70mai Dash Cam Battery Pack - Test & Review PP

[Chuck McCoy]

Shoutout to 70mai for sending out their new dash cam battery pack for test & review.
A while back I tested the (EGEN Korean made) BBMC PowerCell 8, and BlackVue B-130X, and made improvement wishlists for next generation models.
Shortly after a 70mai representative contacted me, and said he read my testing results, and they were developing their own battery pack, and was interested in implementing some of these improvements.
I finally glad to get my hands on one for testing to see if it’s up to snuff.

So far fit & finish appear to be on par with the Korean made packs from EGEN.
At first I thought the case was plastic, but after taking it apart it’s metal.
Unfortunately the Cigarette Lighter Charging Cable is missing, and only the Hardwire Charging Cable was included.
The is important because each charging method has different amperage rates & charge times.

My first test will be to fully charged, and perform a discharge test to confirm the 96Wh capacity.
Once the pack is completely discharge I will put it in my freezer for around 4 hours to see how well the cold weather charge protection works.
Here’s some specifications, and photos in the mean time.

SPECIFICATIONS:
Release Date For US Market 9/27/24
MSRP: $152 USD Cigarette Lighter Charge Cable; https://70mai.store/products/battery-pack?variant=41086578163758
MSRP: $160 USD Hardwire Charge Cable; https://70mai.store/products/battery-pack?variant=41086578130990
FCC ID#: Unknown
Model: BL96NNX
Capacity: 96Wh
Charging Temperature: 0°C ~ 45°C (32°F ~ 113°F)
Discharge Temperature: -10°C ~ 60°C (14°F ~ 140°F)
Battery Type: LiFePO4
Cigarette Lighter Charge Cable Amps: 7 Amps (90 minutes)
Hardwire Cable Charge: 11 Amps (60 minutes)
After 2000 complete charge / discharge cycles battery retains 70% of original capacity
Dimensions: 22cm x 12cm x 3.5cm
@Floria0816
@Caffine_Addicted
@viofo
@BlackboxMyCar
@ly-70mai

 

[Chuck McCoy]

Officially Available For US Market 9/27/24
MSRP: $152 USD Cigarette Lighter Charge Cable; https://70mai.store/products/battery-pack?variant=41086578163758
MSRP: $160 USD Hardwire Charge Cable; https://70mai.store/products/battery-pack?variant=41086578130990
@Floria0816
@viofo
@BlackboxMyCar

 

[Chuck McCoy]

It’s takes many discharge, and charge cycles to confirm & verify claimed Watt Hour capacity, proper operation, check for amperage runaway, and other malfunctions.
I’m going to discharge, and charge the pack in as many different configurations as possible to see if I can shake anything loose.
In this first discharge test I will use a DROK Load Tester adjusted with a 5 Watt draw connected to the included Type-C to Type-C cable plugged into the pack’s Type-C output.
The pack’s claimed capacity is 96Wh.
96Wh ÷ 5 Watts = 19.2 hours run time
https://www.amazon.com/gp/B07FL3PS57
Why not use a real dash cam instead of a load tester?
The load tester is a guaranteed fixed load with no power fluctuations.
Dash cams have power consumption fluctuations based on lighting conditions, and activity seen by the camera.

Before performing this discharge test I fully charged the pack to 100%, and let the pack stabilize for 30 minutes after full charge status was indicated by the 4 green LEDs just to make sure it’s fully charged.
I set up a home security camera to monitor the test to make it easy to document, and interpret the results.
Here are the results;
100% Start
75% 4 Hours 7 Minutes
50% 4 Hours 12 Minutes
25% 4 Hours 12 Minutes
0% 3 Hours 40 Minutes
Total: 16 Hours 13 Minutes
16.22 Hours x 5 Watts = 81Wh capacity
It appears I’m not getting the full 96Wh capacity from the Type-C Output.
The next discharge cycle will be performed with the Hardwire Output Cable.
See attached photos.

