How to get more out of your ALLPOWERS 372Wh Solar Generator | 12V charging and usage tips

How to get more out of your ALLPOWERS 372Wh Solar Generator | 12V charging and usage tips
In this video we show how you can get more out of your ALLPOWERS 372Wh Portable Solar Generator. We receive a large number of questions regarding the 372Wh and wanted to cover more in our videos. Whether you are looking for faster 12V charging in your car, camper or RV, or you just want to make your battery power go further, this might help. If you are researching the 372Wh before making a purchase, why not check out the whole playlist here - bit.ly/2AbwG5L as it may answer some of your questions. If you are new to the DADvinci channel and community, Welcome! Whilst you’re here, why not subscribe and post a comment, question or suggestion. We hope you enjoy the video and if you have any questions please let us know 😊
#allpowers #powerbank #solar #charger #solargenerator
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Product Review
ALLPOWERS 372Wh Portable Solar Generator
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LinkOn 84W USB-C Car Charger
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About Us
Inspired by Leonardo da Vinci, we're two Dads attempting to improve daily life one video at a time. We love tech, problem solving and helping people so we combined all three and this is how our DADvinci channel was born.
We review stuff! Not only that, we share ways to enhance or further improve what we've reviewed. It's easy to complain, but we want to help everyone improve whatever they provide or sell. We attempt to devise practical and sometimes novel use-cases for the products we test.
Do you have a challenge we might be able to help with? Let us know how we can assist and we could be featuring a solution for you in a future video! Enjoy our channel😊
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[@DADvinci]

Thanks so much for your support! You may find this playlist useful > bit.ly/2OsIKmH. While you’re here, please like, subscribe > bit.ly/2Uln5O5 and be a part of the DADvinci community by posting a comment or question. Cheers😀👍

[@yahirmaximilian4322]

instablaster.

[@sidneybowerman558]

Just had to pop back here for a recap. It's great to be able to look back and confirm what you think you might know. Thanks David hope everything is well with you. Cheers, Sid.

[@sidneybowerman558]

Where on earth did David spring from, thanks Adrian, so sorry about that.

[@DADvinci]

@Sidney Bowerman Hey Sid! It's nice to hear from you😊. Always a pleasure to help. I'm doing fine thanks and will be getting back to posting more videos soon (had a few issues recently). Take care, Adrian

[@guavajellyification]

Thanks, with this and finally getting the Anderson input working I have a good set up in my campervan at last!

[@sun-sea-solar]

My Anderson port doesn't work. How did you get it charging?

[@0errant]

@@sun-sea-solar I had problems with mine, as well. It turns out, the Anderson connection is a very tight fit, and I did not have it fully connected. You have to press it in very hard, feels like it will break before it actually snaps in.

[@TheWtfnonamez]

Great videos mate. I onw an older model Allpowers 280wh unit. Tbh the power doesnt go very far, BUT personally I see all the value in the inverter/connectors. Just having a unit that has a smorgasbord of inputs and outputs, with different connectors and different plugs, provides great throughput for the owner. I back them up with cheaper battery packs. By my rough estimate, I can buy 100wh battery packs for thirty quid ... and slave them into the charging ports for more raw power. But its the utility of these units that really make the generators shine. Thank you for your videos.

[@DADvinci]

@TheWtfnonamez Good day! You're too kind, thank you very much 😊. I completely agree, the choice of ports really does cover a decent number of scenarios, it's so convenient. The whole cheaper batteries to keep the more expensive generators running for longer is spot on and something I also do (my LiFePO4 case batteries come in handy for that). Thanks again for taking the time to share your experience, it helps other viewers out too👍. Please shout if you need anything. All the best, Adrian

[@Deanrwp]

Hey Adrian, It is Great to see you once again with yet another brilliant video on the Allpowers 372W Portable Generator! I would like to say a Big thank you, as your brilliant review help me decide buying one of these as well as the Allpowers 60w Portable Foldable Solar Panels.....I eventually got my DC to Anderson Cable, well they sent me a couple for some strange reason, and a Carkit as as a goodwill gesture! 😊

[@DADvinci]

@Dean Platt Hey Dean! It's great to hear from you. Thank you again for your very generous feedback, it really does help😊 I'm so pleased that you got the cable sorted as it seemed to be a challenge across the board. The car kit was a nice gesture and I think that manufacturers are starting to realise that happy customers come back and recommend things more. How's your 372Wh going, all ok? Cheers, Adrian

