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Topic: LI jump starter and Towed Vehicle Charger (Read 384 times) previous topic - next topic
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LI jump starter and Towed Vehicle Charger
Hello, resident experts.

What is the recommended lithium ion battery jumper? I want to ditch my heavy lead acid portable battery. How many peak amps? How many amp hours? Preferred brand? Other functions? Have I missed a discussion about this somewhere else?

Thanks.

Kathy Lautz
1999 MB
Re: LI jump starter - which one?
Reply #1 –
I have an Antigravity AG-XP10, bought three years ago , that has started half the cars in the neighborhood.
It's a high power jumper, adequate for the V10. When on the road, it stays in the toad.
Antigravity Batteries XP-10 Jump Starter - Consumer Reports

Larry
Larry
2003 23.5' Front Lounge, since new.  Previously 1983 22' Front Lounge.
Tow vehicles  2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, 2001 Jeep Cherokee
Photo Collection: Lazy Daze
Re: LI jump starter - which one?
Reply #3 –
Only one use so far for my reasonably new XP-10 and that was last fall. Folks across from us went to pack up their trailer with beefy Suburan or some other similar beast and it wouldn’t start. Guy in next site drives his F-150 over to give him a jump and nothing. I’m watching all of this from my site. Man, they were one glum looking lot of parents and two or three kids.

I grab my XP-10 and walk over telling the dad this little brick can start just about anything. He says, “Oh, that Ford F-150 couldn’t get me jumped I don’t think that little thing will work.”  Having nothing to lose he lets me attach it, jumps in his beast and the thing roars to life. That was one happy looking lot after that!

They thanked me and he wrote down the model of jumper box and they tooled away. I’m a believer in the XP-10 and feel good about it riding around in my car during this bitter cold snap (which is ending today with above avg temps!).
Ruby, the red 2004 26' RK hauling Dave and Kristine hither and yon
Re: LI jump starter - which one?
Reply #4 –
I am using an off brand lithium jumper. I looked for one rated to start 470 cubic inch engines.  I use it weekly in an audio system to keep the smart phone real time analyzer app on for two hours weekly, then recharge.  During the week it is the portable smart phone charger.  Double duty you know!
Rodney
1988 Mid Bath
Re: LI jump starter - which one?
Reply #5 –

As an experiment, I've started my 2003 midbath several times in a row with an Antigravity XP-1 (a less powerful cousin of the XP-10). It started right up each time.

A useful accessory is their female cigarette socket adapter, which lets you power any 12 V device from the Antigravity battery.

As an Amazon Associate Lazy Daze Owners' Group earns from qualifying purchases.
Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"
Re: LI jump starter - which one?
Reply #6 –
Thank you, Larry and all who chimed in. Exactly what I was looking for. 

And thanks, Andy, for the tip about the 12v socket adapter. I still want the option to power my RVi Brake from a battery instead of the car battery.

Or I  might want to power my Bluetooth speaker to listen to streaming audio while I'm driving. My 1999 MB has a Rube Goldberg setup for music, as I  still have the original cassette deck, (but no cassettes) and just two 12v dash sockets otherwise occupied. But that is another topic. And phone charging, yes.

Great story, huskerblue.

Thanks again, everyone.

Kathy Lautz
1999 MB
Re: LI jump starter - which one?
Reply #7 –
Quote from: Kathy Lautz  - 
I still want the option to power my RVi Brake from a battery instead of the car battery.
Many toads are wired with power for the brake unit supplied by the LD or they have a battery charger built in that charges the toad's battery,  when the LD's engine is running.
This feature can be retrofitted.
Toad-Charge Towed Vehicle Battery Charger & Maintainer Kit - RV Power Supply
Toad Charge battery connection | Honda Fit | lw5315us | Flickr

Larry
Larry
2003 23.5' Front Lounge, since new.  Previously 1983 22' Front Lounge.
Tow vehicles  2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, 2001 Jeep Cherokee
Photo Collection: Lazy Daze
 
Re: LI jump starter - which one?
Reply #8 –
"I still want the option to power my RVi Brake from a battery instead of the car battery."

I'm not sure a battery pack of this type would be able to power a brake-in-a-box device such as the RViBrake, which draws 8 amps... or to power it over the course of a long day's drive. I wouldn't want to bet my life on it, anyway--and with braking, that's what it amounts to. Providing a charging line from the LD to the toad, as Larry suggested, is a much better way to  go.
Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"
Re: LI jump starter - which one?
Reply #9 –
Quote from: Andy Baird  - 
"I still want the option to power my RVi Brake from a battery instead of the car battery."

I'm not sure a battery pack of this type would be able to power a brake-in-a-box device such as the RViBrake, which draws 8 amps... or to power it over the course of a long day's drive. I wouldn't want to bet my life on it, anyway--and with braking, that's what it amounts to. Providing a charging line from the LD to the toad, as Larry suggested, is a much better way to  go.
TOAD-CHARGE Dinghy Vehicle Battery Charger/Maintainer  I am using this device on a 2010 CR-V and it works well.
Chris
Formerly: 2002 30' IB
Re: LI jump starter and Towed Vehicle Charger
Reply #10 –
When I was towing a Chevy Tracker a few years ago, towing two days in a row running the RVi Brake would drain the toad battery too low to run the brake. I called the RVi Brake factory. They suggested that I get a portable lead acid battery pack at Wal-Mart for $40 or so, and use that to run the brake instead of the cigarette lighter socket in the car.  They said that at trade shows they were able to demonstrate the RVi Brake all day long with one of these battery packs. So I tried it and it worked as a backup power source. I towed multiple days in a row, and preserved my car battery. The power cable from the RV still ran the brake lights and turn signals as usual. I have a 4 pin connection.

So why wouldn't a LI battery pack be able to do the same thing? One can charge cell phones , computers, and such, with the LI packs.

Kathy Lautz

1999 MB
Re: LI jump starter and Towed Vehicle Charger
Reply #11 –
"So why wouldn't a LI battery pack be able to do the same thing? One can charge cell phones , computers, and such, with the LI packs."

A cell phone takes about an amp to charge, while your toad brake system takes 8 amps. Granted, the brake system doesn't use that much power all the time. So perhaps a lithium-ion battery pack would work in this application. Of course, you have to recharge the battery pack, which is yet another daily chore and takes time. My Antigravity pack takes 12-14 hours to fully recharge from a 12 VDC outlet.

On the other hand, when driving, your Lazy Daze has power to spare. Why not use it? (And with a power feed from the motorhome to the toad, there's nothing to remember.)

Chris's solution is the one I'd choose.
Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"