Conti 300W (Checkers)

[richjdavies]

Just bought this for R1995 at checkers.

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It says 300W and almost 300Wh of energy.

Anyone used one before? Any good?

My use case, to take it camping to keep a cooler box / fridge running on a weekend.

 

[richjdavies]

Initial thoughts.

It's got
1 Usb-C labelled PD which charges my Samsung s22 as fast charging (not ultra fast)
1 USB-A port labelled QC3.0 - same deal. It's fast but not ultra fast.
1 USB-A port labelled 5v 2A - as expected doesn't come up as fast charging

1 x 12v barrel connector labelled 12v DC out. Does just as described and runs a 50W peltier cooler so must be real.
Big annoyance that barrel connector is a smallish barrel connector. Was hoping it was a normal car cigarette lighter (based on a glance at the box!) So had to hack together a wire for the test!

1 x 15V DC in for the included 6A 15V charger....

2 x SA plugs 220v AC. Seems to do what would be expected haven't pushed it yet though (just a couple of Led lights and a ingco charger)


Pretty good for R2000 I'd say!

 

[chrisc]

How is the fan volume? A neighbour bought one and the continuous fan was so irritating that it went back (to TaL)

 

[richjdavies]

How is the fan volume? A neighbour bought one and the continuous fan was so irritating that it went back (to TaL)

Must be a different one. Not heard a thing from it yet!
Even on AC... Admittedly think I've not used more than 50W...

 

[richjdavies]

The indicator on the front flashes when it's charging and is meant to indicator how full the battery is... But not sure if it's like watching a kettle boil, but it never seems to move!

Similarly when discharging seems to hardly move for hours then gone.

Both times now though I've left it running and seems to skip the bottom 20-30%.
E.g. When charging it zooms from off to 8% then 20-30% then when I came back it was over 50%.

Not sure if that indicates a less than perfect battery or just indicator.

 

[richjdavies]

Test from earlier.

On what purports to be a 50W load
100% at 8:36
78% at 8:56 (22% in 20 mins!)
55% at 11:32 (45% in 180 mins / 3 hours mins... which would put it at 300Wh!)
Off sometime before 15:32 (suggesting useful capacity is less than 5 hours at 50W or 250Wh?)

When charging
0/off - 15:30 immediately to 8%ish
70% nowish 16:35
Suggesting around 1%/min so about 100 mins to full charge. That would be 15v 6A or max of 90W or only 150Wh back in.

Long story short it really doesn't seem very consistent so not sure I can use that indicator to mean much!

 

[irBosOtter]

Camp fridges uses between 20 - 40 amps in 24 hours, depending on ambient temps. That device will never last a weekend unless you use a solar panel (or other means) to charge it as well.

 

[Captain Beer]

I'm looking for something similar for camping, just need it to charge phones, lights and inflate my mattress. But all the Conti branded stuff I've bought in the past has ended up being complete dross. Please keep us updated.

 

[irBosOtter]

I'm looking for something similar for camping, just need it to charge phones, lights and inflate my mattress. But all the Conti branded stuff I've bought in the past has ended up being complete dross. Please keep us updated.

Build your own perhaps. Lots of vids on youtube on how to. Get a small "Ammo" box.

Get a 18 - 22AH battery

Like this, Temu is crazy with this pricing though, they want R1400 and then you still need battery

 

[irBosOtter]

I use mine to power camp fridge, lights, charge phones, inflate mattresses etc. Also have a 500W inverter but don't really take that with camping as everything is 12V in any case.

MPPT also in the box

Planning on building a 20Ah battery box in one of the small ammo boxes as well

 

[irBosOtter]

I'm looking for something similar for camping, just need it to charge phones, lights and inflate my mattress. But all the Conti branded stuff I've bought in the past has ended up being complete dross. Please keep us updated.

Else this, https://www.techguysa.co.za/products/bluetti-eb3a-portable-power-station-600w-268wh-sa-plug/

Will be fine to charge phones, mattress and run lights. But not suitable to run a fridge for a weekend.

 

[richjdavies]

Not a fridge... A cooler box - - with a peltier!

I'm not trying to preserve organs here just trying to add a few hours here or there!

(and of course as a phone, lamps, lights etc. backup. Next thing a 200W kettle )

 

[irBosOtter]

Not a fridge... A cooler box - - with a peltier!

I'm not trying to preserve organs here just trying to add a few hours here or there!

(and of course as a phone, lamps, lights etc. backup. Next thing a 200W kettle )

Ah ok, well, normal camp fridge uses 50 - 70W, and this one shows 50W so close enough. Do you know if it switches on the cooling permanently, or kicks in every few minutes? The other camp fridges you get, they switch on and off, sometimes you can go 30 minutes without it switching on. (Depends on how often you open it up, and ambient temps)

 

[irBosOtter]

You could always get a 100W solar panel. While camping, plug that in during the day so that you only use the batteries at night. Then you should be fine. That is if there is sun during the day obviously.

I got two 160W EcoFlow portable panels, but rarely use it as the 100Ah battery does last a whole weekend. Only use those for 3+ day trips.

 

[richjdavies]

Ah ok, well, normal camp fridge uses 50 - 70W, and this one shows 50W so close enough. Do you know if it switches on the cooling permanently, or kicks in every few minutes? The other camp fridges you get, they switch on and off, sometimes you can go 30 minutes without it switching on. (Depends on how often you open it up, and ambient temps)

It's a peltier cooler box... I doubt it's got any temperature control.