[@Deanrwp]

DADvinci Yes it was a really good gesture as they didn’t even charge me for the DC to Anderson cable believe it or Not! I have had lots of fun using my 372W especially with the Solar Panels which gives it unlimited power during daylight hours! My Primary use right now will be used in the event of a Power Cut which will power half of my house! In the Future when I go away on Holiday like Camping this will come into its own by giving me Power when I it all by utilising Solar Energy 😊

[@DADvinci]

@Dean Platt It's awesome to hear that you're making the most of the sun now! Such a versatile little box and you've got all angles covered by the sounds of it. I must admit that its size and weight still make me smile as it works just as well at home or away for me. Take care, Adrian 😊

[@CanadianTank007]

Great video as always. I wish my 372wh had worked properly from the beginning instead of me shipping it back. I'm currently ordered an eco-flow r600 max. It'll be interesting to see the build difference between that and the all power unit. as I did have the all power unit completely disassembled because I thought there was an issue with the board I could fix. Glad to see you're making videos again

[@DADvinci]

@CanadianTank007 Great to hear from you! It's a shame you had to do that, but even with the strip down you had no other options. Please can you let me know how you get on with the R600? It will be interesting to see how it does in the real-world versus the spec and the variety of video reviews on here. I don't take things for granted, so your kind feedback is always appreciated and I thank you for that. I'm hoping to get back on track with filming as I've had a few challenges recently. Take care and all the best, Adrian 😊

[@CanadianTank007]

@@DADvinci Will do and I will definitely let you know how it performs. I Should be receiving at the end of September.

[@DADvinci]

@CanadianTank007 Thank you!

[@Swanseaguy1979]

I love my all powers. Another quality video

[@DADvinci]

@IanJohnMartin That's great to hear! Thank you for your kind words 😊

[@VanLoz]

I have one of these units and love it. Thanks for the info! I have noticed this exact unit is now advertised at only 288Wh now... I wonder why that is the case? Do you reckon ours really is 372Wh or maybe we were sold snake oil and it was 288Wh all along?

[@DADvinci]

@VanLoz Good day and thanks for your question. The manufacturer informed me that they changed the battery pack (for a smaller capacity) due to increasing costs. They also said that the unit is the same apart from the capacity drop. I hope this helps. All the best, Adrian

[@VanLoz]

@@DADvinci Thanks heaps buddy, good to know! We got lucky with the 372Wh units then! 🎉

[@cleekyboy]

My all powers is only charging at 2watts with the power brick it came with . Will need to try this thanks

[@DADvinci]

@cleekyboy Good day! That definitely doesn't sound right. Please let me know if it doesn't work after you've tried it and we can try something else. All the best, Adrian

[@cleekyboy]

I used a 25w Samsung mobile charge to the usb c port , its charging it fine now , I will need to get one with more watts . Thanks for your help

[@DADvinci]

​@@cleekyboyThat's brilliant news! I'm so pleased it did the trick. For a USB-C PD power brick, there's one in the description that features in other 372Wh videos which other viewers seem to be happy with. Please shout if you need anything else. Take care, Adrian

[@taigenetsudo4273]

I bought one recently and they have ditched the aluminium body. It’s all plastic now. They still advertised it as aluminium so it wasn’t quite as expected. Works well so far though.

[@DADvinci]

@Taigen Etsudo Good day! Thanks very much for sharing this info. It sounds like the 666Wh version I've also got. It was a nice touch, but I guess cost cutting is what they had in mind. Glad to hear all is working fine at the moment. All the best, Adrian

[@taigenetsudo4273]

@@DADvinci yes that’s what I meant actually - there’s no wattage drop with mine. I’ve already seen your other video. I’m not experiencing that problem of watts stepping down with shade - it goes back up. It’s working very well actually. I would think the unit will shut off when it fills up just like on adapter input, when it reaches capacity, and as long as I don’t exceed the max input wattage/amps I should be ok. Also interesting is how the display adjusts to show input/output when charging and discharging simultaneously. I’ll feedback more on this after a while. I’m using it as my main power source now (solar controller for my main battery bank burnt out yesterday due to moisture) and I live in a camper. Thanks again for the useful videos!

[@M.S777-M.S]

Have you tried charging from the car 12v but plugging the power brick into a 300w pure sine inverter that's plugged into the 12v socket.

