Black and Decker Battery Booster tools to start a car ?

_Whimsical_

I am not sure if this is the right place to ask but as nowhere else seems at all appropriate here goes...

Basically I have a sick relative who cannot drive her car much anymore but still needs to keep it ticking over in working order to make short essential trips like going to the local shop etc. She tries to bring it out most everyday for a spin but this is now often too much for her. As its not being driven enough she has a lot of trouble with the battery and has to regularly call out a mechanic to start it with jump leads. He says the problem is definitely limited to it not being driven enough.
Over Christmas I saw ads on tv for a Black and Decker car tool that you can use to start a car that won't budge from within the car (no need to get out or use jump leads or do anything strenuous). I was wondering if anyone here has experience of these ? In your opinion are they reliable and would they be any use in the above situation ?
Any pointer in the right direction would be very much appreciated as this is someone who really needs her car and who would be in serious trouble due to ill health if she went to the shop someday and found herself stranded there if the car wouldn't start again to drive home again. She has a Yarris car if that has any bearing on things.

I think the item in question is something like this :


Thanks if you've read this far!!

mountain

have a look at this, it may help,

http://www.micksgarage.ie/proddetails.aspx?Prodid=105103&ProdKey=889C122E-6F28-4112-ABA3-9D3558402A25

Seth Brundle

Solar Powered Trickle Charger - UK£20
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=98358&C=Maplin&U=SearchTop&T=solar%20charger&doy=20m1

Mr.Diagnostic

That starter will not start the car instantly. I think the advert is a bit misleading. The idea is that it will charge the cars own battery enough to allow it start. It cannot boost start it simply because the wiring to the cig lighter is not heavy enough to handle the current.

As long as the cars battery is in top condition then it should start numerous times for short journeys (which will not recharge it) before it fails. Perhaps the best idea is for someone to take it for a good drive for her every few weeks.
Failing that, if the car is parked somewhere safe she could start it and allow it to idle for an hour every few days.

Does she park it in a garage? If so then it would be possible to get someone to wire in a charge socket so she could plug in a trickle charger without having to fiddle about under the bonnet. Any trickle charger should be a good quality one with a regulated output.

cantdecide

Mr.Diagnostic wrote: »

...As long as the cars battery is in top condition......car is parked somewhere safe she could start it and allow it to idle for an hour every few days....

I'd never buy anything but a top quality battery (why people buy cheap catterie and tyres is beyond me).

Isn't it a no-no to let a car idle for an hour??

Mr.Diagnostic

cantdecide wrote: »

Isn't it a no-no to let a car idle for an hour??

Not unless someone jumps in and steals it

Mac 3

Hi All,

I have a second car that I have in storage till the summer time. It hasn't been driven much since last summer so the battery was inclined to go after a while. I can jump the car but where it's parked, it's a little awkward to get in a second car...I saw these Black and Decker things on the net so I thought I'd get one. I was going to get one online, even from the UK it was coming in around €85 incl shipping.

Anyway, i was in B and Q and there it was on special offer for €57. Picked one up, charged it at home for the required 16 hours and so far it has failed to start my car. Bit disappointing. Now i'm thinking that maybe my car is a 2L, it mightn't have any problem boosting a smaller engine... So I'm not exactly over the moon with this thing..

Got a solar trickle charger in Maplin and it's charging through the cigarette lighter, I'll keep ye updated as to how that goes...

_Whimsical_

Thanks very much to all of you for taking the time to reply.
The car isn't parked in a garage unfortunately Mr Diagnostic and there's no chance of just leaving it to idle around here. I'll have a look into the solar power trickle charger (although I know nothing about these things!:) ). I've read up on the Black & Decker charger and in one review online someone reported that a B&D phone service employee told them that nearly 1 in every two of these units went on the market damaged and not working. It might be worth checking out if you have grounds to return yours Mac3.
Thanks again to you all. Anymore opinions or advice welcome too!