Jump Starters

G'day All,

Quick question, has anybody else seen those 4 in 1 / 6 in 1 / and 8 in 1 Jump Starters avaialable?

I saw an 8 in 1 type at Kmart and thought that they are an excellent idea, considering a Foz doesn't have a lot of space for massive off road recovery gear.

The functions on this particular one were as follows (from memory mind you);

1 x 260psi Air compressor
1 x 600Amp Jump Starter (I think 600Amp)
1 x LED Worklight
1 x 12v port to charge 12v equipment
1 x 300W Invertor
1 x USB Charger for Ipod/MP3 players
1 x Hand generator to provide enough charge for an emergancy jump.
1 x I don't know, but it claimed 8 in 1.

Just wondering if anyone has had experience with these devices. I get the feeling that they are a 'Jack of all trades, Master of none' sort of thing, but the concept is really good.

Cheers,

Aitcho.

G'day Lads,

Suppose no one has seen or used one of these things before? I know they are manufactured by the Repco brand Projecta and Kmart flog them under the MechPro brand.

If these type of things were manufactured by say ARB or another reputable brand, I reckon everyone would have one. Like i said in earlier post, the concept is fantastic, just questioning its ability i suppose.

Cheers,

Aitcho

You might be right, it could be the brand name that deters people from buying gear like that, but you might also find it's a case of people not wanting to put all their eggs in one basket and preferring to have individual items that are good at their specific purpose, rather than 1 item that's (possibly) mediocre at many. Or people already have the individual items and don't see the value in replacing them.

That said, it would be interesting to get some more info. Projecta seem to make some ok electrical gear. Do you know a model number?

Answered my own question

https://www.projecta.com.au/catalogue/cid/27/asset_id/61/

Can't see a unit with built in compressor though..

Problem I see with this unit is that it's only got a small battery. The 500A rating is misleading - it's 300CA and only 7Ah. A better buy would be a battery box with a bigger battery & a cheap 240V charger if you really need one.

I purchased the Projecta Typhoon (twin head) compressor on special in October and it certainly worked fine when I needed it to in Qld. :biggrin:
Here is my take on these brands:
1/. Stuff made in China can be excellent, depending on the quality control.
2/. A key element of quality control, especially with electrical / electronic gear, relates primarily to who it is being manufactured for.
3/. REPCO like to see themselves as a top quality 'name' in the auto parts market.
4/. Because Projecta is 'their' brand, REPCO appear vigilant about quality control.
5/. If the above is correct then, over time, 'Projecta' will become an established and respected 'brand'.

Having said that, I think that these particular devices are of limited value. In particular they need to be re-charged regularly or their batteries die. Mind you, I have one and it has worked when I needed it to. A dual battery system, would however obviously be preferrable, it is all a matter of money, space and need i.e. where you drive, whether solo, etc.

I have no connections with this brand or REPCO. However, probably every component in my computer was manufactured in China, so the electronics in the 'jump starter' should be a 'doddle' to get right by comparison. :iconwink:

To get this straight, Projecta isn't actually a Repco "brand".

I've bought Projecta products at Kmart, for example, and have seen their gear at camping stores, and some of their products have reviewed well in 4wd mags at their pricepoint (usually cheaper than many name brand products).

If you look at their "About" link, you'll see their Aussie contact is "Brown & Watson International Pty. Ltd", who are also the importer for Narva products.

Barry/Hoadie both raise good points.

I suppose when i saw this equipment I was just in awe of the versitility of it. Sort of the so-many-functions-for-your-buck sort of thing.

But as you said Hoadie, at least by having separate items means that if they were to break, you don't lose ALL capability.

And Barry, agreed about items from china. Unless its China Bikes, (because no-one sells a good one) most reputable distributers in Australia won't sell something unless they are prepared to put their name to it.

I would really like to hear from someone who has given one of these bad boys a go though. First hand experience is handy...

I've had a Projecta jump pack for several years. It has rescued me a couple of times and I use it for camp lighting at night. Seems to work well so far.

My Projecta jump starter has served me well over the past few years, together with many others, that I've stopped to help along the way.

Regards
Mr Turbo