Comparison portable Power Stations

- Charging station. Portable charging stations are powerful “power banks” that can establish autonomous operation of an arsenal of home appliances, organize the supply of electricity in the country, during road trips or forays into nature, and charge many mobile phones overnight. Charging stations differ from traditional UPSs in their automatic operating modes. The power of such devices varies widely from approximately 100 to 3600 W. Mobile stations are charged from a regular household outlet, solar panels, car cigarette lighter socket, generator, or via a USB type C port with Power Delivery support. As for the configuration, the charging station can be supplied either by itself or additionally with a solar panel, battery pack, inverter or inverter and solar panel. In addition to the built-in battery of the charging station, you can also purchase a battery pack separately.

— Battery pack. An additional battery pack to increase the total energy capacity of the charging station and, as a result, extend the period of autonomous power supply to consumers. Often, battery packs are produced for a specific model or family of charging stations in accordance with the dimensions of the device. Their design, as a rule, is stacked: a block with an additional battery is connected to the charging station f...rom below or from the side.

— Charging station with battery pack. The standard configuration of such charging stations includes an additional battery pack, which allows you to increase the energy intensity of the device. Note that, if necessary, the additional battery can be easily detached from the charging station and it can be used without an external battery.

— Charging station with solar panel. Charging stations with a complete solar panel suggest the possibility of replenishing energy reserves in battery cells from the celestial body. Out of the box, they come with a folding solar panel that can be deployed on a sunny lawn and charge the device when there is no electricity in the outlet. Depending on the power of the charging station and solar panel, as well as weather conditions and daylight hours, the charging procedure can last from several hours to a full daylight hours (or even more).

- With an inverter. The delivery set of such charging stations includes an inverter, which is used to convert direct power energy from solar panels into alternating power for domestic needs. Note that in this case it is assumed that there is only one inverter - solar panels for charging a portable power station from the rays of the heavenly body will need to be purchased separately. Charging stations with an inverter and a solar panel are also available (see below).

— With inverter and solar panel. Advanced configuration, which implies the presence of a charging station, one or more solar panels and an inverter for converting energy from them. In this form, the portable power station impresses with its energy independence - it can be charged directly from the sun’s rays, even during a long absence of electricity in the outlets, and the charging station is ready for this right out of the box.

Power that a device can consistently produce for an indefinitely long time without any unpleasant consequences. For normal operation of the charging station, the rated power must be at least 15 - 20% higher than the total power of all devices simultaneously connected to it.

Line shape on a graph of the voltage output from a charging station. The quality of power provided by the device depends on this parameter.

— Sine wave (PSW — Pure Sine Wave). The signal is in the form of a smooth wave without sharp steps, maximally corresponding to the parameters of conventional AC networks. Charging stations with this output signal form can be used for almost any type of load, incl. for powering sensitive electronics that place high demands on the quality of the input voltage.

— Modified sine wave. In a signal similar to a sine wave, the waves on the graph are formed not by smooth lines, but by characteristic “steps” (i.e., jerks). An approximated sine wave is not suitable for powering sensitive electronics, but in general there are not so many such devices in the total number, and circuits with a modified sine wave do not require the creation of expensive and complex technical solutions. As a result, they are cheaper.

Total number of outlets with output voltage. This is, in fact, the number of devices that can be simultaneously connected to the charging station without the use of splitters, extension cords and carriers. Accordingly, weaker charging stations have one or two sockets in their submission. Powerful charging stations already have three or more sockets “on board”.

Full-sized USB-A ports with fast charging support. This feature allows you to charge your smartphone, tablet, or other connected devices much more quickly. The charging process occurs at increased power, with current and voltage regulated at each stage to stay within optimal values. However, keep in mind that there are many fast-charging technologies today, and not all of them are compatible with each other.

— Current strength. The current parameters delivered through USB-A fast charging ports. Note that different ports of the charging station may output different voltage and current parameters. This section specifies the current strength values at a certain voltage (for example, 5V / 3A, 9V / 2A, 12V / 1.5A).

— Power. The maximum power in watts (W) that the charging station can deliver through the USB-A fast charging port to a single charging gadget. High output power allows for faster charging. However, the charging device must support the corresponding power; otherwise, the speed will be limited by the gadget's characteristics.

