You can be more self sufficient and help the environment at the same time with a wind up charger for home or travel. Knowing that there is a backup source of power in case of emergency provides great peace of mind. Even during a brownout, you’ll be able to charge that cell phone, listen to a radio or finish up that last bit of work on your laptop before powering down. Once the domain of survivalists, the windup battery charger has now gone mainstream.
Emergency chargers come in all sorts of options for different applications, so a little research goes a long way in determining which model is best for your needs. We’re going get you started by taking a look at three popular choices.
Gazelle Pedal Power Generator
The Gazelle is a uniquely interesting contraption that features a very efficient generator which works using pedal power. Whatever power the user pedals into it can then be tapped into through either a standard socket, USB, or DC out. The 7Ah / 12V VRLA battery power centre is ideal for taking on road trips or when caravanning as a pretty nifty source of ad-hoc power. It provides exercise, saves the environment whenever you charge things from it instead of the wall outlets, and is handy in an emergency. Brown outs need not be a problem. It has such a wide range of power-out options it can charge everything. From mobiles phones to notebooks it’s hard to imagine a low power device it can’t help out. As well as peddle power the battery of the gazelle can also be charged up using an AC adapter for power outlet or DC charger for car. As if that wasn’t enough he gazelle’s portable battery component features an LED flashlight built into it that has a powerful beam, and will surely come in handy.
Wind Up Torch Charger
If the gazelle is overkill then what could be better than a simple wind up torch that also charges mobile phones? Of course when it comes to mobile phone charging accessories there are many on the market, some don’t perform quite as expected or are just simply too noisy to use in the situations they would be most useful, e.g. at night. The great thing about having a wind up torch charger is being able to recharge a mobile whenever needed. It’s not easy having to find an outlet in order to power up. This device saves the trouble. It also comes with all the adaptors that could ever be needed.
Powerplus Elephant Eco Powerstation
The big brother of the Gazelle, the Powerplus Elephant Eco Powerstation is the ultimate gadget for the environmentally self conscious. Not only does it allow for all the perks of the gazelle but also adds to the mix a very powerful 200A jump starter that can be used to get a stalled car up and running. The other major difference between them is that the powerplus elephant is much more portable than the gazelle which has the cumbersome peddle power base. Though that base has been forgone with the Elephant Eco, it does mean that its method of generating power is with a hand crank. This might be more inefficient than peddle power. Nevertheless the increased portability does make the elephant a far more practical proposition.
Overall each of these three devices adds something new and interesting in the backup power department and are well worth their cost, especially for those who tend to be far away from civilization and easy sources of electricity.
