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[cam2502]

My mates been telling me about this battery charger called Jumpstart. Apparently it's about the size of a cigarette packet and it plugs into the cigarette lighter to start a flat battery. You don't even have to open the bonnet he reckons.
Has anyone heard of this and if so what's your verdict?

[Entwood]

Think about for a few seconds .....

1) your starter takes 50-60 amps current to run

2) your cigarette lighter is fused at 10 amps

so no way will it run the starter (even if the wiring could cope.. which it can't)

1) your cigarette lighter is powered by the ignition circuit (ignition has to be on for lighter to work)

2) with a "flat" battery the ignition system is dead

so you can't connect the "pack" to anything

a) if the battery is LOW  not "flat" then the ignition system might work

b) if left long enough the pack might put sufficient charge back into the battery .. but it would take a decent amount of time, and EVERYTHING ELSE would have to be switched off (lights/radio/fans etc etc)

it might work.

IMHO ?? Snake oil ..

Caveat Emptor

[tigers_gonads]

I'll have a pint of whatever your mate is drinking 

[Kevin Wood]

Yep, never in a month of sundays will you start a car through the cigarette lighter.

[dbug]

As said above, fraid its bollux mate 

[Marks DTM Calib]

And initial cranking current is 3-600 amps

[cam2502]

So what's going on here then? It's a national magazine with a full page Ad that this is in? Surely if it's as 'dangle berries' as everyone says they'd be getting sued left right and centre for false advertising or something like that?

[henryd]

As already said it can't work can it,plus if it did have the power it would fry the loom/fusebox trying

[Andy B]

it's something like this :- http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/METRO-Jump-Start-Cigarette-Lighter-Jump-Leads-Simple-Safe-Clean-3-75metres-/360516094169?pt=UK_Recovery_Tools&hash=item53f06f08d9



They just supply a very small current over a longer period of time than 'normal' leads. Even portable power packs like to be connected for a short while before the 'dead' car will start off them.

Bear in mind, that most Vauxhall's ciggy lighters are ignition live. 

[cam2502]

I accept the comments made so far, just wondering how they get away with selling this in a national publication, if it clearly doesn't do what it says it does. I would imagine it costs a fortune to advertise, so if it's as crap as is being said, why would they bother what with all the hassle of refunds/ returns, bad press ect.

[TheBoy]

I accept the comments made so far, just wondering how they get away with selling this in a national publication, if it clearly doesn't do what it says it does. I would imagine it costs a fortune to advertise, so if it's as crap as is being said, why would they bother what with all the hassle of refunds/ returns, bad press ect.

A fool and his money....

[Entwood]

I accept the comments made so far, just wondering how they get away with selling this in a national publication, if it clearly doesn't do what it says it does. I would imagine it costs a fortune to advertise, so if it's as crap as is being said, why would they bother what with all the hassle of refunds/ returns, bad press ect.

note the little line in the description ... 

 NO GUESSING - LED INDICATOR SHOWS WHEN READY TO START

so you leave it plugged in for .. 2, 3, 5 ?? hours ... then start the car ... it HAS done what it described ... but that is NOT what you thought ....

Caveat Emptor    

[78bex]

I thought about buying something similar the other day.
Some sort of booster pack maybe?