Portable Jump Starter
 

I have the 2.7l engine with Auto Start/Stop if that's germane. The Motorcraft battry is an AGM and its sticker says it has 760 cold cranking amps.

So I've had a Costco-bought handheld battery jumper for a few years and used it to start a Focus when its battery died.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.f15...849412a3a3.jpg


Then I tried it the day my F150 refused to start--nothing. I barely got enough out of it so that I could release the eBrake and push the truck to where I could run jumper cables from the car to the truck.

I was a bit surprised, but I confess that I was totally skeptical that the little box could start anything, much less the car or truck. But since it had worked on the car, I felt betrayed that it wouldn't start the F150.

The manufacturer's book says that the "jump start current" is 200-350A. Yeah, maybe. But my question to you guys is: What do I have to buy that will definitely start my truck if the battery gives up and I can't, or don't want to wait, for someone who can jump it with a real battery?

I admit that I don't know what spec to look at in a purchase and I expect to be cynical of the published claims of the vendors. Does anyone have a positive experience with something that you know will work?

https://no.co/products/power/jumpstarters

I have a couple of their jump packs and one of their chargers. They also have a chart that shows exactly what size engine each jump pack can handle. I would bet most jump pack companies have similar charts.

They have short battery life and will NOT start a completely dead battery.

I dont have one, and dont plan to get one.

Wished I would have found this video before I bought an inferior jump start
BTW while a jump start wont help a completely dead battery . Most of the units have an override button to allow jumping a very low battery..

I have an iclever battery booster/jump starter that I got after the wife's car (Ford C Max) would not start and the insurance company sent someone to jump it for us. He connected/used it and it started the C Max after about 30 seconds of letting the iclever unit charge up the C Max starting battery, not the hybrid battery. I asked about it and he said it was rated to start dump truck engines and he had started dump truck engines with it numerous times. Another time the C Max would not start, another service came to start the C Max and he used another brand of these devices only smaller. We soon got rid of the C Max and have not had to use the one I bought but keep it charged and in the vehicles, especially on long trips. Available on amazon.

I don't own one so I can't say one way or the other but I've had my work van jumped a few times by CAA (AAA) and they've used one of those lithium packs each time. When you say that they have a short battery life do you mean if they aren't used much and just sit in a vehicle for a long time before it's used, they'll be dead or if it is used to jump it can only be recharged a few times before the battery is toast?

I ask because I have thought of getting one in the off chance my truck's battery is low.

i have one in my truck, I haven't used it to start my F150 yet, but I have jumped my boat and a few jetskis several times and it worked perfectly. I charged it when I got it and used it the first time probably a year later and it was still fully charged. I recharged it fully after each use but it has never went completely dead. After my experience with the one in my truck I bought one for my wife's and daughter's cars.

I have this one:
I also have the 2.7 motor and have used it several times to jump my truck. I've even used it on another vehicle, then used it on my truck with no charging in between and it worked phenomenally! I will ALWAYS have one of these in EVERY one of my vehicles!

I wouldn't trust those little 'boosters' to start my truck, but I can tell you in order to start ANY engine, they have to be FULLY charged. And by that I mean less than a week ago. I bought one for my daughter (1.6L NA I-4), and it didn't work. Fully charged it, and it barely worked. Apparently they start losing charge right away, so they're next to useless unless you just charged it. I'd look into the larger ones, especially for a truck.

A friend of mine had/had one of the booster packs. Loves it. Sold it to another friend Co-Worker and has used it a few times. Loves it.

He's got a couple of 4-runners. And an old V8 dodge. The V8 sits a lot now, uses it as property vehicle more than a commuter now. Has worked every time for him.

It probably comes down to the brands that are being used, and which motor. Seems the 3.5 should be good to go, and for sure the 2.7. The V8, maybe not (higher compression ratio).