Picture this: it is 5 am at the depot, the first truck is due out, and the starter just clicks. Whether that truck runs on 12 volts or 24 volts decides which jump starter will get it moving. This guide walks through how to pick the right one for your fleet. See the full range of 24V jump starters.
12V, 24V or both: which jump starter do you need?
Cars, utes, 4WDs and light commercial vehicles run on 12 volts. Trucks, buses, prime movers, earthmoving equipment and most mining machinery run on 24 volts. A jump starter has to match the vehicle, so there are three kinds:
- 12V only: for cars, 4WDs and light vehicles.
- 24V only: for a fleet that is all trucks, buses or heavy machinery.
- 12V and 24V in one unit (a dual-voltage or 12/24V jump starter): a selector switch picks the voltage, so one unit covers a mixed fleet and nobody has to carry two machines.
Durst makes its HYPASTART supercapacitor jump starters in all three. Here is which model is which.
HYPASTART models by voltage
| Model | Voltage | Output connector | Made for |
|---|---|---|---|
| HYPASTART X500 | 12V only | Compact personal unit | Cars, 4WDs, touring, camping, marine and motorcycles. Up to 1200A peak, with a built-in LED light. |
| HYPA-X2500 | 12V and 24V | Anderson | Service fleets, workshops, trucks, buses and light heavy vehicles. The all-rounder. |
| HYPA-X2500-24 | 24V only | Anderson | Truck and bus fleets that never need 12V. |
| HYPA-X2500MS-CAT | 12V and 24V | CAT receptacle | Mining equipment, heavy transport and field-service vehicles that use the CAT plug. |
| HYPA-X2500MS-600 | 24V only | CAT receptacle | The hybrid: supercapacitor starting plus integrated lithium backup power, for remote sites that need stored power as well as a start. |
| HYPA-X4500MS | 12V and 24V | CAT receptacle | Heavy transport, mining equipment and large diesel engines. |
| HYPA-X6500MS | 24V only | CAT receptacle | The largest mining equipment and ultra-class haul trucks. |
Two families: Transport and MINE
- Transport family (Anderson plug output): X2500 models, such as the HYPA-X2500 and HYPA-X2500-24, plus the X4500.
- MINE family (CAT plug output): X2500, X4500 and X6500 models, such as the HYPA-X2500MS-CAT, HYPA-X4500MS and HYPA-X6500MS. Hybrid models ending in -600, such as the HYPA-X2500MS-600, are part of the MINE family with CAT output.
Transport and MINE families: designed and made in Australia with a 5-year warranty.
HYPASTART X500: imported, with a 1-year warranty.
Leads, and starting from up to 10 m away
HYPA units are sold without leads. Lead sets in 1.5 m and 3 m, Anderson or CAT, are standard and always available. Anything else is made to order, up to 10 m.
That 10 m option matters. HYPASTART has the performance to start a vehicle from a distance, which suits long-range or exclusion-zone starts where people need to stay well back from the machine. Some of Durst's police customers use 10 m leads, and Durst has confirmed that starts work well at that length.
Prefer a lithium or battery jump starter?
Durst also makes two lithium truck jump starters. The Truck Master BJC-8000 (12V) is built for American-style 12V trucks such as Freightliner, Mack, Kenworth and Cummins-powered rigs, and is rated at 8000 amps. The Truck Master BJC-9000 (24V) is made for mining trucks, earthmoving gear and big diesel engines. Read more in our 24V Truck Master guide.
For workshops that want a battery unit, the BJC-4000-V2 is a portable 12V and 24V AGM jump starter rated at 900 CCA at 12V and 450 CCA at 24V, and the BJT-200-V3 is a trolley-mounted 12/24V unit for depots and bus yards. See the full Jump Starters range.
How does a supercapacitor jump starter work?
Most jump starters store energy in a lead-acid or lithium battery. A capacitance discharge starter, or CDS, stores energy in supercapacitors instead. Supercapacitors charge and discharge much faster than a chemical battery, which is why a capacitor-based unit can go from flat to ready in minutes rather than hours.
