Questions and Answers for RescueMate 12-Volt Super Capacitor Jump Starter

A:  A straight forward answer then! This product uses advanced Super Capacitor technology which is totally different from batteries, such as Lithium. Lithium you have to charge ever few months or they don't work, plus they don't work in cold temperatures (below ~0 degrees F) and definitely don't like high temps (fire hazards above ~130F). The RescueMate charges itself each and every time off the very small amount of energy remaining in most flat batteries, charging the Super Capacitors typically in 60 to 90 seconds and then releasing the total current at one time, starting the engine. Hence, it is completely different from a battery; it doesn't hold the charge for days/weeks/months, but instead it "fills itself up in approximately 60-90 sec. This way it is always available, never needs regular recharging, can jump start over & over & over if your engine doesn't start right away. Also, Rescue-Mate lasts 10 years where Lithium lasts ~3 yrs. Hope this helped. There are many YouTube videos on the Rescue-Mate showing operation and Home Depot is the place to buy it.

A:  The RescueMate will start a car even if the battery is as low as 3 Volts. It typically takes ~90 sec to fill the capacitors for most jump starts. For extremely low battery voltage it may take several minutes. However, average wait time for Roadside Assist is 30-40 minutes. Regarding "holding a charge", there are no batteries in this product. It is designed to take the small amount of energy out of a flat battery and fill the Super Capacitors which will then "dump" all the energy at one time, starting the vehicle. It requires the 60 to 90 seconds for each start. Unlike a Lithium jump starter, which requires regular re-charging every few months, the Rescue-Mate just takes this 60 to 90 seconds for each start. PLUS, you can start & start & start, basically forever (500,000 cycles). Can't do that with a lithium.

A:  Hello. I appreciate your interest in our RescueMate Super Cap Jump Starters. We don't publish the design details of our product, as you might guess. The main advantages of this product though, never needs regular charging, last 10 years (Lithium only lasts ~3 years), and actually WORKS in cold weather. Lithium claims it does, but in fact, will only work if the jump starter is warm which is unlikely after your car is parked at an airport for a few days. We use super caps & electronics that work from -40F to +149F. Put a Lithium outside in 0 degrees for a few days and not only won't it work, but if you leave it discharged the battery is destroyed.

A:  You are reading it correct. This works differently from a lithium battery that you have to charge all the time. Our product takes even the smallest amount of energy (down to 3V in the battery) and boosts that energy and charges our super capacitors, then providing the Power to start the engine. Hence, you can put this in your vehicle, boat, RV for years (5 or more) and when you need it, it charges the capacitors in ~90 sec and provides 500 Amps of starting power. I have personally jump started someone's 350 V8 boat engine with a Kanga500 I had in my boat for over 8 months (saved them from being stranded on the lake). It works!

A:  You only charge the unit just before you need to use it. Remember, this is NOT a battery, it is a capacitor bank. It will not hold a charge like a battery. The charge gradually bleeds off over the course of days, or at most, a few weeks. And unlike a battery, you can store the unit uncharged for years without harm. The main reason for this unit's existence is that you can jump your car without help from anybody else or any other resources (i.e. in the middle of nowhere). An additional benefit is that you don't have to constantly check the unit before traveling to be sure it is fully charged like you do with a battery based jump starter. Many people who have those forget to periodically check them and when they need the unit it is dead. You can charge the unit from the "dead" battery in your car. In most cases, a dead battery isn't really dead. How often have you tried to start a car with a dead battery where the interior lights, radio, etc. work, but the car will not start? The notionally dead battery has power, it just doesn't have enough power to operate the starter. Once a 12 volt battery drops below about 11 or 11.5 volts, it will not turn the starter. But a 12 volt battery that measures 11 volts still has a lot of power left in it. In fact, as long as the battery measures more than about 6 volts, it will charge the unit.

A:  If your battery is not completely dead, it will charge itself from that in 5 minutes or so, then it's good to go! (It only jump starts, it is not designed to power other items, so yes, it can sit until you use it!)

A:  Yes. The technology here is different from a Lithium battery, that you have to charge every few months and immediately after any jump starts. Our product is charged by the small amount of charge left in the battery. It is kind of like filling a bucket with a small drip of water and then dumping the entire bucket all at once. We fill the super caps with the small amount of energy left in the battery and then dump it all at once to start the engine. Something like 98% of all jump starts are not with completely dead batteries, but just batteries that are too flat to start the engine. If the battery is completely flat, this can easily be charged by a USB charger, another car battery, the cigarette lighter adapter or even a small cell phone backup battery.

A:  Yes. This unit will typically start smaller diesels, ~3L. We have two other units coming the THD in a month that will handle larger Diesel engines; a 750A & 1000A. However, if your vehicle has a smaller size engine, this will work.

A:  The 500 amp unit is not rated for diesel engines and in my opinion would not have the grunt to start a diesel. Remember, the glow plugs will siphon power from the unit before the start attempt is even made. The company makes a 1,000 amp unit that is rated for diesel engines.

A:  Yes, with "fine print". This will work with 3L size diesels and larger ones depending upon the condition of the battery and if the glow plugs can work prior to the discharge of this unit. I.E. the battery is not too low in voltage to power glow plugs (if they are needed). We have started a 5.9L Cummings engine in a yacht which had just a slightly low battery and wouldn't start. This easily works 6L gasoline engines even with very low batteries; diesels have more variables and current demand so we can't guarantee this above 3L. Our new 1000A unit is designed to work with 5L (more based upon the above glow plug & battery conditions). Hope this helps!

A:  I would say "maybe". On my 7.2litre, my battery had enough power to preheat glow plugs, then cranked slow. This jumper got it going! If cold or totally dead, I don't think it's big enough. Small diesels would likely be okay.

A:  Yes the RescueMate works on Diesel engines. The RM750 Amp is rated for 3L to 4L diesel engines. The RM1000 Amp is rated for 10L. Keep in mind this will depend upon how well maintained the engine is. "Does it start under normal conditions and this is just a battery failure". If a typical jump start, yes, absolutely these will start them. If the engine is not maintained or very difficult to start, these are even a BETTER SOLUTION than lithium jump starters. Often you get a very limited number of "try's" with a lithium. With Rescue-Mate you can keep trying over & over, often a 50 or 100 times depending on how discharged the battery is. Plus......Rescue-Mate works in very cold weather, lithium does not work after soaking for a day or two below 0 degrees F.