Best Power Center / Jump Pack

[Diesel]

I am looking for the most powerful power pack out there, want one that has the built inverter already, don't have to have the light and compressor etc.

Looking for the most watts and amp hours

[das]

Diesel I love portable power and have invested heavily in providing juice for radios and laptop on camping trips. Here is what I use after some trial and error including wasting money on various GADGETS.

I have two of these Xantrex Powerpack 600 Watt Jumpstarter, Power Inverter and Backup Power Source

They work great for electronics and transport nicely. I have purchased a number of inverters and batteries from Xantrex and never been disappointed. One proviso to your request though is that they do not include an air pump. Small loss in my opinion. The reliable battery guage and TWO 110v electrical outlets more than make up for this shortcoming. Besides you can get a 12v air pump that will fit in the palm of your hand for your car emergency kit.

The Xantrex portable power units connects wonderfully (12v connector included) to portable DC solar panels for electrical generation. I connect two 25watt folding solar panel to them and can run just about everything I need on camping trips.

Using this setup to power a portable freezer would be out of the question. That is why I have a Honda generator with multi fuel adapter (super quiet also) when I can't keep food cold with dry ice packs alone.

[das]

Oh I should add that a fused power strip is essential for delicate radio's. I also highly recommend a small (think half pack of cards) voltage regulator for each solar panel to keep from burning up your battery chargers. That advice right there cost me $75 so this website is a deal!

Also I have found that most laptops have a fairly high tolerance for dirty power as long as you have a surge protector between the power supply and the laptop. I carry one of the APC inline surge protectors with each laptop though they still haven't made one for the new magsafe Macintosh laptops.

[Diesel]

I have always liked xantrex stuff too..

So that inverter is stout enough to run a lap top? what's the heaviest load you have tested on one of those?

I wish someone made a more powerful one, i though of making my own mobile pwoer system with a storage container of sorts and 1 or 2 deep cycle 8d or marine batteries with an inverter etc

i was saying i dont want the compressor waste of space imo i have plenty of 12v compressors.

hmm that's pretty cool how long does it take those panels to recharge one unit? have u run off the battery pack while feeding it with solar as well?

Diesel I love portable power and have invested heavily in providing juice for radios and laptop on camping trips. Here is what I use after some trial and error including wasting money on various GADGETS.

I have two of these Xantrex Powerpack 600 Watt Jumpstarter, Power Inverter and Backup Power Source

They work great for electronics and transport nicely. I have purchased a number of inverters and batteries from Xantrex and never been disappointed. One proviso to your request though is that they do not include an air pump. Small loss in my opinion. The reliable battery guage and TWO 110v electrical outlets more than make up for this shortcoming. Besides you can get a 12v air pump that will fit in the palm of your hand for your car emergency kit.

The Xantrex portable power units connects wonderfully (12v connector included) to portable DC solar panels for electrical generation. I connect two 25watt folding solar panel to them and can run just about everything I need on camping trips.

Using this setup to power a portable freezer would be out of the question. That is why I have a Honda generator with multi fuel adapter (super quiet also) when I can't keep food cold with dry ice packs alone.

[das]

I have run two laptops, wifi router with a Verizon Wireless card, a radio and a small desk light for 7 hours continues usage on the batteries. You can use the solar panels on a clear Texas day to run the laptops and radio continuously. I have never had the patience to recharge a battery but I imagine it would take hours.

Generally I just chain it all together so that I can run the system during the day from the panels, run down the batteries at night, zap up the batteries from the car or generator in the morning and repeat. Your needs would vary depending on what you were doing and the necessary OpSec. One of the reasons that the Honda is the BEST generator is that you can live with it running for a few hours without feeling like you are being blasted out of the woods.

Anyone who needs less than 5k of power owes it to themselves to go try out the Honda series of generators. The difference in sound polution is AMAZING. I bought mine from Northern Tool and if the prices ever drop again I would love to buy a second one and run them in parrallel.

[das]

Now if the solar panels could charge one of these electric bikes you would have a real survival BOV. I guess you would need a few dozen 25W solar panels and a clear day to charge one of these though so that is out of the question.

[das]

I've also considered buying one of these pricey pedal/hand generators to recharge the Xantrex batteries. I find it interesting because I could ALMOST call this exercise equipment to my wife and avoid the eye-rolling I usually get when I purchase some survivalist 'junk'.

The good thing about her disdain for my self-reliance preperations is that I have learned how to be stealthy about buying things for OTHER uses....see honey it is exercise equipment not some silly end of the world morbid fantasy gear, lol.

Then again for about the same money (not including installation) I could invest in a 600W wind turbine as I live on the top of a large hill in windy North Texas. I imagine this would not past the wife test...maybe I could become an environmentalist! I need some hemp clothing for that I think...and man sandals seem to be mandatory.

[Diesel]

lol DAS i hear ya on the stealthy thing!

So how long does it take to recharge the power pack from generator , car or plugging it in at home when depleted?

[Diesel]

Also this is the same thing rebranded by duracell right?

$112 shipped

http://cgi.ebay.com/Duracell-DPP-600HD-Powerpack-600-Jump-Starter-Radio-NEW_W0QQitemZ200247253121QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item200247253121&_trkparms=72%3A552|39%3A1|66%3A2|65%3A12|240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

and i think this is $99 plus free shipping?

http://www.amazon.com/Duracell-DPP-600HD-Powerpack-Starter-Emergency/dp/B000TKHMWK/ref=pd_sim_auto_3

[das]

It could be as the spec's are similar. Recharging took about four hours.