Gillaway Jump Starter Battery Pack, 4500A Peak Car Battery Charger Jump Starter for Up to 10.0L Gas or 8.0L Diesel Engine,12V Car Jumper Starter Portable with Full LCD Screen

Why I keep the Gillaway 4500A in my glovebox

Dead batteries don’t announce themselves, so I like gear that gets out of the way until it’s urgently needed. The Gillaway 4500A jump starter has earned that spot for me. It’s compact enough to live in a center console, yet it has handled everything I’ve asked of it—from a four‑cylinder commuter car to a V8 pickup and a compact diesel tractor—without drama.

What makes it stand out isn’t a flashy spec sheet (though 4500A peak is eye‑catching) so much as the combination of a clear interface, sensible safety design, and enough real-world muscle to turn over larger engines reliably.

Design and build

The unit is a slim, brick-style pack with a full-face LCD that shows battery percentage and input/output status. The display is genuinely useful: not just a vague four‑bar gauge, but a precise percentage readout that makes it easy to decide whether to top it off before a trip. The casing uses a fuel‑resistant ABS shell and an acrylic lens over the display; after being tossed around in a trunk and sliding in/out of a case, mine has picked up light scuffs on the lens but no cracks or spidering. The housing feels solid with no creaks or hot spots under load.

The clamps are mid‑sized with firm spring tension and good bite on side‑post and top‑post terminals. The included zippered case keeps the pack, clamps, and cable together, which matters if you want this ready at 2 a.m. on the side of a road.

It’s not the smallest pack I’ve used, but it’s light and compact enough to carry in one hand, and it stores cleanly in a glovebox or console.

Using it in the field

Setup is straightforward: connect the clamps to the pack, attach to the battery, press the power button on the unit, and wait for the “ready” indicator. In most cases that’s only a couple of seconds. On a stone‑dead battery, I’ll sometimes see the status icon cycle briefly as the pack energizes; then it settles and the engine is ready to crank. There’s no fiddly “boost” mode to enable—the pack senses the situation and handles it.

In practice, it’s been quick and consistent. I’ve jump‑started:

• A 4‑cyl sedan with a battery drained by an interior light—instant start.
• A 5.7L gas V8 on a cold morning—one try, strong crank.
• A small diesel tractor that hadn’t been run in weeks—slightly longer crank, but no problem.

After multiple starts in a row, the LCD percentage drops in a way that makes sense: small engines barely dent it; hard starts on a dead battery consume more. I haven’t tried to exhaust the pack in one sitting, but after several jumps across different vehicles, I still had usable capacity.

Safety and user interface

Reverse‑polarity and spark protection are not marketing throwaways here. During one hurried hookup, I clipped the negative lead first and got a clear warning indicator—the pack didn’t energize until the connections were correct. That’s the behavior I want: block power until it’s safe. There’s also thermal and overload protection, which inspires confidence if you’re jump‑starting in summer heat or winter cold.

The full LCD is the star. Besides the percentage, it shows whether the unit is charging or discharging and what ports are active. In poor light, the integrated flashlight is handy—bright enough for under-hood work, with steady, strobe, and SOS modes. It’s not a replacement for a dedicated work light, but it’s ideal for finding the battery, orienting clamps, and signaling if you’re near traffic.

Charging and power bank behavior

The pack charges over its input port using the included cable; there’s no wall brick in the box, so I used a standard USB charger. From a low state, recharging takes hours rather than minutes. If you run it down, plan to leave it on a charger for a good stretch (overnight is easy insurance). Topping off from, say, 60% to 100% is faster.

Two USB outputs transform the pack into a serviceable power bank in a pinch. One port supports faster charging for compatible phones; the other is a more traditional 5V/2.1A. I’ve used it to top off a phone and a headlamp after a camping trip. That’s a nice convenience, though I treat jump‑start capacity as sacred: if I’m traveling, I avoid draining the pack just to charge devices, and I bring a separate power bank.

Capacity and maintenance

The manufacturer claims up to 60 jumps per charge. Realistically, that varies with engine size, battery condition, temperature, and how long you’re cranking. The takeaway from my use is that the Gillaway 4500A has more headroom than the compact “1000A” class jump starters, especially on bigger engines. Where some smaller packs feel marginal on a V8 or a cold diesel, this one turns them with authority.

Lithium packs like this prefer to be stored partially charged. I keep mine around 70–80% when it’s living in the car and top it up every couple of months. The LCD makes that easy. If you’re heading into winter or planning a long trip, check it the night before. A quick functional test—clamping to a known-good battery to verify the pack powers up—is a smart habit.

Self‑discharge has been low for me; stored in a mild climate, the percentage barely moved over a couple of weeks. In hot or very cold environments, expect faster drift and make a point of monitoring it.

Where it excels

• Larger engines: Gas up to 10.0L and diesel up to 8.0L is the stated spec; while I haven’t pushed the extremes, it has handled a V8 truck and a compact diesel confidently.
• Clear status feedback: The full LCD is practical, not gimmicky, and reduces guesswork.
• Safety: Reverse‑polarity and spark protection behave correctly and quickly.
• Everyday portability: Compact, light, and the case keeps everything together.

What could be better

• Charge time: Recharging from low takes a while. That’s typical in this class, but if you drain it heavily, plan ahead.
• Glossy lens: The shiny display lens looks nice but picks up scuffs. A simple sleeve or keeping it in the case helps.
• Documentation: The quick-start guide covers basics, but more tips on cold‑weather use and storage best practices would help new users.

Tips for best results

• Make firm, clean connections on the battery posts; poor contact wastes precious current.
• If it’s below freezing, keep the pack warm in the cabin until use and try a brief 2–3 second crank to “wake” the vehicle system before a full start attempt.
• Don’t ride the starter. Short cranks with pauses are easier on both the starter and the jump pack.
• Store at partial charge and top off every 2–3 months; check it before long trips.
• This is a 12V tool—don’t use it on 24V systems.

The bottom line

The Gillaway 4500A strikes a practical balance: genuinely strong starting performance, sensible safety design, and a clear, useful display in a package that doesn’t eat trunk space. It’s not a pro‑shop booster you’d use all day, every day, and it won’t recharge itself in minutes. But for a personal vehicle, a family fleet, or a farm utility cart, it has the punch and ease of use I want when a battery lets me down.

Recommendation: I recommend the Gillaway 4500A for drivers who want a compact jump starter with real headroom for larger engines and a straightforward interface. If you only ever start a small sedan and you’re counting grams, a cheaper, lower‑output pack might suffice. If you need a tool for heavy commercial fleets or 24V equipment, look to professional booster packs or capacitor-based units. For everyone else, this is a reliable, confidence‑building piece of kit worth keeping within arm’s reach.