[@DADvinci]

@mark stokes Good day Mark and thanks for your question. No, I've not tried that method as yet. The power brick charges around the 60W mark, as does the USB-C PD route. Using an AC inverter would mean you'd use more power from the 12V than using the 12V USB-C PD charger alone (it would be 12V DC > 230V AC > 12V USB-C PD). Did you have something in mind for using this method? All the best, Adrian

[@M.S777-M.S]

@@DADvinci saw a video about it, can't remember who it was but it's the American guy with the white beard. Didn't use the allpowers but another make, charging watts went right up when using the method in the car.

[@DADvinci]

@mark stokes Ah I see. That would be Hobotech. The ALLPOWERS unit has the USB-C PD charging method which is a popular charging method amongst viewers. That's been the best method of charging I've found for this unit, as you can use the cable for charging from the unit too. I'd be interested to hear the make he was referring to, if it does come back perhaps you could drop a message on here? Cheers, Adrian

[@M.S777-M.S]

@@DADvinci m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/lX7Rk5l5bZ2HeKc#menu

[@DADvinci]

@mark stokes Thanks for sharing Mark! Yes, it does work with some power stations and the Explorer 500 he used was the older version so had slow charging. The version I recently reviewed (kzbin.info/www/bejne/kGapqKNopbx1qrc) has a boosted input port so you get around 80W with as standard cable and a little bit more using the AC power brick, so not the doubling up he covered. It is possible to charge faster with a 12V AC inverter setup on the MaxOak EB150, but I've found a small adapter that gives around 120W direct from the 12V output in a car, instead of around 160W using the AC inverter route. Cheers, Adrian

[@jamiehazelgrove7371]

Thank you for these great, informative videos. I have an issue with trying to run a desk top heater for my shed. It’s a small Dimplex desk friend of only 250 watt output. When I plug into the AC the ALLPOWERS pack cuts out. I chose the heater for its low wattage being below the 372 watt advertised. Is this a common problem? Can you recommend a small heater that will work with this pack? Thanks.

[@DADvinci]

@Jamie Hazelgrove Hey Jamie! Thanks for your kind feedback, it's much appreciated😊. I've run devices up to the 300W continuous limit before. Some things that require more power to start-up like motors, fridge compressors, etc. can trip the inverter out as they spike above what it can handle. That might be what is happening with your desk friend heater. On occasions, I use the foot mat in this video > kzbin.info/www/bejne/m2rYdKafrdKtjdE as it's much more efficient, but does costs more. I've had a quick look and found a couple of potential heaters, but I must say that I've not tested these myself so can't provide feedback on the quality or effectiveness > ebay.us/WOfZyT or ebay.us/4IV0Z9 (affiliate links). I hope this helps. Please shout if you need anything else. All the best, Adrian

[@GamingGoose]

Okay I'm confused as I've bought the exact same equipment but mine goes 6, 11 24 then suddenly back down to 5 watts and stays ar 5 forever on the cigarette lighter socket?

[@DADvinci]

@GamingGoose Good day. Is that when you're charging the unit or running something directly off of the cigarette lighter socket? Cheers, Adrian

[@GamingGoose]

@@DADvinci when mine is plugged into a 90w max output charger using C in the 12v car socket Jr goes up then goes back to 5w and stays charing at 5 with nothing running off it

[@DADvinci]

@GamingGoose Thanks for the info. Are you able to test charge with another USB-C charger (mains or not) as I'd be interested to see if it's down to the 90W 12V USB-C charger. Has it ever worked correctly with the 90W charger? Cheers, Adrian

[@GamingGoose]

@@DADvinci the 90w charger works on my phone via the same outlet so it's odd that it doesn't for the allpowers. My phone on a standard USB cig charger takes 2 hrs + on the USB c it takes about 40 mins to fully charge. But as I say on the allpowers it does go up in increments initially then suddenly drops to 5w like it's some safety thing kicking in

[@DADvinci]

@GamingGoose The only thing I can think of is that USB-C PD has to negotiate the rate at which it can charge and sometimes it can't get it quite right. That might be the case for your setup. I've had a USB-C cable that had a damaged pin one end and it wouldn't charge at all, just kept flashing up as if it was going to start charging but didn't settle. Do you have a link (or make/model) you could share for the 90W charger?

