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Frequently Asked Questions

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Q: What products does Kold-Ban International make?

Kold-Ban International, LTD manufactures proprietary engine starting solutions across four product families:

  • BoatStartPlus™ — Permanent onboard supercapacitor starting systems for marine vessels (MKSM series)
  • KSM™ Supercapacitor KAPower® Starting Modules — Permanent onboard starting systems for land vehicles including municipal fleets, construction equipment, and agricultural machinery (KSM series)
  • KrankingKART™ — Portable supercapacitor jump starters, including the KrankingKART™ and KrankingKART™ Mini HD®
  • Ether Systems — High-pressure starting fluid injection systems for diesel engines, including the DIESELMATIC® and DIESELMATIC NVT™


All products are designed and manufactured in Lake in the Hills, Illinois.

Q: What is KAPower®?

KAPower® is Kold-Ban’s proprietary energy storage technology — an asymmetrical electrochemical supercapacitor engineered specifically for engine starting. It is the core technology inside every BoatStartPlus™ and KSM™ product. Unlike a standard battery, KAPower® stores and releases energy almost instantly, delivering maximum cranking power in milliseconds. It is rated for 15–20 years of service life and over 1,000,000 charge cycles.

Q: Does Kold-Ban’s supercapacitor replace my battery?

No. BoatStartPlus™ and KSM™ work alongside your existing battery — not instead of it. Some battery power must remain to run your engine’s electronics and other electrical loads (ECMs, blowers, pumps, lighting, etc.). Kold-Ban’s system handles the engine starting event. Your battery handles everything else.

Q: What engine sizes are compatible?

Kold-Ban offers six models covering a wide range of engine sizes:

  • KSM Kompact® / BoatStartPlus™ (KSM2012 / MKSM2012) — Up to 7L
  • KSM612 / BoatStartPlus™ XL (MKSM612) — Up to 8L
  • KSM1012 / BoatStartPlus™ Boost (MKSM1012) — Up to 15L
  • KSM1212 / BoatStartPlus™ Turbo (MKSM1212) — Up to 15L
  • KSM1024 / BoatStartPlus™ Ultra (MKSM1024) — Up to 32L (24V)
  • KSM1224 / BoatStartPlus™ MAX (MKSM1224) — Up to 32L (24V)


Not sure which model fits your engine? Call us at (800) 527-8278.

Q: What vehicles and equipment are compatible?

Kold-Ban starting systems are used across a wide range of applications:

  • Marine — Recreational boats, offshore sport fishers, center consoles, express cruisers, commercial vessels, tug and tow boats, patrol craft, military small boats
  • RV — Class A, B, and C motorhomes, travel trailers with engine starting systems
  • Municipal — Transit buses, police vehicles, fire apparatus, ambulances, public works trucks, utility vehicles
  • Industrial — Construction equipment, agricultural machinery, heavy commercial vehicles, tow trucks
  • Military/Navy — Tactical vehicles, support vessels, generators, base operations equipment


The BoatStartPlus™ (MKSM) series is designed and rated for marine environments. The KSM™ series is designed for land vehicle applications. The KrankingKART™ is a portable jump starter for any engine.

Q: How does the supercapacitor start my engine if the battery is dead?

There is a contactor inside the module. Normally it is open — no capacitor power is present at the terminals. The contactor closes only during an engine starting event, when the driver engages the starter motor, or when the module is recharging. When the contactor closes, the KAPower® module delivers a powerful burst of energy to the starter motor. Between starts, the module is fully isolated from the battery and electrical system, waiting for the next starting event — independent of battery state of charge.

Q: How quickly does it recharge after a start?

The module fully recharges in approximately 30 seconds from your vehicle’s or vessel’s electrical system — or from any 12V DC power source. No manual charging is required. It recharges automatically while the engine is running.

Q: How long will it hold its charge if the vehicle or vessel sits unused?

When fully isolated, the module retains enough energy to start an engine for over a year without any external charging source.

[ℹ Link or download to KBI KSM61200 self-discharge chart for technical detail — TBD]

Q: How many times can it start an engine on a single charge?

As an example, the 10-cell 12V module (KSM1012 / BoatStartPlus™ Boost) can achieve approximately 20 starts on a 6.2L engine on a single charge, with no other charge or storage source working. After that, a 30-second recharge is required.

