That’s where emergency lights can come in. With low visibility and distracted drivers, you could easily find yourself in a dangerous spot. If you’re strapped for cash, a built-in compressor is something you can avoid, but if you have the money to spend on a device with an air compressor, we recommend doing so.īeing stuck on the side of the road at night is never a preferable situation. A built-in compressor may not matter when you’re jump-starting your car, but that doesn’t mean they can’t come in handy. For smaller vehicles, like most cars, a cable with at least an 8 gauge will be fine, though larger batteries might need a 6 or 4 gauge cable.Īn air compressor is what you’d use to pump up a car’s flat tire if it's been deflated. Thicker wire is better at delivering more power, which can be important if you’re trying to jump-start a vehicle with a bigger battery. Another differentiator is a cable’s wire gauge, which refers to the thickness of the wire inside. Don't think you need to go for extra-long cables, though- for most people, 15 feet will be perfectly fine. Generally, they range from around 10 to 35 feet. You can enjoy CAR in its traditional print format, or one of the swelling number of digital editions, optimised for Apple iPhones, Android devices, iPads, tablets and desktop computers.For instance, cables can have different lengths. For verdicts, scoops, news and analysis from the team, delivered direct to your inbox, subscribe to the CAR newsletter. Turn off the jump starter, disconnect it, and you're good to go. Then switch the jump starter on and subsequently, start the vehicle, following the specific instructions of the jump starter. And remember, the bigger the engine, the more power is needed to start it.īefore using a jump starter, read the manual of both the jump starter and the car in order to understand both how the jump starter works and if there are any particular requirements you need to adhere to when jump starting that particular vehicle.Ĭonnect the jump starter to the battery terminals, making sure both the vehicle and the jump starter are off beforehand. Some offer built-in air compressors but these tend to be more expensive and take up more room than other battery boosters.īefore you even get to hooking up a jump starter, you need to make sure the power pack itself is charged with enough power to jump start a vehicle. Again, this is a useful feature if you find yourself stranded, especially at night. These will usually have USB slots that'll allow you to charge up your mobile phone if you're broken down.Īnother feature that is common for portable battery boosters is a torch. One of the best features that most of these chargers offer is that they'll also act as power banks for other electronics. While these are portable units, some are bigger than others and may eat valuable storage space if you run a car with a smaller boot. You should also note that some of these battery boosters don't pair well with Start-Stop systems, so check before buying.Īnother thing you should consider is the size of your car. Thankfully our choices cover every new petrol or diesel car on sale today so you should be fine with any of our picks (unless you run a Dodge Viper that is). Your biggest concern when looking for a portable battery charger is whether it's powerful enough to deal with your engine, a bigger engine will require more power to run. View offer What should I consider before I buy one?
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