Maxwell Start Module

[pgls651]

(08-01-2023 )JimT Wrote:  So the fantastic Maxwell Start Module (Ultra-capacitor) (Ultra 31/1800 to be exact) that I installed last year decided to up and die on me a few weeks back. Gave me about 2 days notice where it worked all day then, at some point (i think it was the massive potholes I hit on I-84 in NY) it developed an internal error and stopped charging. 2 mornings in a row I discovered it with a weak start and was able to reset it. The third morning however the unit would no longer reset and as far as I can tell after following all the troubleshooting it's an unrecoverable fault. Luckily when I redesigned my battery setup I had this possibility in mind so it was a simple cable swap from one terminal stud to another.

Now, the real reason I'm posting this is, it appears these units have been discontinued. Very hard to find any definitive info, but it appears to have happened somewhere between when Tesla bought the company and when they were later sold off to some other overseas company. If I'm wrong, please correct me and point me in the right direction.

So where does that leave everyone who has one of these units and an electrical system set up for them. They were available on some trucks from the factory with the dealers being the primary distributors for the modules. Durring my searches I discovered another company that makes similar modules. They were mainly in European markets (if I remember correctly) but recently expanded (I think earlier this year) to add North American distribution.

https://www.skeletontech.com/skelstart-u...art-module

Being unknown to me and still somewhat new, I'm hesitant to jump in and try it without more information. Has anyone on here heard of and/or used these?

I had the maxwell esm 2+ years ago, purchased from amazon about $700. it worked great for a while, nice clean start ups and in cold weather. Then I parked the truck for a bit and the f thing was totally dead. Wasn't accepting charge from batteries. Conclusion is that despite claims of durability they are electrically sensitive I think. Anyhow, Im now on 4 AGM duracells from sams club, about $200 each. Pricey but high cca and hold charge pretty well, and so far better than any system Ive had. Haven't heard of skeleton tech but after maxwell, plus their lack of support and business viability, its a risk.