USB type C ports are smaller compared to classic USB ports and have a convenient reversible design that allows connecting the plug either way. USB type C was initially created to implement various advanced features: increased power, fast charging technologies, etc.

Since the port is relatively new and quite powerful (you can find USB type C with 60W, even 100W and 140W), the total number of such connectors is often limited to one port, or sometimes two).

— Current. The maximum current delivered through the USB type C port to the device being charged. Note that different ports of a charging station may deliver different currents (for example, 1.5A and 2.1A). In such cases, the highest current is usually specified.

— Power. The maximum power in watts (W) that the charging station can deliver to one charging gadget. The high output power of the USB type C port allows for faster charging. However, the device being charged must support the corresponding power; otherwise, the speed of the process will be limited by the gadget's specifications.

The ability to replenish energy reserves in the battery cells of the charging station via the USB type C connector. This port itself is small in size and has a convenient double-sided design, thanks to which the plug can be inserted in either direction. However, in charging stations it does not always work as an input interface.

— Li-Ion. The key advantage of lithium-ion batteries is their high capacity with small dimensions and weight. Also, Li-Ion batteries are not subject to memory effect and can charge quite quickly. Of course, this option is not without its drawbacks - first of all, it is sensitivity to low or elevated temperatures, and if overloaded, the lithium-ion battery can catch fire or even explode. However, thanks to the use of built-in controllers, the likelihood of such “accidents” is extremely low and, in general, the advantages of this technology significantly outweigh the disadvantages.

— Li-Pol. An improved version of lithium-ion technology (see the corresponding paragraph): the liquid electrolyte in Li-Pol batteries is replaced with a solid polymer. At the same high capacity, the batteries have become more compact, there is practically no “memory effect” in them, and the likelihood of fires and explosions in the event of critical violations of operating conditions is minimized. The downside of these improvements was increased cost and increased sensitivity to frost. However, most often these shortcomings are not significant.

— LiFePO4. Lithium iron phosphate batteries are a modification of lithium ion batteries (see corresponding paragraph) designed to eliminate some of the shortcomings of the original technology. LiFePO4 batteries are characterized by a...large number of charge/discharge cycles, chemical and thermal stability, low temperature tolerance, short charging time (including high currents) and safety in operation. The likelihood of an “explosion” of a LiFePO4 battery when overloaded is reduced to almost zero, and in general, such batteries cope with high peak loads without problems and maintain the operating voltage almost until discharge.

— Li-Ion NMC. A type of lithium rechargeable battery using a complex alloy in the manufacture of the cathode. It contains nickel, manganese and cadmium. This “recipe” allows you to increase the power of a power source based on Li-Ion NMC elements. Batteries of this type have a high specific capacity and a stable discharge voltage, provide a long operating time of the charging station with high performance, are characterized by a complete absence of “memory effect”, maintain functionality over a wide temperature range and are fireproof.

— VRLA. Acid batteries with a regulating safety valve to release excess gas. The abbreviation VRLA stands for Valve Regulated Lead Acid. Batteries of this type have a sealed, non-separable design and come in two types: AGM VRLA (the battery plates are equipped with a layer of fiberglass absorbent) and GEL VRLA (with a gel electrolyte in a jelly-like state). Batteries with a control valve are resistant to deep discharges, do not require topping up with distillate throughout their entire service life, and do not emit hydrogen or oxygen.

- Semi-solid State. An advanced type of lithium-ion battery (see above), which combines some of the characteristics of liquid and solid batteries. It uses an electrolyte that is in a semi-soft or gel-like state, making the batteries more resistant to leakage than traditional wet batteries. Semi-solid state technology allows for a significant increase in the energy density of cells. As a result, it is possible to make compact batteries with high energy intensity.

Nominal battery capacity, in fact - the amount of energy that is supposed to be stored. The larger it is, the longer the battery life of the charging station will be, all other things being equal. On the other hand, this parameter also affects the dimensions, weight and price of the battery, despite the fact that an energy-intensive battery is not always required. By the indicator of capacity in watt-hours, you can compare batteries with each other.