ultra portable power packs & boost capabilities

[VagabondExpedition]

Anyone with some real-life experience with those ultra portable power packs that can also boost your vehicle?

I'm at a point where I'd like extra power in the Jeep - mainly so I can keep things charged over night (cameras/phones), as well as run some area LED lighting at camp. I'd like to jump start a drained battery if necessary.

Thought of goal zero (yeti), but no way to boost vehicle.
Canadian big box store has a booster/power pack on sale for $190 - 33Ah AGM battery like Goal Zero, but with booster clips. Weighs 28lbs.
Amazon has those "mini" Lion booster packs with 15-20Ah batteries for approx $100.

So... I'm wondering what I'm missing here - for the price of 2-4 of those mini booster packs (assuming you could run them in parallel), I've got more than double the aH of a Goal Zero Yeti (or equivalent), plus less weight and more portability.


Thoughts?

 

[Antichrist]

Why not just an auxiliary battery in your rig? Would probably take less space and would definitely be cheaper given the prices you're referencing.

 

[VagabondExpedition]

I've been looking a dual battery setups - $300x2 for batteries and another $400 or more on the battery tray & isolator. I was keen on finding a lower cost alternative.

 

[anickode]

Why do you need 2x 300 dollar batteries? Even a single 100 dollar big-box store marine deep cycle will have 4x the amp-hour capacity of a SLA booster pack.Those little booster pack batteries also take a HUGE hit on their lifespan every time you actually use it to jump start. A lot of them won't start a car with a flat dead battery, but rather will only assist a weak battery. A 30 dollar continuous duty solenoid from the auto parts store makes a cheap, reliable, basic isolator.

My auxiliary battery setup only cost around 200 bucks all-in. It's not the fanciest, and I don't have multiple top-shelf AGM deep cycles, but it works, and it's a WHOLE lot more useful than a booster pack.

Heck, even just purchasing a sealed deep cycle and tossing it in a plastic battery box in the back wouldn't take up much more room than a booster pack, and would give you a whole lot more capacity. Just ********** it on a charger before you leave, just like you would with a booster pack. If you bought an oversized box with a divider, you could use the empty space to install a couple cigarette lighter plugs, a small inverter, and an automatic trickle charger to recharge and maintain it when you're home.

 

[anickode]

This one was posted by another member a few days ago. His includes a solar charge controller, which obviously isn't necessary if you aren't running solar. I'd be far happier with a setup like this than with (even a really expensive) booster pack.

 

[VagabondExpedition]

Thanks... looks like I need to do a bit more research and come up with a solution. I'd like the best of both worlds (small size/portable), but with as much reserve capacity as possible. I'll figure out where i need to compromise!

 

[Antichrist]

I've been looking a dual battery setups - $300x2 for batteries and another $400 or more on the battery tray & isolator. I was keen on finding a lower cost alternative.

A lower cost alternative would be not looking at the "perfect" setup, but something that will get the job done that you want done.
http://www.amazon.com/HERSEE-TERMINAL-CONTINUOUS-SOLENOID-24213BX/dp/B00FGJIJR6
http://www.amazon.com/JEGS-Performa...8&qid=1430965736&sr=1-9&keywords=battery+tray

 

[Stumpalump]

I carry a Harley Davidson sized motorcycle battery in the back of the Jeep for emergencies.

 

[AndrewP]

I've been looking a dual battery setups - $300x2 for batteries and another $400 or more on the battery tray & isolator. I was keen on finding a lower cost alternative.

To do it right IS going to cost money, but maybe not this much. Get 2 x $100 batteries at costco, a standard starting battery and a marine battery for your house battery. Then get an $85 Blue Sea smart relay and $50 worth of 2 ga wire. The battery tray though, costs what it costs. Having a second real battery is huge. It's almost required for any remote camping and fridge use. It gives you a lot more flexibility than a starter pack.

 

[anickode]

I'm wondering what the deal is with buying two batteries? Would the vehicle not already have a starting battery in it?

Or is it an issue with the aux battery tray replacing the factory one, and both batteries must be sized accordingly? I guess I'm used to trucks, where a second battery is usually mounted on a second tray under the Hood or elsewhere on the vehicle.

 

[VagabondExpedition]

It's a sizing issue.. and I've been a bit hard on the starting battery so figure it would be worthwhile replacing it at the same time... not to mention I still desire portability. Although I love what I'm doing with my "expedition" jeep, I often think I'd be better suited to get a cargo van and build it into an expedition rig (and would then want to move over some of my add-ons).