By Alan Pierce & Jessica Nunes
pierceaj@techtoday.us,
jessicapaigenunes@gmail.com
Portable Power Outlet (MSRP $179.99)
Adventure Ultra (MSRP $129.99)
     The MyCharge Portable Power Outlet and the Adventure Ultra are actually AC portable rechargeable wall outlet equivalents that are designed to run all kinds of electrical devices. You can use them indoors or outdoors whenever  a normal electrical outlet is not available. See photo 1. They can run all kinds of devices that you would normally plug into a home wall outlet as long as the items don’t draw more current than 65 watts on the Portable Power Outlet or 45 watts on the Adventure Ultra. Illustration 1 compares the power output potential of both hubs. The Portable Power Oultet notations are in red and the Adventure Ultra are in grey.
     If an electrical device that you normally plug into a wall needs more power than these two charging hubs can deliver, the LED screens on the units will light up for 30 seconds with the message “maximum power exceeded” and they just won’t run your device. If you exceed the wattage allowed by a unit because you have the AC outlet and the USB outlets all drawing electricity at the same time, these hubs are designed to stop sending electricity to the USB ports so that the item that plugged into the AC outlet can continue to run. Besides the AC power outlet they have two USB-A ports and one USB-C port. At no time will they supply more than the wattage they are designed to deliver. Before purchasing one of these hubs you should check to see what the power requirement needs are for the devices you intend to run by plugging it into the units AC electrical outlet. You can determine wattage using the formula: Watts = Volts X Amps. Applying the formula for the Dell computer that I am typing this review on: Watts = 19.5 (Volts) X 3.34 (Amps) and that equals 65.13 watts. Illustration 2 describes the relationship between battery size and power output.
     It could easily provide a wow factor to your next camping, fishing, tailgate party, or backyard barbecue. It is important to realize that these power hubs/inverters are not waterproof and the port covers are only there to keep out dust and debris. The Portable Power Outlet internal battery has a 20,000 mAh capacity and the Adventure Ultra has a 12,300mAh capacity. Battery power is measured in milli-ampere hours (mAh). The larger a battery’s capacity the greater its charging power and how long it can run standard electrical devices or recharge smartphones, tablets, earbuds, and cameras before the recharging device needs to be recharged. The illustrations that show running times for both units and the chart labeled “Charging 101 should help you understand the relationship between battery size and power output.
Reasons to Drool
     The MyCharge multi-port hubs have plenty of power to run all kinds of electrical devices that don’t draw more wattage than the Power Portable Outlet (65 watts) and the Adventure Ultra (45 watts) can deliver. Both units have a standard AC electrical plug, two USB-A ports and one USB-C port. Both hubs will automatically stop charging when your device is fully charged to avoid overcharging your devices.
Not So Cool
     The Power Portable Outlet tips the scale at 1.5 pounds and is physically large with measurements of 5 by 5.75 by 1.4 inches. The Adventure Ultra has a smaller internal battery and therefore is a little smaller in weight and physical size. It tips the scale at 1.05 pounds and its measurements are 4.1 by 5.8 by 1.2 inches. It is important to determine the electrical needs of the devices you plan on using before purchasing either of these hubs. For example the new Mac Book Pro draws 87 watts which exceeds the 65 watt limit of the Power Portable Outlet. Both units that were sent to me for testing didn’t come pre-charged and the initial charging of the Power Portable Outlet took about 6 hours and the Adventure Ultra 3 hours.
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MyCharge:Portable Power AC Multi-Port Hubs
Photos 1 - The Portable Power Outlet and the Adventure Ultra look the same but differ in physical size, wattage maximum, and size of the internal battery.
Illustration 1- How long these power hubs can keep your devices powered is shown in this diagram. Red notations for the Portable Power Outlet and grey notations for the Adventure Ultra.
Power Portable Outlet
Adventure Ultra
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