12V battery charging

[hdp00]

My IS300H has been sitting unused for 6 weeks (I've had long COVID symptoms and have been effectively bed bound for 6 weeks - couldn't go outside to start the car at all). I went to start it up this morning and got the dreaded "hybrid system has stopped" message and the car wouldn't start up - seems like the 12V Battery has become discharged.

I don't have a plug socket nearby (car is parked in an underground basement with no plug sockets whatsoever) and I can't jump start it either as other cars can't access the basement, so I need a battery-based jump start pack I can charge in the flat and take down.

These 2 from Argos look good but I don't know if I need the 13000 mAh or 6000 mAh version? Can I just connect it directly to the 12V Battery in the boot and let it charge up for a few hours?

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/8793591

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/8727732

[royoftherovers]

I`d go for the bigger one. When it arrives plug it into a 13amp socket in your home and when it has charged up connect it to the Battery terminals in the car and your car should then fire up. Disconnect from car Battery as soon as car is running. Disconnect negative first.

I have one similar and it is brilliant. Keep it charged at home by checking/ charging every 3 months.

Read any accompanying instructions before starting SP.

[hdp00]

Thanks - what's better, connect to the terminals under the bonnet and jump start, or connect to the 12V Battery in the boot to charge it, and try starting as normal?

[Herbie]

31 minutes ago, hdp00 said:

Thanks - what's better, connect to the terminals under the bonnet and jump start, or connect to the 12V battery in the boot to charge it, and try starting as normal?

It doesn't matter - all you're doing is providing or supplementing one 12V source with another 12V source.

You won't need the bigger one for your own car but it will come in handy if someone else needs a jump from you (you should never use a hybrid to jump a conventional car).

To be honest they both look a bit pricey. amazon and/or eBay would have equally good ones, such as this one for example perhaps even better, for less money, but if it's urgent then go with the Argos ones. Personally, I've got a Tacklife T8 but I don't think they make those anymore.

EDIT: - just re-read the bold text and I wouldn't attempt to charge the car Battery. These Battery packs are designed to use as emergency jump starters, not as makeshift chargers. You can jump from front or back, doesn't matter.

[Inazone]

Either way works, what ever is easiest... 

[hdp00]

34 minutes ago, Herbie said:

It doesn't matter - all you're doing is providing or supplementing one 12V source with another 12V source.

You won't need the bigger one for your own car but it will come in handy if someone else needs a jump from you (you should never use a hybrid to jump a conventional car).

To be honest they both look a bit pricey. Amazon and/or eBay would have equally good ones, such as this one for example perhaps even better, for less money, but if it's urgent then go with the Argos ones. Personally, I've got a Tacklife T8 but I don't think they make those anymore.

EDIT: - just re-read the bold text and I wouldn't attempt to charge the car battery. These battery packs are designed to use as emergency jump starters, not as makeshift chargers. You can jump from front or back, doesn't matter.

It is a bit pricey, but there's an Argos 5 mins walk from my flat - I went and picked it up immediately. I also had a £30 Argos cashback offer on my credit card so that offsets it. I went for the bigger one just in case - it came out of the box with 75% charge and took only 30 mins to charge up to 100%. Just successfully jump started the car via the terminals under the bonnet - it powered up first time. This evening I'll take it for a spin along the motorway and try to get some juice back into the Battery.

[Herbie]

8 minutes ago, hdp00 said:

This evening I'll take it for a spin along the motorway and try to get some juice back into the battery.

Glad you got it sorted. You'll need at least an hour's run, preferably more if you can, because it will have been really flat.

[Moleman]

11 minutes ago, hdp00 said:

It is a bit pricey, but there's an Argos 5 mins walk from my flat - I went and picked it up immediately. I also had a £30 Argos cashback offer on my credit card so that offsets it. I went for the bigger one just in case - it came out of the box with 75% charge and took only 30 mins to charge up to 100%. Just successfully jump started the car via the terminals under the bonnet - it powered up first time. This evening I'll take it for a spin along the motorway and try to get some juice back into the battery.

Good outcome.

[hdp00]

I also contacted my local Lexus dealer to check if the car had the 12V Battery condition checked during its 60k service last year - they recommended hybrids never be jump started from another car, only from a Battery pack. I knew you shouldn't jump start another car FROM a hybrid, but any reason why a hybrid shouldn't be jump started from another car?

[royoftherovers]

53 minutes ago, hdp00 said:

It is a bit pricey, but there's an Argos 5 mins walk from my flat - I went and picked it up immediately. I also had a £30 Argos cashback offer on my credit card so that offsets it. I went for the bigger one just in case - it came out of the box with 75% charge and took only 30 mins to charge up to 100%. Just successfully jump started the car via the terminals under the bonnet - it powered up first time. This evening I'll take it for a spin along the motorway and try to get some juice back into the battery.

Whooooooooooooooohoooooooooooooooooooo !

[royoftherovers]

19 minutes ago, hdp00 said:

I also contacted my local Lexus dealer to check if the car had the 12V battery condition checked during its 60k service last year - they recommended hybrids never be jump started from another car, only from a battery pack. I knew you shouldn't jump start another car FROM a hybrid, but any reason why a hybrid shouldn't be jump started from another car?

Don`t even think about it. You have a Battery Pack now, so just make sure that if you or others need to use it that is charged and ready for use.👍

[Spock66]

31 minutes ago, hdp00 said:

I knew you shouldn't jump start another car FROM a hybrid, but any reason why a hybrid shouldn't be jump started from another car?

Maybe because the voltage will be higher and a higher current will available.

[Charli Alder]

Not sure this fully applies in this case as I have a UX.(14 years Lexus owner though) 

Manual shows how car can be changed from a non hybrid car 

IS300h would be the same I guess?

[hdp00]

1 minute ago, Charli Alder said:

Not sure this fully applies in this case as I have a UX.(14 years Lexus owner though) 

Manual shows how car can be changed from a non hybrid car 

IS300h would be the same I guess?

The IS300H manual also tells you how to jump start from a non-hybrid car. The dealer said it risks damaging the hybrid system though and they wouldn't recommend it.

[Duggie B]

27 minutes ago, hdp00 said:

jump start from a non-hybrid car.

If the donor car is not running the only source is 12v and as is well documented on here hybrids only need to see 12v to enable the ecu to boot up.

[Herbie]

2 hours ago, hdp00 said:

they recommended hybrids never be jump started from another car, only from a battery pack.

Absolute rubbish 

12VDC is 12VDC is 12VDC.

12VDC in the UK, is 12VDC in the USA, 12VDC in Germany, 12VDC in Australia and so on.

All you're doing is supplementing one poor 12VDC source by piggybacking a good 12VDC source onto it.

Even if the source is a bit 'dirty' the existing Battery will act as a huge smoothing capacitor and attenuate any spikes.

[ColinBarber]

There is a small risk of a voltage spike if you jump from another vehicle whist its engine is running. For a hybrid, that doesn't need a large energy source to get it going, it is best not to have the vehicle you are jumping from running so all you get is the 12.8 v from the Battery - not a 15+ v spike from the alternator.