[@xCoDxPr0x]

Hi, How long does it take to charge with the 60W PD charger? Also would you be able to leave some formulas for working out how long things could be powered etc please. Thanks love the playlist my one is now on order

[@DADvinci]

@Josh Anderson Good day Josh and thanks for your kind feedback😊. From flat, it takes approx. 7 hours to fully charge using a 60W PD charger. I wouldn't recommend fully discharging every cycle though as this can reduce battery cycle life quicker. In terms of estimating run-time, you can get a rough idea by dividing the energy/power storage (372Wh in this case) by the watts the device is likely to use (usually on the device power label or in the manual) > formula is Wh (Watt Hours) ÷ W (Watts) = Runtime (Hours). So, a device that uses 50W on a fully charged unit would be 372Wh ÷ 50W = 7.4 Hours. This calculation is fine on paper, but I apply my 80% usable power 'rule of thumb' as it provides a more realistic figure. This 80% takes into account AC inverter loses (if the inverter is used, not as much if just using 12V or USB) and not running the battery flat every cycle. You might be able to get more or less the 80% figure though, again it's my rough real-world estimate. So, it might look more like this for the 50W device > 372Wh @ 80% = 297Wh ÷ 50W = 5.9 Hours runtime. I hope this helps. Please shout if you need anything else. All the best, Adrian

[@xCoDxPr0x]

@@DADvinci thank you for all that info really helpful! I’ve received mine now yet it doesn’t seem to be liking my 240W makita battery charger any idea?

[@DADvinci]

@Josh Anderson Hey Josh! Glad the info helped. Just to check, it's a 240V not 240W charger? Please can you check with power specs on the charger and let me know? Is it tripping the inverter? Sorry for all the questions. Cheers, Adrian

[@xCoDxPr0x]

@@DADvinci hi, it’s a 220-240v 240W 50-60 Hz (copying from the plaque on the bottom)

[@DADvinci]

@Josh Anderson Thanks Josh. Is it tripping the inverter? Do you have the model number or a link you can share? Cheers, Adrian

[@rayhumby400]

hi, i've just been running a security camera off my 372, I left it a little longer than i should have and have run the battery down. I'm trying the recharge it but nothings happening, can you help. Thanks R

[@DADvinci]

@Ray Humby Good day Ray! I'm sorry to hear that. There are a couple of things you can try to begin with. Leave the unit (nothing plugged in) for a period of time, allowing the battery to recover enough so that the BMS allows charging again. You can also try a reset (press & hold the DC button for about 20secs) and see if that wakes it up. Please can you let me know how you get on? All the best, Adrian

[@rayhumby400]

@@DADvinci Adrian, thanks for getting back to me so soon, I've just cracked it, i was using the UGREEN USB C, mains charger and have been since i saw it being used on you Vlog last year. I decided to try the power charger that came with it instead, this seems to have done the trick. Its charging nicely now. ill let you know if there are are further problems. Thanks again for you help. Ray.

[@christopherbunbury2156]

I purchased the 666 version from Ali Express for £300 with new account discount promo, i thinks its currently £350 now its a great little product. However i was wondering if its possible to draw 24v to power a low power kettle without having to use the inverter and draw an extra 6w? i also have the 100w allpowers camo folding panel and was able to get 67w on a sunny day with no proper setup i.e. correct adjustable stand for correct angles. the only critic is its would be nice to have an attached folding stand and long dc cable rather the 1m dc cable provided. i got it for £150 inc tax and delivery on alliexpress and its all in working order. Another question is it possible to charge my allpowers battery on wind power if i have the right charge controller and cables? if possible please demonstrate.

[@DADvinci]

@Christopher Bunbury Good day Christopher! AliExpress has some great deals over Amazon (for the same products) and looks like you found one! That's a decent solar charge without a proper setup (angle). A couple of questions if I may. Do you have the kettle already? I assume it's a DC powered kettle, but what type of connector does it have (if you have a link that would be useful)? I've not got a wind turbine as yet, but from what I've read the smaller ones don't yield that much unless you live or visit somewhere that tends to be exposed (and windy enough). I know some boat owners like them as they can provide decent power when in open water (again, when it's windy of course). It all depends which type you purchase as you can get controllers with them, but as the 666 has an in-built MPPT charger a 24V turbine should work as that is what a larger solar panel would put out. This is just theory though as I've not tested one on my 666. I look forward to hearing from you. All the best, Adrian

[@christopherbunbury2156]

