Jump starter

A jump starter for providing an electrical current to an engine battery to charge the engine battery and/or jump start the engine, the jump starter comprising:

• jumper cables adapted to connect to a battery of a vehicle;
• a DC-to-DC converter having an output amperage above 200 amps for outputting an electrical current to the jumper cables and providing at least a dual voltage function;
• a battery connected to the DC-to-DC converter;
• a capacitor array having a capacitance greater than 1000 farads and 130 kilojoules at 12 volts or 250 Farads and 130 kilojoules at 24 volts for outputting additional electrical current through the jumper cables;
• control circuitry operatively connected to the DC-to-DC converter and the capacitor array, wherein the control circuitry is adapted to connect to the jumper cables for controlling the electrical current from the DC-to-DC converter and the capacitor array through the jumper cables, and wherein the control circuitry includes circuit elements operatively connected to the DC-to-DC converter and the capacitor array for charging and recharging the capacitor array from the DC-to-DC converter;
• and
• a human-machine interface (HMI) operatively connected to the control circuitry and configured for switching between a jump start mode and a charge mode;
• wherein in the jump start mode the control circuitry provides electrical current from the DC-to-DC converter and the capacitor array through the jumper cables, and in the charge mode the control circuitry delivers electrical current from the DC-to-DC converter through the jumper cables to charge the engine battery and without providing electrical current from the capacitor array through the jumper cables,
• wherein the control circuitry includes a control module operatively connected to the DC-to-DC converter and the capacitor array, and wherein the control module comprises a microprocessor having control logic and programming for monitoring and controlling the electrical current outputted from the DC-to-DC converter and the capacitor array through the jumper cables;
• wherein the control circuitry comprises voltage switching circuitry configured for selectively delivering electrical current from the DC-to-DC converter and the capacitor array through the jumper cables at a first voltage level and a second voltage level, and
• wherein the HMI is operatively connected to the control module and configured for switching between a first voltage mode and a second voltage mode, wherein in the first voltage mode the voltage switching circuitry is configured to deliver the electrical current from the DC-to-DC converter and the capacitor array through the jumper cables at the first voltage level, and wherein in the second voltage mode the voltage switching circuitry is configured to deliver the electrical current from the DC-to-DC converter and the capacitor array through the jumper cables at the second voltage level.