 

[Chuck McCoy]

In this post after fully discharging the pack I will check if the cold weather charge protection works.
To prevent damage of LiFePO4 Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries they must never be charged below freezing 32℉ (0℃).
The pack’s charging operating temperature is 32°F - 113°F (0°C - 45°C).
The pack’s discharging operating temperature is 14°F - 140°F (-10°C - 60°C).
I prepared the pack for this test by placing it in my chest freezer for 3 hours at -6°F (-21°C).
After 3 hours in the freezer the pack’s temperature was 26°F (-3°C).
I connected my power supply, and set it to 14.2 Volts @ 10.2 Amps, and fired it up.
I’m pleased to report there was no current flow.
The pack’s cold weather charge protection works beautifully, and is on par with the BlackVue B-130X.
For comparison the BBMC PowerCell 8’s cold weather charge protection allows a fluctuating current flow.
See attached photos.
Here are demonstration videos to compare;

 

[Chuck McCoy]

In this post after checking cold weather charge protection I will perform a Hardwire Cable (full amperage) charge cycle.
I let the pack acclimate at room temperature for 6 hours before performing this test.
Specifications for charge time:
Hardwire Cable: 60 Minutes (up to 11 Amps)
Cigarette Lighter Cable: 90 minutes (up to 7 Amps)
For this test I do not have a load connected to the pack while charging.

0% Start
25% 14 Minutes
50% 15 Minutes
75% 14 Minutes
100% 15 Minutes
Total: 58 Minutes

I reviewed the recorded footage from my security camera monitoring the test.
The maximum amperage draw was 8.6 Amps @ 14.2 Volts (123 Watts).
During the charge cycle the hardwire cable reached 113℉ (45℃).
See attached photos.
Stay tuned for the next discharge cycle using the hardwire output cable.

 

[GPak]

Thanks for the detailed review!
Is it a pass through or bypass? you can check it compare the input voltage and hardwire output voltage, should be the same for bypass at any state of the charge.
If pass-through, could you please check/verify, will it power the DVR if low/high temperature charging protection worked?
And may be I missed it, but does it have an App?

 

[Chuck McCoy]

Is it a pass through or bypass? you can check it compare the input voltage and hardwire output voltage, should be the same for bypass at any state of the charge.
If pass-through, could you please check/verify, will it power the DVR if low/high temperature charging protection worked?

Added to shopping list.

And may be I missed it, but does it have an App?

No APP for only $190. lol
The 2nd gen is supposed to have an APP, solar panel input, and a bunch of other upgrades.

 

[Chuck McCoy]

In this post I will perform a discharge capacity test using the Hardwire Output Cable.
For my load I will be using a 12 Volt automotive 168 bulb.
The bulb has a power consumption of 5.3 Watts @ 14.2 Volts.
Why not use a real dash cam instead of a bulb?
The bulb is a fixed load with no power fluctuations.
Dash cams have power consumption fluctuations based on lighting conditions, and activity seen by the camera.
The pack’s claimed capacity is 96Wh.
96Wh ÷ 5.3 Watts = 18.1 hours run time
Before performing this discharge test I fully charged the pack to 100%, and let the pack stabilize for 30 minutes after full charge status was indicated by the 4 green LEDs just to make sure it’s fully charged.
I set up a home security camera to monitor the test to make it easy to document, and interpret the results.
Here are the results;

100% Start
75% 4 Hours 43 Minutes
50% 4 Hours 58 Minutes
25% 5 Hours 2 Minutes
0% 4 Hours 42 Minutes
Total 19 Hours 25 Minutes

It appears I’m getting the full 96Wh capacity from the Hardwire Output.
This is good news compared to the 81Wh capacity from the USB Type-C Output.
The next two discharge tests will be performed with a dash cam.
I will test the Hardwire Output, and the USB Type-C Output, and compare the run times.
See attached photos.

 

[Chuck McCoy]

In this post I will perform the second charge cycle with hardwire cable.
But, this time I will add a load to see if it extends charging time.
Specifications for charge time:
Hardwire Cable: 60 Minutes (up to 11 Amps)
Cigarette Lighter Cable: 90 minutes (up to 7 Amps)
I will use my trusty 5.3 Watt bulb as the load.