@@DADvinci Hi Adrian thank you for getting back to me, I don't have it already, I've ordered one and I'm awaiting delivery. This is what I had in mind it has a 24v cigarette head: www.amazon.co.uk/Classic-Kettle-HELLA-Trucks-Lorries/dp/B01N7HGIZ2/ref=sr_1_16?crid=M8KL1FHBMVV2&dchild=1&keywords=24v+kettle+for+lorry&qid=1623016371&sprefix=24V+KETT%2Caps%2C164&sr=8-16 but I ended up ordering this one because I couldn't find any info on how to extract 24v dc without using the inverter: www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002509833683.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.27424c4d7FlGp2 I know the power draw is a jump from the 12v kettles considering I have a 500w generator but I keep reading they take too long to heat up, some as long as 20-30 mins. Yea I understand urban arears are not the best setting for wind turbines but vertical axel turbines are good for low windspeeds apparently, but don't generate as much as the more common horizontal ones. its just good to have backup options for the winter and cloudy days. What's the maximum amount of solar watts the all powers 666 can safely handle? The manual recommended to connect 200w.

[@DADvinci]

@Christopher Bunbury Thanks for the info. I can see why you went with the second option over the first. I found the 500W kettle (last year) in this video > kzbin.info/www/bejne/kGapqKNopbx1qrc and it has been brilliant. Reasonable boiling time (providing you only boil what you need) and it works fine with the 666 too! The other one I'm currently testing is a one full-size coffee cup option which is really good on energy consumption and is also like a flask. It takes a little while to boil, but switch it on and just wait for the beep > bit.ly/3pyZ7zP (affiliate link). I’ll check out some larger solar panels on the 666 and let you know. Cheers, Adrian

[@christopherbunbury2156]

@@DADvinci ok thanks for the suggestion if the one I ordered isn't satisfactory I may consider the 500w one. As for the panels, I'm looking forward to seeing what you find, much appreciated. I have since purchased dc2521 10m extension cable 18-36v to use my allpowers folding camo 100w in the garden whilst I'm indoors but wattage loss is very off putting. I was charging at 57 watts but when I just added the extension cable I lost 17watt I got highs of 60w on solar today but I really want to at least be hitting 90 -100w

[@DADvinci]

@Christopher Bunbury I managed to briefly test today. I've not connected up 2x 100W panels in series (only parallel) due to the voltage limit on the 666 (30V) and my 2 panels in series would go over that. I think I've looked at this before and came to the same conclusion about anything above 100W, in that the MPPT limit is 30V and 5A (30V x 5A = 150W). It did slightly push up the charging rate from about 80W to 99W when in parallel, but I need to have another think about getting nearer the limit and what type of panels/setup might do it. That is a problem with come DC extension cables, especially if they are long and fairly thin (small wire gauge). The angle on my smaller 60W panel does make a difference to the input watts and I normally get about 45W on this panel. Do you angle your panel? Did you have to pay import duty and VAT when you bought from AliExpress? Cheers, Adrian

[@charlschuck6]

What happen to your screen LCD display ?

[@DADvinci]

@Chuck Brown Good day Chuck and thanks for your question. I knocked it off a stool and although it landed flat it hit quite hard. Lucky for me, it still works fine with just the backlight affected and a slight rattle inside (probably something broke off). It's not the first time as I tend to have a habit of leaving things plugged in and then walking off (more haste, less speed for me). All the best, Adrian

[@Trillville43]

You seen the newer model I hope. I will say to sum up the whole video is to avoid using the AC port because its the least inefficient.

[@DADvinci]

@Anthony G Good day Anthony and thanks for your comment. Are you referring to the newer 666Wh version? If so, I've purchased it and I’m now waiting for it to be delivered. More videos on the 372Wh & new 666Wh model to come. Please shout if you need anything. All the best, Adrian

[@cleekyboy]

My 372 was left in car overnight at -2 ,it stopped working until it heated up again . Has anyone else experience this

[@DADvinci]

@cleekyboy Good day and I hope you are well? That's very interesting as it sounds like low temp charging protection, something I didn't think the 372 came with (not obvious in the manual). That's usually a feature in more expensive units or on battery management systems (BMS) for DIY systems. If you can, I'd suggest not leaving it out in sub-zero conditions unless it's insulated in some way (referenced in the manual). Thanks for sharing and Happy New Year! All the very best, Adrian

[@darrencooke4131]

Just bought one on Amazon and the 12v will not stay on, turns itself off after 3 seconds, will be going back.

[@DADvinci]

@Darren Cooke Good day Darren. I'm sorry to hear you're not happy with it. May I ask if this is what you are finding > kzbin.info/www/bejne/iGOoipxnmZuWZ68 ? All the best, Adrian