With cooler weather coming, crunchy red and yellow leaves underfoot and autumn’s crystal blue skies, our thoughts turn to… our vehicles’ batteries?
The batteries in a modern car have a life expectancy of four to six years.
Smaller, lighter and living in a very hot climate beneath the hood, they are also stressed by the growing number of electrical demands. They can also be drained if you leave lights or other devices on.
We’ve all been there… calling the better-prepared friend to come and rescue you with their jumper cables. Ugh. (Photo: Charles Williams)
Drained battery = a call to roadside assistance program or a friend with a set of jumper cables.
Or you could use Shell’s high-quality, portable Jump Starter, a compact multi-purpose kit that will not only jump-start your vehicle, but also serve as a charger for the myriad of games, phones, tablets and other electronic items that have entered your life.
The Shell Jump Starter kit includes the battery and smart jumper cables to boost a dead battery in vehicles powered by a gasoline or diesel engine – cars, trucks, SUVs, boats, ATVs and anything else with a 12-volt electrical system.
Shell’s Jump Starters have a number of advanced technologies, making it safe for anyone to use. They include: short circuit, reverse polarity, high-temperature, over-current, over-charge, and over-voltage protection.
The Jump Starter works just like a set of conventional jumper cables – but in a more compact unit and with several safety precautions built in.
Plug the supplied cables into the unit, and attach the alligator clamps to the corresponding colours on your battery. A green light lets you know it is safe to start the vehicle. When the engine starts, disconnect the cables.
Recharge your smartphone, tablet or gaming device on the fly
Also included in the kit are a USB car charger, micro-USB and Type-C USB cables, and a users-guide all contained in a compact, rugged colourful case. Everything you need is there to recharge smartphones, tablets and other devices through USB ports.
The Type-C port supports up to 18 watts of power. There is also a 10W wireless inductive charging spot on top for fast-charging phones and other devices on the go.
The portable Jump Starter is based on a long-lasting, high-capacity lithium-polymer battery power bank and incorporates four LED light modes, including a very bright flashlight and SOS lights.
The Jump Starter from Shell, an international brand you can trust, is available at Costco, and at various online sites for $129.99.
Who wouldn’t want one?
Crunchy autumn leaves, crystal blue skies and the return of cooler weather. Time to think about cold dead batteries, of course.
