12V / 24V Car Aux Battery Tester

This 12V 24V Car Cigarette Lighter Battery Voltage Meter Tester is a great little gadget that is very useful to have handy all year round, but essential to have in the winter time. More car battery's fail in the winter than at any other time in the year. A healthy battery that holds its charge like it should, has much less chance of letting you down. That's why its wise to keep an eye on its voltage reading.

This isn't really something that needs to be done on a daily basis, unless you are already experiencing battery / electrical issues, but a check every now and again is definitely a must, or should-do procedure to prevent from being caught out. If you leave your car sitting for long periods without being started or driven you should check the battery voltage more regularly. Also, if you've bought a used car and you are not aware of when the battery was last replaced it would be wise to check the car battery quite regularly in that situation. This item makes it cheap and easy to do so.

Some people prefer to check their car battery more than others. The good thing about this 12v 24v Digital Car Battery Voltage Meter Tester is that it makes checking your battery voltage level an extremely easy task to perform. Checking the battery voltage daily with this item is no problem. It's as easy as just plugging the meter into the Cigarette Lighter / auxiliary and looking at the digital screen for a reading.

What voltage reading means the car battery is OK? Anything from 12V -12.6V (When the car is not running) is considered a healthy battery. The reading will be higher if you check the battery when the car is running. That's normal.

There are many other products on the market that are more expensive. Some similar to this one that use the Cigarette Lighter / auxiliary and some where you have to pop the bonnet and attach the item / clips to the car battery. Some of these types of testers, like the Sealey 6V/12V Battery Drop Tester, are definitely better made and do have a few advantages.

One is that they can be used to check any car battery, whether it's inside a car or sitting on the work bench in your garage. But, if you're someone who just wants to check your own, already installed, car battery from the comfort of your car (No messing about under the bonnet etc) then this item is perfect. And this low price point, it makes this item such a great bargain. The customer reviews are mostly positive.

A very inexpensive way to test your car battery. You could spend more money on a more expensive, high quality item but this one is an excellent cheap alternative that does the job very well. Another superb item well worth keeping in your car just in case of an emergency (Car won't start due to a dead battery) is a portable car jump starter. Check out the 1byone Portable Car Jump Starter with power bank review post on this website.

1byone Best Portable Car Jump Starter

The winter is almost upon us. More car battery's fail in the winter than at any other time of the year. The call-out rate in the winter that breakdown companies like AA and RAC receive for flat battery's is staggering. With the 1byone Portable Car Jump Starter With 9000mAh Power Bank you will not be one of the people who fall into that category. This product is now sold out. Sadly this model is now sold out, but check out this excellent alternative. The DBPOWER DJS50 portable Jump Starter, which has a massive 600A Peak and 18000mAh. A portable jump starter is a remarkable, must have item for all motorists. Just think of how many situations you could find yourself in where your car is parked for long periods without being started.

New Model Now Available - NOCO GB40

You could go on holiday, be working long hours, left the lights on unknowingly, be in the middle of no mans lands, or just find that your car won't start due to the battery being near the end of its lifespan. Pictured above: The main component of the 1byone Jump Starter. It's 9900mAh powerpack.

There are literally hundreds of different situations you could find yourself in where having this item handy is a god send. The 1byone Portable Car Jump Starter (with power bank) will "Jump Start" almost any car. Recommended for Diesel vehicles - 2.0L and under, and Petrol vehicles - 4.7L and under. It even works with Gas powered vehicles.

Looking for something much more powerful, and with a larger battery capacity - Take a look at the highly recommended DBPOWER DJS50 (600A) with 18000mAh. Being a DBPOWER owner myself I can honestly say that my model, which is an older version of the one recommended above, has gotten me out of trouble on numerous occasions and still works just as well as when I first purchased it around 4 years ago.

The 1byone Portable Car Jump Starter charging an iPhone

Features of the 1byone Car Jumper with Power Bank

• Powerful 9000mAh battery capacity
• Spark-Proof
• Very Safe to use
• Fool Proof Car Jumpstart procedure
• Charges any device which is USB charge compatible (Phones, Tablets etc)
• Small and Lightweight for a portable jump starter
• Built-In Flashlight (3 LEDs) with 3 different modes
• Low self-discharge
• Great build quality
• Carry Case
• Mini Screen to show how much power is left + amp output for various devices (e.g Mobile phone)
• 1 Year Warranty (Limited)
• Car charger + Mains charger supplied

So how does it actually work?

