PORTABLE EMERGENCY JUMPSTARTER/FLASHLIGHT/POWERBANK
If you have ever returned to a vehicle to find a depleted battery, then you know how difficult it can be to find someone to give you a jumpstart. Maybe your kids left a dome light on, perhaps the battery has aged, or perhaps there is an energy vampire. Either way, a dead battery will not provide adequate power for the starter to do its job. You may choose to carry your own cables, subscribe to AAA, or call for roadside assistance. What if there was a better option? What if there was a way to be self-protected and self-sufficient and to breathe life back into your battery without the need to search for another person/vehicle? If interested, the Scosche POWERUP 600 Torch may be just the device for you.
The Scosche POWERUP 600 TORCH 600A Car Jumper/Flashlight/Powerbank arrived in a 10 1/4 inches long by 5 1/4 inches tall by 3 7/8 inches thick hanging retail package. The main white-colored panel provided the title along the top left and a vibrant yellow border along the bottom with the Scosche name in bold black font. The focal point was the large, colorful, slightly raised glossy image of the flashlight/jumper cable, two smaller images of the device charging a cellphone, and one jumpstarting a car. Beneath the images, you will find a car, truck, motorcycle, and boat icon and a description that the device will jump-start Gas Engines up to 8Cyl/5L and Diesel Engines up to 2L. The top panel had a yellow plastic hanging tab, the product name, spark-free design icon, and pre-charged icon. The rear white-colored panel provided nearly the same information as the cover but oriented the display parallel to the box’s axis. The main differences between the cover and the back panel were the small black-bordered picture of the product contents (jump-start cables, USB-C charge cable, protective case, and car charger) along the left and the addition of two icons along the right (Spark-Free Design and Pre-Charged). The bottom yellow-colored panel served as the perfect backdrop for the product manufacturing labels, and SKU barcode.
The left side panel provided a life-sized image of the Scosche charger, which provided a clear view of the scope/size of the product. The right side panel proved to be busier than the other panels, providing five multi-lingual zones of information about the device. The top section provided a summary paragraph about the charger (jump-start your engine, charge mobile devices, and enjoy a bright LED flashlight). In contrast, the second section listed five product features (1. Spark Free 6-point, safety protection system protects your vehicle and jump starter from overheating, over current, overcharging, over-discharging, short circuit, and verse connection. 2. Has ample power to jump-start gas engines up to 5L, 8 Cylinders, or Diesel engines up to 2.0 Liters. 3. 600 Amp high-capacity lithium-ion battery has a four battery cell design that holds a charge for up to 6 months. 5. 300 lumens LED flashlight with 4 modes, including SOS. 6. Works with gas or Diesel engines, including cars, trucks, boats, ATV/UTV, and more. The third section detailed the box contents: Flashlight/jump starter/power bank, charging clamps and cables, Car adapter and charging cable, protective case. The fourth section demonstrated how to safely jumpstart a vehicle in 3 easy steps: 1. Connect red clamp to + and Black clamp to – terminal of the vehicle’s battery. 2. Start your Vehicle. 3. Remove the clamps from the battery. The last section provided the product specifications: 29.6Wh Capacity, Size 8.6” high x 3.1” wide by 2.6” deep, 35.27-ounce weight, 5V/2A input, 5V/2.4A output, jumper voltage 14.8VDC, Starting Current 200A, Peak Current 600A, Operating Temperature -4F to 140F.
You will find a 10 inches long by 5 1/4 inches wide by 3 1/2 inches wide black nylon hardshell carrying case within the box. The black nylon material felt rugged and had a pleasing tactile feel. The Scosche name and logo were found along the top of the clamp shell and “JUMPSTARTER WITH FLASHLIGHT” along the bottom right. The remainder of the case was left unadorned except for a 1/2 inches wide by 6 inches long nylon wrist strap along the case’s spine. I gripped the single metallic zipper pull and unzipped the product (22 1/2 inches long zipper). I was pleased with the action of the zipper and with the smooth pull but would have liked a nylon zipper cover or some way to add a lanyard pull to the zipper. The yellow/black flashlight and a 22 1/2 inches long USB-A to USB-C cable could be found in the upper well with the carrying case opened. The 16.3-ounce flashlight measured 3 inches long by 2 1/2 inches wide at the light and approximately 2 1/4 inches diameter at the widest section of the handle. The handle had grippy material and was a bit large for my hand. However, the included studying decreased the chances that I would drop the device. The flashlight power ports were hidden within the screw-off butt of the light. To access the Jump 12V output, USB-A out, USB-C input, and the LED test button/bank of LED lights, grip the end amp and twist counterclockwise. The cap will unscrew and will remain tethered by a section of rubber. To reattach the cap, align the grooves and twist clockwise. The product specifications and manufacturing labels were listed on the endcap of the flashlight.
