When you hear the name Cobra in an automotive sense you either thing AC or car alarms, not battery packs.
But Cobra Electronics are the brand that created the first ever CB radio. These days they offer a range of car techcessories including dashcams, sat navs and speed camera detectors.
One of their niftiest devices is a battery back that can jump start your car, the Cobra JumPack. It comes in a few different flavours, including an ‘XL’ variant for bigger vehicles. We tested the basic version dubbed CPP 8000.
What is it?
It’s a 6,000 mAh battery pack with a single USB output of 5v 2.4 Amp, a small LED torch and jump cables. It also comes with a micro USB cable to charge, along with a cigarette adapter that will recharge your pack at 14v 1 Amp.
How?
Well, it’s the same as your generic battery packs that pretty much all of us own in this day and age. But, it will also get you out of a patch if you’re car decides to not start one day due to a flat battery.
It can do this thanks to its unique jump cable adapter. It has the standard positive and negative clamps attached to a short pigtail. These join together and plug into the battery pack underneath a rubber flap.
What’s it like?
It’s awesome! Currently the Clio is stored outdoors and fired up once a month when I visit. It’s normally ok, but requires a bit of pumping on the pedal to fire it into life. But sometimes it’s just totally dead and won’t even turn over…case in point.
Buuut, it’s as dead as a door nail…humpf! #CarStorageProblems pic.twitter.com/Jw8YaQRNo9
— carwitter (@car_witter) April 15, 2017
After returning with the JumPack I attached the jump clamps and leave it for the instructed 1 minute before trying to fire the wee little hatch into life.
It strictly says you shouldn’t crank the ignition for more than 3 seconds or it could blow the fuse on the pack. So it’s strictly a one crank affair to try and fire the car into life.
Low and behold….
So not only can you charge your phone/iPod etc but it will also jump start your car 😱👌👍 #JumPack @CobraEMEA pic.twitter.com/VuEcDNITcY
— carwitter (@car_witter) April 15, 2017
It started first time. Removing the leads and unplugging the pack we’re good to go.
But not only will it start your car, you can also charge any USB device from its powerful 5v 2.4 Amp socket. Ok, so it would be nice to have two of these, but come on…this thing can start your car!
To start charging you just have to press the big button on the front, the LED’s light up telling you how much charge is left and juice will start flowing.
6,000 mAh isn’t massive power for a battery pack these days. In charge terms it will give you two full charges of an iPhone 7, 1.5 of a Galaxy S6 and a single full charge of an iPad Mini.
We managed a full 50% worth of charge in just over 40 mins with our phone switched on.
Price wise the 8000 version retails at £79.99, but we’ve spotted them from £58.99 from time to time.
Comparing that to a normal 6,000 mAh pack the Cobra commands a £56 premium. So it’s pricey, and you could opt for a 20,100 mAh pack for around half that price. One of those would charge an iPhone 7 six and a half times. But…it couldn’t start your car in a cinch.
There was a slight whiff of overcharged batteries about the pack. This could just be because it was a well-used and abused test unit, or it may just be how they smell due to the amps it kicks out.
It’s a handy size too, measuring in at 14.2 x 7.6 x 1.9 cm meaning it fits in bags and cubbys easily.
Recharge time via the car charger is around 3 hours, whilst USB will take a mammoth 15 hours at 5v.
It won’t be ideal for everyone, but for motorists with older or stored cars it can save a ton of hassle.
Where can I get one?
Cobra sell them direct, but it’s always worth checking Amazon for its latest deals.