NOT a Jackery review! A better portable power pack??? Perfect “leisure battery” for cars/VWs/vans???

Рет қаралды 10,478

2 жыл бұрын

I needed another (I already have a Jackery 1000) small portable power pack for the VW T6 van and I've found one that fits perfectly between the front seats, still allows them to swivel because it's so compact AND so far seems really well made. In this video I share what I've found and initial impressions.
Product link here: amzn.to/3qGdapn At the time of recording it's on special offer on Amazon (a tick box voucher), making it excellent value for money! I paid £309 for mine but on the day this video was released it’s selling at £320.
Jackery 1000 (1002Wh) here: amzn.to/3GI1EQ5
Jackery 500 (518Wh) here: amzn.to/3ryrIqf
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Пікірлер: 44

@patricknitzsche5205 Жыл бұрын

I have this one for camping to run my cooling box, charge phones and stuff. I recharge it while driving or with solar panel. It works well and you can recharge it while you power something.

@thekitowl Жыл бұрын

Been looking at getting one of these & found your review. At the moment Amazon only have a £120 discount code but this still looks good value. Correction Amazon have removed the discount code, might wait until the put it back on.

@garethshaw5210 2 жыл бұрын

Hi Becky. I feel like an A list celebrity! 2 mentions in one KZfaq vlog! 😆. Believe it or not it was refreshing to see a review from somebody who knows what they are on about with a more technical description etc than just relaying info from a leaflet or website! Still don't feel I have the need for one but get that everybody has different needs. I might see if work will look I to them though as being stuck in the desert testing a vehicle and your laptop goes flat is no fun. The 12v laptop chargers that we have supplied are useless. Thanks again Becky for a useful and honest review. 👍

@CaraVanOlogywithBecky 2 жыл бұрын

Haha, thanks Gareth, I share your “pain” at any announcement of yet another Jackery “review” because exactly as you say most not reviews, they’re statements of marketing claims. Some are excellent of course and actually talk about real life use or test the claims rather than restating what we could all read in the product info (granted not everyone reads the product info!) hence NOT claiming this was a review as well as NOT being about a Jackery ;-) Hoping at some point to subject both my Jackery1000 and this to a barrage of tests THEN I’ll call it a review ;-) Thanks for watching, glad the moment of fame eased the annoyance of another mention of these things ;-)

@niceboy60 2 жыл бұрын

I bought one really impressed its inverter went up all the way to 918w before the inverter tripped to protect the powerstation

@CaraVanOlogywithBecky 2 жыл бұрын

Excellent and thanks for taking the time to share, most appreciated :)

@davidmbell 2 жыл бұрын

Popped one in my watch list on eBay as there’s one that’s on as an auction. Thank you for the review.

@CaraVanOlogywithBecky 2 жыл бұрын

Best of luck for the bidding! Haven’t had a chance to do a thorough review yet (hence the comment about regulated 12v outputs) but 1st impressions are v good.

@CamperVanya 2 жыл бұрын

Very interesting and something to consider. I'm loathe to spend so much on a Jackery and am hoping to get a solar panel fitted at some point just don't know when. Thanks for this Becky 👍

@CaraVanOlogywithBecky 2 жыл бұрын

My pleasure, decent solar is a great investment (and as alluded to imho probably a better long term off grid solution for most folks than these things) but really nerve wracking whilst the holes are going in! For us as my van isn’t a proper camper ie no leisure battery system this way is so much easier though than fitting a whole leisure battery system! I’m planning to build a short sort of centre console thing to hold it secure on the floor between the seats but that still allow the seats to swivel over the top! Becky x

@peteg400 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for that. Just bought one.

@peterhagan8454 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks cara

@mattkirk2482 Жыл бұрын

New to the channel. Like it lots. Much prefer the fact it wasn't sponsored. Thanks Matt

@CaraVanOlogywithBecky Жыл бұрын

Cheers and welcome aboard!

@colinrimmer789 2 жыл бұрын

Nice piece of kit Becky.

