When getting ready for extreme weather or putting together a storm prep kit, power supplies and clean water should be among everyone's top priorities. Having a larger power bank handy can keep important items in your home running, including your refrigerator or deep freezer, internet router and modem, heating sources and more.
If you're expecting a hurricane or storm to knock out your power lines for an extended period, you will need a power bank to match your expected outage length and electrical needs. Even if you don't think you'll be in the dark for more than 12 hours or so, this amount of downtime could cause food to spoil. If your phone runs out of power, you might not be able to contact loved ones and emergency services.
I got the opportunity
to test the UDPower S2400 Portable Power Station, along with its twin 210-watt solar panels. I got a sense of its basic charging modes, and its power output for both necessary and more entertainment-centric uses.
After spending hours using it to power my fridge and computer system, I'd say I'm impressed. This durable unit packs a lot of power into a relatively small package. See how its promised performance stacked up against what I found in the field.
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UDPower's Guarantees
The UDPower S2400 comes with some assurances that look great on paper. These include:
- Quick 1.5-hour charge time
- 4,000-plus charge cycles via its LiFePO4 batteries
- Low noise output at under 20 decibels (comparable to rustling leaves)
- 2400 watts of consistent output with 3000 watt surge capacity
- Five-year warranty
Of course, time will tell regarding its 4000-cycle shelf life, and I have no way of knowing whether I'll need to make a warranty-related call within the above five-year window. That said, the performance I saw during my brief time with this power station make it a promising backup battery option. Whether you're prepping for a power outage, powering lights near your backyard firepit or patio, are off-grid while RVing or road-tripping, you should consider it for your needs.
My experience testing the UDPower S2400
Once I received shipping confirmation for my S2400 and pair of 210-watt solar panels, they arrived with no delays at the five-day projected delivery date. The power bank came in a well-padded package contained in a couple inches of tough foam on the top and bottom, while the large, flat solar panel packages were similarly protected.
The S2400 was every bit of its advertised 40-pound weight. This was an encouraging sign to me and, coupled with its solid outer shell, seemed to indicate durability. The handles on each side of the 16-inch wide power bank make it easy to move from room to room, or to a well-lit outdoor area for a solar-powered charge.
I did notice a slight malfunction of the LED screen showing power levels and readouts. On my second day of use, the bottom right-hand side of the screen depicting total wattage output was not showing a clear numeric readout. Numbers appeared incomplete and were illegible. This meant that I couldn't see the exact power drawn by individual items I had plugged into the power bank. While not ideal, I didn't take it as an indicator of poor performance, and the battery itself functioned well.
Charging time and methods
The S2400 offers four convenient ways to charge:
- AC wall charging via a three-pronged plug
- Generator charging via the same plug
- Car charging via a 120-watt cable
- Solar charging up to 240 watts
I tested two of the above methods: solar charging and through an AC outlet in my home, with one caveat. To make use of both solar panels simultaneously, you need the split charger cable, as the unit only has one solar input outlet. I received two single charger cables, as the split charger was out of stock at the time of shipment.
My power bank came with a 50% charge, so I had the time and leftover capacity to test both of the above charging methods. The consistent caveat with solar charging is always the need for direct sunlight. Given the speed I noted while charging on one of my solar panels, it definitely would have been helpful to have access to both simultaneously.
Solar panels
While this is specific to my home, my backyard only gets full direct sun in the morning. To navigate around shadows cast by trees behind and in my immediate yard, I had to move my panel a few times for direct sunlight and optimal charging. Luckily, it easily folded from eight feet wide to a compact 2' x 2' size and includes convenient carrying handles.
I charged my power bank for two hours with direct sunlight with one panel. In that time, the total charge increased from 50% to 62% full with a peak input of 130 watts. If powered by both panels, you could expect a reasonably quick charge time for solar. At 6% per hour on one panel, I would have need over 16 hours at my peak input for a full charge. Access to an additional panel could, in theory, cut that time in half.
