Lithium booster batteries - and other batteries, Banner etc

[anthonym]

My tintop alternator died (of course it did because my 7 alternator also died recently, and they are synchronised)

So, removed Ford battery for a refreshing recharge; it's not very old, working fine. 

Conducted the usual JK tests and indeed the alternator is goosed. It's done well since a refresh in 2006 (or maybe it was 2010).

geniusboost GB40 - (which has started cars ok before (e.g. a classic Porsche at Schloss Dyke), but with their batteries in place): fully charged according to the leds. Connected to the battery terminals, no battery in place, nada, nothing. Not a click.

Micro-start XP10 same connection, did bring the electrics to life, but start attempts result in only a click.

It too shows itself fully charged.

It has been quite a long time since I charged these, as it might be on tour. So they are now on charge and I will try them again later.

I'll add a couple of pics for identification. 

I suspect there is some tech in play where the original battery is required to be "boosted", so that assumes something is left in the old battery and it just needs help. For example I know from experience that at 7 volts the car will stop working (that also iirc being the lower limit of Stack Dash accuracy).

So I applied the big standard booster and that started the car and ran it until warm and has plenty of charge left according to its leds.

What this affects is whether I continue to carry a small spare battery as well as one of these boosters. The instructions do say not to use the small boosters to run the car. 

In my many years of travels I have found the lack of charge is the single most frequent and tour debilitating problem - in extreme being unable to charge the phone (2006) to call for help or get a position from the sat nav (2006) my spare batteries were very cheap and failed upon insertion. One billion mosquitoes added to the unforgettable experience 2 km off the proper road.. long story, rescued by two Portuguese ladies in high heels (thank you!).

I currently use a Banner as my standard battery because the space is present and they last longer than the ones half the size. My spare is one of the half size ones.

Anyone else experimented with these?

Anthony

[anthonym]

[SM25T]

The little ones don't have the capacity to start a car without a battery also connected in parallel.

[anthonym]

so that makes a dead battery useful :-)

I am googling bigger capacity ones, see if they might like the GB70 

[Stridey]

One of my favourite mods in my 7 is fitting a digital volt meter on the knee panel passenger side. I can glance at it when driving. The reassurance to be able to monitor it charging is great after an alternator failure. 

You could use one of the cigarette lighter figment type ones in the tin top if you don’t have a dash monitor already? 

[anthonym]

funny you should say that, just ordered a couple - probably based on an old post of yours I remembered :-)

[anthonym]

wonder what would happen if I connected BOTH little boosters...