Porta Jump Frequently Asked Questions

Q. When do I take the unit away from the accessory port?
A. The unit should be removed from the port after the recharging stage or when the car is turned off.

Q. Can I drive my car while I’m recharging?
A. Yes.  It’s actually recommended that you drive your vehicle around while charging your Porta-Jump so that the energy moves more quickly.

Q What temperature can the Porta-Jump stand?
A. The effective operating temperature is between -10 F and +110 F.

Q. When reading my vehicle battery, does the adapter cord need to be placed in the port before or after I put my vehicle in the accessory position?
A. We recommend that you do not put the adaptor cord into the port until after the car is in the accessory position.  This will limit any errors in the readings.

Q. Can I leave the car idling instead of driving it when recharging?  If so, is the timeframe longer for the recharge?
A. Yes.  The unit will still recharge while in the idling position. However, the recommended timeframe for recharging is based on the vehicle being driven.  If the Porta-Jump is left to recharge while in the idling position, the time may vary.

Q. When recharging the Porta-Jump, does the LED light turn off once the unit is at full capacity?
A. No.  The LED light will continue to stay on as long as the unit is still plugged in.  However, the unit will not accept a charge once it is full.  It’s designed this way so that it will not overcharge.

Q. Does the car need to be in the accessory position through the whole process of using the Porta-Jump?
A. Yes.  The car must stay in the accessory position the entire time the Porta-Jump is in process.

Q. How do I know if my car is accepting a charge?
A. Keep an eye on the details of the car. Example:  Watch the lights that are on your dash board.  Remember what they looked like before you started your process and then after you have waited your recommended time.

Q. Can I run my car off the Porta-Jump only?
A. No.  The Porta-Jump was designed to be an energy booster for your car battery.

Q. How do I know if my Porta-Jump is fully charged?  Is there a way to test it?
A. There are a few ways to see if your Porta-Jump has any energy in it.  The simple way to test if the Porta-Jump has energy in it, is to plug in an adapter cord to the Porta-Jump only.  This will read the energy level in the unit.  If the LED light shines a bright green, then you know that the unit has power in it. The more advanced way would be to take a volt meter and attach it to the opposite end that normally would plug into the adapter port in the vehicle.  A fully charged unit would read around 30 volts.

Q. Why does the Porta-Jump get hot?
A. There are a few reasons that the unit can become warm. If the unit is in the "charging" position for longer than 10 minutes, then it will become warm.  The reason for this is because once the car battery has accepted enough voltage to get the energy level to a point where it can start, the car battery will not except anymore; therefore, sending the power back to the Porta-Jump.  The second reason would be that there is a problem with the connection at the port that is not allowing power to go through, sending the power back to the Porta-Jump.

Q. If my car battery is completely dead, or at a low level, will the Porta-Jump work?
A. No.   The unit is not designed to replace or jump start a completely dead battery.  This unit only carries 30 volts of power, and if your battery is at too low of a point to accept a charge, then the LED light will not turn red.

Q. What if I do not get any response when I am reading my car battery with the adapter cord?
A. Then there is a problem with the connection at the port that is not allowing the adapter to read the battery. Either your battery has a bad cell or your power port (cigarette lighter) 10-amp fuse is burned out. 

Q. Can I overcharge my Porta-Jump?
A. No.  A Porta-Jump automatically shuts itself off once it is at a full charge of 30 volts.  However, it is not recommended to leave a unit charging much longer than the recommended timeframe.

Q. Can I use the Porta-Jump on a motorcycle?
A. As long as the vehicle has a power port or cigarette lighter port.

Q. Will this unit work if I have a vehicle that lights up automatically?
A. Yes.  The lights usually won’t come on until the vehicle has completely been turned on.  Therefore, you can still go through the process with your vehicle in the accessory position and your lights will not be a factor.

Q. Does the Porta-Jump have to be recharged right after it has been used?
A. Yes.  It is recommended that the unit be fully recharged right after use so that it is ready for future use.  A unit can be recharged later or at any time; however, it may take longer to recharge.

Q. How do I reach customer service?
A. Before you call customer service, we encourage you to read these FAQs. Most questions can be answered right here.