– Alison Wood

Being a lover of all things outdoors, a camper van owner, and someone who actively seeks out totally “off-grid” locations, I’ve had a few challenges to overcome. 

The main issue is adapting to limited power requirements. Like most campers, we have low expectations but a lack of willingness to compromise on some of our comforts we’ve come to consider essential. 

We have been trying out a portable lithium battery supplied by NXTGENbps in the hope it will allow us those extra luxuries. 

The BMZ Power Station Life Bat 2500W 

This battery is “similar” to many others widely available, and the product we have is a 2500w(hr) with a peak of 4400w. The main advantages of this product compared to others are the build quality and IP rating. 

The outer casing is black aluminium with chunky rubber bumpers protecting the edges and corners. With all the covers closed, it has an IP65 rating. The rear charging sockets are sealed with a rubber bung, and the front output socket has a flap. If you’re using the heavy-duty IP44-rated plug and sockets, it stays splash-proof even while in use. 

I wanted a battery that could be multi-purpose and not just focussed on camping, so I’ve given it an extensive DIY tool test too! 

The recharge time from 10% to 80% takes 2 hrs and just under another 2 to squeeze in the last 20%. 

Camping 

One thing we have pondered over is our roof-mounted Webasto Cool Top Aircon 20. 

This is probably the biggest single draw on power we have, and we would usually only be able to use this if we had external power on a campsite, for example. 

We tested this on full power on a setting of 16 degrees C inside (from 20 degrees). The draw of power fluctuates as the temperature changes, but we were able to keep it running for just over 5.5 hrs from full to 10%. 

This could be extended considerably with the use of 400w solar panels recharging, but equally would likely decrease on hotter days and overnight. 

This would still take the edge off those hot days, and we would look to play with the settings to get a balance of longevity with a slightly higher temp setting and lower fan setting. 

On our recent remote wild camping trip, we tried the battery outside, protecting it with a small cheap beach shelter that we use for our electric cool box. They snuggled up nicely together, and we were able to run our cool box for 3 days without making much of a dent in the battery charge. We then used it to plug all our handheld devices in. 

We used it each day over 4 days for recharging 2 dog Tractive trackers, 2 iPhones and an iPad using the 4 USB-Cs and a multi-USB plug. 

On day 4 we still had 80% left. 

Having put the main camper batteries to full use – keeping a fridge running, water pump usage for the usual every day running plus 4 showers – we used the Bat to replenish our leisure batteries from 70% back up to 100%. 

On day 4, when we moved on, we had everything fully charged. We’d spent 3 evenings watching TV (we have 3 dogs, so options are limited for nights out). 

We left with 50% charge in the Bat and would just have needed a water refill to be ready for another 4–5 days.  

DIY

Another of my outside hobbies involves power tools!  

There are many battery-operated hand tools around of various quality and expense. The batteries are so expensive, and once you choose a make you have to stick with them to ensure changeable batteries.  

This also begs the question – what to do with a perfectly good set of mains-powered tools? So I spent a weekend making things out of scraps of wood. 

I plugged a multi-extension lead into the Bat and ran my sander, jigsaw, Henry hoover and mitre saw. And over 2 days of creating sawdust, we were still at 60%. 

Rather than having to be in reach of a power supply, I was able to go to the end of my garden and keep the dust and noise away from those it would likely annoy. This is a huge advantage as I have to replace a decking shortly and all my tools for this run off mains power! 

Tools Used
Jigsaw – 650W Bosch – 3.8 hrs (if you haven’t finished cutting by then, you’re using the wrong tool) 
Orbital Sander – 190W Bosch – 13.1 hrs  
Plunge Saw – 1200W – 2.08 hrs 
Mitre Saw – 1500W – 1.66 hrs 
Henry Hoover – 620W – 4 hrs (… and nobody does 4 hrs of hoovering) 

The Kitchen – Home and Away 

I have tested a few extra luxuries out based on what the general “camping community” have said they cannot possibly live without. 

Air fryers 
A single drawer 1550W Ninja air fryer would run for approx. 1 hr 40 mins – which is a roast chicken and spuds, with fish and chips the following day. 

Kettles 
These vary in size and power, but it’s good to look for a low-wattage one for camping, like a 1000W, as these will boil for 2.5 hrs on one charge – and that’s a lot of cups of tea! 

Rice cooker 
Not as crazy as it sounds, as some rice cookers can be used as slow cookers too. We have a 400W 1.8L mini multi-cooker which cooks rice (all colours) in 30 min. That’s 6.25 meals of 🍚 – however, it doesn’t run on full power throughout the entire cooking time, so this leaves room for porridge or a stew! 

Preppers! 

I have recently heard this term used for people preparing for the invasion of zombies or when other powers take over the world and cut the power etc. 

Well – we are preppers, and feel that a NXTGENbps Power2Go Bat completes the collection of essential kit.