Modern Vespa

I recently had 2 dead batteries on my 2023 and 2024 Vespa Supertechs. Worried I can be out on a ride somewhere and it happen again I bought this portable car/motorcycle battery booster that says it will give the battery enough charge to start a car or motorcycle. It comes with jumper cables, but I bought this cable separate to that plugs in to the pigtail off the batteries for trickle charging. Its small and fits under the seat for emergencies. had a flashlight and can charge USB devices too. To charge it you plug in a USB-C cable.
Curious if anyone ever tried one and if they work well?

I have this one, though it is really sized for automobiles more than motorcycles and scooters. I have used it many, many times, including starting my V6 truck.

In fact, it is mostly used on my truck.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015TKPT1A

curious, how big and heavy? and a link ...

I just went thru the same drama with batteries on BOTH of my cars. I documented my cause and findings in Off Topic on Electric Bike Review forums if anyone cares to read it.

I have the Noco GB24 now. Very small and lightweight. I got mine from AutoZone.

The NOCOs are excellent. I have a GB60 in the truck (same truck essentially) and it has been used to start said truck when my last X2 Power Battery finally gave up (9 years). It's nice to have on-hand, as colleagues often need a jump.

I have a GB40 on an Amazon case that fits nicely in my Kymco and my Majesty. That's part of the "touring" kit because I expect other people's scoots to have problems.

There's also batteries such as Antigravity which reserve some power for this purpose.

https://antigravitybatteries.com/products/starter-batteries/restart-oem/atx12-rs/

Yes! Really like their stuff. I have the 5A smart charger as well, and it has resuscitated and de-sulfated the truck battery on numerous occasions. I have the GB20 in a NOCO case that is sized for it. Which makes the whole package a bit bigger than it really needs to be. But it will still fit under the seat nicely.

Mine is the size a iPhone 16Pro and twice as thick I got the smaller one to keep on the Vespa. here are the links and a picture to try to give perspective.

Charger
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BNVLL6MJ?

Cable this one is a 2 pack I have 2 Vespas
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09QGGYXF1?

I love that this cable exists, even if it seems like not high enough gauge for jumpstarting.

I haven't tried it yet hope it works. I think for a quick emergency away from home on a ride if battery fails hoping it will do the job. Both the charger and cable were cheap enough to avoid a costly pick up of the bike and Uber ride home.

I am not sure that those lithium jumper packs will stay energized long enough to allow "trickle charging" (over a period of days/weeks/months), although they definitely allow "low power" usage of USB devices.

At least, mine don't work that way. They turn off after a few hours.

It isn't that they run out of juice - I don't think they're intended to remain indefinitely in an "on" state, and shut themselves off to limit short circuiting risk.

Yeah, that's a fair point. No reason a device couldn't do it (and I have an older lithium battery pack that does 12V until it runs out of juice) but most modern ones probably do not.

…nor do I think such charging is necessary. A scooter in proper repair with a solid, charged battery can easily sit with the battery connected for 4-5 months, and a top-off charge a few hours before first use, even if the battery is dead at that point.

If the battery is dead then the question of why should be asked.
* If some electronic drain, "parasitic" or by design, depletes the battery over long storage periods but not in regular use, then disconnect the battery when it's stored but otherwise ride on.
* If the battery chemistry is suspect (old) then replace the battery or carry the jumpstarter religiously.

The practices of storing the battery inside and/or trickle-charging all winter wherever it's kept are both burdensome and unnecessary. Batteries do just fine in the cold as long as they're in a charged state. They can't produce maximum power when they're cold but they return to full strength when warmed again.

I've been carrying an ANTI GRAVITY battery for almost 15 years. During that time I have needed it three times. A small price for peace of mind when riding places with no cell coverage and little change of seeing anyone for a long time.

I just recently replaced my old one with a new ANTI GRAVITY XP-1 Micro Start battery. In addition to jumping my scooters and motorcycles it will recharge my phone, cameras, and other devices.

I have had 2 brand new Vespa Supertechs and both the batteries were totally dead in about a month after purchasing them. I had been riding and owning Vespa since 2013 never a battery issue I bought these 2 new ones and both died soon after the purchase. The first one the tech said it was a bad battery. The other one goes in for 600 mile first check up and I flagged the battery being dead so they promise to check it. The strange part of both is I rode them extensively a few DAYS before the battery was totally dead.

Antigravity XP1 also here.
Suits me fine..Pathfinder and any motorcycle/scooter i have.
I keep it in the truck in case someone needs a boost on roadside as well.

It's a great idea to carry the booster but it's probably a better idea to fix whatever is draining either of your scooter's battery.

I took the new Vespa I bought a few months ago to the dealer for the first 600-mile service. They checked battery it was good they fully charged it. They said the system was charging when turned on. It looks like when I left it for over 1.5 months I had a bad trickle charger plugged in to it.

I replaced the trickle charger when it was totally dead as soon as I plugged the new trickle charger in it came alive but needed to keep it plugged in overnight for it to start. So all is working well now.

I keep one of these jump starters in my wife's and my vehicles. I've used it more to jump starters other peoples vehicles though. However I think I may get one and keep under the seat of my Piaggio . My concern is that the wiring size for the SAE connector seems small as Jess pointed out. My battery is easy access so I could even use the big auto clamps these units come with. Still I'd consider the small jumper unit and the SAE pig tail if someone out there has actually used it ( and it didn't get hot or smoke). Any one experienced please let me/us know. Thanks.

I went out and got my (lesser ) jumper unit. It also has 10 ga. Wires. So if it can jump a 6 litre gas or 5 litre diesel, I guess it will work ok on my Scooter battery. My only concern is the wiring pig tail on the battery is for a charger and has a 7-1/2 amp fuse. I suspect I shouldn't use this to plug the jumper in but add a pigtail with terminals and 10 ga. Wires as short as possible. I know there are a couple electrical engineers here (Jim), so your input or suggestions would be appreciated.

