteries, AGM Batteries have a much lower internal resistance which allows them to charge faster.
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Performance. Because of the lower internal resistance they are also capable of better performance under heavy load conditions.
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Temperature. Because of there more efficient construction AGM Batteries will most likely also perform better than Lead Acid Batteries in colder operating conditions.
AGM batteries do have some drawbacks though.
Draw Backs
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Cost. AGM batteries cost more to produce and manufacture than regular Lead Acid batteries, which can be a drawback for some consumers.
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Energy issues. While AGM batteries do have a high-power output than Lead Acid Batteries, they also have a low specific energy, which means that they are not able to store as much energy in a given amount of space. .
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Discharge. AGM batteries can only be discharged to 50% of capacity, whereas the Lead Acid battery can be discharged down to 80% of capacity. This means that the Lead Acid battery will last longer each single charge.
In addition, AGM batteries are not as resistant to high temperatures as Lithium Ion batteries and are not suitable for use in extreme cold.
Lithium Ion Batteries
Lithium Ion batteries are a newest type of battery technology to become increasingly popular in car jump starters. The offer a lot of advantages over what has gone before, but like all technologies there are some factors to consider, lets look into their pros and cons a little deeper.
Advantages
- Weight. Lithium Ion batteries are much lighter and more compact than Lead Acid or AGM batteries, this makes jump starters less bulky and more convenient to carry around.
- High specific power. Lithium Ion batteries have the highest capacity of all out battery options and are capable of producing high discharge currents.
- Life Span.They also have a much longer lifespan than Lead Acid batteries, which means that they do not need to be replaced as often.
- Faster Charging. they offer faster charging time than Lead Acid or AGM batteries, making them more convenient on the go.
- Temperature.Lithium Ion batteries are more resistant to high temperatures and are suitable for use in a wider range of temperatures than Lead Acid batteries.
However, Lithium Ion batteries also have some drawbacks such as.
Draw Backs
- Cost. They are more expensive to produce than Lead Acid or AGM batteries, which can be a drawback for some consumers.
- Charging. They also require a more sophisticated charging system, this system is built into the battery pack, but if it fails you will not be able to recharge the batteries
- Over Charging. Lithium Ion batteries can be damaged if they are overcharged, so it is important to follow the manufacturer's instructions when using them.
- Fire. Lithium Ion batteries can burst into flames if they are punctured or overcharged. Care to eliminate accidental damage should always be taken when charging, storing or transporting Lithium Ion powered devices.
Jump Starter Battery Future?
So now that we have looked into the current technologies used for Jump Starters one may ask, what is the future for Jump Starters and is there a new emerging technology that could replace the batteries that we currently use?
Interestingly the future of battery technology in Jump Starters may not be batteries at all. Super Capacitors are advancing fast and are already starting to be used in some Jump Starters.
A Super Capacitor is able to utilizes the remaining voltage from your car battery and transfer that charge into the Jump Starters capacitor, allowing it to generate enough power to then jump start the vehicle. If there is not enough remaining voltage to use from your car's battery (below 5V), a small Lithium Ion back up battery can be utilized to charge the capacitor, allowing you to jump start your vehicle.
Will this technology become the new standard for jump starters we will have to wait and see.
Final Thoughts
In summing up, each type of battery technology used in modern car jump starters comes with it's own set of pros and cons.
Lead Acid batteries have a high power density and are relatively inexpensive to manufacture, but they suffer from a relatively short lifespan and there larger size also makes them heavy.
AGM batteries while being more resistant to vibration and shock, are less likely to be damaged by overcharging. But they are more expensive to manufacture and have a slightly lower power density than Lead Acid batteries.
Lithium Ion batteries are lighter, more compact, and have a longer lifespan than Lead Acid batteries, but they are the most expensive to produce.
As you can see no one Jump Starter is right for every occasion, if budget is your major concern and you're looking for a jump starter to primarily use at home then a heavy-duty Lead Acid option might be the way to go.
But if you do a lot of travel and you are looking for an emergency Jump Starter that you planning on keeping in your vehicle, then you should definitely go with the Lithium Ion based option.
Even if you're just planning on keeping you jump starter at home in your garage, a Lithium Ion powered jump starter would still be the better choice, unless you are lucky enough to find a Lead Acid jump starter selling for an unbeatable price.
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