The Portable Power Pack houses a 12-volt deep cycle battery with a 20 amp hour capacity. The Portable Power Pack has 240 watt hours of absolute capacity.
The practical capacity of the Portable Power Pack depends greatly on the load applied to it. It is important to note that the discharge rate of the battery is a factor in the total capacity. The amp hour rating of batteries is based on a discharge period of 20 hours. If the battery is discharged over a shorter period of time, the watt hour capacity will be less.
Here are some typical run times for AC appliances
- Laptop computer - draws 25W - run time 6 h
- 13"color TV - draws 60W - run time - 2h 30m
- Compact Fluorescent light -draws 14W- run time - 10h
The combined loads cannot exceed 320W AC (2.66amps). The less power an appliance uses the longer the Power Pack will operate before recharging is required. The Power Pack can operate one 12Vdc appliance that draws 12 amps or less from the 12Vdc power outlet. The maximum DC load is 144 watts.
Here are some typical run times for DC appliances:
- Cell phone - draws 6W - run time - 30 h
- Small portable cooler - 30W -run time - 4h
If you are using the Human Power Generator, it is likely that you will be charging the battery at an average of 5 amps. At this rate, it will take approximately 4 hours to fully charge the battery from flat. If you are using the Bike Power Generator, it is likely that you will be charging at an average of 14 amps. It will take approximately 2 hours to fully charge the battery. However, it is usually much easier to "top up" the battery in intervals rather than letting it discharge completely.
It is possible to charge the Power Pack with two Human Power Generators or two Bike Power Generators as there are two inputs. It is also possible to charge the Power Pack and draw from the battery at the same time.
This Power Pack is not voltage regulated, therefore it is important to monitor the level of charge so as not to overcharge the battery and damage it. There is an LED light strip on the front panel of the Power Pack that indicates the voltage going into the battery. There is also a voltage indicator that displays in %, the general level of charge. If you are using an AC appliance that has been plugged into the inverter outlet, the display will also tell you how much power (Watts) is being drawn at any given moment. | 
