few things can Suddenly ruining your day is like trying to start your car and then being met with the dead silence of a dead battery. If you’re unlucky, your best bet is to find someone else with a functional car and some jumper cables to help get your car running again. Still, if you’re ready, you can handle it in seconds.
This is where one of my favorite gadgets comes in: portable battery packs. I keep it in the backseat of my car and it already pays for the convenience. It’s a 1000-amp, 12-volt battery pack that will power most cars. The good thing is that it’s that simple, but it can’t be overstated.
on time
This is the drive home for me when I drive home from far out states. I have 24 hours of driving time, possibly for several days, so this is the perfect time to find out that my car battery is dead. The alternator is fine. The car ran as soon as it started, but the battery couldn’t provide enough power. Every third time the car is started, the battery dies.
Without a battery pack, my options are limited. I could have taken my car to the shop to have the battery replaced, although that would have taken some time and kept me out of state for a lot longer than I expected. Alternatively, I could buy the battery myself and replace it myself (which is a fairly simple process in many cars), but I don’t have the tools with me so it will be more expensive than it needs to be.
Plus, in order to do any of these things, I still have to call AAA or another service, or wait for someone to come and jump out of my car so I can take it anywhere. While it’s always nice to get help from helpful strangers, it’s not exactly a contingency plan.
turn on the light
Luckily I don’t have to do any of this since I have this battery pack in my car.After fully charged, not only can you jump the car once, but also Some I need to finish the drive home time. (Disclaimer: I do not recommend continuous reliance on battery packs. Please replace dead batteries ASAP!)
In the end, I was able to get home without having to extend my trip or spend a lot of extra cash on repairs. Once back, it’s easy to grab a battery off the shelf and replace it with tools at home. A dead battery that probably ruined my entire trip was a minor annoyance instead. It’s hard to put a price on that peace of mind, but at $100 for the bag, it seems fair.
It’s important to note here that while lithium-ion batteries are known for being a bit explosive, this particular battery is rated for storage between –4 degrees Fahrenheit and 122 degrees Fahrenheit. I could totally keep it in the trunk of my car all the time, but if you live in the desert or somewhere with a lot of snowstorms, the risk benefit equation might change.
But — as if you needed another kind of incentive — this particular pack comes with a built-in flashlight that can be used to charge your phone. So even if your car has a bigger problem than a dead battery, your phone isn’t dead so you can call for help.
