Having your car's battery die on you can be a frustrating and inconvenient experience - your plans come to a screeching halt, you could end up stranded somewhere unsafe, and it often involves additional expenses, like jump-starting service costs, towing costs, or even a battery replacement.
The simple solution: get a jump starter. But what exactly should you be looking for in one?
According to AMPROAD, a Canadian company specializing in roadside assistance services, the first thing you should look for in a jump starter is its power output, specifically, its cranking amps rating:
“First, consider the power output of the jump starter and whether it's compatible with your vehicle's battery requirements. Look for models with sufficient cranking amps to effectively jump-start your vehicle, especially in colder climates where batteries may struggle to start.”
Motor1, a trusted Motorsport Network automotive media platform, endeavoured to find the best portable jump starter for 2024 by evaluating several brands and models according to their power capacity, durability, and ease of use.
On top of the list emerged the NOCO Boost X Series, a range of portable lithium-ion jump starters, designed to be a quick and safe jump-starting solution for dead batteries.
If you’re looking for the best car jump starter for you, the NOCO GBX155 4250A 12V UltraSafe Lithium Jump Starter stands out in this lineup.
Compact yet powerful, this cutting-edge jump starter offers an array of features that make it a valuable tool for drivers and mechanics.
It packs a formidable punch, it’s built to be tough on the road, and it comes with advanced safety features so you don’t have to worry about dead batteries and related roadside emergencies.
High Power Capacity
First, let's talk about the NOCO GBX155 jump starter's most standout feature - its impressive power capacity.
Its peak current rating of up to 4250 amps make it one of the most powerful jump starters in its class of high-powered, heavy-duty jump starters.
According to the user guide provided by NOCO on their site, the GBX155 is built to accommodate gas engines up to 10.0 liters and diesel engines up to 8.0 liters, making it perfectly suitable for jump-starting a variety of vehicles - cars, motorcycles, trucks, boats, RVs, and more.
The GBX155 is also capable of conducting multiple jump starts on a single charge.
This energy-efficient quality is especially noteworthy if you need to be able to jump-start multiple vehicles or use a jump starter intermittently over an extended period of time.
Below, Todd of Project Farm puts various jump starters, jumper cables, and a super capacitor through rigorous testing to evaluate their performance in different scenarios.
Out of over a dozen brands tested, the NOCO GBX 155 stood out as the best jump starter in terms of cranking power and reliability. Its dual functionality as a jump starter and battery bank also made it recommendable.
Durability and Compactness
They say big things come in small packages, and this can't be any truer when talking about the NOCO GBX155.
Compact and portable, it measures 12.0 Inches (305 mm) high, 6.9 Inches (175 mm) wide, and 2.7 Inches (69mm) deep, and it weighs 5.82 lbs (2.64kg).
Easily fits just about anywhere in your vehicle, right?
It's also designed to be shock-resistant; it can withstand accidental drops or impacts without sustaining damage so it remains operational even in harsh conditions where accidents are more likely to occur.
Advanced Safety Features
Safety is paramount when dealing with dead batteries, and the GBX155 makes sure to deliver in that aspect with spark-proof technology, reverse polarity protection, overcharge protection, overcurrent protection, and temperature protection.
Spark-Proof Technology
When connecting the jump starter to the vehicle's battery, there's always a risk of sparks, which is never a good thing, especially if you’re in an environment with flammable substances.
The GBX155 prevents sparks with circuits that continuously monitor the connection process and automatically interrupt the flow of current in case any abnormalities are detected.
The alligator clamps used to connect the jump starter to the vehicle's battery are also made with insulated handles and jaws to help prevent accidental sparking, making the jump-starting process safer.
Reverse Polarity Protection
Connecting jumper cables incorrectly - that is reversing the polarity - can cause a reversal of electrical flow, which can fry both your jump starter’s and your vehicle's electrical systems.