The pigtail is probably quite adequate for boosting a tired battery. Not, however, to be used if a battery is completely discharged, that's another matter entirely.

In your position I'd solder a bit of wire across a suitably sized fuse and exchange that with the 7.5A one when boosting.

While I have a passing familiarity with basic electrical circuits, I have to admit I'm a bit stumped by this one. I am only a software engineer, after all.

Can you elaborate on the circuit you're describing? And how it is supposed to function? As described, this sounds like a dead short -- which I'm sure is not what you're describing, but I guess I'm not getting it.

Yes - a dead short across a fuse, so the circuit will no longer have a fuse in series. I guess a 50A fuse would be OK instead, as the SAE connector and the wire will provide a measure of current limiting.

Note this is only for helping a battery that appears not to have enough urge - not for providing the full starting current!

I think he means that one pulls the regular fuse out, and inserts the modified (shorted) one just for the purpose of jump starting. One would assume that the original fuse be reinstalled ASAP.

ETA - I took too long typing my message...

Thanks for the clarification.

No worries, appreciated anyway.

You can't use one of those SAE pigtails to start an engine - only to charge a battery, and not using a high-powered charger.

Unless you're in the same boat as Sulu in that Star Trek episode where he uses the phaser to warm the rocks as they're freezing on the surface of Alfa 177. In that case, by all means, send the juice through that plug's little wires!

The lithium jumpstart batteries come with special alligator clip connectors of sufficient wire gauge to give you a few seconds of cranking at a time. I think they also have internal circuitry that stops the juice before the wires or the battery get too hot.

They work great to boost a dead battery for a few seconds to allow an otherwise-working engine to start. They do not provide enough current for prolonged cranking while you gamely troubleshoot an engine or ignition problem.

I found the SAE pig tails w/10 ga. Wire about 6" long at Amazon (6) for $8. I had to crimp eyes on them. I also ordered (2) of the special 5" long 10 ga. plug and wires that plug directly into the lithium jumper, should I ever need to use it.

Is this a better cable to use off the portable charger to avoid issues? It has the ability to use a (10-20-30 amp fuse)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D9VYGVZ1/ref=sspa_dk_detail_0?

Yes. Fusing is always good.

So, what is the battery type dying fast? Perhaps just change to another brand/batch?

You said you needed it three times.
Can you give a bit more detail on what did lead to the issue?

What I am after is if this happened in normal use after a stop for a short time for a drink or to fill up the fuel tank. Then when restarting the battery was dead.

I notice on that Noco Boost Sport it says "12V - 500A". You cannot fuse that.
I think you can only use it with jumping cables directly connected to the battery poles.

Correct. But OP is talking about using the battery bank as a trickle charger, and using some fairly light-gauge wiring in between. In that case, I think fusing is mandatory to prevent a very low battery from drawing enough current to melt the wires -- in other words, to keep it from actually acting as a jump-start.

Is there a setting on the battery bank for usage as a trickle charger?
If not, how can the bank make the difference?

I've never seen a battery go dead short in normal use, at the most you might have two shorted cells causing a problem - and 10awg wires will be fine to boost the remaining four to a high enough voltage to get the starter to turn. The current won't exceed 50A (probably nowhere that) and a short length of 10awg can carry that just fine for quite some time.

However, perhaps I shouldn't say these things - if you don't know your basic electrics, battery characteristics or have to ask - just stick to the device's instructions. Especially with a fully discharged battery, when a different approach entirely is called for.

If you mean me let me clarify...I have a plug-in electric trickle charger separate that I use. The one I was using I discovered stopped working. That is why my battery died. I recently purchased a replacement electric trickle charger that works.

I bought this portable charger to keep in the Vespa and to use that plug cord (not the jumper clamps) to jump start the Vespa if out on a ride and the battery dies. I don't plan to use the portable charger as a trickle charger.

Okay, but... I am still skeptical that those wires are sufficient gauge for that usage. Maybe I am just being overly cautious. Anyway, I continue to believe that it should be fused to prevent disaster.

How much current do you think the starter takes once it's turning over quick enough to start the engine? Don't worry about inrush currents etc, they last for such a short time that they're immaterial.

And how long do you think this would go on for until the engine starts? Knowing that an engine that was running only a short while before should start within two turns, maybe a couple more for luck...

One reference point - I can run ~80A continuously for up to twenty minutes from the LFP battery in our van into an inverter when cooking. This is using about two foot of 8awg wire - which has twice the current capability (by definition) than 10awg.

30 to 40A through a couple of feet of 10awg for 5 or 6 seconds would be no problem at all.

My paranoia stems largely from an incident where I was installing a new stereo into jaded's jeep, parked in her garage in San Francisco. In the process of pulling on various bits of the wiring harness, I snagged a wire on something sharp. The wire was actually for the blinking LED of an aftermarket alarm (that I had nothing to do with) and in fact the alarm was off, so it wasn't even blinking. But there was still 5v (at some unknown current) running through the wire, because the alarm system used (I later found out) a ground-switched circuit to blink the LED -- so it was always hot. And apparently unfused as well.

That @#$$%% wire promptly caught fire, setting much of the interior wiring harness of the jeep on fire as well. And since the jeep was parked in her garage in SF, the house was above. Had I not managed to put out the fire, the house (and everything she owned) would have gone up in smoke.

I did manage to get the battery disconnected. And honestly, I should have disconnected it prior to doing anything -- which is the first lesson I learned from this incident.

The second lesson I learned from this incident is always fuse anything hot!

OP can do whatever he wants. But it is my opinion that those lines should be fused and I am standing by that.