I've been eyeing the Lowe's unit also.  Very attractive price, but not if the item does not work.  Thanks for the report.

Stephen
--------------------------------------------
On Sun, 12/7/14, Dennis Jowell <dennisjowell@GMAIL.COM> wrote:

 Subject: Re: A New Look In Jumper Batteries
 To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
 Date: Sunday, December 7, 2014, 4:39 PM
 
 Got my jump starter last week at
 Lowes on a holiday sale for $79. Thought I would test it
 today on my Honda generator. Perfect weather for a test it
 is 7 above out.The unit is a Pilot Jump Starter/charger
 #753361. When I hooked the cables as per instructions It
 would not turn anything over it kept saying my polarity is
 backwards. As always red to + black to -
 So I pulled out my JNC 300xl hooked up the cables the same
 way and the generator started right up. Perfect. The pilot
 is going back. I was hoping for a smaller unit that would
 work to travel with in my Westy.
 Dennis Jowell
 Scotch Hollow Farm
 West Newbury, Vermont 
 
 
 > On Dec 6, 2014, at 7:29 AM, Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
 wrote:
 > 
 > Mine came with some brief instructions but no
 information at all about the
 > technology used nor cranking amps or whatever. It seems
 that when they are
 > discussed the general consensus is that they couldn't
 work as well as they
 > do.
 > 
 > I wonder if you could hook one up along side a deep
 cycle battery to charge
 > while you were running, then this thing would actually
 do most of the work
 > of starting the car? That way you could have your cake
 and eat it too, with
 > just one battery.
 > 
 > Jim
 > 
 >> On Fri, Dec 5, 2014 at 3:55 PM, Vanagon <camping.elliott@gmail.com>
 wrote:
 >> 
 >> How many cold crank amps can those things possibly
 pack? Why aren't we
 >> using them for starting batteries if they work that
 well?
 >> 
 >> Dark magic, indeed.
 >> 
 >> Jack Elliott
 >> 1984 Westfalia
 >> 
 >>> On Dec 5, 2014, at 11:51 AM, Loren Busch <starwagen@GMAIL.COM>
 wrote:
 >>> 
 >>> This subject came up a couple of weeks ago, I
 think on this list.� The
 >> new,
 >>> very small/compact jump start batteries.
 >>> Well, I got a chance yesterday to try on.�
 On a very dead battery in my
 >> '90
 >>> T-Bird.� And the darn thing worked!�
 Actually three times!� And according
 >>> to the meter on the thing it was only pulled
 down about 20%.
 >>> One of these:
 >>> <
 >> http://www.amazon.com/Spirit-G03-Emergency-14000mAh-Saunsung/dp/B00KCBCXKC/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1417808523&sr=1-1&keywords=spirit+battery
 >>> 
 >>> So, I'm impressed.
 >>