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The Enkeeo Portable Power Station review


REVIEW – As a photographer/videographer, when shooting at various locations, I am always in need of power for charging or powering accessories, especially so when at remote locations. For a very long time, I have been carrying at least six different portable battery packs on every shoot to make sure that most of my power demands are met. The additional challenge has been to find a portable solution for powering some of my strobe flashes when mobile. There are some strobe flashes that come with a built-in battery, but they are relatively expensive and the built-in battery does not have built-in ports to add any versatility or additional external charging options. The Enkeeo portable power station may have enough versatility and power to handle a major part of my power needs. Let’s put it to the test.

What is it?

The Enkeeo Portable Power station is a portable power supply that has a built-in 155Wh (equivalent 42000mAh) battery to provide power to multiple devices via various power ports. The built-in ports are AC/DC/QC3.0 USB OUTPUTS: built with 2 x AC outlet (max 100W); 2 x DC port (12V/10A, max 15A); 1 x USB QC3.0 (4-9V/2.1A) and 2 USB ports (5V/2A). It is capable of charging laptops, phones, cameras, fans, other electronic gadgets, and powering some small appliances.

What’s in the box


1 x S155 ENKEEO power station
1 x 15V/2A power adapter
1 x Car charger
1 x Cigarette lighter adapter
1 x Cable to transfer MC4 to DC35135
1 x User manual
1 x Informational Card

Design and features

Features

  • Multiple safety protection
  • 2 AC ports & 2 DC ports
  • 3 USB ports (includes 1 QC3.0)
  • Solar panels supported
  • Large LED Status Display screen

On the front of the Enkeeo Power Station, there are 2 buttons for status checks. The button on the left allows you to check the battery status and the USB output. The button on the right checks the AC output. There is an LED display in the middle that provides the information.




On one of the narrow sides of the power station, there are the power ports as illustrated below.



On the opposite side, there is a flashlight, the flashlight switch (long press the switch for 3 seconds to turn it on, you can switch between normal light, blink, and SOS mode with one click), and the DC Input Charging port.


Performance

The Enkeeo Portable Power Station performs well as a power supply and charging device. I have used it to power my streaming encoder device while charging other accessories and powering small Blackmagicdesign converter boxes. It works quite well, and with its 42000mah capacity battery, its charge lasts a long time. While the capacity time depends on what you are charging and/or powering, even with a laptop plugged in it is good to go for more hours at a time than I am able to use it for. I did test it with devices requiring more than the 100W which is more than its AC output is capable of, and each time that was a non-starter. It is also important to note that the 100W AC power if cumulative for the 2 AC ports.

What I like

  • The number of ports and powering options
  • Its ability to be recharged via solar panels
  • The battery capacity
  • The compact size and that it is lightweight

What can be improved

  • The build quality (Its all-plastic construction raises concerns about its durability and ability to withstand any real daily abuse)

Final thoughts

This portable power station works great for charging devices like laptops and phones and most other portable and rechargeable devices. It also works well to power my streaming encoder device and, while I may hardly use it, the built-in flashlight is a plus. I was hoping that I would be able to use this power station to power my flash strobes, but all of my strobes are rated over the 100 watts that the Enkeeo provides via its AC ports, so it is back to the drawing board for that. I also do not like that the Enkeeo is constructed of all plastic and I am concerned about its ability to stand up to the daily abuse that is an inherent part of on-location shoots. Otherwise, it is a good power station and in my opinion, it is worth the price.

Price: $119.99
Where to buy: Amazon and Enkeeo
Sample: The sample for this review was provided by Enkeeo

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The Enkeeo Portable Power Station review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 17, 2019 at 8:00 am.

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BlitzWolf BW-P3 power bank review

REVIEW – Until the day when quick-charging long-lasting battery technology is commercially available to power all of our consumer electronic gadgets, an external power bank is required necessity. Blitzwolf makes a version with Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0. Read on to see what I think!                                               

What is it?

The BlitzWolf BW-P3 power bank is a gadget that you can use to charge rechargeable devices.  The power bank contains batteries and circuitry to regulate power output. The circuitry ensures that the power delivered to each USB port is optimized to minimize the charging time required. Special circuitry, licensed by Qualcomm, is available to charge compatible devices as quickly as possible. 

What’s in the box?


BlitzWolf® BW-P3 QC3.0 Power Bank
Micro USB Charging Cable
User Manual
Warranty Card

Design and features

Specifications

 Brand  BlitzWolf®
 Model  BW-P3
 Capacity  9000mAh/33.3Wh
 Power  18W(two USB ports total)
 Input  5V/2A (max)
 Output 1  5V/2.4A (max)
 Output 2  5V/2.4A (non-Quick Charge,universal)
3.6-6.5V/3A,6.5-9V/2A,9-12V/1.5A (QC3.0)
 Charging time  5 hours (with 5V/2A Charger)
10 hours (with 5V/1A Charger)
 Size  102*61.5*21.3mm
 Weight  225g±5g
 Certification  CE,FCC,Qualcomm QC3.0

Unboxing

The power bank is made and ships from China. It took 18 days from the day I ordered it to arrive: 13 days from Shenzhen, China to Chicago, Illinois, USA, and another 4 days from Chicago to Massachusetts, USA.

