How to choose a charging station
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Purpose and power of the charging station
The main criterion for choosing a charging station is its power. Moreover, you should first of all focus not on the peak value, but on the nominal value. So, at the peak of its capabilities, the device will “last” a couple of minutes at best, but it is ready to withstand the nominal indicators almost non-stop. Although, both options can be useful.
What power is right for you? It all depends on the needs.
So, if you want the most universal solution and you are not bothered by the high price tag, large dimensions and weight of the station, then it makes sense to take a really powerful device - with an indicator of 2500 W.
But if you only need to power a laptop and other mobile devices, plus you want to take the station with you (on a hike, on a business trip, etc.), then low-power models that are ready to offer compactness and mobility (plus an affordable price) may also be of interest. .
In general , to calculate the optimal power of a charging station, you need to sum up the consumption of the devices that you will power from it, and also allow for a reserve of approximately 20%. Let's look at it with an example.
Let's say here is a set of devices that you plan to connect to the charging station:
- router - 9 W;
- laptop - 150 W;
- monitor - 35 W;
- refrigerator - 150 W.
The total, rounded up, is 350 W, add a margin of 20% and in the end we get 420 W. For such tasks, for example, ANKER 535 PowerHouse 500 W is suitable.
With other sets of devices, nuances are possible. For example, refrigerators with a conventional (non-inverter) compressor often consume about 150 W, but have high starting currents. They can be up to 7 times larger than nominal values. If you have just such a refrigerator, then a 500-watt station will definitely not be enough. It is precisely for such scenarios that manufacturers indicate peak power, but even if it exceeds the conventional 1000 W, we recommend checking in practice the performance with equipment with high inrush currents.
Another important point is current quality. For certain equipment (including motors and compressors), a pure sine wave is important. Otherwise, the risks of overheating or even accelerated failure increase. Most charging stations produce the correct sine wave, but there are exceptions.
If you use a desktop computer, then it is advisable to consider models with a UPS function for its backup power supply. In the event of an emergency power outage, such stations almost instantly (delay up to 30 ms) begin to power the PC. This means your computer will not turn off, and you will not lose important data.
So, even charging stations with a low rated power will allow you to make your workplace autonomous. The situation is similar with entertainment: let’s say a TV + set-top box consumes about 300 W in total. Somewhere the same amount is needed, a gaming PC or a good soundbar. But with the kitchen, everything is noticeably more complicated - in addition to the refrigerator with potentially high inrush currents, there are many powerful “consumers” here, even if you do not take into account the electric hob, oven or kettle. Let’s say a multicooker and a microwave oven pull on average about 800 W each, a drip coffee maker - from 500 W, and a full-fledged coffee machine - approximately 1500 W. That is, for cooking food you definitely need a powerful station. In any case, before purchasing, think about what is really important for you to operate in the absence of light, additionally check how “gluttonous” this or that device is (for example, according to the information on the power supplies).
Battery capacity
If the power of the station determines whether a particular device will work at all in the absence of electricity, then the capacity of the battery will tell you how long it will then work in autonomous mode. Most manufacturers indicate energy intensity in Wh. And this is a plus, because it is easier to use it than Ah to calculate the approximate battery life of equipment.
The calculation formula is trivial: we divide the energy intensity of the station by the power consumption of one device (or sum up several), and we get the maximum autonomy time. Let's say a 768 Wh battery for a 100-watt TV will last approximately 7 hours.
In practice, actual autonomy usually turns out to be less than the calculated one, since conditions differ from ideal ones, namely:
- different “voltage” (voltage) of the battery and equipment is possible (additional costs for energy conversion appear);
- The efficiency of the charging station is not 100%, but lower;
- low or, conversely, high room temperature reduces the efficiency;
- The battery is subject to wear and tear and gradually loses its original capacity.
An energy capacity of 1000 Wh is enough for at least 50 charging cycles for a smartphone and from 10 for laptops. That is, mobile devices can go without sockets for weeks or even months.
