Anypower T Power Plus [Full review + manual]

[USDashCamera]

Full Review:

Final Installation (so all cables are hidden):

Original post + updates:

So I ordered two of them from eBay. came really fast from South Korea!
Hooked it up, but need some time to test it and get use to all its functions. Here is a quick video of what comes in the box and my first impressions.

Update 1:
currently just testing it in my 12v sockets. which means when my car is off, they are not connected to power.
So far so good though, even after just letting my car run for 20-30 min idle and driving, it was able to keep both cameras powered in parking mode during my trip to get some fast food before work. thats the first time ive been able to use parking mode in over a month or so (likely due to the cold and my car battery not being able to charge).
I work 12 hour shifts, so I am not expecting it to still be powered in my high traffic parking lot at work but we'll see.
the instructions are a little wonky, the way some stuff is worded. I think I can actually use my poweradd wall charger too to charge these in my home BUT this likely voids the warranty so I am not going to test that at least for awhile. the strange thing is when you plug it in, the first time you need to hold all three buttons down to initialize it and it turns on. I would think that it could just be plugged in an initialized by itself.
Update 2:
So out of curiosity I ran out on my break and started my car, the front camera had shut off, battery was too low, but the rear 550 was still going in parking mode. This was obviously not with a full charge, hopefully I can charge the batteries fuller tonight and tomorrow to see how they last. Good to know that after idling for 20 min, then driving 17 miles I still got 5 hours of run time in at least my rear camera, and this was JUST the battery from the T power, it was not getting any power from the car since it is hooked up to the 12v socket which does not get power in my car once it is shut off.

EDIT: I now know that the reason my front camera was not working when I checked was because that battery is defective and does not charge. I think the batteries actually came mostly charged, I don't believe I got that run time with the battery starting from dead.

EDIT 2: so now it is charging, I dont know what I did before or now. I tried wiggling the plug in so maybe that did it. So now I have three working batteries.

English Instructions:

 

[USDashCamera]

Update 3:

So I have yet to hardwire them yet as I wanted to continue testing them. I have come to realize one of them is defective and I going to send it back for a refund, and ordered a replacement (this way I will receive the new one in about 7 days, and won't have to wait for the old one to mail back first.

The other one, I tested today with a full charge. I left it running in my car while at work. After 8 hours, it was at 1/4 bars left on battery life. Now I live in Minnesota (a northern US state for any non US users here who aren't familiar with the states) so it was 20-30 degrees Fahrenheit today so it was very cold, below freezing. This was also with no motion sensor, so it was not recording every time someone drove by or walked by. I think in the winter leaving it going for 8-10 hours will drain it.

My concern is that I may not charge it enough from my daily commute.

 

[reverend]

If it's only lasting that long wouldn't you be better off financially just using a couple of the cheap Allpower type batteries from Amazon that @Dashmellow and @Dionic90 use and charging in the house?

 

[petepete]

Maybe something cheaper and reliable would be better ?

I see no reason you couldn't make room for one of these which has good deep discharge characteristics and is 30ah -

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/191303841506
Using proven/functional motorhome technology a simple split charge relay could then be used as a means of charging giving the benefit of leaving the vehicle battery "untouched" and bringing charge control of the new battery under the capable control of the alternator.

doesn't get much simpler than this..,

http://www.tb-training.co.uk/images/SPCRL.gif

you can still control the cameras by the ignition using a second relay ...

( I havnt bothered and am using my battery, but I might consider it if my diesel heater causes discharge problems due to short journeys )

 

[USDashCamera]

honestly because it's all over my head haha. I also dont want to make room for a battery like that, and have to wire stuff all over. These just looked like something interesting and I like that I can take them out, charge them in my house too. they can also "jump start" your car. in the warmer months, i shouldnt even need an extra battery. i didnt until it hit near freezing temperatures.

 

[petepete]

ok..

I was thinking if it was just for cameras ...

one if these

http://www.techfresh.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/solar-bra-1.jpg

 

[USDashCamera]

If it's only lasting that long wouldn't you be better off financially just using a couple of the cheap Allpower type batteries from Amazon that @Dashmellow and @Dionic90 use and charging in the house?

I don't know what they use, do those have bypass power too? These pretty much act as a power magic pro, but when the car battery hits whatever voltage setting you set the cut off to it switches to the built in battery.

I'm lazy you gotta realize especially when I am working so much haha.

 

[reverend]

I'm the same mate!

As for the Allpower / Anker etc batteries they're not that clever - you can just charge while driving and then when you stop the battery pack takes over:

I found the newer Anker packs don't support this anyway.