0% Start
25% 16 Minutes
50% 15 Minutes
75% 15 Minutes
100% 16 Minutes
Total: 1 Hour 2 Minutes

Previously it only took 58 minutes to charge the pack with no loads attached.
It looks like the 5.3 Watt bulb added 4 minutes to the charge cycle.
The maximum amperage draw was 8.6 Amps @ 14.2 Volts (123 Watts).
Interesting note:
Around the halfway point I heard a high pitch whine coming from the pack.
Have a listen, and turn your volume all the way up;

 

[GPak]

In this post I will perform a discharge capacity test using the Hardwire Output Cable.
For my load I will be using a 12 Volt automotive 168 bulb.
The bulb has a power consumption of 5.3 Watts @ 14.2 Volts.
Why not use a real dash cam instead of a bulb?
The bulb is a fixed load with no power fluctuations.
Dash cams have power consumption fluctuations based on lighting conditions, and activity seen by the camera.
The pack’s claimed capacity is 96Wh.
96Wh ÷ 5.3 Watts = 18.1 hours run time
Before performing this discharge test I fully charged the pack to 100%, and let the pack stabilize for 30 minutes after full charge status was indicated by the 4 green LEDs just to make sure it’s fully charged.
I set up a home security camera to monitor the test to make it easy to document, and interpret the results.
Here are the results;

100% Start
75% 4 Hours 43 Minutes
50% 4 Hours 58 Minutes
25% 5 Hours 2 Minutes
0% 4 Hours 42 Minutes
Total 19 Hours 25 Minutes

It appears I’m getting the full 96Wh capacity from the Hardwire Output.
This is good news compared to the 81Wh capacity from the USB Type-C Output.
The next two discharge tests will be performed with a dash cam.
I will test the Hardwire Output, and the USB Type-C Output, and compare the run times.
See attached photos.

It is understandable that usable capacity is less for the regulated USB-C output, compare to unregulated hardwire output which has no losses due to regulation.
However, it is always a good idea to use the same equipment when doing comparison testing.

The light bulb is a resistive load (constant resistance) and it’s wattage directly depends on voltage, meaning as voltage drops the wattage follows, hence the average wattage is somewhat less than 5.3W, and the time for hardwire output is likely overestimated.

On another hand the load tester has no separate power input to operate, meaning it uses the power from USB-C you are testing, (display, fan. electronics), I am not sure if it is correcting the reading accurately to compensate for that, hence for the USB-C the time could be underestimated.

I think your plans to use the dash cam for a comparative test will be the most accurate.

 

[Augustus]

It is understandable that usable capacity is less for the regulated USB-C output, compare to unregulated hardwire output which has no losses due to regulation.
However, it is always a good idea to use the same equipment when doing comparison testing.

The light bulb is a resistive load (constant resistance) and it’s wattage directly depends on voltage, meaning as voltage drops the wattage follows, hence the average wattage is somewhat less than 5.3W, and the time for hardwire output is likely overestimated.

On another hand the load tester has no separate power input to operate, meaning it uses the power from USB-C you are testing, (display, fan. electronics), I am not sure if it is correcting the reading accurately to compensate for that, hence for the USB-C the time could be underestimated.

I think your plans to use the dash cam for a comparative test will be the most accurate.

Explained it far better than I could - was going to say that power packs / batteries always deliver at less than their capacity when it comes to outputting at USB.

Hopefully it's a decent solution overall, the battery

 

[Chuck McCoy]

However, it is always a good idea to use the same equipment when doing comparison testing.

I think your plans to use the dash cam for a comparative test will be the most accurate.

Correct.
I'm setting up the test now.
I'm going to run the camera in normal recording mode, and not parking mode for both tests.
Because the USB Type-C Output will not trigger parking mode "reliably".

 

[Chuck McCoy]

power packs / batteries always deliver at less than their capacity when it comes to outputting at USB.

I don't think this is 100% true.
When I tested the BBMC PowerCell 8 I performed this same test, (Hardwire vs. USB output), and I got identical camera run times.
That's when I discovered If you only use the USB Type-A Output to power a device, (dash cam or hotspot) the battery life percentage is inop.
I'm going to re-read my BBMC PowerCell 8 testing thread.