Q: Is BoatStartPlus™ waterproof? How does it handle the marine environment?

BoatStartPlus™ (MKSM series) features a sealed enclosure with IP67-rated components, meaning the components are dust-tight and rated to withstand immersion in water up to 1 meter for 30 minutes. The unit is also designed to handle shipboard vibration and salt-spray exposure. It is important to note that IP67 is a component-level rating — there is no system-level waterproof rating for the complete unit. For best results, install in a protected location in the engine compartment away from direct water immersion.

The KSM™ land vehicle series is weatherproof but is not rated for marine environments and should not be used on boats or vessels.

[ℹ For full installation guidance, refer to the installation instructions included with the unit or contact Kold-Ban at (800) 527-8278.]

Q: What is the difference between the model that isolates after starting versus the one that stays online while the engine runs?

If your vehicle or vessel has considerable electrical loads while the engine is running, keeping the module online (rather than isolating after the start) can be beneficial. The KAPower® supercapacitor has very low internal resistance, so when kept online it can help reduce or buffer any voltage brownouts the electrical system may experience under heavy load. Your installer or our team can advise which configuration is right for your application.

Q: Is it safe to connect? Do I need to make the initial connection through a resistor?

No resistor is needed. The module is supplied pre-charged and retains a charge, so initial connection is straightforward. A charged module should be treated like a fully charged battery.

Q: Can I electrocute or shock myself?

No. KAPower® is not a high-voltage device. It supplies the same voltage it was charged to — the same amount of voltage as your vehicle’s battery system. A charged module should be treated as you would a fully charged battery.

Q: Is there a current-limiting system, or does the full amperage flow instantly?

Ohm’s Law governs how much current is supplied to the load. The starter motor has a known resistance that determines how much current the KAPower® module delivers. In practice, it operates similarly to having a fully charged battery always available — delivering the right amount of current for the cranking event.

[ℹ Link or download to technical reference TR0007 for complete technical detail — TBD. Existing URL: https://www.koldban.com/v/vspfiles/assets/images/documents/TR0007.pdf]

Q: Can I compare KAPower® ratings to battery CCA, MCA, RC, or AH ratings?

No — capacitor ratings and battery ratings are not directly comparable. They measure fundamentally different things. For a complete technical explanation, see our technical reference document.

[ℹ Link or download to TR0007 — TBD. Existing URL: https://www.koldban.com/v/vspfiles/assets/images/documents/TR0007.pdf]

Q: Does it work in extreme temperatures?

Yes. KAPower® operates at full power from -40°F to 149°F with zero degradation. It can crank an engine on as little as 9 volts, delivering reliable starts in conditions where a traditional battery alone cannot perform.

Q: How long does it last?

KAPower® is rated for 15–20 years of service life and over 1,000,000 charge cycles. It requires no maintenance and has no replacement intervals.

Q: What is the warranty?

BoatStartPlus™ and KSM™ modules carry a 3-year warranty on the module and a 1-year warranty on components.

Q: What does “Power Density” mean, and why does it matter for engine starting?

There are two ways to rate any energy storage device — Power and Energy. Think of runners in a race: the sprinter has power (fast out of the blocks, but only briefly); the marathon runner has energy (not as fast, but keeps going). Supercapacitors have high power density — they release energy in a very fast, powerful burst, which is exactly what engine starting requires. Batteries have higher energy density — better for sustained loads like running lights, pumps, and electronics. KAPower® is optimized for the starting event; your battery handles everything else.

Q: What is the KrankingKART™?

The KrankingKART™ is a portable supercapacitor jump starter powered by KAPower® technology. Unlike battery-based jump packs, it never needs to be plugged in, has no batteries to maintain, and recharges fully in 30 seconds from the vehicle it just started — or from any 12V source. It delivers 1,500 amps of cranking power and is rated for 1,000,000+ recharge cycles.

Two models are available:

  • KrankingKART™ — Full-size unit with handle and wheels, 19 lbs
  • KrankingKART™ Mini HD® — Compact handheld unit

Q: Who uses KrankingKART™?

KrankingKART™ is used by anyone who needs a reliable, maintenance-free portable jump starter — from recreational boaters, RV owners, and outdoor enthusiasts to tow truck operators who use it as a professional tool to jump-start customer vehicles. It works on any 12V engine.

