RPM Mag Puts the SHELL ROTELLA 24,000 mAh Jump Starter To The Test

We recently put the SH924 Shell 24,000mAh Jump Starter to the test and you might be surprised at the outcome…we were!

First, let’s clear the air, we are constantly on the lookout for products that RPM MAG readers would choose to add to their arsenal of tools and equipment. We don’t just review products, we test them and if they fail to live up to what we feel is an expected level performance, we simply let the manufacturer know that their product may not be what it is cracked up to be, and you will probably never read about it here. Our thinking is that why bash a product before we give the manufacturer an opportunity to make it better. On the flipside, if we test a really good product, even one that (in our opinion) could use some minor tweaks, we’ll write the review and note them in it.

Now let’s get to the meat an potatoes of the Shell SH924 24,000mAh Jump Starter.

We have a number of boost/power packs in the RPM shops as well as ones we carry in our work vehicles. Driving in two countries through most every type of weather over the past 22 years, it’s safe to say we have encountered more than our fair share of roadside fun. A few years back we reviewed two different “power/boost pack” products from one manufacturer and, while they did close to what they advertised during our first test, they failed miserably on multiple levels following that and now they are basically used as phone chargers. In contrast, we also have “the ole standby” in the shop – a 7 year old 20 pound full size boost pack – that has never let us down.

We haven’t really been overly impressed with jump starters combined with battery chargers/maintainers and have had little use for air pumps and other accessories installed in some of the bulkier units. That’s not to say we’ve never used the pump or standard 12V “cigarette lighter” style plug in them, we have just found that we’re using those things far less frequently and prefer other options over them.

The main thing we look for in a booster pack is power, plain and simple. If we need it, it better be able to boost our vehicle. Secondly, we want it to hold a charge for a long period so we don’t have to have it plugged in to a wall socket all the time to keep it topped up (we have one of those here, too). Anything past that is a bonus.

So what does the SH924 offer and how does it fit into to the reality of everyday life?

Our test unit was the “big boy” of the lineup and we quickly put it to work. The SH924 comes with an 18V 1A adaptor and a Micro USB cable (for fast charge of any compatible device) and also boasts a built-in flashlight and emergency lights (SOS and red). With advanced safety technologies such as short-circuit, reverse polarity, over-current, over-charge and overload protection, even the least tech-savvy folks can use it safely. Our interest was in the high current jump start feature (our test mule boasts 1,000mAh Start Current, 2,000 A Peak Current with an output voltage of 12V and operating temps of -4F to 140F), but we found a few other options that were welcomed additions in real world situations.

As far as the boost power goes, we drained several of our vehicle batteries to below 10 volts and went to work with great results, but the most impressive was the comparison test on our 6.8L gas engine. It’s big, bad and likes to eat up booster packs and spit them out. Not the Shell SH924 though, and we’ve got the video to prove it !