Wall charger
I took my power bank and panel inside after two hours due to intermittent cloud cover and charged it with its AC wall plug. While in "fast charging" mode, this took the bank from 62% to 100% in just 32 minutes. This almost perfectly aligns with its claimed 1.5-hour charge-up time. During this, a cooling fan motor inside the battery turned on and ran at a quiet volume until I unplugged it from my wall.
How the S2400 does when charging necessary appliances
Once fully charged, I decided to test my S2400 by powering my refrigerator. UDPower's website claims that this power bank can run a typical fridge between five and 30 hours, depending on the power output required. To accurately gauge this, I didn't use any other outlets.
My Frigidaire Gallery Series ran for 3.5 hours on battery power while draining it to 75%. So, one can reasonably guess that it would have lasted 14 hours under similar conditions. I monitored interior temperatures and already-frozen ice in the freezer during this time and saw no issues or melting.
Since FoodSafety.gov notes that most fridges can keep food at safe temperatures for up to four hours without opening during an outage, this should always be a priority. Meat, dairy and frozen goods can go bad and start incubating bacteria more quickly than you may think.
Recreational uses for the S2400
Now at 75%, I decided to have a little fun. Keeping a PC or Wi-Fi router online during an outage might be front-of-mind for work and overall connectivity, so I wanted to test the S2400 on some electronics in my living room. Again, I used one AC outlet for the power strip linked to my gaming PC, TCL QLED TV, Xbox and Govee LED backing lights.
After an hour and 45 minutes of fueling my escapades while playing Ghost of Tsushima, the battery went from 75% to 38%. The PC was a definite factor here, as it is a larger tower unit. If you're using your power bank for a simpler laptop-and-router combo, you'll definitely get far more time out of your bank. At the above rate, I could have gotten just under five hours of play total play time on a full charge.
High wattage
Finally, I wanted to test my battery pack on something more demanding. My TaoTronics tower space heater throws off a lot of heat and consequently uses a lot of power. In just 15 minutes, it took the S2400 from 34% to 10% battery. This is where having a fully-functional LED screen would have helped, as I could have accurately compared my space heater's energy usage to other higher-powered appliances.
If you lose power during the winter, we recommend having space blankets, thermal sleeping bags and layers of clothing ready to prepare yourself. We do recognize that you might not always have sufficient warning time, however. If you think electric heaters are something you'll need, we recommend going with a gas-powered unit for emergency electricity.
Don't be without power in a blackout, buy your own
If you're in the market for an emergency power supply, UDPower's products are a really solid option. The price is competitive with similar models, if not a more affordable option than brands like Jackery. The S2400 offers steady performance backed by positive customer reviews on Amazon. If you want to purchase your own, this power bank now sells on Amazon for $699.99, with its two solar panels bumping the total cost to $1,149.99.
For price, I would recommend purchasing through Amazon. You'll find similar price points on UDPower's website, but they're currently listed as promotional rates. For example, the S2400 is now listed as $699.99, but discounted from $1,599.99. This could indicate a future price hike across the board.
Shop the UDPower S2400
Is the UDPower S2400 right for you?
After putting the S2400 through its paces, I think it's a solid choice for light- to medium-duty applications. For non-emergency applications, like powering items during a road trip or camping excursion, the included car charger only adds convenience.
It works well for essentials like refrigerators and smaller electronics, but shouldn't be your only option if you're anticipating long outages. If you live in a colder climate with frequent blizzards or nor'easters, springing for a gas generator is the smarter choice.
The above-mentioned LED malfunction is a bit of a drawback but, overall, I found the S2400 to live up to its billing. All of the outlets worked, as did the front-facing emergency lights and switches on the front of the unit. As always, do your own research and compare this to other similar products before making a final purchase.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: I powered my fridge, gaming PC and space heater with the UDPower S2400
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