Q: Does the KrankingKART™ need to be charged before use?

It recharges from any 12V source in approximately 30 seconds — including the battery it is jumping. No AC power or external charger is needed.

Q: What is a diesel ether starting system and why is it needed?

Even with modern fuel injection and electronic engine controls, diesel engines can still struggle to start cleanly in cold weather. Without a starting aid, a cold diesel may crank excessively, produce heavy white smoke, run rough until it warms up, and put unnecessary wear on starters and batteries. A high-pressure ether injection system delivers a precise amount of starting fluid into the air intake at the right moment, helping the engine fire cleanly and quickly — reducing wear, emissions, and the strain on your battery and starter.
“It’s not just ‘no starts’ we’re trying to address. It’s cold-start characteristics that we can improve dramatically for relatively little cost.” — James O. Burke, Vice President, Kold-Ban International, LTD

Q: What is the DIESELMATIC® and when is it used?

The DIESELMATIC® is Kold-Ban’s fully automatic, high-pressure starting fluid injection system for diesel engines — the most widely used and effective cold-starting aid available. It eliminates manual ether application by automatically delivering precisely metered starting fluid at the right moment. The DIESELMATIC® is used by commercial truck fleets, construction equipment operators, agricultural machinery operators, and OEM manufacturers worldwide. Over 1,000,000 DIESELMATIC® systems have been installed and operated successfully. Kold-Ban pioneered the first truly automatic ether injection system and holds over 19 U.S. patents on ether system technology.

Q: What is the DIESELMATIC NVT™?

The DIESELMATIC NVT™ (New Valve Technology) is Kold-Ban’s modern ether injection system designed for engines with electronic control modules (ECMs). It was developed in direct collaboration with major North American heavy-duty diesel engine manufacturers to ensure precise ECM-controlled ether injection. The NVT plugs directly into the engine control module with no separate interface required, delivering a perfect cold engine start every time without any manual intervention.

Q: Can an ether system and a KSM™ supercapacitor starting module be used together on the same engine?

Yes. Kold-Ban offers an integrated system that combines both the KAPower® supercapacitor starting module and an ether injection system into a single engine starting package. The two technologies address different aspects of cold starting — the supercapacitor provides the cranking power to turn the engine over, while the ether system ensures the engine fires cleanly and quickly in extreme cold. Together, they provide the most comprehensive cold-start solution available for diesel engines.

Q: At what temperature is an ether starting system needed?

There is no single universal temperature threshold — the point at which an ether starting system is beneficial depends on the specific engine, its application, and how long it has been cold-soaked. What is consistent is the underlying physics: diesel fuel requires a combustion chamber temperature of approximately 700°F to ignite. As ambient temperatures drop, a cold engine struggles to reach that threshold through compression alone. Ethyl ether has a much lower auto-ignition temperature of approximately 356°F, which is why introducing it into the combustion chamber allows the engine to fire in conditions where it otherwise couldn’t start cleanly — or at all.
In practice, electronically controlled systems like the DIESELMATIC NVT™ monitor actual engine coolant and block temperature and activate automatically when starting fluid is needed — no manual judgment required. The specific activation threshold is calibrated to the engine and application.

[ℹ Link or download to ECESF technical paper for engineering-level detail — TBD. Existing URL: https://koldban.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/ECESF.pdf]

Q: Who uses ether starting systems?

Ether systems are used wherever diesel engines operate in cold climates and reliable cold starts are critical:

  • Commercial truck fleets operating in cold-weather regions
  • Construction and agricultural equipment in seasonal climates
  • Military vehicles and equipment
  • Generator sets and stationary diesel power equipment
  • Any diesel application where a slow, rough, or failed cold start is unacceptable

Q: Is the DIESELMATIC® expensive compared to other cold-start solutions?

The cost of one no-start event — including service calls, downtime, and wear on starters and batteries — can easily exceed the cost of a DIESELMATIC® system. As James O. Burke, Kold-Ban’s Vice President, puts it:
“To the savvy maintenance manager who looks at his cold weather operating costs and realizes that the cost of one of these systems can be less than one no-start, it’s cheap insurance.” — James O. Burke, Vice President, Kold-Ban International, LTD