I've been doing some research on these things made by Jackery and others. Most seem to be Lithium Ion based batteries, although at least one company (Beaudens) makes one that uses a LiFePO4 Battery. They come in various output models and I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with them or specific recommendations.
I'm asking this question because I need to do something about a new battery for the TD. My electric needs are minimal as I use the "super simple" system described elsewhere here in the forum for 110V. For my 12 volt I had a 90 amp hour deep cycle attached to a C-Tech smart charger that lasted about 8 years. The C-Tech charger also has a 12 volt "Power Supply Mode". I have a Fantastic Fan that I have probably used less than 2 hours over the past 10 years. Otherwise, my only needs are for the 2 LED dome lights, 2 LED porch lights and the older 12 volt florescent in the galley. That's not much electrical usage at all - I figure no more than about 4 amps per day even if I did happen to use the fan for a few minutes at bedtime (if my thinking is correct). For the past two years I've made do by simply hooking up one other those Jump Starter things (LA battery), which has now died.
So now looking at one of these new Power Station things to power things and have a few questions/comments:
1. Sounds like these devices might have an "Auto Off" feature which could be a bit of a problem when wanting to turn on the lights in the middle of the night depending on where the unit is located (I'm thinking the tongue box where the battery has been located in the past). Anyone here have any experience with these devices who could comment on how this really works.
2. Can all, or, most of the battery reserve be depleted with these units without harming the battery as would occur with lead acid batteries (which, generally, should not be depleted beyond 50% depth of charge).
3. These units also charge phones, tablets, cameras, and can be charged by the tow vehicle while on the road, so that is all a plus.
4. Should I forget the whole idea and just buy another deep cycle battery and accept the worry of constantly maintaining it?
This forum has always been a great source of trailer and camping info, so, I would love to hear anyone's comments or thoughts. I definitely want to keep it as simple as possible. I like to camp, not fiddle with the equipment!