If there is one quality repairers cherish in the workshop, it is dependability. And when it comes to getting cars started, it is not a task they want to wait for.
This is why more and more workshops are getting to know and rely on Projecta.
With vehicles frequently sitting idle in the workshop for some time, often with varying degrees of battery life and quality, jump starting is a part of everyday life for mechanics and repairers. This is why they turn to equipment they trust. The name of Projecta is one that is repeatedly raised by technicians for the equipment’s features, safety and ability to get things moving time after time. The National Collision Repairer magazine spoke to several workshops about what they are like to work with.
Trusted
For Josh Jones owner and manager of Quick Spark Automotive his view of Projecta Intelli-Start range of jump starters all comes down to one word: “Quality”.
His successful Sunbury business services a wide range of clients in the growing area on the outskirts of Melbourne and he cannot speak highly enough of the quality and dependability of their equipment and how it keeps his business moving.
“If you bring a car in and leave the ignition on for example, you’re doing a service and it’s sitting there for a couple of hours and the battery goes flat; you bring the Projecta in and it will jump start it every time.
“If something comes in with a faulty alternator or dead battery or on the back of a truck, we can go out, jump start it and bring it into the workshop.”
The Rapid Charge technology in Projecta units means they can recharge themsleves if left connected to a vehicle. The Intelli-Start Jump Starter can fully replenish the energy that was discharged during the starting process in just 40 seconds.
Jones sees the application for the starters as potentially even more crucial for collision repair shops, to avoid time wasted over flat batteries and ensure workshop efficiency.
“Sometimes they have cars sitting around for ages. This IS3000 should be a best seller for panel shops, who would be able to jumpstart anything.”
Mechanic Martin Lanza at Revesby Motors, another busy automotive repair shop based in western Sydney, highlights the wide range of cars that can need jump starting from depleted batteries.
“Modern cars are never really off, there are a number of circuits consuming electricity, the remote keyless entry system for example,” Lanza says
“Sometimes after major mechanical work a car is reluctant to start, the battery can quickly become depleted and a jump starter is required. With older cars, often collectors’ showroom items, the battery goes flat through age, these also need to be jump started.
“Cars that break down and are not repaired quickly often flatten the battery or cars being sent to us on a tow truck also often need to be jump started.”
In all these scenarios it is the dependability of the Projecta Intelli-Start range that stands out for Revesby Motors.
“We’ve been using the IS1500 for 18 months and IS2000 for 6 months. Both the IS1500 and IS2000 have excellent performance in all three start-up scenarios,” Lanza says
“We use the IS1500 on a wide range of vehicles from small cars to large vans. The case construction is rugged and has survived a number of accidental falls. The IS2000 is a new addition to the workshop. It’s very impressive, more powerful and has more features.”
“Prior to these we used a large battery on a trolley. Portability was poor and the operator had to be very careful as the jumper leads were always live.”
Jones agrees it is hard to look back at old systems once a workshop has come to rely on Projecta Intelli-Start jump starters.
“The worst thing about the old set ups was they were huge, and you had to drag them around on wheels, and if you had anything outside it was a pain but with the Projecta you just grab it, carry it out and get the vehicle started.”
The compact nature of the units is enhanced by their portability, with shock proof casing, comfortable carry handles and modest weights for even the most powerful units, 10.6kg and 13.5kg for the IS3000 and IS5000. Jones is impressed by the versatility of the larger units, especially with the larger IS2000, 3000 and 5000 range that have the flexibility to do 24V charges.
“We’ve had a IS1500 for four or five years and it has been brilliant,” Jones says.
“But this IS3000 is the next level; the big one. This is probably a good all round workshop unit because it has the capability of starting anything; trucks and cars and look how small it is, you put this in your little car, run out and you can jump start anybody.”
Jones says this dependability and flexibility adds to workshop efficiency and in turn saves time and money. He says he uses it for a couple of jump starts a day in his workshop after which the unit goes back into its convenient desktop 5V cradle to recharge and is always on hand, fully charged when needed.
“But with the Projecta you wouldn’t have to recharge this for ages, you probably get ten starts out of it.”
