# Super Capacitor Jump Starters
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-capacitor-jump-starters/808695
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [February 12, 2018, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-capacitor-jump-starters/808695 "2018-02-12T16:48:47Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)
#### Post date: [February 12, 2018, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-capacitor-jump-starters/808695/1 "2018-02-12T16:48:47Z")
I’ve got a pretty decent LiIon jump starter that can also charge my phone etc. But I rarely, OK never, use that feature. And of course the LiIon pack needs to be charged on a regular basis.
I’m thinking of buying one of the super capacitor models that needs no recharging. That’s supposedly can take the energy from your partly dead battery, or someone else’s, to charge the capacitor and start your car. Some can even be charged via USB.
Has anyone got one of these? Does it work? Are you satisfied with its performance? I’ve started several cars with my LiIon unit and it works fine.
Any stories of success or failure appreciated.
GaryM
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### Author:  [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2018, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-capacitor-jump-starters/808695/2 "2018-02-13T05:04:18Z")
Nobody has one of these?
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### Author:  [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2018, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-capacitor-jump-starters/808695/3 "2018-02-13T11:28:34Z")
> [@GaryM](#):
>
> That’s supposedly can take the energy from your partly dead battery… to charge the capacitor and start your car.
Clever idea. I can see a downside to it, though: if the car _still_ doesn’t start, the battery is now much more depleted than before you tried to jump start it. And the more “dead” a lead acid battery is, the more susceptible it is sulfation.
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### Author:  [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2018, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-capacitor-jump-starters/808695/4 "2018-02-13T14:22:32Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#):
>
> Clever idea. I can see a downside to it, though: if the car _still_ doesn’t start, the battery is now much more depleted than before you tried to jump start it. And the more “dead” a lead acid battery is, the more susceptible it is sulfation.
That’s a consideration of course. My LiIon unit works, but you need to charge it about every 2-3 months and it’s easy to forget.
The ones I see on Amazon have no reviews, and that makes me wonder if they’re even selling.
GaryM