Well, it's basically a super high-capacity lithium battery pack that has a respectable 9000mAh. Once charged it is able to store all its power reserves for an extremely long time without losing anything, making itself readily available for when you need the power to get your car started. This isn't just a one hit wonder either. It won't start your car one time and then be all out of battery.

As a conservative estimate, if the 1byone Portable Car Jump Starter is fully charged it can start your car easily 10 -15 times without having to be charged again. And even better, it's super quick at charging your car battery taking around 30 seconds to give you enough power to start the car and be on your way. In fact, 10 - 15 times isn't 100%  correct, it can start your car an unlimited amount of times because of a clever built-in extra feature. If you want to know how it does this read on below.

How Do I Jumpstart my car with it?

The process is very easy. Just attach the clips to the battery (Removal of the car terminal connections is not required), plug the mouse adapter (Comes with the unit) into the 1byone Portable Car Jump Starter, turn it on, then go and turn on the cars ignition, wait 30 seconds as it counts down on the 1byone mini screen and then remove the mouse with the engine still running. That's it, job done. See the picture below.

As stated in the features above, the 1byone is a multi-function Portable Car Jump Starter that is capable of charging many different electrical items. It's a portable power bank. If it can be charged via USB port this item can charge it. Mobile phones, Tablets, Laptops, Gaming devices, anything. Another clever feature with the 1byone is that once you use it to jump-start your car it actually re-charges itself from your own car battery in a matter of a few seconds. There are many other Portable Car Jump Starters out there that do have a bigger battery power bank capacity than the 1byone. But the 1byone Jump Starter is the number one best seller for a reason.

Other Jump Starters To Consider

When this post was written the 1byone was the best-selling Portable Car Jump Starter With Power Bank. But in recent months there has been a surge in competition and some great products have popped up in its place. That's not to say the 1byone isn't one of the best out there. However, taking the number one spot is the Anypro 600A Peak 15000mAh Jump Starter.

Anypro 600A Peak 15000mAh Car Jumper

It's the same price as the 1byone but has a massive 15000mAh power pack compared to the 9000mAh that the 1byone has. The Anypro is very capable and extremely versatile. It can easily jump-start cars, and even start bigger vehicles like Vans. Can safely start a 3 litre diesel. It can also charge electrical devices and has an LED light / torch for emergency use or for operation in darkness.

What's in the box?

• Anypro car battery jump starter unit
• Jumper leads
• Phone charge cable
• Laptop charger
• Laptop adaptors
• House charger
• Car charger
• Welcome card
• Free 12 month warranty

DBPOWER DJS30 and Brothers

The DBPOWER DJS30 is another cost-effective contender. The reviewer rating for this model are shockingly good. It has 600A Peak and a 16500mAh battery pack. Again, a huge power reserve, and lots of added extras for a very good price. It's capable of starting most cars, and comes in cheaper than the two talked about above. The DBPOWER DJS30 comes with crocodile clips, car chargers, home (mains) charger etc. But the thing that really makes this jump starter stand out, other than the superb customer reviews, is the super long 3 year warranty!

The DBPOWER DJS30 with its many accessories

In fact, all of the DBPOWER portable jump starters come with a three-year warranty included. There are few similar products from DBPOWER in the range that varies in peak current and battery capacity. Those include: The DJS10, DJS20, DJS30, DJS40, and now, as recommended above, the DJS50. The best one for the money in 2018 /2019 is the DBPOWER DJS50, as it has the highest peak current and battery capacity.

Update: New Model Now Available - NOCO GB40

But if you're on a tight budget and need a quality jump starter for the cheapest price possible, the DJS40 is a great choice. It runs at 300A Peak and has a 8000mAh battery pack. This is adequate for jump starting an average sized car and charging various devices like phones, tablets etc. A good cost-effective solution. The products on this page are some of the best out there for the price. Rated extremely high. All of them will serve you well.

How To Open a Toyota Yaris Bonnet

Simple things can sometimes be confusing if you've never seen or had to use them before. How do you open the bonnet (Hood) on a Toyota Yaris. Well, it's quite similar to the Nissan Micra. First, look down to where the accelerator pedal is located, then look to the right side (Left side for USA) at the plastic panel surround at around the height of where your shin / knee is located and you will see a lever that has a picture of a car with its bonnet (Hood) up.

