Frequently Asked Questions: Lithium Power Stations

Updated 24 April 2024.

What is the difference between a power station and a power bank?
Portable power stations are essentially large power banks that store energy in a rechargeable battery. They provide a source of power when you don’t have access to traditional electrical outlets. Portable power stations have a larger capacity that power banks and can charge more appliances, for longer. Power banks are typically used to charge small mobile devices via USB whereas power stations can be used to power larger appliances due to their larger battery banks, 12v and 240v outputs.
 
Can a portable power station run a 12v fridge? 
iTechworld’s power station range can power a 12v fridge from up to 12 hours (PS300) up to a week (PS3600 PRO). Due to the 12v regulated output, iTechworld power stations provide a consistent and stable electrical output that is perfect for fridges. This feature also prevents voltage spikes or drops that could affect performance.
 
How long will my portable power station stay charged?
iTechworld’s power station range can hold power for up to 6 months before needing to be recharged. Please always follow the maintenance instructions in the user guide for your specific iTechworld power station. 
 
What's the benefits of a portable power station over a generator?
A power station is a great alternative to a generator as they are portable, able to be used indoors, and generally cheaper and quieter to run.

For more on a comparison between the two, see Lithium Power Station vs Inverter Generator.

How do you charge them?
iTechworld’s power station range can be charged one of 5 ways– 240v AC mains (home), 12V car cigarette socket, solar, generator or an additional battery.
 
Can I use it in a power outage at home?
Yes, due to the portability of iTechworld’s power stations, they it can be used without being plugged in, the higher the watts the more it can power. They can be used to power caravans and supply power off grid.
 
Can I run it all the way down to 0%?
Yes, due to the deep cycle batteries, 100% of the charge can be used. 
 
Can I plug it into my caravan’s 240v input socket?
Yes, the iTechworld PS1300 and PS3600 power stations can be plugged into a caravan’s input, a 10amp to 15amp 240v cable will be required. Please always ensure the power station you select is big enough to power your caravan’s appliances.
 
What size of solar panel/blanket should I use?
Depending on the power station, there are different requirements:

Can I charge it from Anderson plug?
Yes, all iTechworld power stations can be charged via Anderson plug. We use a variety of adapters in power station range from XT90, XT60, 6.5mm to Anderson and 5mm to Anderson.
 
How long does it take to charge?
Our power station range can be charged from 0 to 100% in under 3 hours, and in around 1.5 hours from AC and solar. Not all charge this fast, its only really the PS range. The website should have the charging speeds for each power station.
 
Can it power my CPAP machine?
Yes, the iTechworld lithium power station range can run CPAP machines. Each iTechworld power station has a different battery capacity, and this will determine how long the CPAP machine can run. 

We tested the most common CPAP machine (ResMed) via 240v on each power station and got the following results:

The ResMed CPAP machine used 3.5 amps per hour while running via the inverter of each power station.

Is there any installation required?
No, an iTechworld lithium power station is ready to use right out of the box.

Can I charge and discharge from the power station at the same time?
Yes, an iTechworld power station can charge via solar, 12v or 240v and at the same time can power a 12v or USB appliance. We refer to this as pass through charging.

Can the battery packs in your power stations be replaced when they reach the end of their life?
Yes, we design all of our power stations so that each component can be replaced easily including the battery pack.

Can I use a non iTechworld solar panel to charge the power station?
We always recommend an iTechworld solar panel to go along with an iTechworld power station, this will ensure optimum performance of the system. You can use non iTechworld solar panels provided their specs match up with the power station's charging parameters. Please consult with your power station's user guide or see the details on our website HERE.

Can I connect the power station to my existing DCDC charger?
As all iTechworld lithium power stations already have a DCDC charger inbuilt there is no need to connect it to another DCDC charger.

What is the difference between an iTechworld Lithium Power Station and a battery in a box.
A battery in a battery box was the traditional way to set up a dual battery system. To go along with the battery and the box you will also need a DCDC charger, AC charger, digital display, solar controller and inverter. All of these things have to be installed (at considerable cost), once installed they are tied to the vehicle. An iTechworld lithium power station takes all the components of a dual battery system and puts it into one light weight, portable and convenient box with no installation required.

Can I replace my small generator with an iTechworld Lithium Power Station.
A larger iTechworld Lithium Power Station such as the PS1300 can also take the place of a small generator and will run appliances such as coffee machines, toasters, inductions cook tops and more.