New gear
Battery boost start pack, underwater camera and sailing simulator tested
We first covered this impressive device in the summer issue of PBO, but have since been able to try it out first hand. It seems almost too good to be true – a small, lightweight pack that weighs around 1kg, yet will start a big diesel engine. In this context, the benefit of Lithium-ion battery technology is it’s very low internal resistance. This allows a relatively small and low-capacity battery to deliver the huge surge of power over a short period that’s needed to start a diesel engine.
The Genius Boost is available in two sizes: the smaller one rated for engines of up to two litres, and the larger up to four litres.
I tested the latter with a 130hp 2.2 litre turbo diesel, with an ageing start battery that had been discharged to a resting voltage of 11.8V. Without the start pack the engine would barely turn over – and certainly nowhere near fast enough to start. But with the Genius Boost connected it burst into life immediately, using only an indicated 25% of the stored power.
These are not ‘dumb’ powerpacks – they detect the presence of the main start battery and have polarity protection, although these features can be manually overridden. There’s not enough reserve power stored to crank an engine for a long period of time – the instructions prescribe up to five attempts at 20-30 second intervals. After that the battery needs to be rested for 15 minutes.
Li-ion’s low rate of self discharge means the start pack can be left for long periods without being re-charged.
Verdict: A compact, powerful and impressive piece of kit, providing you understand the limitations of the technology.
Price: GB20 £99; GB40 £120.
■ www.no.co