HUMLESS OFF-GRID SERIES 12KWH POWER SYSTEM $14,739.78
Posted on 07/05/2018 9:00:49 AM PDT by Alberta's Child
I'm looking for some input on a piece of equipment I will be using for business and travel.
I need a portable power supply that can serve two functions: (1) charge small electronic equipment (mainly a phone and/or a laptop computer) when I have no access to power; and (2) provide power for electronic equipment for hours at a time when I am working in a location where I do not have power.
Item (2) is what is driving my need here. I will be working on several projects where I may need to set up a small digital video camera in locations that are sheltered from the weather but do not have electric power. In my line of work I would ideally love to have a power source that will run a digital camera or iPhone for 24 hours between charges.
I'm finding a wide range of options in the automotive, travel, and outdoor sections of online retail sites, and I'm not sure where to even begin with all these comparisons. I want to buy something that has a good track record for durability over time. What kind of wattage, voltage, etc. should I be looking for?
If there's something out there that has enough power to jump-start a full-sized pickup truck in an emergency, that would be a huge bonus!
I keep two lightning chargers (small portable battery chargers) with me. I also have a small converter that plugs into car outlet and converts 9v DC to 110v AC.
I can get 1.5 recharges on my phone with the portable battery chargers, extends use by about 6 hours. And of course as long as my vehicle runs, I can charge my computer and phone and have even run a demo saw off of it.
Sorry, I don’t know the brand name. My equipment is actually in my vehicle.
First rule that I use is weight. If it’s lead acid, and most are still lead acid, then the weight of the supply mostly battery weight (if it’s fairly heavy). Often they won’t tell you the amp-hours of the battery, so the weight of the item is the next best way to compare its capacity and starting power, if you need that function.
If it’s lithium ion, I’m sure they’ll let you know, and it will be much lighter for the same capacity battery, so the weight comparison won’t be as useful, but it’s still probably the best if no other option.
Has worked very well for me.
As to comparing lead acid to lithium ion, sorry can’t help much there - maybe consider contacting the manufacturers for technical info.
HUMLESS OFF-GRID SERIES 12KWH POWER SYSTEM $14,739.78
Get a gen. Honda whisper quiet. Unless you like to mess with batteries.
Not an expert nor a recent purchaser but a couple of your questions can be answered by looking at the equipment you intend to power. First, the equipment will tell you on its data sticker or accompanying user info the required voltage for operations. Second, that same resource will tell you how much current it draws in amps or amps/hr. Those figures will guide you on what power source you will require in order to get 24 hours of use. Also, forget about this same source being good for starting your vehicle as that kind of use is totally different from your proposed continuous use equipment of a camera or cell phone. The auto supply store will have multiple alternatives for a portable, rechargeable jump battery. It might even feature USB charging ports.
Have you look into a combination jump-starter, air pump, 110 ac inverter? Most come with 5v USB ports these days.
JUMP-N-CARRY. $127-$200. Amazon depending on size.
My portable charger ..... phone, laptop, cameras etc . Have had it for a year now and works for weeks of heavy use before I have to charge it back up ......
Best buy has em ..... or Beso’s Buy ..... Spend the extra for the 20,000 mAh version.
https://www.amazon.com/Tzumi-4674B-Pocket-Portable-Charger/dp/B06XHXL6FT
About the size of an iPhone 6 and as thick as a deck of cards ..... solid piece of gear for my needs .
Reliability and maintenance issues are important, as is having a substantial fuel supply prepped for long term storage. Diesel has the best reliability and requires less maintenance. Solar is less reliable and requires large battery installation for night and cloudy days, but maintenance is minimal. Gasoline powered generators do not last long in use and need more maintenance than diesel. Alas, diesel tends to be noisy, a drawback that can be mitigated somewhat through sound deadening at installation. In practice, during a long hurricane caused power outage, after three or four days, one heard diesel generators going in the neighborhood, with gasoline powered models having broken down and fallen silent.
Anybody familiar with this product?
I remember seeing that product.
Probably didn’t register the name as a trademark and had to rename the product
I think you have to narrow down the application (more specifically, the req’d wattage or amp-hours) fairly brutally.
The ideal thing that comes to mind would be a solar panel > charger type of affair with about the footprint of a laptop. If you are charging batts for very low power digital devices, that’s one thing. If you need to jump start a Cummins V-10 diesel that’s quite another. And of course, you have to ponder whether there will be sunshine wherever you’re going.
There are very clever fold-up solar chargers https://www.ecokarma.net/best-portable-solar-chargers-and-panels/ under $100 and sometimes $40. Those wouldn’t kill you cost wise if you tried them and they didn’t quite fit the bill.
You thinking maybe Alberta's Child is headin' off to where the sun don't shine?
If a portable inverter type generator (those wicked quiet honda things)is not an option, then Goal Zero is a product line to look at. They have storage and “generators” from small phone rechargers, to units (still relatively small) that will run your tailgating refrigerator and boom box. If I remember, their list and capabilities is pretty complete so knowing the draw your combined devices will guide the choice of storage.
KYPD
We have poor power reliability in our area over the winter. I have collected a bunch of these things over the years for various purposes, along with generators.
It doesn’t sound like you need one with much capacity. Just about anything will probably work for you. If you buy one that turns out to not have quite enough capacity, just buy another one. When it comes to back up power supplies two is almost always better than one.
I also have a couple small units that take rechargeable and alkaline AA batteries for camping or traveling.
“JUMP-N-CARRY. $127-$200. Amazon depending on size.”
Yep, that’s what you need to jump vehicle. The JNC950 will jump our trucks and diesel farm tractor. Some models need a 12V adapter for charging devices via USB cable, but others come with built-in USB.
Also, I keep an Anker PowerCore 10000 in my bag for my iPhone/iPad. There are other models with even more Amp-hours.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.