Recently, a consumer sent in a picture of one of our very own Powerpack 600 products being used. As you can see for yourself, he is making use of all three AC outlets at the same time! And while not currently being used, the jumper cables are definitely present in the photo as well.

Many customers have been asking: how long does the powerpack last? The answer varies, depending on the amount of accessories you're using and how much power they consume. For example, if one were to plug in a television that takes 100 watts to run, the portable power supply would likely last shorter than if you were only charging your cell phone or laptop. Also factor in that this powerpack battery can be drained from its own devices as well, such as the built-in flashlight and radio.

For more information on how long this backup power supply will last, consult your accessories' user manuals to calculate the wattage consumed, and compare it to the power ratings of the Powerpack 600.

And if you, just like our consumer pictured above, are in need of a powerpack battery and charger, then be sure to view our wide range of portable power accessories to handle your emergency power needs. You can also view our video tutorial on the Powerpack 600 below.

Meet BESS: the Battery Energy Storage System. What exactly is BESS, you ask? Imagine a structure the size of a football-field, in the shape of a horseshoe. Big, right? So big, in fact, that it has to be "watered" down on a regular basis. This Nickel-Cadmium (Ni-Cad) contraption is actually thousands of 1.7V Ni-Cad batteries linked together.

Built in 2003 by GVEA (Golden Valley Electric Association) the BESS provides Fairbanks, Alaska with a backup power source. Fairbanks is known to have regular blackouts but thanks to BESS, outages have been reduced by more than 65%. Data gathered by GVEA indicates that the average person in 2003 experienced 3 and a half hours of no electricity; however, in 2010 the time was reduced to 45 minutes.

The BESS is not without its faults though. It was designed only as an interim power source while a backup generator can start, and can only produce roughly 27 megawatts of power for 15 minutes. "If there's a large outage, like 60 megawatts, it doesn't make up for the whole thing and then you have to shed people," said Mike Wright, Vice President of Transmission and Distribution at GVEA.

These "faults" are easily dismissed though, considering it does exactly what it was intended to do. A majority of the time, people won't even notice a blackout due to the BESS picking up on it instantly and providing the necessary power to cover. The BESS is always on, keeping voltages at the right levels in transmission lines when it's not being used for blackouts.

Source: dailyjournal.net