myCharge Portable Power Unit
Recently, I was preparing for a six week camping road trip to the Pacific northwest, and had already been researching battery power units when the myCharge Portable Power Outlet showed up in the mail. I was originally looking into larger power units, but this little power pack turned out to be a great addition to my gear list and has the following advertised features:
Battery: 20000mAh Lithium Ion
Product Dimensions: 5.0 in x 5.75 in x 1.4 in
Product Weight: 1.50 lbs.
Input: 20V
Total Output: AC 110V 65W
Output by Port
- USB-C Port: 3.0A
- USB-A Port #1: 2.4A
- USB-A Port #2: 2.4A
- Total Shared: 3.4A
- AC Port: 65W
The myCharge Portable Power Outlet has a sturdy, rugged plastic body, that held up when I dropped it about 3’ at camp one night while climbing into the rooftop tent. The case barely shows a scratch, and there were no issues with charging after that point either. At a little over one pound, and about the size of a paperback book, the unit is easily portable, yet not overbearing. Although we were only truck camping, this could be easily carried along for a backpack trip if desired.
There are four charging outlets – 2 USB-A, 1 USB-C, and 1 AC outlet (with the third prong which most laptop cords utilize). All four outlets can be used at once, which is phenomenal, but power to the USB outlets will turn off if the output goes over 65 watts. The unit will also not work if your larger electronics exceed the 65 watt max output. I was able to charge my Dell laptop, Samsung Galaxy S7 phone, and have the LED lighting strip turned on in the tent, all at the same time, and it lasted well over an hour. When charging my phone individually, I managed over five full charges before giving up, and never completely running down the myCharge. One cool feature, is that it will automatically turn off the charging output when a device is fully charged.
To charge any device, simply plug the USB cord or AC plug into the device, and press the proper power button on the face of the myCharge unit. The display will show ON, or press the button again to turn OFF. I did find myself accidentally turning on the unit when it wasn’t needed, while just carrying or moving in and out of the vehicle or tent. It does automatically turn off after a bit if nothing is plugged in though. It is also good to note that the AC output is not available while recharging the myCharge power pack.
My only concern with this myCharge product, is how it itself gets charged. The only way to charge it is with the DC power cord and adapter plug, and plugging into a wall unit or from another power cell with an AC output. This does allow a fast charge of just two hours, but I would give up some speedy recovery for other charging options. Other battery power packs are able to use a solar charging unit, which is not an option for the myCharge. But, I was able to utilize the in-bed plug in my 2016 Toyota Tacoma, as we drove throughout the day. The ability to use a solar charger would make this a perfect battery pack for camping and charging multiple devices.
I have continued to use the myCharge throughout the summer on multiple trips, and this solid piece of equipment will keep making it back to my camping gear.
