How does a Portable Power Station work?

Are you a true adventurer and love to seek out nature? Then a Portable Power Station is a great addition to your travel gear. The powerful Power Stations from the Xtorm Xtreme Power Series have an enormous capacity and several different outlets to connect all your devices. In this blog, we will tell you more about the operation, use and maintenance of an Xtorm Portable Power Station!

What is a Portable Power Station?

A Portable Power Station is basically a large battery or power bank, but with one or more AC outputs as an extra. This, in combination with a large capacity battery, ensures that you can connect all kinds of appliances, not only just mobile devices. You can even connect appliances you use around the house, the kitchen or garden, wherever you are.

Xtreme Power Series

What is the difference between a Portable Power Station and a Power Bank?

A Power Station always has one or more AC outputs, and a larger battery to connect all kinds of (heavier) devices. Because of this, Power Stations are larger in size, compared to normal Power Banks. These are mainly focused on portability and are more suitable for day trips or travel by air.

A Portable Power Station has many more practical applications. For example, you can use it as an extra battery during a camping trip in the countryside or during a weekend trip with your motorhome or caravan. When you combine the Power Station with a solar panel, you can even go off-grid for a while.

Power Station with Solar Panel

Which outputs does a Power Station have?

An Xtorm Power Station has a wide selection of outputs, so you'll have the right solution anywhere. Just make sure you have a suitable cable.

  • One or more 220V power outlets.
  • 12V carplug (cigarette lighter).
  • For easy charging of your mobile devices it also has USB ports, one of which is Quick Charge 3.0.
  • In addition, there is also a 60W USB-C PD input/output available for fast-charging.
  • With the inclusion of a MC4 to DC convertor cable, you can even connect one or more Xtorm Solar Panels to longer enjoy #MoreEnergy

At Xtorm, we consciously choose to use pure sine wave in our Portable Power Stations. Making sure there is a smooth connection to guarantee quality and high usability.

With a pure sine wave, you won’t suffer from hum or interference after connecting your electrical appliances. Also older appliances with transformers in them, connect perfectly to your Power Station. Even your electrical toothbrush works perfectly.

Which devices are suitable to connect to the Power Station's AC output?

The most important question to answer first in this case is: What is the wattage of the product you would like to connect? You can usually find the power consumption of the product on the specification label on the product, or by looking it up online.

Namely, the XP300 has a maximum output of 300W, so the connected device must use less than 300W to function properly with this type of Power Station. For example; lighting, portable gaming consoles or laptops. For the XP500, this is 500W and for the XP1300 this is 1300W. With this kind larger kind of output you can power a fan, a kettle or a small cooler for a longer period of time.

XP300 Powerstation

How long can you power your device through the Power Station?

Battery content is indicated in watt-hours or Wh. The larger the value, the longer the battery lasts. The battery capacity of the XP300 is 281Wh. However, the usable capacity through the AC output is lower, around 175Wh. You always have some loss in power because of the conversion from direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC).

So the math goes as follows:
175Wh / (insert wattage of your device) = number of hours of power supply

As an example, if you were to connect a 10W fan:
175Wh / 10W = 17.5 hours

For the XP500, the usable capacity via AC power is about 367Wh. This means you could run the same fan for almost 37 hours!

Powerstation Xtorm

How do I charge my Portable Power Station?

There are several ways to charge the Power Station. It comes with several charging cables:

  • A regular charger with plug for charging at home
  • A charger with a 12V car connection (cigarette lighter socket)
  • MC4 cable for charging via a solar panel

The Power Station can also be charged with a USB-C PD charger and cable. (Not included with the Power Station).

With this versatility of charging options, you can charge and use your Portable Power Station almost anywhere!

How do I best maintain my Portable Power Station?

  • The Portable Power Station is best stored in a dry place, at room temperature.
  • Temperatures below 0°C and above 40°C are not recommended. This has a negative effect on the capacity and lifespan of the battery..
  • To keep the battery in optimal condition when not in use, please recharge between 3-6 months.

Now you have additional information on the operation, use and maintenance of our Portable Power Stations. If you want to know more about these products, please click here.

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