When I got this it didn't seem to work at all on the DC output, not with the cell phone, nor the camera, nothing, and of course I had the dim thoughts about sending it back. Then as usual I realized the problem was not with the power pack, but something else instead, and when I tried a different cable and found I had a bad cable, then it worked fine, and I was happy again.
In addition to the obvious multiple uses for outdoor things like camping etc., I have several uses for this power pack around home as well. I have a favorite security camera designed for indoor use, but I find that it works just fine outdoors as well, and I like it better than all the outdoor cameras, but it has to be plugged in, so I use this power pack to run it. I was using two smaller power packs that each lasted about 48 hours, then would swap them out every couple days. With this power pack the camera will run forever, or at least several days longer than the two smaller power packs combined, with a bunch of other things drawing power from it at the same time, and automatically charge from the 30 Watt solar cells that I got for it.
But it is possible to overload it, as I found out in testing. Put a load from half dozen devices on the power pack, the DC charging outlets, they ran fine four a couple hours, then the DC output from the charger stopped. But of course most normal usage would most likely involve far less than a half dozen devices drawing from the power pack at the same time.
The 19 volts from the solar panels charges the power pack quite nicely in only 3 to 4 hours of direct sun light, and the seller of the solar cells states that they protect the equipment being charged, but I keep an eye on the how much the power pack is charged and make sure I keep it at a maximum of 60% to 80% and don't go above that just to be safe.
My other use for this power pack is when it storms and the power goes out, which is not often but does happen and when it does it can be out for a few hours at a time, or a day or so in the worst case. So far it has only been out for an hour or two, but when it is out it can be uncomfortable in the summer with the air-conditioning knocked out by the power outage. I have two large 18 inch fans that this power pack runs very nicely for several hours, about 8 hours for one and 4 hour for both. Those fans make a big difference when it's over 100 degrees outside.
As the seller mentions, this Power Station is not designed to be used for emergencies only. In other words, you should not charge it, then put it in the closet and wait for an emergency. They are best kept in good condition by charging and discharging them.
A very nice feature of this power station supports what they refer to ass "Pass Through Charging," which means you can charge the power station from the A/C charger or the solar panels while also running several devices from the power station at the same time.
So I plan to keep a steady load on the power station to slowly discharge it, while it also gets some solar charging when the sun is out, and will keep an eye on the charging to make sure it is charged to only about 80% to be safe, since Lithium batteries can potentially ignite if overcharged.
| Brand | ZeroKor |
|---|---|
| Power Source | Solar Powered, Battery Powered |
| Voltage | 110 Volts |
| Output Wattage | 300 Watts |
| Special Feature | Portable |
| Color | Coffee |
| Product Dimensions | 8.5"L x 6.7"W x 4.1"H |
| Runtime | 5 hours |
| Frequency | 60 Hz |
| Engine Power Maximum | 300 Watts |
| Part Number | R200 |
| Item Weight | 6.09 pounds |
| Item model number | R200 |
| Item Package Quantity | 1 |
| Special Features | Portable |
| Batteries Included? | Yes |
| Battery Cell Type | Lithium Ion |
