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If Your Truck Battery Dies at the Trailhead?

Bookmark and Share            By Lou

It’s been a while, time for another automotive blog! I like using a well equipped trailhead approach vehicle (TAV) replete with items such as tire chains, tow strap, emergency tools, etcettera. More, I’ve always favored the idea of having dual batteries in my truck. One for normal use, and one in reserve for running campground accessories or starting the engine if we return from a climb to a dead truck because we left something switched on or plugged in. But installing dual batteries is expensive. Solution is to carry an emergency battery pack that doubles as a power source for electric lanterns and such — and will jump start your car if necessary. I picked up one such device the other day at Wal-Mart, and it’s working great. During our trip to El Diente we used the Dynamite PowerPro to power a campsite lantern, and it gave me peace of mind when I let my boot warmer, laptop and cell phone run for hours off my truck battery.

Black Diamond Verdict backcountry ski
PowerPro Dynamite 22 amp hour battery pack includes a work light, wall charger, two 12 volt accesory plugs and built-in jumper cables.

PowerPro battery packs are sold in different sizes, you can get a smaller one if your ride is downsize, or a massive unit as shown here that works nicely in concert with a full-size truck like my Silverado. Only thing missing is a 12 volt charger that works off car cigarette lighter socket for re-charging the PowerPro if you run it down, but you can get this item at Radio Shack. And come to think of it, a small solar panel charger would be cool as well. I guess that’s another blog…

Posted by Lou on November 6, 2006 | Filed Under automotive 

previous post: San Juan Recon – Backcountry Skiing on El Diente Peak
next post: Skiing the Mailbox — Couloir and Backcountry Magazines Arrive on the Same Day

Comments

9 Responses to “If Your Truck Battery Dies at the Trailhead?”

  1. Terry Ackerman November 7th, 2006 2:28 am

    You need a PV fairing for the TAV. With a small photo voltaic module, you might be able to keep your main battery and the back-up charged. If there’s not enough light, you can then set up the wind generator. :-0

    Thanks for the back-up battery reminder to purchase. I’ve had to jump the jeep too many times lately due to an oversight…one clearly due to the haste getting after the powder.

  2. Eric Steig November 11th, 2006 8:13 am

    Lou,

    Why, oh why, are you shopping at Wal-Mart? Why not support small business, upon which all your favorite mountains towns depend?

  3. Lou November 11th, 2006 9:33 am

    Eric, I have nothing against small business and am one myself, but the towns in this valley do not depend on small business any more than anything else that makes the economy work — everything works together. Indeed, it could be argued that Wal-Mart has been very good for middle income folks trying to make it around here. Our economy is booming, things are going great, and I’m not going to worry about where I buy a battery. In reality, most shopping options around here are no more likely to keep all their money local than Wal-Mart. Be it the NAPA store or True Value Hardware, some of the money stays here, some goes away. Reality. Economics 101…

  4. linda carter March 4th, 2008 5:08 pm

    can you please contact me about this charger i have a question and i need some help trying to located the builder of these chargers to get a replacement 110v charger for it
    please contact me soon.

  5. Lou March 4th, 2008 6:04 pm

    Linda, your guess is as good as mine when it comes to who builds these. They’re probably made somewhere in China.

  6. Don Haley April 6th, 2009 11:28 am

    I need to find the 110v ac to 13.5 v dc Plug in charger to charge my unitI lost mine in moving is there a site from the MFG to get a replacement ?

  7. Joe Coughlin September 4th, 2009 8:43 am

    Lou,

    Did you ever get the 12 volt charger that runs off of a car cigarette lighter for recharging the ProPower? If so, does it work o.k.?

    It has been almost 3 years since your original post, so how is the ProPower holding up?

  8. Lou September 4th, 2009 9:06 am

    Joe, it’s holding up fine and I did rig up a car charger for the charger and it works fine, though I’m careful not to leave it hooked up indefinitely as I’m not sure if it’s self regulating or not… I even bought a smaller version for my Jeep, though it has minimal starting capacity. They’re not the highest quality units out there but the price is right and they seem to hold up.

  9. Pat High October 8th, 2009 8:31 pm

    I need the 110v-the 13.5amp plug in charger for my unit, where do I find one?
    Thanks
    Pat

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Welcome to Louis (Lou) Dawson's backcountry skiing information and opinion website. Lou's passion for the past forty years has been alpinism, climbing, mountaineering and skiing -- along with all manner of outdoor recreation. He has authored numerous books and articles about backcountry skiing and is well known as the first person to ski down all 54 of Colorado's 14,000-foot peaks, otherwise known as the Fourteeners! Books and free back country information here, and tons of Randonnee rando telemark info.

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