Energy gadgets for drivers

The demand for energy is constantly increasing. Access to electricity is already essential for our functioning in the world. Thanks to smartphones, we are constantly connected to the Internet. We are up to date with information, use maps with real-time traffic views, send and receive email - we can be at work all the time, although not everyone will find this a positive aspect of having such a device.

We also use laptops for work, we can have cameras and camcorders with us - this also requires electricity. And if we are on the road, then a car, which is also a mobile power generator, should come to our aid.

However, not all have a 230V outlet and USB ports as standard. How can I keep in touch with the world? Don't go to Bieszczady 😉

Seriously, here are a few gadgets that can prove to be very practical in a variety of situations.

Charging from the cigarette lighter

Today it is difficult to find a driver who does not use car chargers for phones. These are widely available devices. They are available at gas stations, supermarkets, electronics stores. In each of these stores, we have a selection of at least a dozen or so models at various prices.

The cheapest options also work, but with prolonged use can be very annoying. Probably, each of you once bought a charger that did not plug into the cigarette lighter socket. Theoretically, everyone should cope with such a task, but unfortunately, some have too weak springs that would “lock” the charger in the socket, others were not adapted to certain types of sockets and simply fall out of them.

You can do well by additionally filling the hole, for example, with a folded piece of paper or a receipt, but is it? Sometimes it's better to spend more on a charger that the manufacturer says is physically suitable for all types of outlets.

Another issue is download speed. We have become accustomed to the fact that our smartphones have many functions, but they also have to charge every night. This is a habit for many people, but sometimes it is forgotten. Other times, we just drive somewhere far away using navigation and music streaming to the car's audio system via Bluetooth.

Then it is worth choosing a charger that will quickly charge our phone. Those equipped with Quick Charge 3.0 technology can charge their phone by 20-30% during normal commutes. The number of USB ports is also important. Multiply your problems by the number of people on board - and on a long journey, everyone will probably want to use the charger. More USB ports simply mean more convenience.

Green Cell currently offers two models of car chargers - you can find them in their store.

Converter

USB does not charge the laptop. It won't let you plug in a hair dryer, straightener, coffee maker, electric stove, TV, or anything else you need while camping or away from the mains.

However, you are not doomed to camping with aggregates, extra batteries or sockets. All you need is an inverter.

If you have not yet come across such a device, then in short, the converter allows you to convert the voltage of the on-board network of a DC car into the same voltage as in the socket, i.e. into alternating current 230V.

Thus, we can use an automotive installation by connecting the inverter to the cigarette lighter socket in order to use equipment that requires a typical "home" socket.

using inverter, we must remember to connect the ground to a metal part of the car, such as the chassis, and that the inverter be equipped with all protections against overvoltage, undervoltage, overload, overheating, etc.

If an inverter sounds like something that can solve a lot of your problems, you might want to see inverters made by Green Cell. The brand offers several models, from lesser 300W to even 3000W with 12V and 24V inputs and pure sine wave.

Prices for such a device start around PLN 80-100 and can reach PLN 1300 for the strongest options.

111External Battery

Although we can charge our phones from the cigarette lighter, let's not forget that this is an additional load on the battery. If we often make short trips around the city, i.e. our battery cannot be charged normally while driving, such a load can lead to its gradual discharge.

The way out of this situation can be a power bank of the appropriate capacity, which can be carried in the glove compartment. For example, if our power bank has a capacity of 10000-2000 mAh and the phone has a 3 mAh battery, then we should be able to fully charge the phone 4 times before we have to charge our portable charger. In practice, it will probably be a little less, but still a fairly convenient solution, given that we do not load the car battery with this time.

Poverbank in the car is not an obvious solution, but works as a "just in case" gadget. Even if we usually travel long distances, it's always good to have it around somewhere.

Using many models on the go is not always particularly convenient, because since the device itself weighs a little, we still have to keep it somewhere within reach of the cable. You should think about this when choosing a power bank. Often we can't afford to run out of battery, so it's worth choosing a product with a sufficiently large capacity and always have it with you so you don't have to worry about the energy reserve once again 😉

As an example, you can see a 10000 mAh power bank from Green Cell. This is the first device of this type, completely developed in Poland, because, finally, green cell is a Krakow company.

Power Bank for car – Car Jump Starter

If you have ever watched a used car at a thrift store, you must have seen how the seller started the car from the so-called "Booster". This is nothing more than a powerbank for a car. It allows you to maintain independence when the car does not start after a long parking, or one frosty morning.

Simple - we connect this additional battery to the battery terminals, wait for the green light and start the engine. We don't have to wait for a friend, a taxi driver or a city guard who will come to us with cables and help start the car.

This solution is especially useful in winter, and also when our battery is already dead and there is no way to recharge it. If we are also going somewhere where we are not sure whether the car will start in the morning and whether we can find help, it is also worth getting such a booster.

Before going on a picnic or vacation, you should think about buying an additional energy storage device. This one-time spending of a few hundred zlotys will save us a lot - stress and money - if we go out into the wilderness or find ourselves abroad and the car will not start - because, for example, we have been charging the phone for too long in the parking lot or using the on-board refrigerator with the ignition on.

We can buy this type of portable device for PLN 200-300, although high power professional boosters cost closer to PLN 1000. Green Cell offers a 11100 mAh booster for less than PLN 260.