Thursday, June 9, 2016

Suaoki K12 8000mAh Peak Portable Jump Starter Power Bank Battery Booster


WHAT’S INCLUDED?
Included with the 8000mAh jump starter are 1.) the instructions, 2.0 a micro USB charging cable (25” in length), 3.) car battery clamp cables (black/negative clamp is 9.5” and the red/positive clamp is 13.5 inches in length, 4.) a soft carrying case, 5.) 12 month warranty. The size of this jump starter is 5.25” x 3” x 5/8” or approximately the size, palm to tip, of an individual with small hands.

WHO IS THIS JUMP STARTED INTENDED FOR?
This jump starter is suitable for small engines such as small and mid-size cars, ATV’s, lawn mowers, motorcycles, etc. If you have a truck, there’s a chance it could start a low battery, but I personally wouldn’t rely on it for doing so. You would be doing yourself a favor by investing in a jump starter with higher starting and cranking Amps.

COLD CRANKING AMPS (PEAK AMPS) & STARTING AMPS EXPLAINED:
Starting engines draw a big electrical surge in power (amps). After the engine is running, the electrical draw (amps) goes way down. For most cars, the battery is designed with this in mind. The initial surge necessitates a high cold cranking amperage (also known as peak amps). After that surge, a lower number can keep it powered. That's a brief explanation of the difference, and need for, a higher cold cranking amp number (300A for this jump starter) than a starting amp number (150A for this jump starter). The 8,000 mAh battery is the capacity of power stored in the battery.

These numbers should be taken with a grain of salt, because there are different degrees of “dead batteries” and each requires a differing number of Amps. As a result, it’s possible that a smaller jump starter can jump start a slightly larger vehicle. However, as a general rule it shouldn’t be relied upon to do so. If the charger is:
8000 mAh – will jump start up to 2.5L engines
12000 mAh – Can jump start up to 4L gas or 3L diesel engines
18000 mAh – Can jump start up to 6.5L gas or 5.2L diesel engine.

WARRANTY:
The instructions do indicate that this has a 12 month warranty which is a bit less than some competing models. Nevertheless, it’s still nice to have a warranty. Some only offer 30 days.

LOOK AND CASING MATERIALS:
As for the device itself, it has a nice look with black casing and a small gray bumper. The case is made of plastic, which is typical of these devices. It seems to be made well, but I don’t know how it will last if dropped.

The side of the case has the following ports/features:
1.) The jumper cable ports covered with a rubber tab,
2.) An on/off switch, a 5V micro USB input (the case lists a 2A input while the instructions list a 1A input),
3.) A 5V/2.1A USB output capable of “fast charger” tablets or other devices,
4.) A power button,
5.) A flashlight with 3 modes: on/flash/S.O.S. turned on using the power button.

FLASHLIGHT:
The light is serviceable for illuminating the immediate area surrounding it. The light has 3 modes (on, strobe and SOS). The light is useful for using when it’s dark and you are connecting the cables to the battery. The light is activated by pressing and holding the power button.

CHARGE TIME
My jump starter arrived >75% charged. To determine the amount of charge, there are four lights. Each light indicates an approximately 25% charge. It took only 30 minutes to charge. I hadn’t waited around to find out how long it charges since that time. If I knew if the input was 1A or 2.1A, I could calculate the charge time, but the case and instruction manual differ on the input Amperage charge. This charge should be maintained by charging fully after every use, or every 3-6 months (particularly in cold weather).

JUMP STARTING:
Obviously, this is the main purpose. I tried this on my 2009 Toyota Corolla. It was able to jump start a partially, as opposed to a completely, dead battery with no problems.

DURABILITY:
This jump starter appears to be well made. However, I can’t speak for how well it will hold up if it is dropped since I have not yet done so. It could really use a rubber underside to keep from slipping.

PROS:
+ A soft carry case
+ Has a flashlight/emergency light with 3 modes (on/flash/S.O.S.)
+ Has a separate off/on switch and also has an automatic shutoff after a period of inactivity
+ Has a USB port capable of “fast charging” your devices (a tablet for instance) at 2.1A
+ Has a warranty (see cons below for more details)
+ Lightweight

CONS:
- Short jumper cables/plastic clamp handles/a bit difficult to remove plug
- Short USB charging cable and no outlet connector
- No rubber on the underside to keep jump starter from sliding during use (keep in mind that with the short jumper cables, you may or may not have a flat surface to rest during use)
- The carry case only holds the jump starter and USB charger. The jumper cables won’t fit.

CONCLUSION:
This is for the most part a solid device with a good warranty that has the capability of charging a variety of devices and jump starting most car engines. There are a few cons such as short jumper cables, short plastic cable handles, and a plastic underside which is prone to sliding. Although there are some negatives, the jump starter works well for smaller cars, and it could be extremely useful in an emergency situation! There are many of these available, so do your research for the best price!




FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION (FTC) DISCLAIMER:
I received this product free for purposes of reviewing. However, the opinions expressed herein were formulated based on my personal use of the product. I welcome any and all suggestions, feedback and/or product questions!

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Hi, if I connect a USB cable to charge my phone, do i have to press the Power button to turn it On first or will it auto turn On whenever I plug in my USB cable?

Chip said...

I think you turn it on first.

Qureshi Khan said...

Is any auto cutout present in this model if this device is 100% charge will it damage the portable car jumper?

Chip said...

I believe there is. However, I would suggest verifying this fact with the seller.