Portable power packs have been around for a while but are starting to gain in popularity; partly because their cost has come down and because they are extremely useful products.I personally own a Xantrex 300 plus and have used it on several occasions. Once on a hot summer day at a shopping mall, a fellow having a bad day ask if I could help him jump start his car. I pulled out my Xantrex Power Pack 300, that had been in the trunk for almost a year, attached the included jumper cables to his car and volia, his is car started right up.
A portable power pack is a device that has a powerful sealed battery, an inverter, jumper cables, a DC outlet (cigarette lighter style) and an AC outlet. It also includes a bright fluorescent light with two tubes and a small pump with pressure gauge, to inflate your tires. The 20 amp hour rechargeable battery (in the 400 and 300 plus) will power a cordless telephone for up to 40 hours, a laptop for 6 hours and a portable stereo for up to 25 hours on a fully charged battery. They can be recharged from a standard wall outlet with the included AC charger.
There are several sizes of portable power packs, 300, 400 600 and 1500. The model number indicates the size of the inverter - 300 watts, 400 watts 600 watts and 1500 watts respectively. The wattage number is also the amount of peak AC power that is available. Each size has a battery with a different amp hour rating. The 300 and 400 have a 20 amp hour battery. The 600 has a 28 amp hour battery and the 1500 has a 51 amp hour battery. It is not quite as portable as the other models but packs a considerable punch. All of the batteries in all of the models are sealed and will not spill. All of the power packs include a handle and are very portable. The 300 plus only weighs 20 pounds but the 1500 weighs in at whopping 60 pounds. That is why the 1500 is the only model with wheels.
All of the power packs have the same basic features but the models with higher numbers include additional features. The 400R includes a radio. The 600HD includes a radio, digital alarm clock and multiple AC outlets. There is even a model with a detachable solar panel. Just a little research into what features and how much power you might need will pay off in the long run.
Portable power packs are great to use as emergency back up power to jump start a car or to light up an area on a dark road. They will keep a cell phone or a GPS charged up with out draining the car battery. There are also a lot of uses that are just plain fun. Take one along to the summer little league game and plug a fan into it. Take one camping and plug an electric cook top into it or use it for extra light. They can power a stereo for a tailgate or any other outdoor party. If you use a laptop out in the field, take one along to greatly extend your battery life. The power packs are really not all that expensive with pricing starting around 0. Throw one in the trunk of your car and you will be prepared for just about anything.
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