Topdon JS3000 Review UK (Jump Surge)
Another big hitter comes under the microscope…
This time it’s a Topdon jump starter; their biggest model so far.
Settle in, then, for our Topdon JS3000 Review (UK).
Let’s first make sure you’re in the right place. This is a booster for 12V car batteries (which is what almost all cars have). It’ll jump start your vehicle battery when you break down.
Check out the basic specs about the JS3000 (see it on Amazon here) and then read on for how it performed in our tests.
Topdon JS3000
- Voltage: 12V
- Peak Amps: 3000A
- For engine size: Up to 9L petrol, 7L diesel
- Capacity: 24,000 mAh
- Weight: 2.3kg
- Dimensions: 24 x 12 x 10 cm
Which aspects did we analyse and form the basis of our opinion in our Topdon Jump Surge 3000 review?
Our testing process took into account these factors:
- Consistency of power output
- What size of vehicle it can jump start
- How well made/tough/durable the unit is
- Manufacturer quality
- Quality of the clamps and cables
- Clamp/battery terminal connection integrity
Rating the Topdon Jump Surge 3000
Here’s where we get to grips with this 12V 3000A jump starter; what we liked and didn’t like about it.
Topdon JS3000
Plus points and who this booster is a good fit for:
Build quality is top-notch
That’s your first impression when you take it out of the packaging. You’ll go: “Yep, this’ll do”. Then, depending on how recent your experience with jump starters is, you may have a reaction to its weight. If it’s been a few years since your last one (pre-LiFePO4), then you may go: “oof, a bit light. Hmmm. How’s this going to start my big car?”. Understandable. We’ve heard it countless times with recent Lithium jump starters: “I couldn’t understand how something so light can deliver the power needed”. But it does. Let’s talk more about that…
Power is plentiful
We’ve already tested the Topdon JS 1200, and found it to be a powerful booster. Our only reservation that it might struggle with larger cars, particularly in very cold conditions. That had 1200A of peak power; this one has 3000A. And here’s the key point; it actually can deliver that power (trust us when we say we’ve tested more than a few that don’t even get close to their rated Peak Amps). The JS 3000 coped with everything we threw at it – starting big cars, even with very low battery voltages (such as would be the case in winter).
Value
Topdon have disrupted the car battery accessories industry to some extent. If you’ve looked for battery testers, diagnostic equipment (eg. the ArtiDiag 800BT), 12V battery chargers and suchlike, you’ll see them more and more; and their reputation for quality grows by the year. Their components, casing, and technology sophistication is on a par with the heavyweights of this industry, NOCO and CTEK (and even occasional feature superiority in terms of having up-to-date product features, like the latest fast charging). And here’s the key point: they do so at a lower price. For a NOCO jump starter producing the same Peak Amps of 3000A, you’ll pay closer to double, and much more than that for the CTEK CS Free charger/jump starter. Frankly, we hope Topdon continue to keep their prices and quality at this level. High-level competition, such as that brought to the table by Topdon, does two things: it makes companies at the top of the industry improve their products and it brings price down.
Clamp connection integrity
Well now, you’re saying. What do you even mean by that? We mean that the Topdon Jump Surge 3000 clamps provide a good, solid connection with the various types of battery terminals we tested it with. And this, by the way, is orders of magnitude more important than you may think. Why? Because it literally doesn’t matter how much power a jump starter can produce if it can’t deliver the full extent of it to the car battery. You want as much physical contact as possible between the terminals and clamps, and you want it held there firmly. Topdon must be aware of the importance because their clamps (made from high-end copper) do both of these things really well.
Cons and why this model is not right for you:
Not perfectly protected against dust and water
Our only real gripe with this 3000 Amp jump starter is that it’s not as well equipped to deal with environmental conditions as some others (like the NOCO GB70). Its ingress protection level is IP54. That means it’s protected against dust to a level that could affect the product working normally but it’s not completely protected against dust. For most people, this isn’t something to be overly concerned about. But if you’re going to be keeping it somewhere particularly dusty, keep it in the bag provided! As for water, splashes are no problem but strong water jets, well, they could be a problem.
There’s a more powerful jump starter
As powerful as the Topdon JS3000 is, there’s a more powerful model out there. The NOCO GBX155 provides a whopping 4250A. If you’ve got an absolute monster of a car, with a weak battery, maybe you want that one.
Where in the UK can you get it?
Here’s where to find it, on Amazon here.
Topdon JS3000 Review (UK) Summary
Thanks for reading our Topdon JS3000 Review.
All told, it’s a quality piece of equipment. Our litmus test is always how well does it perform when the chips are down. Even the jump starters that are glorified power banks (don’t get us started!) can jump start a (small) car with voltage just slightly too low to start the car. The Jump Surge 3000, though, still started bigger vehicles with low voltage, and cold weather conditions.
It’s a pleasingly rugged, strong unit. But it’s not ideally equipped to deal with ingress, so if you get this jump starter, you’ll need to take account of that, by keeping it in the bag, or somewhere safely away from too much dust and water. It’s also the best diesel jump starter UK.
It’s not cheap but still represents great value. That’s because if you want a similar quality of jump starter, one that will work even on large vehicles, even in the cold, or for when your car battery voltage has dropped really low, you’ll pay not far off double this price.
Here’s where you can check out pricing and more info:
Good luck with your jump starter analysis and decision!