@vipdrumnbass9682 9 ай бұрын

£269 now on ebay,might grab myself one

@cic-jakevanddalgeemyers.2739 2 жыл бұрын

I'm in love with with this woman.... By the way, great reviews always. Thanks 👍

@caravaningincarathevan467 2 жыл бұрын

Yes I love it. I couldn't justify spending so much on a leasure battery like the jackery this looks much better value

@CaraVanOlogywithBecky 2 жыл бұрын

Really happy with it so far; as mentioned also have the Jackery1000 but that's running the fridge in my T6 so gets left permanently in place most of the time. Hoping to get around to some proper, science based rigorous trials of both at some point! Thanks for watching and commenting, appreciate it :)

@niceboy60 2 жыл бұрын

Specs from Swarey S500 from watching a German video Testing inverter Goes up to 822 watts which it can handle that until the battery reachs 30%

@CaraVanOlogywithBecky 2 жыл бұрын

Great info, thanks! :)

@janepaterson8992 2 жыл бұрын

I've just bought the package, with the solar panel, Ivd only had a quick look but can not figure out which cable goes into the power Bank when using the solar panel,? Could you do another video 😊

@CaraVanOlogywithBecky 2 жыл бұрын

I didn’t buy their solar panel as I already have a portable one so unfortunately can’t do a specific video but looking at the images on the Amazon product listing it looks like you should have a cable with a round 8mm plug on each end, one end goes into the corresponding socket on the solar panel (on the back inside the zipped case to the side of the USB connections…) and the other end on the matching DC input socket (same socket that mains charger gets plugged into) on the power pack itself. Hope that helps.

@Venomator. 2 жыл бұрын

Looks a pretty nifty and useful bit of kit Becky… 👍🏻 🔋 Would really like to see some real life results during use and re-charging wall/socket/car (?), and all the other usual stuff… 😉 I would say Swarey (sweary) as without the ‘y’, Sware would surely sound like swear?… 🤷🏼‍♂️ 🤪 😉

@CaraVanOlogywithBecky 2 жыл бұрын

Impressed so far but new so as mentioned not yet tested to my satisfaction! Proper testing definitely on the to do list alongside the Jackery which I’ve used (ran my van fridge for 4.5 days in Cornwall this summer!) but not tested. May be a while though as much actual paid proper work coming up! Have been stockpiling videos though so after I recorded this one I ran some experiments with my 250watt mini mains heater and got approx 87% of the claimed 518Wh out of it before it shut down automatically when it reached 4% which considering that’s via the onboard inverter it seemed good. I imagine you’re much more knowledgeable about inverters than me, they’re usually 80-90% efficient aren’t they?

@Venomator. 2 жыл бұрын

@@CaraVanOlogywithBecky Look forward to any real life updates, I just love gadgets… 🙄 Depends on the efficiencies of the system as a whole, but if you’re getting 80% to 90% efficiency you are doing well I think, I am not at all knowledgeable tbh, as inverters are all new to me since playing with the caravan gadgets. Would be interesting to see how that efficiency works with 100% non-inverter loadings… 🤔

@Venomator. 2 жыл бұрын

Just checked Amazon - £399.49 is the voucher Ed price… 🤑 And also see Swarey do own name 100W folding solar panels… 👍🏻 There is also a pack including the box of tricks and solar for £560… 👍🏻

@CaraVanOlogywithBecky 2 жыл бұрын

Currently showing me £399.49 + a tick box extra £80 off voucher below the price above the box with Amazon credit card ad in so ~£320 after all discounts unless I’m “the chosen one” and nobody else is offered the extra £80 voucher? Panels are £159.99 from my view so better off buying separately assuming everyone can access the same discounted price…

@ZamhoidnLA Жыл бұрын

It's incredibly small for what it does, maybe the smallest 500Wh power station ever and it features a quite good surge AC output. USB-C power delivery is limited to 30W, though, so not enough for most laptops. As regards the charging time via AC, one might try with another, more powerful power adapter, as people reported they exceeded 70W when charging with solar (at the same port), I guess using a 100Wp solar panel. So maybe charging with up to 100W is possible, which would reduce the charging time to approximately 5 hours. Still not superfast, but quite acceptable for most use cases. What I really like, besides size and value for money, is that it supports pass-through charging (some power stations don't) and charging with up to 36 volts - this allows either for two 18V solar panels in series or even for some standard roof top panels. Just checked mine, they have an open circuit voltage of 33,6V and should work fine together with the Swarey S500. Newer, more powerful roof top panels usually exceed 40V, though and almost none of the power stations in this category supports them, with the exeption of the Ecoflow River 2 Max.

@CaraVanOlogywithBecky Жыл бұрын

Great comment, thanks for adding all that excellent info & detailed thoughts, appreciate it! Have to say I’m really impressed with it, I’m certainly not pushing it to its full capabilities, and haven’t experimented much but it works flawlessly and feels really well made.

@ZamhoidnLA Жыл бұрын

@@CaraVanOlogywithBecky guess what? Swarey sells a "S500 Pro" model now, with 65W PD on USB-C and a 125W AC charger for half the charging time. Basically exactly the improvements I wished it had. That makes it an even better powerstation!

