The first time I ever found out that portable car battery jump starters even existed was one hot summer day a few years ago when I could not get my 1997 Volkswagen Jetta to start after I pulled into an auto repair shop to get some minor work done. The auto technicians pulled out some kind of car battery shaped instrument with cables and tried to jump start it. I thought that the only way to jump start a car battery is to get it hooked up to another car. That’s when I knew I needed a 12 volt car battery jump starter for myself.

They could not get it started with that first jump. It turned out that nothing was wrong my car battery. It actually started when I pressed down on the clutch a lot harder than I normally had to before this. I never did figure why this was, but anyway, I think it was only a few weeks after that the I purchased my first portable battery jump starter.

I’ve realized the other day that my 12 Volt battery jump starter is more than just an automotive tool. One night when our power went out in our apartment, my wife and I realized we had no flashlight. Without any alternative light source finding your way around in a pitch black apartment is not a fun experience. Then I realized that my 12 Volt battery jump starter also has a light switch for emergencies. This function would be especially useful for a light source while changing a tire in a dark roadside, for instance. But in this particular case it served us for much of the night while the power was out.

Besides keeping emergency automotive tools in your car at all times, always keep up with your normal car maintenance like tune-ups and oil changes. A 12 volt car battery charger will often have built-in air compressor for tires, inverter for a power source, along with a light source and is just one of many tools to keep handy for emergencies. All these are available at your local auto supply shop! 12 volt battery 20ah