The GBX155 is engineered with features to prevent exactly that - it has an error LED that flashes red upon detecting when the cables are not connected correctly, and its reverse polarity system immediately prevents any electrical energy from flowing into the vehicle's electrical system in the wrong direction.
Overcharge Protection
The GBX155 continuously monitors both the voltage and charge status (indicated by LED lights) of its internal lithium-ion battery during the charging process and prevents it from exceeding its safe voltage limit.
When the battery reaches full charge status or approaches the maximum safe voltage level, the overcharge protection mechanism automatically shuts off the charging process.
Overcurrent Protection
The GBX155 is equipped with sophisticated current-sensing circuitry that continuously monitors the flow of electrical current during the jump-starting process.
When overcurrent is detected, the overcurrent protection mechanism automatically works to limit the flow of current to a safe level.
This helps prevent damage to both the jump starter's internal components and the vehicle's electrical system (e.g. the alternator or sensitive electronic components).
Temperature Protection
Extreme temperatures can affect the performance and safety of a jump starter.
The GBX155 is designed with LED indicators to provide visual feedback on temperature levels and is equipped with a temperature protection feature that tracks temperature fluctuations to prevent the jump starter from operating outside of its safe temperature range in extreme temperatures.
Added Utilities
The utility of the GBX155 extends far beyond jump-starting alone.
It's equipped with built-in powerful Light Emitting Diode (LED) flashlights and also serves as a portable power bank for common electronic devices so you can stay charged and connected as much as possible anywhere.
Integrated LED Flashlight
The GBX155's built-in 500-Lumen LED flashlight offers multiple lighting modes, such as a steady beam mode for general illumination, a strobe mode for signalling or alerting others, and an SOS mode for signalling for help in emergency situations where other communication methods may be unavailable or impractical.
Fast Charging USB-C Ports
The GBX155 is equipped with fast charging 60W USB-C input/output ports. As NOCO says about this feature, the GBX155 “completely recharges in just 2.7-hours,” and can, “go from 0% to jump starting in just 5-minutes of charge.”
You can recharge it from any USB port (AC adapters, car chargers, laptops, etc.) and you can power your favourite USB-C devices effortlessly (smartphones, tablets, laptops, cameras, wearables, etc.).
Need More Options?
If everything we've said about the NOCO GBX155 hasn't convinced you yet, why not check out NOCO's other high-quality products?
Our other bestselling jump starters that also made it to various lists of the best car jump starters for 2024 are the NOCO GB70 Boost HD 2000A UltraSafe Lithium Jump Starter and the NOCO GB40 Boost Plus 1000A UltraSafe Lithium Jump Starter.
The former was chosen as "Best Overall" for 2024 by tech site, Lifewire. Meanwhile, the latter was picked as "Best All Weather" for 2024 by Outdoor Life, “Editor’s Pick” by AutoGuide, and “Best Compact Model” by TechGearLab.
[Check Out Our Jump Starters Collection]
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We totally get it - with all the available options around, both physical and online, it can get pretty overwhelming to make the best purchasing decisions.
Here at MPR Tools, our dedication lies in offering top-notch mechanic products like battery jump starters sourced directly from reputable manufacturers.
We remain steadfast in ensuring every customer receives the utmost safety and reliability with our products, all at the most competitive prices thanks to our price-match guarantee.
Explore our extensive selection of the best selling jump starters to boost your safety and peace of mind!
Sources:
https://www.amproad.ca/blogs/jump-starter/what-makes-a-good-jump-starter
https://www.motor1.com/products-services/auto-products/best-jump-starters/
https://no.co/media/nocodownloads/format/g/b/gbx155_user_guide_2.27.2023.pdf
https://www.lifewire.com/best-portable-jump-starters-4140286
https://www.outdoorlife.com/gear/best-portable-jump-starters/
https://www.autoguide.com/best-portable-car-jump-starters
https://www.techgearlab.com/topics/tools/best-jump-starter
