Review: DBPOWER 500A 10,800mAh Portable Car Jump Starter

DBPOWER 500A 10,800mAh Portable Car Jump Starter

9.1

Power

9.5/10

Design

9.0/10

Build

9.0/10

Reliability

9.0/10

Pros

  • Features Three Output charging ports, with one being a Quick Charge port and another being a USB-C port
  • Uses a LED flashlight that has three different modes
  • You can jump-start cars twelve times from the full power capacity of this power bank
  • Has a smaller size than most other portable car jump starters that allow you to easily store it in a car and also take it with you while you're on-the-go
(Last Updated On: March 22, 2019)

Portable car jump starters are one of the most useful portable chargers that you can purchase and that’s because they can jump-start your car, while at the same time have the ability to charge smartphones and tablets. That said, most of the time when it comes to jump-starters, the charging ports that they have are actually quite slow with their charging speed. That’s why we’re here to review this DBPower 500A portable car jump-starter.

What makes this DBPower portable charger different than most other power banks with jump-starting abilities is that this one uses three output charging methods that you can charge to charge your devices, with one of the ports actually using Quick Charge and another output being USB-C. Both of those types of charging ports are not common at all when it comes portable jump-starters, so let’s take a closer look at what this DBPower portable charger is capable of.

Power

Power Capacity:

The power capacity of this DBPower portable charger is quite low in comparison to other jump-starters, that said, as it has a 10,800mAh initial power capacity. So let’s see how much of it you’re actually able to use.

3.7 x 10,800 = 39,960 / 5 = 7,992

So you’re actually able to to use about 8,000mAh of the power capacity from this power bank, that is, if you’re charging your standard Non-Quick Charge compatible smartphones with it. Since one of the ports on this power bank features Quick Charge, then you’re likely going to be using it to charge a Quick Charge compatible Android smartphone and when Quick Charge is used with a power bank the conversion of power from the charger to the smartphone is less.

So you ’re going be receiving about 7,000mAh of output power capacity to use if you’re charging a Quick Charge compatible smartphone with the power bank. Of course, that’s still a good amount and for the most part, you’re able to charge most smartphones on the market to their full power about two times with this power bank.

Charging tablets with this power bank can also be done, but it can take nearly the entire power capacity.

Power Capacity for Jump-Starting

Most might think that the power capacity of this power bank won’t be able to supply many jump-starts to a car, but that’s actually not true. You’re actually able to get about 12 jump-starts to a car before this power bank is too depleted to use for jump-starting. That said, we recommend that you always keep the power bank above 50% of its power capacity to make sure that you have enough.

The power bank is capable of jump-starting 3L Gas engines and 2L Diesel Engines. The starting current is 250A, while the Peak current is 500A.

Output Charging:

There are a total of three charging ports on this power bank.

Two USB-A Ports

One of the USB-A ports is the standard one that has a 5V/2.1A charging speed, and that’s a pretty fast standard charging speed that’s perfect for charging most smartphones and tablets with. That said, the other USB-A port features Quick Charge and this port is great for charging Quick Charge compatible Android smartphones like the Galaxy S8 and many others at their max charging speed.

You can also charge a Non-Quick Charge compatible device with the Quick Charge port, and then the port will output a 5V/2.4A charging speed for standard devices. So if you’re charging a standard smartphone or a tablet with this power bank, it’s best to go for the Quick Charge port first because it offers faster charging for standard devices in comparison to the actual standard port.

USB-C Port

The one other output port on this power bank is the USB-C port that can be used as an output with a USB-C to USB-C charging cable and it has a 5V/3.0A charging speed. The USB-C Port on this power bank does not feature Power Delivery, but it can still charge a USB-C MacBook, just not at its max charging speed. It can charge USB-C smartphones at, or near Quick Charge speeds, though.

The use of a USB-C port with a portable car jump-starter is not very common at all, but this DBPower portable charger innovates to have it and we think that it’s an awesome addition.

Input Charging:

The power bak is also recharged through the USB-C port, and it comes with a USB-C to USB-A charging cable that can be used to recharge it. The recharge rate is 5V/3.0A, so if you want to recharge the power bank as fast as possible it’s best to use Quick Charge wall charger, and as a result, you’ll get a full recharge within 5 hours.