See the picture below which has the accelerator pedal present to give you a better idea of the location. Click the image to enlarge. Get your fingers underneath the lever and pull it towards you. This will pop the bonnet onto its latch.

After that has been done go to the front of the car and release the bonnet from its latch. This is done by feeling under the space you have just created by popping the bonnet on to the safety latch. The lever you need to push is located in the middle of the bonnet, but slightly to the right. See the pictures below. When you locate this lever it needs to be pushed up from the bottom. This will release the lock from its latch and the bonnet will be freed. Now the bonnet can be opened.

Circled in red: Push the lever up

 Be aware that once this front latch is pulled up and released, the full weight of the bonnet will be in your hands. Just be aware of that and don't crush your fingers. See the pictures enlarged for the location and alignment of the bonnet latch if you are unsure. Hope this helps you out.

Ring Automotive 240v RAC610 Inflator

One of the most popular analogue tyre inflators, the Ring Automotive RAC610 Analogue Tyre Pump Inflator doesn't have all the bells and whistles that some of the digital Tyre Inflators / Compressors have, but as far as buying a no-nonsense, affordable tyre inflator goes this one is hard to beat. It's reliable, dependable and it costs very little to buy.

There have been a few complaints regarding to what pressure level of tyre it can pump up to such as caravan tyres, bigger vehicle tyres etc, but if you are buying this to pump up car tyres there won't be any issue. It has a maximum of 100psi as stated by the manufacturer, which is more than enough for pumping up normal car tyres.

The RAC610 is powered from your auxiliary / cigarette lighter DC (240v) socket. The power cable is just under 3 meters in length making it long enough to be able to inflate all tyres on most cars comfortably up to a saloon model in length. With SUV's and 4 x 4's included. Although the bigger and heavier the vehicle the longer it will take pumping up the tyres. The tyre connector (Air line) hose is just under 19 inches.

The Ring Automotive 240v RAC610 Inflator

The Ring Automotive 610 takes around four and a half minutes to pump up each car tyre from flat and reads in the following units of pressure: PSI, BAR, kg/cm2. It has a pressure gauge needle to tell you what pressure you are currently inflated to. This read out is said to be pretty accurate. The Ring RAC610 also connects to the tyre valve by screw in (threaded) rather than push down and clip to the side. Much more reliable and stable.

Very low  priced, the RAC610 Analogue Compressor really is great value for money and beats slogging away with a manual foot pump hands down. And considering that a manual foot pump costs around £5 to buy, the RAC610 makes a sensible back up purchase of a very handy product that comes in nicely below budget. It also works with bikes and other items like beds, balls etc. (Different attachments are provided). See below.

Please Note: As an average, it would be wise and more realistic to expect the RAC610 to inflate to a maximum of around 50psi - 60psi, as 100psi for this item does seem exaggerated. If you need something that's still cheap in price, but more heavy-duty with more inflating power take a look at the AIR COMPRESSOR INFLATOR 12V 140PSI. Still cheap.

What the Ring Automotive RAC610 doesn't have. It does not have a light source built-in to help when inflating tyres in the dark. No digital screen (analogue), and does not come with a protective case. But It does have a storage compartment in the base for easy storage of the power lead (Pictured above). Great item with excellent reviews.

Draper 20486 6V / 12V Battery Charger

Simplicity and great quality for a reasonable price are two of Draper's best aspects. The Draper 20486 4.2 A battery charger has both in big quantities. It very easy to operate having just a few simple switches, and it is cheap to buy. For the price this is one of the best battery chargers because being able to charge 6V and 12V (up to 45Ah) battery's it can handle everything from small vehicles like motorbikes and small cars, to bigger vehicles like vans and tractors.

 The Draper 20486

But be aware: If your charging a bigger volt battery that is basically flat it will take a considerable amount of time to charge fully.

This battery charger is mains operated. It's recommended that you disconnect the battery from its normal plus and negative terminals before placing the crocodile clips from the Draper 20486 on to the battery. This is to prevent doing any damage occurring to the car electrics and battery. Some people take the car battery completely out of their car and charge it indoors.

