[REVIEW] Anker Powerhouse 200 Battery Generator

Adam Matlock

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Jul 24, 2015
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rxcn15ZWcM

If you’ve seen the movie The Watchmen, there is a phrase that sticks with me “Who watches the Watchmen?” Well, when it comes to batteries and battery powered electronic devices, who watches the batteries? The answer to that is the Powerhouse 200. The Powerhouse 200 is a beast of a battery pack that has multiple different ways to charge – including USB 3.0 Power Delivery – to meet ALL of your small electronic charging needs, and then some. Think of this like the Fort Knox of battery banks. Battery banks typically range from 10,000 to 20,000 mAh. Sure, there are larger ones, but these are fairly common power ranges. Well, the Powerhouse 200 has a whopping 57,600mAh storage bank and puts out an unbelievable 200wh of power. 10 years ago this capability didn’t exist, and even up until a few years ago if you told me something like this would be possible, my brain probably would have exploded. It’s essentially a portable battery-powered generator, which is still hard to wrap my mind around… But that’s what it is, it exists, and it’s awesome.

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How does it work? The Powerhouse 200 works just like any other battery bank, except it cranks out way more power. All you have to do is plug it in to charge it with the included power adapter. Once the gigantic 57,600mAh internal battery is charged, you’re all set and ready to go. It has three different output methods: Car Outlet, 110w A/C outlet, and USB (two USB-A, and one USB-A). Unfortunately you cannot use all three of the outlet types at the same time. You can use either the car outlet and the USB ports, or the 110w A/C outlet and USB ports at the same time, but you cannot use the car outlet and 110w outlet at the same time. However, as far as power output is concerned, here are some benchmarks.
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According to Anker, you can power the following devices on a fully charged Powerhouse:
- CPAP Machine – 2+hrs
- Circulating Fans – 12+ hrs (depending on size)
- Mini-Fridge – 4+ hrs
- Inflatable Mattress – 18+ inflations
- MacBook Pro – 5+ charges
- Smartphone – 12+ charges (depending on battery size)

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Word of Caution and Charging Protection: Be careful when charging your USB-C devices using the Power Delivery Port. When you power on the Powerhouse, make sure that you press the PD button before connecting your device so that it will use the Power Delivery function, which will adjust the output for your device. Otherwise, it will default and use the Powerhouse default battery power which may be too much for your device, and can potentially damage it. However, the Powerhouse does have a wide range of charging protection safeguards in place. The Powerhouse boasts the following protection measures: Input High-Voltage Protection, Output High-Voltage Protection, Input Current Regulation, Input short-Circuit Protection, Device Overcharge Protection, Static Resistance, Output Short-Circuit Protection, Battery Over-discharge Protection, and Output Temperature Control. Additionally, the Powerhouse battery generator comes with an 18-month manufacturer’s warranty!

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Pass-Through Charging: The Powerhouse 200 is capable of pass-through charging. What does this mean? It means that while the Powerhouse 200 is plugged in to recharge, it can still charge other devices. However, the Powerhouse internal battery will not charge if the output power requirements are greater than the input. Essentially, if you’re using more energy than you’re putting into the Powerhouse at the same time, you will have a net-gain, and it will not charge the Powerhouse battery simultaneously.

Practicality: The Powerhouse is very practical in a variety of scenarios and it’s perfect for disaster prone areas. If you know that severe storms are on the way or you’re in the path of a Hurricane – or even if it’s hurricane season – then go ahead and charge it up and have it readily available. If you’re going on a long car ride with the kids and don’t have a bunch of power outlets in the car? Then go ahead and tote this with you. Want to make sure you have plenty of power to charge all of your devices on a camping trip? With the Powerhouse 200, you’re set and ready to go. I recently took my kids on a 3 hour car ride and was able to use this in conjunction with my vehicle’s power outlets and everyone’s phones and tablets were well supplied with power for the entire trip. Additionally, we had a bad storm a few nights ago and I unplugged most of the electronics in my house, including my phone charger – I worry about power surge even with a surge protector. However, I don’t typically have my phone charger plugged into a power strip. It’s connected straight to the outlet my by bed. Instead of worrying about plugging my expensive phones into the wall to charge, I pulled out the Powerhouse 200 and used it instead. No cares, not worries, and everything was charged and ready to go the next morning and the Powerhouse still had a ton of battery power left. Additionally, it’s super portable and light, and easy to carry around with the built-in carrying strap on top.

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Conclusion: The Powerhouse 200 is a fantastic device that I’m glad to have at home, especially with hurricane season just a few days away. It gives me a certain peace of mind knowing that I can keep all of mine and my children’s essential devices charged for a few days without having to rely on the power grid, or using my full-sized gas generators during inclement weather. Additionally, it adds extra charging capabilities to my camping and travelling adventures, which is essential with my large family. I’m definitely a fan! The only drawback is that it cost $349.99, which is a pretty spicy meatball to stomach. Is it worth it? Yes, it’s very much worth it. I think it’s a reasonable price, but $350 is a lot of money for anyone. So, at the end of the day I can’t say that everyone should go out and buy one. It’s great if you can afford one and it’s wonderful to have at your home and for your emergency/travel needs, but definitely don’t go sell the family cow to go buy one.

If you’re interested in picking up one of Anker’s Powerhouse 200 rechargeable power generators, you can find them on Amazon for $349.99, and they also qualify for Prime 2-day shipping - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DDHC5M...ag=hawk-future-20&ascsubtag=UUacUvbUpU6559268 - As always, if you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave them down in the comments section.
 

Rukbat

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Feb 12, 2012
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Just one thing doesn't add up - 57.6Ah times 5 Volts is 288 Watt-hours. Not that I'm questioning Anker, they're pretty good, but the numbers don't work.