Left the dome light on in my 2010 Prius, and the next morning the 12V (traditional battery, not the hybrid traction battery) was dead. The 12V battery is required to power startup electronics in most hybrids, before engaging the hybrid battery system, so it's possible to have a dead battery in a hybrid too.
Ordered this, came the next morning. Took about 2 hours to fully charge - **a USB cord is included but an actual charger that plugs into the wall is NOT included - you can just use a cell phone charger brick though**.
Clipped the red + cable to my battery jumper terminal, and the black negative - clamp to an "unpainted metal piece" somewhere in the engine. Clicked the power button on the unit - nothing happened - BUT, then I pressed and held down the ( ! ) boost button for 3 seconds, and that immediately got the power flowing to the electronics, which allowed me to start the hybrid system. Perfect!
I'm glad I didn't spend more on the higher amp options. This one was just fine for the intended use of occasional jump charging my hybrid cards.
Build quality on this this is great, it feels heavy and solid, but compact, with good grips and bumpers. The lights are easy to see, buttons easy to press, and it includes a flashlight that is pretty bright - perfect for scouting where to clip the ground wire.
One downside is the very short cable lengths themselves are less than 10 inches long. This makes for compact storage but means you can't clip the ground wire to the recommended location (which for a Prius is several feet away on the other side of the engine compartment). No problem, but you have to find a bare metal bolt or piece to clip to, I had to reach down a few inches between components to grab onto one I saw to the left of the fuse box.
I did not test the USB device charging, but I'm sure it would work fine as a power bank - it's probably best, however to only charge and use this for car jumping, so you don't end up with a dead unit at that critical moment when your battery is dead.
Everything shown in the attached photo is what you get (minus packaging) - the unit itself which is slightly larger than a dollar bill, and 2 inches thick, a detachable (from the unit but not from each other) set of clip on cables, a standard micro USB charging cable, a nylon drawstring carrying bag, and two booklets.
I'll be keeping this in the Prius long term now.
| Manufacturer | NOCO |
|---|---|
| Brand | NOCO |
| Model | GB20 |
| Item Weight | 1.65 pounds |
| Product Dimensions | 3.2 x 1.7 x 7.7 inches |
| Item model number | GB20 |
| Batteries | 1 Lithium Metal batteries required. (included) |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Exterior | Brushed |
| Manufacturer Part Number | GB20 |
| OEM Part Number | GB20 |
| Cover Included | 1-Year Limited Warranty, Microfiber Storage Bag, Micro USB Cable, GB20 Portable Car Battery Jump Starter Pack, User Guide for Jump Starter, Needle-Nosed Battery Clamps |
| Special Features | 100 Lumen LED Flashlight, 400A 12V Portable Lithium Car Battery Jump Starter, Portable Power Bank for USB Devices, Reverse Polarity and Spark-Proof Protection |
| Vehicle Service Type | Passenger Car |
| Amperage | 500 Amps |
| Voltage | 12 Volts |