The Allpower type packs are cheap though - maybe $40 for a pair and they'd run as long as this pack, but just need charging so cables swapping over.

Have to admit when I found out the Anker Gen 2s didn't do pass through charging it got thrown in the laptop bag and I just use it for firmware updates, testing cams in the house without needing a wall socket and then for taking out on all day benders to make sure the phone is charged so the other half can get hold of me

 

[kuoh]

So what size is your car battery? I would think that once you hard wire it, there should be no issues recording overnight, since the car battery would be powering the camera until the cutoff voltage is reached. A car battery is designed to be rapidly recharged and I think the few amp hours used by the camera overnight can be replenished easily if you drive at least 15 to 30 minutes as long as it's not all stop and go at night with lights and max AC.

KuoH

These pretty much act as a power magic pro, but when the car battery hits whatever voltage setting you set the cut off to it switches to the built in battery.

 

[USDashCamera]

So what size is your car battery? I would think that once you hard wire it, there should be no issues recording overnight, since the car battery would be powering the camera until the cutoff voltage is reached. A car battery is designed to be rapidly recharged and I think the few amp hours used by the camera overnight can be replenished easily if you drive at least 15 to 30 minutes as long as it's not all stop and go at night with lights and max AC.

KuoH

Most days I drive 20min in the dark and then my car sits for 12 hours and it's been 0-20 degrees Fahrenheit. Then I drive 20 min in the dark again and then my car sits for 11 hours again in the cold.

 

[reverend]

That's probably one of the reasons the cameras were never working as it's not getting enough of a run to top the battery up. You'd definitely need to charge something like this out of the car anyway without longer runs. I'm tripping the 12.4V cutoff constantly now it's getting colder over here. I turned off BDP one day and then had some serious issues starting my car a few days later! Bring on global warming!

 

[USDashCamera]

Update 4:

So on my days off when I run errands and my typical driving around not including going to work, I seem to keep it fully charged since I am not leaving it in a parking lot for 12 hours.

I ordered a new one to replace the old defective one and it already came. I am in the process of returning the defective one. the manufacturer wants video of the defect which seems dumb to me since the issue is it wont charge, all I can really do is show a video of the dead battery, but they have to take my word for it that it is after a long enough time that it should have charged. so what I am going to do is use two batteries, one working one, plus the defective one, drive around a bit until the good one charges some, and show that the bad one doesnt.

No matter what, the bad one just refuses to even charge 25%.

 

[USDashCamera]

Update 5:

So now that "defective" battery is charging. I do not know what has happened since but it seems to work just fine now. Maybe I did not have the battery on? And I believe the battery/protector mode has to be on to charge.

I am going to hardwire them this week finally.

 

[USDashCamera]

whew, so i came down with the flu last week, and have been very busy from work and the holiday season. finally did hardwire two batteries. having a hard time finding a place to mount them though. its hard with two. the cords are just a hair too long to fit under my car seat (plus I want easy access). they are also too big to just use the supplied velcro to stick them right under my steering wheel.

I got a lot of days off so I am just going to do some final battery charging/draining tests now that they are hard wired then ill have my final review up.

 

[USDashCamera]

full review added to original post!

here it is

 

[Imran123]

Does the UPS charge also when passing through power straight to the dashcam (i.e. when the car is running)

 

[USDashCamera]

yes as long as it is plugged into a power input it should be charging. there is an LED that indicates that it is charging. I assume when it is full it is a smart battery and does not try to charge anymore but the LED still is on.

here is a video of how I finally finished installing the batteries in my car. now they are hidden in my glovebox, with no visible cables anymore thank god.

 

[USDashCamera]

One of my batteries stopped out putting power which I did mention in my full review. Anypower is actually replacing it when their NEWER version the T Power Plus Alpha which has a USB output so you can charge phones and tablets. I will do another quick review/unboxing of that version too once I get it. but I gotta send back the bad one to Korea before I get it so it will be awhile.

 

[Imran123]

One of my batteries stopped out putting power which I did mention in my full review. Anypower is actually replacing it when their NEWER version the T Power Plus Alpha which has a USB output so you can charge phones and tablets. I will do another quick review/unboxing of that version too once I get it. but I gotta send back the bad one to Korea before I get it so it will be awhile.

Have they announced when this Alpha version will be released?

 

[USDashCamera]

I sort of assumed it already was... it is listed on http://www.blackvue.com.sg/tpower-plus-alpha.html but that might just be in Asian markets? I had never even heard of it until they told me that is what they wound send for replacement.