This is the safest option, but as long as you disconnect both car battery terminals (positive and negative) and keep them well out-of-the-way when charging you should be fine. The Draper 20486 is a great item with great build quality and should serve you well for many years. It's also super quiet when in operation. Reviews are excellent. If you need something that has a higher maximum of 55Ah take a look at the Draper 20487 Battery Charger (5.6 A).  Both are great chargers for their cheap price tags.

6 AMP 12V Mains Car Battery Charger

This 6 AMP 12 Volt mains operated car battery charger makes charging your car battery a fairly easy task to complete. The unit has a series of lights that help you to easily tell where your battery is in the charging process. The lights go up in levels, starting at Min and going up to Max. In between are other lights that show in percentages how charged your battery is. Starting at zero, then going up in increments, 50%, 75%, 100% etc. This unit is very versatile. It can charge all sorts of vehicle batteries, not just cars. Bikes, Boats, ride on lawnmower batteries, and also bigger vehicles such as medium to large-sized vans.

This is a well-built car battery charger for the price. It features a built-in short-circuit protector which will protect your battery health by turning the unit off if there's any sign of trouble. It provides close to 3 meters in length with the power lead and clip on wires combined. If that's not long enough you can always use an extension lead.

Correct Usage

Some people are curious as to whether you need to disconnect the car battery terminals before placing the connectors from the charger on to the car battery charging points. Yes, you do have to totally disconnect both connectors (Positive + Negative) before attaching the leads to charge the car battery. Also, it's not wise to place this item on charge and leave it unattended for lots of hours or days on end.

That could be dangerous, so make sure you check on the charging process every hour or so. Some people do take the car battery out of the car and charge it in their house or garage. While that is a very safe option, as long as you have both car battery leads (Terminals) well out-of-the-way its fine to leave the battery in the car when using this charger. Overall a good, well made car battery charger for the price. And a smart item to have handy with the winter approaching.

Digital Screw On Car Tyre Inflator

This small, easy to use 12 Volt Digital Tyre Inflator is an excellent item for the cheap price. It has many useful and practical features that easily make it one of the best digital Tyre Inflators in its price bracket. It uses the auxiliary / cigarette lighter socket as its power source, is fairly fast at inflating tyres, and has a fairly long power lead at over 3 meters making it able to conveniently reach and inflate all tyres if / when needed.

The clear, back-lit LCD screen allows easy operation and features 3 different pressure modes, PSI, BAR, and KPa. This item also has two built-in lights, a white LED for when you need to inflate tyres at night, and a red light (flashes) in case of an emergency situation.

This model is now out of stock. But take a look at a great alternative (screw on - link removed) made by the company that deals with car breakdowns, the AA.

The white light could also be used as a general car night-light if you break down, still have power in your car battery and don't happen to have another light source in your car. This item is compact and comes in its own little carrying bag, which can be stored away easily anywhere within the car. Some people also buy this inflator in order to quickly pump up their bicycle tyres, and for that purpose it works just as well as with the car tyres.

What does it come with

It also comes with several other valve attachments for pumping up other things like footballs, bikes, inflatable camping beds (if they have the right valve) etc. So how long does it take to inflate a tyre? From flat it will take anywhere from 3 ½ to 4 ½ minutes for each tyre. Top ups literally take seconds. Reviews are mostly excellent for this inflator.

Screw On

Some Tyre Inflator / Compressors use a system where you push the connection on to the tyre valve and clip it down to the side, just like with many of the old style manual foot pumps. As you may know if you've used a normal foot pump a few times over the years, they can have a habit of the connector popping off the valve due to the pressure of the air being too much for the valve to handle because it's not secure enough due to the push and clip down system.

That is never going to be an issue with this digital Tyre inflator as it uses a screw in system that's totally secure. It screws on to the valve just like a tyre valve protection cap does. Then, once the connector is screwed on to the valve all that's needed is for you to set your desired tyre pressure on the digital read out, press the button to start the inflating process and just stand back and let the pump inflate the tyre automatically.

Auto Stop

This digital inflator will also stop automatically once the tyre has reached the desired pressure level you have set it to. It will also pump the tyre up just over the desired pressure level to counteract the small loss of air made when removing the connector from the tyre valve.

Excellent, handy item for the low price. If you want something very similar in appearance and price but branded, try the Ring Automotive RAC600 tyre inflator. Car Auto would recommend that you also have a manual foot pump as a backup along side any electrical tyre inflator that solely relies on the car for its power source. Be on the safe side.