During an emergency, a jump starter is supposed to be there for you. But when your jump starter itself breaks down and you cannot start your vehicle, there is nothing much to do other than to fix it. Though you can always buy a new one as they are quite affordable, you should also know how to fix a portable jump starter.
We’ve discussed thoroughly the process to fix this device for you. To fix them first you need to know about their mechanism, then you can keep them at peak condition for emergencies.
Methods of fixing a jump starter
This method will be an answer to all the questions on how to fix a portable jump starter. They are:
Opening up the device
As all the portable starters are small in size, so exploring them can be a tricky business. The safe thing to do is to look for the screws and try to open them with your screwdriver.
In case there are no screws try to look for openings around the joining parts. You can use a knife to make swallow cuts to cut it open. Be careful about exposing the blade to the circuit board or the jack. Which can permanently damage your jump starter and make things complicated.
Inspect THE INSIDE of a jump starter
Inspecting the inside of a jump starter is a technical thing. As the elements are not the same in all jump starters, they can differ from manufacturer to manufacturer. Though, terminals, circuit boards, and batteries are common essentials. Always try to find anything that looks out of order like a pile of plastic on the circuit board, terminals, or around your battery cells.
Check the batteries closely and look for any signs of over-draining. By replacing them you can have your jump starter work like a new one. With a knife or screwdriver remove any plastic remains from the circuit board or terminals.
Look for loose wires and make sure they stay strongly connected.
Replacing Battery Of a PORTABLE JUMP STARTER
The positioning of the battery of a starter device depends on the manufacturer. Some manufacturers place the battery on the top of the jump starter beside the circuit board. Other manufacturers place them at the bottom. In this portion of our article on how to fix a portable jump starter, we’ll discuss battery replacement.
You should know connections before replacing a jump starter battery. A wise thing to do would be taking a picture before replacing the battery so that you can reassemble later.
A compatible match can be found of your battery from your nearest electronic equipment provider. You should also solder the connections of the battery terminals. So, it’s better to have a soldering gun around.
REPLACING THE CONNECTOR JACK
Frequently the connector jack is melted on a side of the jump starter for a car. Due to electric currents and high-temperature exposers, it is always cast aside.
If you find the jump starter connector melted then look for any sign of damaged wire. Cut the wire entirely and inspect the wires beneath the connector jack.
Find a replacement for the connector jack. Collect it from another portable jump starter or buy a new one from an electronic outlet. Then simply solder the terminal wires and put the connector jack where it’s supposed to be.
INSULATING AND BINDING
After fixing issues with the starter and if you are sure that everything is okay then insulate the jump starter bond the loose ends together. Silicone adhesive can be used to strongly attach all the parts of the portable jump starter.
Be cautious not to adding adhesive around the connector jack as it will melt in excessive heat. Many use a tie wrap for this purpose. Put some finishing touches with the help of silicone adhesive. Finally, coat the charge board and let it stick.
RECHARGE & TEST THE STARTER
Finally, recharge your portable jumpcar starter until it acquires a full charge. Then take your vehicle out for a test drive to see if the jump starter works fine or not. Following all the steps mentioned above carefully will increase the chances of it working properly.
If the jump starter is not working properly following the methods then you should take the jump starter to a technician. The issue might have been with the circuit board.
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FAQ
How to use a portable jump starter?
First, turn off the engine of the car. When the ignition is on never start your car battery. It can cause fatal accident later on.
Locate the battery of your car. This is not an easy task as some batteries are not situated inside the engine compartment. Modern cars have them under the seats or in the trunk behind. Follow the terminals inside your engine compartment. Identify the terminals by checking the positive and negative signs on them. Be careful about mixing up them.
As users already know how to fix a portable jump starter, they should also learn about using it at the first place.
Positive cable should go into the positive terminal. Connect the negative jumper cable to the engine block or any grounded metal such as the car’s frame.
Keep the jump starter in a safe position to keep it connected and let it stay for a couple of minutes. Then try to start the engine, if you fail the try again with a 5 seconds gap. Don’t try continuously, it might damage your starter.
If your car starts then disconnect the cables.
How to charge a portable jump starter?
There are various methods of charging is discussed below:
Electric outlet
The most popular method is using an electric outlet which is also the simplest one. All you need to do is to plug the unit into the electric outlet and wait for it gets charged. A charging indicator is seen in most modern jump starters nowadays. Many indicate the car battery health along with the jump starter batteries.
Vehicle’s AC adapter
Modern vehicles come with an AC adapter. Older cars have cigarette lighter built with the. You can use this AC adapter to charge your portable jump starter. A wide range of vehicles come with this feature nowadays.
Solar energy
People are heading towards solar-powered devices. It’s affordable and usable in less powered areas. You can also charge your jump starter with solar energy. People that look to make the most out of solar energy can use this method.
HOW TO USE A JUMP STARTER PACK?
First, make sure that the transmission of your car is turned off and the “Park” sign for automatic vehicles and manual ones leave the parking brake on.
Then raise the hood of the car. Keep your jump starter pack on a flat surface. Take the moving parts in the way, so that it does not fall.
Connect red jump starter pack cable to the red or positive side of the battery. Positive cables are red and negative are black coming with a negative sign “- “
Connect the black starter cable to a shiny, metal part of your vehicle’s engine compartment. For proper grounding, the negative clamp must have good contact. Never clamp near moving parts.
Pressing the power switch to “ON” turn on the jump starter pack. After starting the car leave the engine running.
After shutting down the starter pack disconnect the negative or black cable first. Then disconnect the red or positive cable from the terminals of the battery.
Finally, take the starter pack out and close the hood.
Portable Jump Starter Not Charging?
If your car jumper is not charging after following all the standard procedures then you should try to follow these steps.
Batteries of a vehicle are to maintained properly and regularly. It’s one of the main reasons for a dead battery. As a result, you will find the device not working. Lead-acid batteries are self-discharged quickly as a result they get ruined easily. For a good maintenance, you should charge the jump starter regularly. You can always buy the best portable jump starter for your vehicle.
All jump starters have a limited lifespan of 3 to 5 years. Then the batteries will die eventually.
Keep the jump starter at a dry and moderate temperature otherwise it will get damaged.
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The Bottom Line
Taking proper care of your jump starter will serve you for around 10 years. You can easily fix the most common problems with your jump starter at home like broken or dead cells or bad connectors. As we assume that users have learned about how to fix a portable jump starter.
If you think your jump starter is not working properly then take a close look inside by safely opening it up. Never hesitate in working alone or losing a jump starter as they are quite cheap and easily replaceable.