Jump starter/power pack cold weather storage

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How about an inverter in the car, and charge it when the car is running?
Thats a great idea but my reason for the jumper is to start my car if the cold messes with the battery. It actually does come with a 12v plug to charge it I think but I only have it to start my car if my car battery is bad. I just didn't know how to keep the portable jumper in prime shape for if it's needed. I think I'll use a lunch box with some hand warmers or tuck it at the foot of my hammock under my top quilt. Good idea though to keep my portable at full charge over a several night trip if I use it.
 
Mr heater pointing under the car. Moving pad draped over the engine or small generator for 30 minutes on the block heater does wonders.

Not cold long enough to warrant the oil changes
 
Watch the dates on the optima batteries, being expensive they sit for a lot longer on a shelf without being charged, and may die a premature death.
Yeah good point. For my old car it's not worth that expensive of battery although it probably would work better. I just can't justify that for 1-2 days a year.
 
Mr heater pointing under the car. Moving pad draped over the engine or small generator for 30 minutes on the block heater does wonders.

Not cold long enough to warrant the oil changes
Oh yeah I've seen those too. Thanks for the idea.
 
Since you're car camping just get a small propane heater and if you need to jump-start your car and the jump starter is too cold just use the heater to warm it up.
On Mountain Men, one of the guys that used to run hounds had an old Willies truck. Once when it was too cold to start he built a fire and then shoveled the hot coals under the engine to warm it up.
 
The more I think about this, the less I think any of this is going to make a big difference. Winter night time temps reach -10° here fairly often, and sometimes our highs are less than -10° for several days straight. A good battery *will* start a properly maintained, good running car in those temps, IF the car has not been allowed to sit for more than two or three days. 2014 was our second coldest winter on record, with lows reaching -20 or lower multiple times. It was so cold the ground froze to a depth of over 5 feet. I don't buy super cheap or super expensive batteries, but I do try to replace them before they're shot. My Buick never once had a failure to start that winter. But I also drove my Buick nearly every day. My old Saturn did fail, after sitting for three weeks. I think you need to get that engine fired up and warmed up well every day. (I had a 65 mile commute every day plus an hour drive to get my kid on weekends.) The advice about using lighter weight oil is good. I don't think insulating your charger will make any difference. After sitting all night it's likely that it will be just as cold in the cooler as it is inside the car, unless you've got a heat source in the cooler.

One thing you could do - and it would suck - is wake up a couple times and run the car long enough to get it good and warm. That would keep the car battery charged, warm up the interior thereby keeping your backup charger warmer, and help keep the oil from turning into peanut butter at negative temps...
 
Since you're car camping just get a small propane heater and if you need to jump-start your car and the jump starter is too cold just use the heater to warm it up.
On Mountain Men, one of the guys that used to run hounds had an old Willies truck. Once when it was too cold to start he built a fire and then shoveled the hot coals under the engine to warm it up.
Thanks for the idea. I actually do bring a propane single burner that would work well for that!
 
The more I think about this, the less I think any of this is going to make a big difference. Winter night time temps reach -10° here fairly often, and sometimes our highs are less than -10° for several days straight. A good battery *will* start a properly maintained, good running car in those temps, IF the car has not been allowed to sit for more than two or three days. 2014 was our second coldest winter on record, with lows reaching -20 or lower multiple times. It was so cold the ground froze to a depth of over 5 feet. I don't buy super cheap or super expensive batteries, but I do try to replace them before they're shot. My Buick never once had a failure to start that winter. But I also drove my Buick nearly every day. My old Saturn did fail, after sitting for three weeks. I think you need to get that engine fired up and warmed up well every day. (I had a 65 mile commute every day plus an hour drive to get my kid on weekends.) The advice about using lighter weight oil is good. I don't think insulating your charger will make any difference. After sitting all night it's likely that it will be just as cold in the cooler as it is inside the car, unless you've got a heat source in the cooler.

One thing you could do - and it would suck - is wake up a couple times and run the car long enough to get it good and warm. That would keep the car battery charged, warm up the interior thereby keeping your backup charger warmer, and help keep the oil from turning into peanut butter at negative temps...
Funny you say that. That winter I had my old Buick boat and it was hard but fired up. I'm just worried that if I would get stranded up there with bad cell service I'd be stuck a bit. I wouldn't die since I have the clothes and extra food but it would stink.

Also my last time was my coldest yet and I woke up cold so I probably won't do much below -11.....at least not with my current setup.

I do wake up about 3 times a night anyway so I could just drag myself out and start it if i had to.
 
Since it's one of those book size chargers, just bring it in the tent (or even the sleeping bag) with you overnight to keep warm.
I'm planning on doing that. Even if somehow it catastrophically failed and started on fire or whatever I could just rip off the top quilt and kick it in a snow bank quite quick. Plus being the newer type of lithium I guess its suppose to be less volatile.
 
Funny you say that. That winter I had my old Buick boat and it was hard but fired up. I'm just worried that if I would get stranded up there with bad cell service I'd be stuck a bit. I wouldn't die since I have the clothes and extra food but it would stink.

Also my last time was my coldest yet and I woke up cold so I probably won't do much below -11.....at least not with my current setup.

I do wake up about 3 times a night anyway so I could just drag myself out and start it if i had to.
A simple remote start and you won't even have to get up. They run for a set time and then shut off. this warms the engine and car, and charges the battery. You're not getting up and getting cold/waking up totally.
 
A simple remote start and you won't even have to get up. They run for a set time and then shut off. this warms the engine and car, and charges the battery. You're not getting up and getting cold/waking up totally.
Oh that's a cool idea! Those systems are getting quite reasonable now days too with decent distance. Thanks for the idea.
 
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