For other, including more powerful equipment, you can focus on the data on battery life, which are given in the table (we took 4 popular models with different batteries).
| Device | EcoFlow RIVER 2 Max (512 Wh) | BLUETTI PowerOak EB70 (716 Wh) | EcoFlow DELTA 2 (1024 Wh) | BLUETTI AC200MAX (2048 Wh) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Router (10 W) | 40 h | 50 h | 60 h | 100+ h |
| Fan (40 W) | until 10 hours | 14 h | 17:00 | 40 h |
| TV (100 W) | up to 4 hours | 6 hours | 8 hours | 15+ hours |
| Refrigerator (150 W) | up to 3 hours | 4 hours | 7+ hours | 15+ hours |
| PC (300 W) | 1+ h | up to 2 hours | 3+ hours | 6+ hours |
| Air conditioner 7000 BTU (600 W) | - | up to 1 hour | 1 hour | 2+ hours |
| Multicooker (800 W) | - | 30+ minutes | up to 1 hour | 2 hours |
| Coffee machine (1400 W) | - | - | 30+ minutes | 1+ h |
Is it possible to extend autonomy without buying a second or third charging station? Yes, some models support connecting additional batteries. In addition, there are stations on sale with charging from solar panels, with which you can ensure both partial replenishment of the battery capacity using solar energy, and complete independence from outlets (for example, in the warm season).
In conclusion, we note that in 99% of cases, the most powerful stations are equipped with the most capacious batteries. So, for 500-watt models a battery of up to 500 Wh is typical, for 1000-watt models - up to 1000 Wh. This means that if you are counting on long-term autonomy of powerful electrical appliances, then you must initially focus on charging stations with 2 kW or more.
Which battery type is best?
When purchasing a charging station, it is recommended to look not only at the battery capacity, but also at its type. Today there are 3 main options:
- Li-Ion Battery manufacturing technology that is well known to different types of devices. They are relatively affordable, have no memory effect, charge fairly quickly, and are optimal in terms of capacity and dimensions. Among the shortcomings, minor risks of fire during overload can be identified, but to level them out, a multi-level battery protection system is usually used;
- Li-Ion NMC. These are lithium-ion batteries that additionally contain nickel, manganese and cadmium. This technology has retained all the advantages of conventional Li-Ion solutions, ensured an increase in peak power and increased fire safety;
- LiFePO4. In fact, this is also a lithium battery, but additional iron and phosphate are involved. The main advantage is an increased working life - more charge and discharge cycles, plus literally benchmark safety. At the same time, such a battery is heavier and larger, and the price tag for charging stations with LiFePO4 is higher than for Li-Ion.
Here is a comparison table of three popular types of batteries:
| Parameter | Li-Ion | Li-Ion NMC | LiFePO4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work resource | from 500 cycles | 1000 cycles | 2500+ cycles |
| Dimensions and weight | minimal | minimal | 20% more |
| Safety | average | high | maximum |
| Peak power | average | high | maximum |
| Price | the most affordable | higher | the tallest |
If you need the longest-lasting charging station (and also a very powerful one), then it is advisable to choose a model with LiFePO4. If affordable cost and compactness are your priority, then a regular lithium-ion battery or Li-Ion NMC will do.
What ports and connectors are needed?
One of the key differences between a charging station and even large-capacity power banks is the presence of at least one outlet. Most models have one or two outlets, but there are also solutions with 4 or more. By the way, even before purchasing, you should definitely check that they meet our standards - both in dimensions and voltage.
Portable stations also have various USB ports. What is important to consider here:
- total number of interfaces. Here, the more, the better, because there are many mobile devices and other devices powered or charged by USB;
- the presence of at least one USB type C(or better, two or more), because it is becoming a standard, even for companies such as Apple;
- peak power type C. The minimum for charging laptops is 60 W, and preferably 100 W;
- support for fast charging for regular USB.
