Jump Starter for my ZS EV Trophy Connect Long Range

[wicksonp]

Hi Everyone.
I've been reading that a useful accessory to keep in my car is a jump starter, since whilst the main traction battery might be fine and charged, if the 12V ancillary battery fails, I won't be going anywhere!!
I'm sure I've seen recommendations somewhere on this Forum, but I can't find them.
I went into my local Halfords to ask what the best Jump Starter would be for my EV but they didn't really know.
I'm making an assumption that it probably doesn't need to be particularly powerful, and that perhaps something like a 500A one should fit the bill adequately. Any thoughts from people who've got one, and any other recommendations.

 

[Ferretusmaximus]

Hi Everyone.
I've been reading that a useful accessory to keep in my car is a jump starter, since whilst the main traction battery might be fine and charged, if the 12V ancillary battery fails, I won't be going anywhere!!
I'm sure I've seen recommendations somewhere on this Forum, but I can't find them.
I went into my local Halfords to ask what the best Jump Starter would be for my EV but they didn't really know.
I'm making an assumption that it probably doesn't need to be particularly powerful, and that perhaps something like a 500A one should fit the bill adequately. Any thoughts from people who've got one, and any other recommendations.

This Amazon jump starter is compact, a good price and holds it charge well - currently available as Black Friday deal too....

 

[Lovemyev]

These are a popular choice with the trade.

Portable JS1200 Car Jump Starter Battery Booster Pack 10000mah Charger Power Box | eBay

TOPDON’s JS1200 Powerful Jump Starter, Designed for The Unexpected! TOPDON’s JS1200 Battery Jump Starter was made for all those unfortunate situations! Our JS1200 is a portable, all-in-one car jump starter.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[Nutnut]

Jump Starter Power Pack

Bought one of these a couple of days ago from Amazon: It has good reviews and is rated at 1500A peak so should be useful on both EV and ICE vehicles. Reduced by 29% at the moment so only £49.99 delivered with Prime (mine was delivered 6 hours after ordering!). Chances are I'll never need to...

www.mgevs.com

MG ZS EV Jump Start Pack

I am looking to purchase a 12v jump start pack as a backup for the 12v battery. Can anyone recommend a unit that will start a battery that is completely flat? I beleive these units need a boost button to start a completely flat battery. Any advice/recommendations would be appreciated.

www.mgevs.com

 

[johnb80]

Hi Everyone.
I've been reading that a useful accessory to keep in my car is a jump starter, since whilst the main traction battery might be fine and charged, if the 12V ancillary battery fails, I won't be going anywhere!!
I'm sure I've seen recommendations somewhere on this Forum, but I can't find them.
I went into my local Halfords to ask what the best Jump Starter would be for my EV but they didn't really know.
I'm making an assumption that it probably doesn't need to be particularly powerful, and that perhaps something like a 500A one should fit the bill adequately. Any thoughts from people who've got one, and any other recommendations.

Avoid the really compact ones, they're not man enough for the job, turn themselves off too early in the process and you have a danger of them catching fire. I followed a recommendation on here and bought a GREPRO from Amazon. It failed miserably to start my i3 with a failing 12v battery, it did swell up massively when recharged.
I purchased one of the NOCO ones from Amazon, highly regarded units in the automotive industry, you pay a little more for it but I'm confident it will work when needed. I top up charge it every month but it loses very little in storage.

 

[JuziWomble]

I second the NOCO - I have that for my 4 / Not needed it since they sorted the BMS - BUT always good to have (if needed) and will take it with us in the ZS when we go away etc

 

[wicksonp]

Thanks guys. I'm going for the NOCO, which I can get from Halfords

 

[johnb80]

Thanks guys. I'm going for the NOCO, which I can get from Halfords

Do yourself a favour get a trade card and you'll get discount from Halfords.

 

[tkmaxx5]

Any feedback if this would be ok for back up to start MG5 in case of 12v going flat?

 

[carrotts]

Hi all, first post so please be gentle.
If the car has V2L capability would it be possible to boost charge a flat 12V battery using a plug in battery charger, or does the car lose too much functionality when the 12V battery is flat? Just a thought that might get someone out of a tricky situation.

 

[Archev]

Hi all, first post so please be gentle.
If the car has V2L capability would it be possible to boost charge a flat 12V battery using a plug in battery charger, or does the car lose too much functionality when the 12V battery is flat? Just a thought that might get someone out of a tricky situation.