The Package was well wrapped and the box inside didn’t show any signs of damage from the trip.

 

Design of the BlitzWolf® BW-P3 QC3.0 Power Bank

Weighing in at 221 grams and slightly larger than a deck of cards, the power pack has a substantial feel to it, indicative of a solid, well-crafted device. Its dimensions are perfect for large and small hands and make it easy to hold alongside a phone or tablet while charging. The dimensions are also perfect to hold 3 TR 18650 lithium batteries, which hold the charge for this unit. I purchased this six months ago, but the manufacturer is currently selling these units as a 10000 mAh capacity device. Since I charged the unit to 37 Wh I’m not sure if they changed the capacity inside or just changed the label on the case. TR 18650 batteries come in many capacities, so a change in the supplier may have allowed Blitzwolf to upgrade their product

The Aluminum shell does not feel like it will dent or buckle if pressed. The front and back end, fabricated from black plastic are inset into the aluminum frame and gives the device a well crafted and defined appearance. The power button is large yet it doesn’t rock in the frame; it’s another design specification and manufacturing touch which confirms that this is a well designed and constructed device.

The bottom of the unit is emblazoned with the Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 symbol and text.

The top of the unit has the BlitzWolf logo and 4 white LEDs to indicate remaining capacity and charging status.

The LEDs are quite bright and easy to see even in full sun. 

Performance

I monitored the power bank charging with a J7-t safety tester and also monitored the temperature of the battery pack with an infrared thermometer.

Charging

The power bank draws up to 8 W (5.2 V, 1.52 amps) while charging. It took 3:42 to charge 24 Wh. While charging the case temperature rose from 73°F to 82°F. The next time it was empty I charged the pack using the supplied cable and it took 5:21 to charge 37 Wh. So it appears that the unit does have the stated capacity of 33.3 Wh.

Discharging

I used the power bank to charge a completely dead iPhone 6. It took 3:51 to charge the iPhone 9.9 Wh. I observed the phone charging at 7 W after an hour, so some trickle charging occurring for most of that elapsed time. The iPhone has a 6.9 Wh battery so 3 Wh was lost as heat in the charging process.

I also used the power bank to charge a dead LeTV Le Eco Le Pro 3 using the QC port. The charging occurred at up to 18.5 W (7.4 V, 2.5 amps) but changed according to the battery charging circuit requirements. The power bank charged 17 Wh into the phone by Quick Charge before being completely drained. The temperature of the case was measured as high as 104°F but dropped to 101°F as the charging continued.

What I like

  • Easy to use
  • Compact
  • High Capacity
  • QC 3.0

What needs to be improved

  • Nothing

Final thoughts

I recommend this product for those who would like to be able to charge their devices quickly and also have a good looking and dependable device. The design and performance are exactly as advertised. 

Price: $42.89 often less with sales, coupons and volume discounts
Where to buy: Banggood
Source: The Blitzwolf sample for this review was purchased with my own funds.

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BlitzWolf BW-P3 power bank review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 3, 2018 at 2:30 pm.

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The Poweradd ChargerCenter portable generator can power your essential gadgets thru the next storm


A few years ago when Hurricane Sandy tore through New York City, I was one of the folks who listened to the initial reports from officials, and based on previous hurricane forecasts, felt that the supplies I usually kept at home would be enough for the possible few hours of power outages I expected. Much to my surprise, and to the surprise of most New Yorkers, the devastation to the power grid was much worse, and the few hours of blackout turned into 14 days.

As a techie, I had a couple of small USB power packs fully charged and at the ready, but by the second day, they were fully depleted with no way of recharging them in the house. I then started charging my phones in my truck, but it was low on fuel, and I watched the fuel gauge drop lower as my phones got a relatively minimal amount of charge.

Determined to never be in that situation again, I have kept an eye out for better charging solutions. Just today, I was online and I looked at the Poweradd ChargerCenter, Compact 185Wh/50000mAh Portable Generator, Power Source (DC 5V/12V/19V) with AC Power Inverter (115V/100W). This power source is good for outdoor power when camping and hiking, etc, but I am more interested in it for my indoor needs during the next power outage or storm. With its 50000mAh battery and its 110 volt inverter, it can keep power going to all of my mobile devices, and even a small refrigerator (up to 100 watts). However, I figure that if I restrict it to charging and powering my mobile devices, I should get days of power from it. While I would obviously test this product before committing to it as my “go to” backup source, its specifications certainly look very promising.

If you would like to read more about the Poweradd ChargerCenter, Compact 185Wh/50000mAh Portable Generator, Power Source (DC 5V/12V/19V) with AC Power Inverter (115V/100W, or you would like to purchase one, head over to Amazon and check it out. It sells for $149.99.

The post The Poweradd ChargerCenter portable generator can power your essential gadgets thru the next storm appeared first on The Gadgeteer.

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The Poweradd ChargerCenter portable generator can power your essential gadgets thru the next storm originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 20, 2018 at 8:22 am.

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