Battery Jump Box

[Magicman]

Recently I needed to jump my lawnmower off so I reached for the jump box in the RAV4.  No go.  It showed full but it was empty.  Next I got the jump box from PatD's car, again, empty.  Here I was fat, dumb, and happy thinking that all was OK, and neither was OK. 

I had gotten a NOCO GBX155 (4250 amp) for my truck and also something that would  power the sawmill hydraulics so of course the lawnmower got jumped off.  Since neither of the other jump boxes would even take a charge the decision was not difficult, trash.

An online search on EBAY took care of my needs:

 
Two new NOCO GB70's (2000 amp) Jump Boxes arrived this morning.  They came with the charging cords but no house charge block.  They also take a USB C so not an issue.

Quite frankly I have never used the jump boxes for my own vehicles, but I have aided others several times.  One time it was my sawmilling customer.

[doc henderson]

good advice.  i got mine at TSC, but they have them on ammo zon.

[Magicman]

NOCO is expensive and Ebay was ~$30 cheaper than "ammo zon" but you've gotta look. 

[Downstream]

I recently went with a LifePo4 (vs std lithium) to get advantage of lithium but these do not have the thermal run away issues that you hear all the stories about.  I have only used to charge phone while boondocking on lake superior back in Oct. 

[Machinebuilder]

I have used my Noco jump box quite a bit.

Unfortunately I seem to be having several failing batteries this past year.

I put a new one in my truck, but I had to jump it several times before I did.
I swapped the battery in my Bobcat for one I had that was better.
I have had to jump the New Holland a couple times on cold mornings lately.

I did use it up in the Yukon to help out a motorcycle that had too many things charging with the engine off. He had crashed and smashed his jump box a couple days earlier.

The jump box sure beats jumper cables, and you don't have to worry about an electrical problem starting in the good vehicle

[47sawdust]

I bought a NOCO GBX155 to start a wood splitter w/o a battery.Well that didn't work out so hot.
It worked well 2 or 3 times then it killed itself.
I had also wanted to use it to power my hydraulics on my LT30 when the head was off the power strip.NOCO was NOGO.
Now I start the splitter off Andersen connectors from the tractor and my mill hydraulics are powered by battery with solar trickle charge.

[Magicman]

There is a procedure to follow when using it alone i.e. not across a battery.  I suppose that the battery being jumped supplies some voltage to turn it on.  Without that voltage, you have to manually turn it on.

Mine has never failed to supply voltage to operate the hydraulics.

[js2743]

i have used my dewalt batteries to jump my truck chevy 2500 several times when i was stranded, couple short pieces of wire and it cranked like a full charged battery would . ive seen a device that goes on them now that makes then a jumper. 
 

[Dave Shepard]

Some (most?

[47sawdust]

MM,
Can you describe the procedure you use?
I should have asked a year ago before the NOCO became an expensive flashlight. 
Thank you

[SawyerTed]

Some NOCO Genius units have to sense a minimal voltage before they auto activate.   To override that feature,  press and hold the power button.  It will come on and override the voltage sensing. 

[Magicman]

Thanks Ted for answering 47sawdust's question. 

[YellowHammer]

I guess I should have read the manual!  Thanks, that was the only thing I didn't like about mine.  So now I like it 100%.

[Magicman]

The first time that I needed to jump my sawmill hydraulics, nothing.  I was miffed so I went to the owners manual and whatdoyouknow. 

[47sawdust]

I followed those procedures. It worked about 6 times then no more.I called NOCO and was told the unit was not designed to be used in an application where there was no battery.

[Magicman]

If I had to I would run leads out from the trailer brake battery


 and temporarily connect them to my handy dandy hydraulic strip jumper leads. 

[SawyerTed]

The Massey Ferguson tractor here has a weak battery.  If it sits too long, the battery goes d.e.a.d. The NOCO won't jump it unless I do the override.   

Had the same situation with an electric start generator.  Go figure.  

[Machinebuilder]

I never read the manual, I just hit the on switch when I hook it up.
Now I know I might not need to.

When all else fails....................