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Jay

PRO-LOGIX Delivers Best in Class Battery Maintenance

Editor’s Note: It has been several years since we first published this article, one of the most popular articles in the history of our blog. In that time, we’ve welcomed thousands of new subscribers to our newsletter and it makes sense to come back to this one. That said, we have updated it for our long standing subscribers, in the hopes that they can gain new insight into this important area of vehicle maintenance. There are dozens, maybe even hundreds, of options when looking for a battery maintainer for your car, truck, boat, ATV or other vehicle. It can be confusing to choose among all those options, especially when there are many different approaches to this seemingly simple task. For many reasons, we’d say that PRO-LOGIX battery charger/maintainer products deliver the most beneficial maintenance routines on the market today. In this month’s article, we are going to lay out the reasons why we feel this way. The entire point of battery maintenance is to keep your batteries in good shape while they are not being used, so they are ready when you next want to drop the boat in the water or take old Betsy out for a cruise. In

Products
Jay

Don’t Let an Ailing Battery Ruin Your Fun

This time last year, we ran a product spotlight on our great PL2112 12V 1.0A Battery Maintainer called “The Secret to a Fun Toy Season” where we highlighted the importance of proactively maintaining your batteries so that, when you have a window to use your favorite toy, it’s ready to go. This month, we’re spotlighting the other side of the coin for such pursuits, which is the importance of having a good handle on the health of your batteries. The way we like to look at it, proactive maintenance charging and regular battery testing go hand in hand. Together, they give you a level of control and predictability that can virtually eliminate a surprise that would ruin your day on the water, on the trails or on the open road. And, for our money, the perfect battery tester for a home shop is our BA9 Digital Battery and System Tester. Lightweight and portable, it goes anywhere, yet it is amazingly accurate and covers a ton of battery types. Here’s a quick rundown of the BA9: 12V Battery and System Testing Tests battery capacities from 40-1200 CCA Tests Flooded, AGM, Spiral Wound, Gel Cell, Start-Stop AGM and EFB batteries Tests to

Clore Stories
Jay

JNC Enables Self-Sufficiency

“I purchased the JNC318 about 7 years ago. I had an original Subaru battery that kept needing a jump. It would drain even if I left the interior light on. Grrr. It is also getting more challenging to get other car owners to assist with a jump. Even the Subaru dealer told me not to jump other cars because of the electronics.  I have AAA, but it can take an hour or two before they show up. Opted to purchase the JNC318 and, boy, it is so easy to use and so convenient. It also keeps its charge for a long time. I check a few times a year and it is typically at 99%. Ok, so I bought a new battery. But now my husband is retired and can no longer drive his car. Battery drains. Grrr. No problem, I can jump it anytime. I just purchased the JNC550A because I had a flat. I wanted a backup for my car anyway and it is an added bonus to have the tire inflator. I love being self-sufficient!” MaryFederal Way, WA Ed. Note: We love this post from Mary. It perfectly illustrates a key benefit of owning a quality jump

Resources
Jay

Subaru Mystery Takes an Unexpected Turn

Here’s a great reminder of how systems are interdependent in today’s complex vehicle command and control systems. In this post, Oscar from New York reviews how he dealt with a Subaru Legacy that was showing that O2, Catalyst and EGR monitors weren’t ready. Yet, he was getting no DTCs. As he notes, “I did my own research and tried all types of drive cycles. The engine runs well and has no DTC’s. I did over 300 miles and same monitors would not set. I have no active, pending or history codes. I monitored live data while on road test, checked oxygen sensors and EGR data. all operated properly.” Then, he noted something pretty cool. He searched Diagnostic Network and found a post from another tech who successfully resolved a similar situation. That led him down his diagnostic road. There were still some twists and turns in the story, but he eventually solved the problem, effectively and efficiently. If you work on Subarus or have ever dealt with a similar diagnostic challenge, we recommend checking Oscar’s post out. In addition, it appears that Subaru has issued a recall to address the issue. To see the original post at https://diag.net, click on

Featured
Jay

Module Reprogramming: Resources and References

We worked a show earlier this month and had hundreds of conversations with store owners, shop owners and technicians. A very hot topic during those conversations was advanced vehicle system service, including module reprogramming, ADAS recalibration and more. It definitely feels as though these services have reached critical mass, with more and more shops bringing these services in-house than ever before. In particular, we spoke to dozens of shops that either had recently moved reprogramming/reflashing in-house or were planning to make this change soon. So, knowing that many of our readers are progressing through the same evolution and decision making process, we thought that, this month, we’d pull together some useful resources related to this complex service area, one which is growing in importance and adoption. When it Comes to Programming, Not All Vehicle Are Created Equal This article does a great job of illustrating a key aspect of module reprogramming: each vehicle make has different procedures when it comes to module reprogramming. It is critical that you familiarize yourself with the specific requirements of each vehicle make you service. This includes the electrical environment recommended by the vehicle manufacturer, which can vary significantly from one to another (we have

