Peak power
Some electrical appliances (in particular, units with electric motors - refrigerators, air conditioners, etc.) consume significantly more energy at startup than after reaching the operating mode. For such a load, the peak power of the charging station must be taken into account - its indicator must be higher than the starting power of the load.
USB A
Full-size USB A connectors are popular in computer technology, they are standardly used in adapter chargers for 230 V household networks and 12 V auto sockets. In charging stations, such outlets are widely used for charging gadgets.
- The total number of such ports can be very diverse (
1 USB,
2 connectors,
3 ports and even
4), since it allows you to connect for charging, and in some cases for power, various low-power devices -
smartphones,
tablets,
power banks,
lamps, etc. .
- The strength of the power. The maximum power output through the USB A connector to the device being charged. Note that different ports of the charging station can output different power (for example, 1.5 A and 2.1 A). In this case, the highest power strength is usually indicated.
— Power. The maximum
output power in watts (W) that the charging station is capable of delivering through the USB A connector to one charging device.
USB type C
USB type C ports are smaller than classic USBs, and they also have a convenient reversible design that allows you to connect the plug in either direction.
USB type C was originally designed to be able to implement various advanced features: increased power supply, fast charging technologies, etc.
Since the port is relatively new and quite powerful (there are
USB type C with a power of 60 W and even
100 W), the total number of such connectors is often limited to
1 port, less often
two).
- The strength of the power. The maximum power output through the USB type C connector to a charging device. Note that different ports of the charging station can output different power (for example, 1.5 A and 2.1 A). In this case, the highest power strength is usually indicated.
— Power. The maximum power in watts (W) that the charging station is capable of delivering to one rechargeable gadget. The high output power of the USB type C port allows you to speed up the charging process. However, the appropriate power must be supported by the device being charged - otherwise the speed of the process will be limited by the characteristics of the gadget.
Wireless charger
In wireless charging mode, energy is transferred to the gadget being charged through an inductive surface, which is usually built into the upper plane of the charging station case. There can be one slot for
wireless charging or several of them are provided. The range of this technology does not exceed a few centimeters. However, this method of charging eliminates the fuss with wires and reduces wear on the connectors. One of the key disadvantages of this format is considered to be low power and, accordingly, slow charging speed.
DC input
DC connector for a distinctive round plug (like those used in many laptops) used to recharge the battery of the device. Note that
DC- in plugs may have different sizes, and chargers with such plugs may have different operating voltages. In practice, this leads to the fact that finding a suitable charger for a portable station is not easy, you need to be especially careful when searching.
Battery capacity
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.
Charging cycles
The number of charge-discharge cycles that the battery can withstand without significant loss of performance.
In the process of operation, the batteries wear out, which causes their performance to suffer (in the first place, the capacity decreases). Battery life is usually measured in charge-discharge cycles. However, models with the same declared resource are not always equally durable in practice. Different manufacturers may interpret “significant loss of performance” in different ways: for example, one brand indicates the resource up to a 20% decrease in capacity (DOD > 80%), another - up to a 60% decrease (DOD > 40%) Behind the abbreviation DOD worth decoding Depth of Discharge, i.e. discharge depth. Therefore, when choosing, it makes sense to focus not only on pure numbers, but also on other sources - test results, reviews, etc. Also note that battery life can be noticeably reduced if the operating conditions are violated (for example, in case of overheating or hypothermia).
Charging time (socket) ≈
Time to charge the portable power station from a fully discharged state to 100% charge when using the power adapter from a household outlet. This refers to the original battery and standard charger.
Charging time (solar panel) ≈
Time spent on a full charge when using the original panel in bright sunlight. In cloudy weather, the charging time of the device from the solar panel can be strikingly different downwards.