The DURST HYPASTART is one example. It is a battery-less 12V/24V jump starter built around high-capacity supercapacitors rather than battery cells. If you drive a 4WD rather than a truck, our post on why the best 4WD jump starter has no battery covers the smaller X500.
Capacitor jump starter vs battery jump starter
- Charge speed: a capacitor unit typically charges in minutes; a battery unit can take a lot longer.
- Cycle life: batteries wear with repeated charge and discharge. Supercapacitors handle many more cycles before performance drops off.
- Gassing: lead-acid and lithium batteries can give off gas when charging, which is a concern in poorly ventilated spaces. A capacitor unit does not rely on that chemistry, so the battery gassing risk is removed.
A feature specific to the HYPASTART is "HYPACHARGE", which lets the unit start a vehicle even if its own charge is low, by drawing a small amount of energy from the vehicle's own flat battery first. The process: connect the leads, switch to "Energise", wait for the "READY" light, switch to "START", then switch back to "Energise" briefly after the engine runs to top up the unit.
Is it safe to jump start a vehicle underground or in a mine?
Underground mines and other confined spaces have limited ventilation, so hydrogen gas from battery charging is harder to clear. That is one reason capacitor-based jump starters are used there: with no battery cell giving off gas, that particular risk is taken out of the picture. Always follow your site's own procedures.
Custom voltage builds are also available for specific jobs. Aviation, for example, sometimes calls for a non-standard voltage such as 36V.
How long does a jump starter last?
A typical lithium-ion jump starter has a working life of around 2 to 4 years before its capacity drops noticeably. The supercapacitors in a HYPASTART are generally rated for 10 to 15 years and up to 1 million charge cycles, because they don't go through the same chemical wear as battery cells.
Starting power: why a Durst amp is a real amp
Jump starters are all about starting power, and that is where Durst leads. Every HYPASTART is rated in cranking amps: real current, delivered into a real starter motor, that you can measure with a clamp meter. When Durst says 2000A or 3000A, that is what turns the engine over.
Why we don't headline peak amps
Supercapacitors can produce enormous peak figures for a fraction of a second. Those numbers are real in a lab, but they are so high that most people assume they are a gimmick, and on their own they say nothing about whether a unit will keep a big diesel cranking. Plenty of small jump starters are sold on peak numbers like that. A run-of-the-mill 4000A jump starter is nothing like a Durst 4000A jump starter. We would rather give you the number that actually starts the engine.
Capacitor banks: where the starting power lives
Every HYPASTART is built from banks of six 2.7V, 3000F supercapacitors wired in series. More banks means more stored energy behind the starter motor, so the unit holds its voltage up under a heavy load instead of collapsing mid-crank:
- HYPA-X2500: 12 supercapacitors, 2 banks. Cars, light commercials, trucks and buses.
- HYPA-X4500MS: 24 supercapacitors, 4 banks. Double the X2500, for big prime movers and heavy machinery.
- HYPA-X6500MS: 36 supercapacitors, 6 banks. Triple the X2500, for the largest 24V mining equipment.
Here is what that means on the road. Put an X2500 on a big Kenworth and the capacitors simply cannot hold up: the voltage drops to zero like a short and the engine does nothing. Put an X4500 on the same truck and it fires straight up. That is the difference starting power makes, and it is why the X4500 is the unit to reach for on the big engines.
The X6500: built because a customer asked for more
A mining customer running X4500s was starting everything on site with them, except one machine: a Hitachi EX600 excavator. So they asked Durst for more power. Durst built the X6500, and the EX600 now starts too.
That is how Durst works. When something will not start, we build the jump starter that starts it. HYPASTART units are on every mine site in Australia and in use around the world, and Durst makes some of the most powerful jump starters in the world.
The HYPA-X2500MS-600 hybrid: start it, then keep it running
The HYPA-X2500MS-600 is a 24V hybrid we designed for a mining customer. It is an X2500 with a set of built-in lithium batteries (2 x 20Ah) and a CAT plug output. The batteries recharge its own capacitors, so it is ready to go again without a vehicle battery, and they can also act as a power supply.