Scosche included a nylon divider between the upper and lower wells. The black nylon surface provided a nice backdrop for the white-font instructions. 1. Plug in the smart cable to the Jumpstart port. 2. Connect the red clamp to the + terminal and the black clamp to the – terminal. 3. Insert key or push button to start the car. In addition to the above “How To” guide, you will also find a seven-point warning label. You will find a 2 inches long by 1 inches diameter bullet-shaped Cigarette lighter Connector Car Charger (Model FMY-101, Input 12V-24V, Output 5v/2.4A. Additionally, you will find a 3 3/8 inches square POWERUP Torch PBJF600 Instruction Manual, and the 1 5/8 inches wide by 2 7/8 inches long by 7/8 inches thick smart cable with 10 1/2 inches long red/black alligator clamps.
The ten-panel instruction manual listed the product elements on the first panel and then a pseudo table of contents on the second panel: Device Setup: Section A-Flashlight & Power Supply Overview. Section B-Charge Panel. Section C-“Smart Cable” Jump Starter. Section D- LED Functions. Section E-Flashlight Modes. Each of the sections provided a multilingual detailed image of the device. For example, section C demonstrated how to insert the charging cables into the power supply, apply the red clamp onto the positive terminal first and then the black onto the negative post. Section D demonstrated the charging panel and the LED legend for the main device (25%, 50%, 75%, 100%), and the smart cable LED (Night Assist white, Error red, start green). Section E demonstrated the flashlight modes (dim, strobe, SOS, off). The last panel listed the product specifications: 12-24V input, 5V/2A output, USB-C input 5V/2A, USB-A output 5V/2.4A, 2000mAh Battery capacity, Flashlight 330 Lumens, Jump Start Gas up to 5L or Diesel up to 2.0L 600A, Charging temp 32-104 degrees, discharging temp 4-140, lifecycle up to 1000 jumps.
To test the power output, I plugged a DROK USB-A Multimeter into the USB-A port, and then a USB-A to Lightning cable between the multimeter and my iPhone 12 Pro Max. I pressed the small button to activate the charge, and the multimeter read 5.05V/1.82A. The 2000mAh battery provided approximately a 50% charge to my iPhone 12 Pro Max at 1% per minute. To test the jumpstart feature, I used a friend’s vehicle with an aged, struggling battery. I plugged the charger cable into the flashlight, the red clamp onto the + post, and then the negative post onto the vehicle’s frame. The start light illuminated, we turned the key, and the Dodge Durango started right up. I removed the black clamp, the red clamp, then removed the charging cable from the flashlight. I slid the cable back into the lower well of the carrying case, placed the flashlight back into the upper well, and then zipped up the bag.
Summary
The carrying case served as the perfect transport vehicle for the Scosche flashlight charger. The individual mesh-lined pockets kept the contents securely contained within their respective wells. I appreciated the design, the shape, the weight, and the layout of the system. The device will easily slide into a trunk, under a seat, into a motorcycle or boat compartment and will provide sufficient power to jumpstart most personal vehicles. I loved that the device could provide emergency backup power to a smartphone or other device but would have preferred USB-C input/output instead of USB-A. However, since USB-A remains ubiquitous, I understand the choice to include it with this setup. The instruction manual was well organized and clearly presented the product features. For those looking for an easy to use, reliable, emergency backup system, look to Scosche for your needs.
Pros:
Spark Free Design
Up to 3 jumpstarts per charge
IP65 water-resistant (back cap on).
Convenient/attractive carry case.
Compact Portable Design
300 Lumen Flashlight
2000mAh portable emergency battery.
1year Warranty
60-day money-back guarantee.
Cost
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1 Comment
4.5