Other connectors may be useful:
- car lighter;
- DC output – for powering laptops, automobiles and other specialized electronics;
- Anderson port – for connecting chargers, batteries and equipment used in the open air.
Please note that it is no coincidence that low-power charging stations are inferior to their older brothers in terms of the number of sockets and other ports. However, the main limiting factor for simultaneous connection of a large number of devices is power. If there is a reserve in this parameter, then in practice a portable station with a “stripped-down” set of ports can be “helped out” by tees or, for example, power banks with a pass-through charging function.
Equipment features, useful (and not so) functions of charging stations
Before purchasing a charging station, we recommend that you pay attention to additional options and equipment features. Some really useful points include the following:
- display. At a minimum, it displays the battery charge level as a percentage, and often provides other service information - incoming and outgoing power, estimated operating time, etc.;
- backlight or lamp. Not a superfluous feature during power outages. This option can replace or complement other backup light sources - flashlights, camping lamps, light bulbs with batteries, etc.;
- carrying handle or wheels. These ergonomic features are also very useful, because the station itself is a box weighing from 4 to 20+ kg. Accordingly, the most compact and light models are more convenient to carry by the handle, while powerful and bulky models are more convenient to carry along the floor.
Some portable stations support wireless charging. In blackout conditions, this function is clearly not the most necessary; moreover, the efficiency and speed of power supply “over the air” are lower than that of the wired method.
Another option found in some models is control from a smartphone. At the familiarization stage, such interaction is indeed more convenient than a rather laconic button or touch panel on the case. It also opens up the possibility of advanced configuration, including integration into a smart home system. But during power outages, there is often no time for remote control, and besides, it will “has up” the battery capacity of the station itself and the smartphone.
In addition, it is worth considering the equipment included in the device. On sale you can find kits with a battery pack, solar panels or an inverter (for converting DC to AC).
Time and available charging options for the station itself
The speed of replenishment of the battery capacity of a charging station is a point that is sometimes forgotten. But in vain. A model can be great in terms of power, energy consumption, and set of ports, but fail due to slow charging. With frequent and prolonged outages, this is a truly critical factor. So, if the intervals with light are shorter than without it, then fast charging (up to 3, or even 2 hours) is literally a must have.
It is clear that the charging process time often directly depends on the battery capacity (replenishing 2000 Wh, all other things being equal, takes more time than 1000 Wh). But there are other points:
- peak power of the input connected to the outlet. Let's say EcoFlow has an X-Stream port, which produces, depending on the model, from 300 to 1800 W;
- USB type C charging support;
- the presence of additional interfaces for powering the station’s battery, which may include a DC input or an XT60 port, confirming compatibility with solar panels, as well as other connectors. By the way, if their parallel use is allowed, this speeds up the overall charging process.
Brands and prices
The charging station market is quite young, but it already has its own recognized leaders. These brands can be considered EcoFlow and BLUETTI. Their products are purchased most often. Models from ANKER are at approximately the same level in terms of quality and status. This trinity offers a wide range of products to suit any needs and preferences.
The products of these three brands, as a rule, are more expensive than their main competitors, but this is not an additional payment for the name, because LiFePO4 batteries are most often used here, there is a rich set of ports and support for a variety of additional options.
With some degree of convention, the products of the following brands can be classified as the mid-budget segment of charging stations:
More affordable solutions are often offered by brands such as:
- Power Plant ;
- Voltronic Power ;
- Zendure ;
- 2E ;
- Oukitel ;
- Allpowers.
They usually use high-quality components and are characterized by a decent level of assembly.
In general, the range of charging stations is actively growing, and many young brands in the “no name” category offer products at fairly high prices. This means cost should not be the only selection criterion.
We recommend doing the following:
- First of all, focus on the performance properties (power, capacity and type of battery);
- then narrow the range of searches by choosing more or less well-known brands;
- and only then, taking into account the budget, look at additional equipment and functions that may be useful.
Good luck with your choice and may the charging station end up being more in demand on travel adventures (like car camping) than at home!
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