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Portable Emergency Power Source

Duracell Powerpack 600

Whether you are camping a lot, preparing for emergencies such as a natural disaster or your car battery running flat, you'll want a portable emergency power source. This choozza lets you choose the one that is best for you.

Wagan Power Dome

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Low Cost

Reliability

Portability

Safety Features

Power Output

Emergency Jump Start

Add Ons

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Comparison Details

Last updated by Nimo, on 21/7/09

	Duracell Powerpack 600 The Duracell Powerpack 600 can be safely and conveniently recharged from any household AC outlet or DC cigarette-lighter outlet. This robust battery is tied to a power inverter that provides 600 watts of power, and has three grounded AC outlets (100 volt) and one DC socket (12 volt). This is good for all your TVs, fans, etc. The Powerpack also has an AM/FM radio.	Wagan Power Dome The Power Dome boasts a 600 cranking amp auto jump starter bundled together with a 260 PSI high power motor air compressor. It has a 400 watt AC power inverter, a high intensity LED light, a built-in AM/FM radio with iPod input, two AC (100 volt) outlets and one DC (12 volt) outlet. With all these outlets, you may connect computers, TVs, fans, etc.
Low Cost: How much will the emergency portable power source cost you?	The Duracell Powerpack is usually a little more expensive than the Power Dome.	The Wagon Power Dome is normally a little cheaper than the Powerpack.
Reliability: How much trust can you have in the device's ability to function when you most need it - in an emergency?	The device quality is not as good as you would expect. Some users noted that they receievd units with faulty components, and a few even complained that the device they bought stopped working soon after they bought it. Many commented that the power meter display does not work well. Problems were reported when the internal battery power was allowed to run too low.	The overall build quality is average. There are no major problems but someof the units presented small inconsistencies that, while minor and not interfering with the ability to provide power, may point to some problems with quality assurance. The jumper cables are not very heavy duty.

Portability: Namely - how portable is portable - how much does the device weigh and what's its size?	The Duracell Powerpack measures 14 x 22 x 9.2 inches and weighs 29 pounds. This is 35.5 x 55.9 x 23.4 cm and 13.1kg. It basically weighs like a toddler.	The Wagan Power Dome measures 8 x 12 x 11 inches and weighs 25 pounds. This is 20.3 x 30.5 x 28 cm and 11.3 kg. This makes the Power Dome considerably smaller and lighter than the Powerpack.
Safety Features: Power devices always carry the risk of electrocution. What does the device have in terms of safety features?	The Duracell Powerpack has surge protector so appliances that need too much juice will not come on. Additionally, there is a reverse charge flow protection to protect you against connecting the jumper cables the wrong way around.	The Power Dome has overload and short circuit protection mechanisms.
Power Output: What can this emergency power source do for you? How many devices will you be able to hook up to it and for how long?	Duracell Powerpack 600 provides ample power to recharge cordless and cellular telephones while operating emergency lights, televisions and a wide range of DC-powered products. The smaller appliances, portable coolers, laptops, televisions and gaming consoles will run for hours. However, it is limited in the number of amps that you can pull. As a rule of thumb only low powered appliances can be plugged in. This is acceptable, as it is not a fully powered generator. One user reported that the Powerpack was able to start his car four consecutive times, and that he was then able to use it to power the car for a little longer. The unit will power a laptop for up to four hours between charges, and a CPAP machine for about 20 hours.	The Wagan Power Dome will suit you well for those camping trips when you need it to recharge cell phones, music players and portable DVD players. It will also provide a good light that will last for a few days, and jump start your car when required. Additionally, you can use it to inflate matresses, tires, etc. It is important to note that the Power Dome can not be used as a heavy-duty emergency power source, since it is not a fully powered generator.
Emergency Jump Start: While the emergency power source may be used for camping or around the house, you are most likely to use it for jump starting your car when your battery goes flat.	Duracell Powerpack contains a powerful 28-amp battery, which can be used to jump start most 8-cylinder engines. It also has a nice reverse polarity detector, which ensures your safety in the event that the jumper cables are connected to the incorrect battery terminals.	The jump start feature is able to start most engines, although some users found some difficulties with 8 cylinders. The Jumper cables are not very heavy duty and you may want a higher gauge cables.
Add Ons: Apart from providing power in case of emergency or no grid, what accessories does the portable power source have?	The Duracell Powerpack comes with built-in AM/FM radio and emergency light. The jumper cables let you jump start your vehicle, and the unit also ships with an AC adapter )to recharge it from a wall outlet) and a DC charging cable that can be inserted into any standard cigarette-lighter outlet, allowing you to recharge it from any car, boat etc. You also get an accessory bag is for storage. The unit has a power meter. Some users complained that the power meter is inaccurate and hence useless. The flash light and radio are not considered top quality but are adequate for most situations. You can purchase a solar panel separately for recharging the Power Dome when you are away from civilization and don't want to start your engine.	The Wagan Power Dome has a radio, air compressor, a LED light, and of course ? it can jump start your car. The FM/AM radio has an auxiliary audio input jack (so you can attach your MP3 player) and a USB power supply port. This is excellent for those players that require a USB for recharging. The radio speaker is average and there is no audio out. The air compressor goes up to 260PSI, and is equipped with a good length hose and a set of tips for different balls, and of course, you can inflate camping mattresses or car tires. In some cases the air compressor gets hot really fast, and some users commented that it just burns after using it for a short while. The compressor is not very powerful and inflating tires can be a time consuming process. The LED light is quite bright, and the included jump cables are good , but you need to ensure that the Power Dome is adequate for your car, as the more power consuming engines (such as 8 cylinders) may not be able to get enough power from it, especially when the battery is completely flat. You can purchase a solar panel separately for recharging the Power Dome when you are away from civilization and don't want to start your engine.

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