A selector switch does the clever part. In START, the capacitors fire for the jump start. Once the engine (usually a diesel) is running, switch to RUN: the capacitors switch off and the batteries take over, running the vehicle's electrics such as lights and air. If the alternator has failed, that keeps a stranded machine powered so it can be driven out. It was built to help recover a failed mining loader from a tunnel, and it has become one of our most popular units.
Can you jump start a diesel engine with a portable jump starter?
Yes, as long as the unit has the starting power for the engine. Diesel engines need more cranking power than petrol engines of a similar size, particularly in cold conditions, and the bigger the engine, the more banks you want behind it. The table below shows how the range steps up.
Specifications by model (from durst.com.au product pages)
| Specification | HYPA-X2500 (Transport) | HYPA-X2500MS-CAT (MINE) | HYPA-X4500MS (MINE) | HYPA-X6500MS (MINE) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Voltage | 12V / 24V | 12V / 24V | 12V / 24V | 24V |
| Cranking amps | 2000A at 12V, 1000A at 24V | 2000A at 12V, 1000A at 24V | Double the X2500's banks: starts the big engines the X2500 can't | 3000A |
| Supercapacitors | 12 x 2.7V 3000F (2 banks of 6) | 12 x 2.7V 3000F (2 banks of 6) | 24 x 2.7V 3000F (4 banks of 6) | 36 x 2.7V 3000F (6 banks of 6) |
| Output | 350A Anderson | CAT receptacle | CAT receptacle | CAT receptacle |
| Charging | From vehicle battery | From vehicle battery | Supplied 240V charger | Supplied 240V charger |
| Weight | 14 kg | 15 kg | 26 kg | 30 kg |
| Dimensions | 490 x 260 x 110 mm | 490 x 260 x 110 mm | 670 x 320 x 210 mm | 670 x 320 x 210 mm |
The hybrid HYPA-X2500MS-600 (MINE, 24V, CAT, 2 x 20Ah lithium) is rated at 2300A cranking amps and weighs 21 kg.
Common safety and build features across the range
| Feature | What it does |
|---|---|
| HYPACHARGE | Allows use within minutes of connecting, even from a low charge state |
| Anti-spark | Reduces sparking when connecting or disconnecting leads |
| Reverse polarity protection | Prevents damage from incorrect connection |
| Anti-spike protection | Protects the unit's electronics from voltage spikes |
| 12V/24V selector | One unit covers both voltage systems |
| Self-resettable fuse | Ignition-protected fuse that resets itself after a fault |
| LCD monitor | Displays capacity and charge level |
Frequently asked questions
What is a 12V/24V jump starter?
A dual-voltage jump starter that can start both 12V vehicles, like cars and light commercial vehicles, and 24V vehicles, like trucks, buses and heavy machinery, from one unit.
How does a supercapacitor jump starter work?
Instead of a battery, it stores energy in supercapacitors, which charge and discharge very quickly and avoid the gassing that comes with lead-acid or lithium batteries.
What's the difference between a capacitor jump starter and a battery jump starter?
A capacitor jump starter charges faster, handles more charge cycles before it wears, and removes the battery gassing risk. A battery jump starter usually has a shorter working life and takes longer to recharge.
Can you jump start a diesel engine with a portable jump starter?
Yes, as long as the unit is rated for the engine's cranking load. Diesels generally need more cranking current than petrol engines of a similar size.
Is it safe to jump start a vehicle underground or in a mine?
Capacitor-based jump starters avoid battery gassing, which is why they are used in underground mines and other confined spaces. Always follow site procedures.
How long does a jump starter last?
A typical lithium-ion jump starter lasts around 2 to 4 years. HYPASTART supercapacitors are generally rated for 10 to 15 years and up to 1 million charge cycles.
Can I jump start a 24V truck with a 12V jump starter?
No. A 12V unit will not start a 24V system. Use a 24V or a 12/24V unit with the selector set to 24V, and check the vehicle manual first.
Do HYPASTART units come with leads?
No. HYPA units are sold without leads. 1.5 m and 3 m Anderson or CAT leads are standard, and custom lengths up to 10 m are made to order. Truck Master units come with an Anderson to clamp cable set.
Featured products
Last updated 29 October 2026
