Magic power box
By the staff of Dirt Wheels
When we began riding ATVs as kids, we started them by pulling a rope with one hand and feathering the throttle with the other. This was tough, but on the good side, their standard manual transmissions made them easy to bump-start if needed. Fast-forward a couple decades, and gone are the pull ropes and even the kickstarters. Furthermore, manual transmissions can only be found on some sport quads, so now, keeping your quad's battery in tiptop shape, it's more important than ever.
Thankfully, we came across a nifty little battery jumper box that has loads of other off-road uses as well. Called Micro-Start PPS (Personal Power Supply) by Antigravity, this handy little tool is like an electronic lifesaver. Priced at $120, the Micro-Start XP-3 is only 5 inches wide by 2 7/8 inches tall, is an inch thick and capable of a lot. The unit can be used to charge cell phones, helmet communicators and GPS units (via a USB cable), power laptop computers, jump-start a car or be used as a flash-light. Yes, we said jump-start a car. Full-size jumper boxes usually sell for $40-$100 at an auto-parts store.
Does it work?
Like you, we were a little skeptical at first. Most jumper boxes we have used to start everything from ATVs to cars and trucks are the size of a cereal box and weigh as much as a gallon of milk. This thing weighs less than a pound, and comes with a wall or 12-volt charger, a USB cable and medium-sized alligator clamps.
To put the little unit to the test, we drained the battery in our Toyota truck and Polaris Ranger by leaving the lights on overnight. By morning, both batteries were completely dead. We hooked the Antigravity Micro-Start XP-3 up to the Ranger first to see what would happen. When we cranked the key, it started right up. We immediately tried it again, and yes, it fired up. After disconnecting the jumper leads, we tried it again - no luck, dead battery. Back to the Micro-Start, and it fired up instantly. We did this 10 times, and the Ranger never struggled to turn over or start. After 10 starts, the Micro-Start PPS still read at full charge, so we took it directly over the Toyota to give it a try. Here, it started the truck just as quickly. Amazing!
As an easier test, we charged up a cell phone with the Micro-Start. It worked just as quickly as using a wall charger. It took about an hour to completely charge a dead iPhone. You can bet we plan on bringing the Antigravity Micro-Start XP-3 PPS on every ride with us from now on. To get your own, call (310) 527-2330, or to see their complete line of ATV batteries and personal power supplies, log on to www.antigravitybatteries.com.