I’m not sure, but I’m sure someone will be sure and meantime it seems sure that man’s quest for perpetual motion is surely alive and well

 

[Coulomb]

Avoid the really compact ones, they're not man enough for the job... It failed miserably to start my i3 with a failing 12v battery, it did swell up massively when recharged...
I purchased one of the NOCO ones from Amazon,

Swelling massively is quite scary in a battery, unless it happens gradually over months.

It occurred to me that the other reason to get a decent, known-brand jump starter is that these things will have LiPo batteries in them, to be able to crank starter motors. LiPo batteries (Lithium Polymer, not the same as the big battery in your car) are notorious for starting fires, either when charging or just spontaneously. Radio Control model plane enthusiasts use special fire-proof pouches to charge their LiPo batteries safely. Don't start a "EVs catch fire" story by having a cheap LiPo battery in your glove box, next to the paper manual for kindling, burning down your pride and joy. Consider charging them on the concrete floor of your garage / carport / driveway away from valuables.

There are too many stories of cheap scooters burning down houses; some of them have to be genuine. Scooters (especially the cheaper ones) will have LiPo batteries too. It's too easy to "toss one in the glove box" for "just in case" and forget about it. And too easy to think "I'll rarely use it, so it doesn't have to be great quality". In this case, you need the quality for all the time that you're not using it.

If the car has V2L capability would it be possible to boost charge a flat 12V battery using a plug in battery charger,

It would work, but you're far better off just going to ready mode, where the DC-DC can and will charge the auxiliary (12 V) battery quite quickly, like at 50 A, whereas a typical car battery charger charges at some 4-10 A (some even slower, a very few a bit quicker).

man’s quest for perpetual motion

That would be the case if you tried to charge the main battery from V2L. Charging the 12 V battery presumably has no expectation of perpetual motion or perpetual energy.

 

[gus]

Hi all, first post so please be gentle.
If the car has V2L capability would it be possible to boost charge a flat 12V battery using a plug in battery charger, or does the car lose too much functionality when the 12V battery is flat? Just a thought that might get someone out of a tricky situation.

Don’t you have to put the car in discharge mode, so would need the 12v available to get to ready mode?

 

[Coulomb]

Don’t you have to put the car in discharge mode, so would need the 12v available to get to ready mode?

Well, there's that too! Though you can probably start V2L from "on" mode, I suspect; the contactors would then come on, but it technically would not be "ready" mode, so you would not be able to change out of park "gear", thereby being a tiny bit safer. I assume that the DC-DC would charge the auxiliary battery either way, although now that I type this, I realise that this is probably the reason that people find the 12 V battery not getting charged.

So my guess is now that the DC-DC converter only comes on in Ready mode (actually ready to drive), or when AC or DC charging, not absolutely every time that the contactors are on. Interesting. I guess it gives you the choice: "Would you like to have your auxiliary battery go flat, sir, or would you prefer to be ready to run into the tent if you accidentally press the accelerator pedal?"

So in the case of a completely dead 12 V battery, or even one so weak that it could not pull in the contactors and run a few computers (wild guess: 5 A load), then you could not even use the V2L system.

V2L however would be fine for keeping a second 12 V battery charged, say for a 12 V fridge. And if you let the car's auxiliary battery run flat, you can disconnect and use the second 12 V battery to jump start the auxiliary battery. It feels like we're moving closer to perpetual motion now...

 

[Archev]

Well, there's that too! Though you can probably start V2L from "on" mode, I suspect; the contactors would then come on, but it technically would not be "ready" mode, so you would not be able to change out of park "gear", thereby being a tiny bit safer. I assume that the DC-DC would charge the auxiliary battery either way, although now that I type this, I realise that this is probably the reason that people find the 12 V battery not getting charged.

So my guess is now that the DC-DC converter only comes on in Ready mode (actually ready to drive), or when AC or DC charging, not absolutely every time that the contactors are on. Interesting. I guess it gives you the choice: "Would you like to have your auxiliary battery go flat, sir, or would you prefer to be ready to run into the tent if you accidentally press the accelerator pedal?"

So in the case of a completely dead 12 V battery, or even one so weak that it could not pull in the contactors and run a few computers (wild guess: 5 A load), then you could not even use the V2L system.

V2L however would be fine for keeping a second 12 V battery charged, say for a 12 V fridge. And if you let the car's auxiliary battery run flat, you can disconnect and use the second 12 V battery to jump start the auxiliary battery. It feels like we're moving closer to perpetual motion now...

I just loved how you came around to that