 

[Chuck McCoy]

In this post I will perform a discharge capacity test using the USB Type-C Output with the original A229 Duo (2022) in normal recording mode.
I measured power consumption at approximately 4.6 Watts @ 12.6 Volts.
See attached photo.
The pack’s claimed capacity is 96Wh.
96Wh ÷ 4.6 Watts = 20.9 hours run time
Before performing this discharge test I fully charged the pack to 100%, and let the pack stabilize for 30 minutes after full charge status was indicated by the 4 green LEDs just to make sure it’s fully charged.
I set up a home security camera to monitor the test to make it easy to document, and interpret the results.
Here are the results;

100% Start
75% 4 Hours 58 Minutes
50% 5 Hours 34 Minutes
25% 5 Hours 32 Minutes
0% 4 Hours 56 Minutes
Total 21 Hours

It appears I’m getting the full 96Wh capacity.
My last discharge test from the USB Type-C Output was only 81Wh using my DROK load tester adjusted with a 5 Watt load.
It looks like I need to find out why my DROK load tester is on the fritz.
Or maybe the previous discharge / charge cycles have “broken in” the pack to full capacity?
Either way I will confirm & verify with another capacity test with the DROK load tester.
The next discharge test will be with the A229 Duo in identical configuration using the Hardwire Cable Output.

 

[Chuck McCoy]

In this post I will perform the third charge cycle with hardwire cable.
Previously I attached a 5.3 Watt load, and it added 4 minutes to the charge cycle.
This time I will add two (2) loads to see what happens.
1st Load: A229 Duo 4.6 Watts connected to Hardwire Output Cable
2nd Load: DROK load tester adjusted to 5 Watts connected to USB Output
Specifications for charge time:
Hardwire Cable: 60 Minutes (up to 11 Amps)
Cigarette Lighter Cable: 90 minutes (up to 7 Amps)
See attached photo

0% Start
25% 17 Minutes
50% 17 Minutes
75% 15 Minutes
100% 16 Minutes
Total: 1 Hour 5 Minutes

Previously it only took 58 minutes to charge the pack with no loads attached.
With two loads;
1st Load: A229 Duo 4.6 Watts connected to Hardwire Output Cable
2nd Load: DROK load tester adjusted to 5 Watts connected to USB Output
It added 7 minutes to the charge cycle.
The maximum amperage draw was 8.6 Amps @ 14.2 Volts (123 Watts).
Interesting note:
Immediately after starting the charge cycle I heard a high pitch whine coming from the pack.
Have a listen, and turn your volume all the way up;

 

[minus4]

The coil whine is very unpleasant. I certainly wouldn't want to listen to it while driving

 

[Chuck McCoy]

The coil whine is very unpleasant. I certainly wouldn't want to listen to it while driving

The EGEN packs have a speaker that beeps to indicate various functions like;
Booting up
Begin charging
Malfunctions

Maybe this is 70mai's cost saving feature of not installing a speaker, and the high pitch whine is to let you know it's charging? lol

 

[Chuck McCoy]

In this post I will perform a discharge capacity test using the Hardwire Output with the original A229 Duo (2022) in normal recording mode.
I measured power consumption at approximately 4.6 Watts @ 12.6 Volts.
The pack’s claimed capacity is 96Wh.
96Wh ÷ 4.6 Watts = 20.9 hours run time
Before performing this discharge test I fully charged the pack to 100%, and let the pack stabilize for 30 minutes after full charge status was indicated by the 4 green LEDs just to make sure it’s fully charged.
I set up a home security camera to monitor the test to make it easy to document, and interpret the results.
Here are the results;

100% Start
75% 5 Hours 15 Minutes
50% 5 Hours 20 Minutes
25% 5 Hours 15 Minutes
0% 4 Hours 37 Minutes
Total 20 Hours 23 Minutes

It appears I’m getting the full 96Wh capacity.

 

[Hack_man]

Why are there 3 pins for DC input unlike 2 pins for the Powercell 8?

 

[GPak]

My Viofo A229 Plus, 2ch, in normal recording consumes about 4.1W using viofo's CL adapter + UBC-A/C cable, and about 4.3W with HK4 hardwire cable.
The about 0.2W higher consumption with HK4 is due to voltage regulator.
If the same is true for the A229 Duo, then there should be about 0.2W difference in dash cam power consumption between HK4 and USBA/C, could you please check and verify this?
If so, your figures will need to be adjusted a little, but this does not change the conclusion that the battery provides a full 96Wh capacity.