@markcumbriauk Жыл бұрын

What type of battery is in the unit?.

@CaraVanOlogywithBecky Жыл бұрын

According to the product listing Lithium NCA (nickel cobalt aluminium oxide)

@Larrypint 2 жыл бұрын

You still happy with it? How does it work with a solar panel?

@CaraVanOlogywithBecky 2 жыл бұрын

Yes , still v happy with it. Although it hasn't had a huge amount of use (so busy at work, I haven't managed as many van trips as I'd like) but has run a small heater for me a few times eg on day trips and charged all the gadgets, etc. so cycled a few times. The manufacturer sells their own solar panel which I didn't buy as I have a portable one of my own already, which is just plug and play but I need to change the plugs on my one to fit the standard MC4 lead that this unit comes with before I can thoroughly test whether my set up. The manufacturers one is here: amzn.to/35tdAaT and is allegedly 23% efficient and coated in ETFE so on paper sounds good, especially for a portable, reasonably lightweight panel. Let me know if you try it, would be v interested to hear.

@EnTuMenteDJ 2 жыл бұрын

Alguien ha pesado este aparato en una báscula?.

@CaraVanOlogywithBecky 2 жыл бұрын

Approx. 4Kg, hope that helps

@EnTuMenteDJ 2 жыл бұрын

@@CaraVanOlogywithBecky Pero, la has pesado en una báscula o me estás dando el peso que muestra el fabricante?. Si esta batería pesa solo 4 Kg, entonces no tiene 518 Wh. Las baterías con 518 Wh, suelen pesar entre 6 Kg con 500w de potencia. Os venden la moto cuando os dicen que pesa poco y no os dais cuenta que en las baterías de este estilo, el peso es lo que indica si es cierto o no los mha que dicen tener. Además, 4 Kg ya deja claro que no son baterías LIFEPO4; con lo que los ciclos serán de 500 y no de hasta 2000 como las baterías con celdas LIFEPO4.

@EnTuMenteDJ 2 жыл бұрын

@@CaraVanOlogywithBecky Es una batería muy bonita y muy bien empaquetada, pero me da a mí que por el precio que tiene, no merece la pena porque no es cierto lo que dice que tiene la batería y porque no tiene celdas LIFEPO4.

@CaraVanOlogywithBecky 2 жыл бұрын

@@EnTuMenteDJ 4106Kg on my kitchen scale which is very old and so the +/- error info sticker has worn off so I assume an accuracy of +/- 1g

@CaraVanOlogywithBecky 2 жыл бұрын

@@EnTuMenteDJ are you calculating the expected weight using molecular weights or just by comparison to the weight of other batteries? Have you allowed for cell and overall packaging weight differences? For example, what if this one uses something lightweight like mylar to encapsulate each cell rather than a heavier solid plastic? Either way, as I said in this video this was a quick overview and I hope to find some time to do some detailed testing to actually check the claims that the manufacturer makes in a future video (which I haven't done yet; this channel is my hobby so my paid work and my family take higher priority). Of course I have exactly the same question in my mind (as I would for any similar product) as you - does this thing actually have the Wh it claims. You might be interested to see that I used it in an experiment to show my fellow caravanners/camper van owners what happens to their leisure batteries in cold weather: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/hJ9nmM5ms7q1imw.html In that video, allowing for auto shutdown at approx 80% DoD & normal inverter inefficiencies (my test used a 240V heater) the power pack performed at a level reasonably consist with it's claims i.e. as your question is technical in nature I assume you're fully aware of the chemistry of these things and therefore know that you can't get all 518Wh out of a battery claimed to have a capacity of 518Wh???

@sidneybowerman558 2 жыл бұрын

Oh Becky, I have one of those, but it took you 2mins 50secs to tell us what it was.

@CaraVanOlogywithBecky 2 жыл бұрын

I look forward to seeing your review up on your channel once you've filmed, edited and uploaded it then. Do feel free to pop a link to it here and then, if they feel the need, folks are free to judge whether they prefer my style of 1st updating the community with what we're up to as part of a wider debate (mostly on Twitter) about these portable power packs or your (envisaged, as there are no actual videos on your channel to demonstrate) style of getting to the product name, more rapidly than 170seconds.

@CaravanVlogger 2 жыл бұрын

Hang on, with your own money? But you're a women, do they let you have your own money these days? You'll be getting the vote next haha :-) I jest, of course. Yes, looks good, don't personally have the need for one though as I'm never more than a metre from a mains plug socket! Thanks for sharing..