Comment: Startmonkey 400

Submitted: Friday, Feb 28, 2014 at 14:57

ThreadID: 106464 Views:1813 Replies:2 FollowUps:1

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Startmonkey 400

The startmonkey400 is a compact, jump-start system suitable for use on both standard cars and larger vehicles such as small commercial vans, 4x4s, etc that have 12Volt batteries (CCA up to 1200A).

AdrianJansen

Does this REALLY supply 400 amps? Enough to start a diesel engine, say like a Toyota Hilux with a dead battery ? The pictured wire size to the battery clips tells me it cant possibly do that. Maybe it will supply enough energy to the existing battery to start from that, after several minutes. But that only works if the existing battery has not actually failed - like eg a couple of dead cells. Would like to hear some comments from someone who has actually used one, and under what conditions.

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Reply By: The Bantam - Saturday, Mar 01, 2014 at 17:16

Saturday, Mar 01, 2014 at 17:16

Well...lithium battery technology is a wonderfull thing.....And I have seen people start 4 cylinder petrol cars from a 20Ah sealed lead acid battery.........but "Ya cana change the laws of physics ,Jim"

Consider that an N70 lead acid, typical of what is in most diesel 4wds and small diesel trucks has a cold cranking capacity of arround 600 to 800 amps.

Probably has a room temperature short circuit current well above 1000 amps when new.

Even if you have a fully chaged N70 battery in the car giving the jump start.....soo often that just is not enough.....you have to hook up and run the engine at increased revs, to put some sort of change into the dead battery before it ceases to be a mill stone.

these things are a joke...dead set.

cheers

AnswerID: 527487

Reply By: ExplorOz Team - Adele - Wednesday, Mar 05, 2014 at 14:47

Wednesday, Mar 05, 2014 at 14:47

Hi Adrian,

We have posed your question to the manufacturers of the device (Powertraveller) and have received the following response from a member of their Tech Support Team:

"I have used the 400 a few times personally. Once on a 3 litre diesel van, once on a Land Rover discovery and again on my own 2 litre beetle (that was a real break down)

The best way to check is the CCA on the actual battery the van and range rover were 650 and 700 and my car 400.

It really does out put about 400A but only for a short burst.

When you attach the StartMonkey to the car the power is drawn from the StartMonkey (not the car's battery) to enable the engine to start, then the alternator will charge the cars battery once the car is running.

If the car's battery is very low, it may take a couple of goes, and you will see on the volt meter that the car's battery does take some power in when you try to starting the car with the StartMonkey attached.

If the car battery is totally dead nothing will start it."

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AnswerID: 527700

Follow Up By: AdrianJansen - Wednesday, Mar 05, 2014 at 16:57

Wednesday, Mar 05, 2014 at 16:57

Thanks Adele,

I think the last sentence tells it all: "If the car battery is totally dead nothing will start it."

In other words, its charging the car battery just enough to get a start out of it.

I have done the same just by connecting a solar panel to the car system, and letting it charge a very low battery for an hour or so, then the car will start fine. But I have also had the experience of a car battery fail completely, in which case the only solution is a new battery.

FollowupID: 810128