Design

Size and Weight:

The size of most portable car jump-starters is actually quite large, even if their power capacity is low. This DBPower portable charger isn’t too large at all, and we think that you can actually take this power bank with you while you’re on the move and not just have it stored within your car. As the length of the charger is 5.7 inches, it has a width of 3.2 inches, and the thickness of the power bank is 0.9 inches. The weight of the power bank is 10 Ounces.

So the charger is small enough that it can fit into a glove compartment and it’s also small enough that it can basically fit into a pocket. We will admit that it is quite large and it’s not exactly a type of power bank that you would have on you for a long duration of time, but for being a jump-starter with 3 charging ports, this is actually incredibly portable, and ultimately, the best way to charge your devices would be placing this power bank down.

Functional Components:

When it comes to using this power bank it’s quite simple, but it does require the use of a Switch and a power button.

The Switch on the side of the power bank turns on the power bank halfway through basically and makes the power button functional. Once that’s done, you can connect your devices to any of the three charging ports, and then press the power button on top of the power bank to begin charging.

There are four Blue power capacity indicators on this power bank that are next to the power button.

 

The power button is also used to turn on the flash at the back of the power bank when you hold it down for about 3 seconds. The flashlight starts on its constant setting, then you can tap it two more times to switch to SOS and Strobe settings.

Actually Jump-Starting:

When it comes to jump-starting your car, the process is actually quite easy and it doesn’t require you to even touch the switch or power button.

The power bank comes with jumper cables that are connected to an adapter, and you have to connect the adapter into the jumper port located under a covered on the power bank. Once that’s done, there’s an LED light on the adapter that will flash Green and Red.

 

You can then connect the Red clamp to Positive on your battery and the Black clamp to Negative. If the lights are still flashing, then hold down the power button on the adapter until the light turns a solid Green, and then you can crank your car and start it up.

Build

Structure and Material:

The build quality of this power bank is great, with it having no loose part, and it works just like it’s supposed to, as the Switch works every time and the power button starts charging devices immediately and turns on the flashlight when you need it. It’s not a rugged power bank, so don’t drop it on hard-flooring, but it does have a solid structure that can withstand being in your car and being shuffled around.

Tech:

The operating temperature of this power bank is -13°  Fahrenheit to 140° Fahrenheit, so it’s actually safe to keep this power bank in your car during the summer and winter. That said, when it comes to jump-starting your car, it’s vital that you take a few minutes to give the power bank a break because the batteries are under a lot of pressure once you do a crank.

Reliability

With its use of three charging ports, including Quick Charge and a USB-C port, and its ability to jump-start cars, this DBPower power bank is one of most reliable portable chargers on the market. The power capacity might seem low, but it’s still enough to charge smartphones to full power multiple times and for jump-starting a car a few times over as well.

Summary:

Power:

The power capacity is enough to charge most smartphones to full power about 2 times. The use of three charging ports is awesome with its use of a Quick Charge port and a USB-C port.

Design:

The size of the power bank is small and can fit into small spaces in your car, and it also has a small enough form factor that you can place this power bank into your pocket if you wanted to for a little while. The LED flashlight is a nice touch with three settings.

Build:

The build of the power bank is good, and it doesn’t overheat during charging. That said, you should take a break in-between cranks, as doing too much might heat up the batteries inside the power bank and cause them to expand. Just a warning.

Reliability:

It’s a highly reliable power bank with its use of Quick Charge and USB-C.

Specs of the DBPOWER 500A 10,800mAh Portable Car Jump Starter:

  • Output:

Quick Charge Port: 5V/2.0A | 9V/2.0A | 12V/1.5A

Standard USB Port: 5V/2.1A

USB-C Port: 5V/3.0A

  • Jump Starting:

Starting Current: 250A

Peak Current: 500A

  • Input:

USB-C Input: 5V/2.0A | 9V/2.0A | 12V/1.5A

  • LED Power Indicator: Four LED Power Capacity Indicators
  • Size: 5.7 x 3.2 x 0.9 inches
  • Weight: 10 Ounces

Conclusion:

Thos DBPower portable car jump-starter is a great addition to portable jump-starters, as it actually puts effort into its output charging ports, and manages to add the new standard of USB-C as an input and output.

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