Products
Jay

JNC325: The All-Around Champ for Vehicle Owners

On Easter Sunday, my neighbor had a dead battery on her late model GM SUV… of course, it never happens at a good time. She put out an SOS, I told her I had what she needed to get back up and running, and, when she returned from church that evening, I walked over with our trusty JNC325. Seconds later, first attempt, we had her vehicle up and running. I then provided her with a refresher course on unit usage, proper connections, etc. and left the unit with her until she resolved the root cause of her electrical system problem. Needless to say, she needed to use it several times over the following days. Long story short, she absolutely loves it and asked where she could buy one. A quick rundown of her favorite aspects of the unit are: Super powerful: she started her vehicle on the first try every time. Any Jump-N-Carry user would expect nothing less! Very lightweight and compact: makes it easy to store the unit in her vehicle and transport it. Long cable reach is super handy: the 24” cable length allows easy connections and safe positioning. Easy recharging: quick, hassle-free recharging using the included wall

Clore Stories
Jay

Blizzards are No Match for the JNC660

“I worked a weekend for AAA and had 6 Jump-N-Carry JNC660 packs with a blizzard and white out conditions. I kept a fully charged pack in the tow truck and one in the service truck. I jump started 25 vehicles in that storm and they never let me down and would spin the vehicles over like a brand new battery. I’m sure the JNC660 had more life to jump start more vehicles, but I would swap out packs to keep them fully charged at any given moment. I ended up with 60 service calls that weekend and was overwhelmed by your product. Thank you for making a product you can count on.” KevinNew York, NY JNC660 – 12V Jump Starter

Resources
Jay

No-Start Case Study – Motor Age Wrench Tales

Here’s a really nice video case study from Sadel Martinez and Brandon Steckler on the Motor Age YouTube channel, discussing how they resolved a no-start condition on a 2020 BMW X5. When the X5 was towed in, Sadel encountered codes and conditions that were new to him. This presented a great opportunity to create a valuable case study. They start by breaking down how Sadel approached the issue, documenting the diagnostic process he used to pinpoint the root cause of the no-start condition. They describe how Sadel first connected his scope to capture what was happening on this vehicle. His initial scope capture revealed the best next steps in his diagnostic path. They then break down his next steps and follow it through to a conclusive diagnosis and repair. This is a great video resource that reinforces so many of our common themes of 13 years of publishing this blog: having a logical diagnostic plan, driving your diagnostic process to the root cause, don’t over look the basics, be sure you understand the system you are working on and always reference available schematics and system information. It was a very involved diagnosis and they got there in the end. We

Featured
Jay

Lithium Jump Starters: Safe, Smart and Effective Usage Tips

We get many emails and phone calls related to the use of lithium jump starters. The specific topics of interest vary, but they typically fall within a handful of areas related to effectiveness and safe use. Here are a few examples: What do I need to know? Where can I use them? How do I take care of them? How do I keep them safe? We’ve all seen news stories related to lithium battery safety issues, which drives many of these questions from our customers. Prospective buyers are concerned to be sure they understand the best ways to use these products to keep themselves and their property safe. So, this month, we thought we’d break this topic down to help prospective customers better understand these products and best practices to employ them to overcome dead batteries in the safest manner possible. The More Things Change, The More Safety Basics Stay the Same Even though your lithium jump starter is quite different as compared to your JNC660, the fundamentals of the jump starting application are largely unchanged, so that means all of the basic building blocks of jump starting safety remain the same: Always wear protective eyewear Always make sure your

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Jay

ES1224 – Keeping Vehicles of All Sizes Moving

“When the power inverter in my Kenworth W900 runs the battery dead, I use my ES1224 jump box to power up the battery so that I can continue to work. My ES1224 has also helped me to jump my girlfriend’s 2014 Chevy Cruze. When the car went into limp mode, the jump box supplemented the battery so that we could get the car back home.” JudBridgeport, WV Truck PAC ES1224 3000 Peak Amp 12/24V Jump Starter 3000 peak amps in 12V mode 750 cranking amps in 12V mode 1500 peak amps in 24V mode 370 cranking amps in 24V mode 60-inch #2 AWG cables Industrial Grade HotJaw™ clamps AWS Advanced Warning System DC Power Outlet One-year limited warranty