“The Rapid Charge technology is beneficial, on busy days where we can jump start multiple vehicles multiple times,” Lanza says.
“Without Rapid Charge we may have had to put some jobs to one side and wait for an overnight charging operation. We really appreciate the smart charge feature, after starting a car the IS2000 will recharge off the car’s alternator. This is an excellent feature because it ensures the jump pack is always in a high state of charge. On a busy day with multiple jump starts this avoids the jump pack becoming discharged and unusable before charging.”
Safety First
“The safety features provide total peace of mind for both the operator and the business owner,” Lanza says.
“Batteries have high energy levels and mistakes can harm people, vehicles and equipment. Factoring out these risks carries a lot of weight with us.”
For Jones at Quick Spark Automotive the simplicity of the units and their intuitive controls makes them largely mistake proof, a valuable safeguard for the safety of staff and vehicles.
“With the old school jump starters, if you jump started something backwards you could blow the main fuse, or the alternator or even the computer. The Projecta units have a safety feature, if you put the clamps on backward it won’t power,” Jones says.
Jones also cautions mechanics and repairers about relying on many other modern jump starters that lack the power and dependability of Projecta units, particularly some cheap units sold to motorists.
“Those little ones, you’ve got to connect them up then let them power up because they have capacitors inside and then it gives you one big bang and that’s it. But if the vehicle doesn’t start, you’re screwed because you only have the one charge.”
By contrast both workshops agree the investment in Projecta jump starters is an investment in long term dependability.
“The cheap ones, they just don’t last but with the Projecta, it has been at least four years and I don’t know how many starts. Over the years I have sold I don’t know how many. When people learn about Projecta, they just want these units.”
Lanza agrees, “The IS1500 model has been our “go to” jump starter for the last 18 months. It’s compact, powerful and very easy to use. Our business depends on these devices.”
Features
A further benefit of the latest models is their ability to jump start vehicles and machines that use a variety of battery types including Lithium, Wet, AGM, Gel and Calcium.
The Intelli-Start range is equipped with premium LiFePO4 batteries, the safest lithium technology available. The range also utilises an advanced all-in-one protection system that prevents surges, short circuits and overheating. The display will also alert the user of an incorrect connection and advise when they’re ready to use.
Common to units are premium spark-free clamps, ‘no solder’, high current connections for added longevity and performance, intuitive LCD display with real time updates, in-built LED work light, EVA storage case, USB charging port and the ability to be used as a powerbank.
Projecta’s jump starters also provide more starts with up to 2000 battery cycles – around four times more than competitor Lithium Cobalt based jump starters. This range delivers a substantially longer operating life and provides a smooth and reliable start, time after time.
Added durability comes from the range’s rubber moulded impact and drop resistant housing and IP-rated dust and water ingress protection.
The top of the range; IS3000 and IS5000 jump starters are ideal for use on large industrial and commercial equipment including heavy-duty trucks, tractors, and agricultural equipment.
The IS3000 is suitable for both 12V and 24V electrical systems and provides 1000A clamp power for 12V systems and 850A for 24V electrical set-ups, along with 3000 peak amps – it’s enough to start petrol and diesel engines up to 12L displacement in 12V machines and all 24V engines.
The IS2000 model is a compact model providing even further versatility, with its auto sensing clamp connections making it convenient for use on both 12V and 24V electrical systems. The IS2000 will jump start 12V petrol vehicles with engines up to 8.0L and up to 6.0L for diesels. It can also jump start 24V vehicles – both petrol and diesel – with engines up to 7.0L.
The IS1400 is suitable for 12V electrical systems and offers 500A clamp power and 1400 peak amps, more than enough to start petrol-powered vehicles up to 7.0L displacement and diesel engines as large as 5.0L. These capabilities along with a compact design makes the IS1400 an ideal choice to carry in the glovebox, for stowage with 4×4 recovery gear, or to keep on hand at workshops or car yards.
Other Projecta Intelli-Start models in the existing line-up include the IS920, IS1220 and IS1500.
For more information go to projecta.com.au