Anypower T Power Plus Alpha [full review video added]

[bobby14]

Applies to continuous power mode as well according to the instructions.

Oh you were talking about in that cigar mode instructions I didn't check there. I've never seen it blue before they must have screwed up their own instructions.

 

[fastcarguy1]

I am receiving a cellink to review also so I'll try my best to compare the t power alpha plus to the cellink b. I'll likely connect them to a camera running all day in my house (which will mean warm temp).

Awesome.....................looking forward to your comparison..............I hope you use a BlackVue...

 

[MikeG.]

Can one of you possibly help me with my T Power Plus Alpha? I've been tinkering with it for a week and am not sure if I've received a bad unit. It seems to work fine when powered by the cigar power jack. However, I've been unable to get the hard wiring cables working. I have correctly identified appropriate fuses with a multimeter. I've grounded the unit and wired in the B+ wire. However, plugging in the ACC to the unit causes it to turn itself off - even when the other end of the cable is NOT wired into the fuse box. I have tried multiple different fuses (low 5A, 25A) with and without using an add-a-circuit. The Alpha charges from B+ cable and delivers power to my dashcam (Blackvue 650), but as soon as I plug in the ACC cable, the Alpha shuts off and stops delivering power to the camera. Again, whether or not the ACC wire is actually connected to anything.

Thanks

 

[bobby14]

You tried turning on the engine to see if it powers on when ACC is connected?

 

[USDashCamera]

Can one of you possibly help me with my T Power Plus Alpha? I've been tinkering with it for a week and am not sure if I've received a bad unit. It seems to work fine when powered by the cigar power jack. However, I've been unable to get the hard wiring cables working. I have correctly identified appropriate fuses with a multimeter. I've grounded the unit and wired in the B+ wire. However, plugging in the ACC to the unit causes it to turn itself off - even when the other end of the cable is NOT wired into the fuse box. I have tried multiple different fuses (low 5A, 25A) with and without using an add-a-circuit. The Alpha charges from B+ cable and delivers power to my dashcam (Blackvue 650), but as soon as I plug in the ACC cable, the Alpha shuts off and stops delivering power to the camera. Again, whether or not the ACC wire is actually connected to anything.

Thanks

Did you switch the mode from cigar to one of the voltage cut offs I.e. 12.2v?

You tried turning on the engine to see if it powers on when ACC is connected?

Are you asking why I didn't just turn the key to ACC?

 

[MikeG.]

Thanks for the suggestions. I did make sure the device was no longer in cigar mode. I tried turning on the car with the ground, B+ and ACC wires properly connected and plugged into the device. The Alpha stays off and no power goes to the camera. Again, this is with a full charge of the battery. With the voice activated on the Blackvue, I know when it powers on and off. As soon as that ACC cable is plugged into the Alpha, it shuts down and stops sending power to the camera.

 

[fastcarguy1]

Thanks for the suggestions. I did make sure the device was no longer in cigar mode. I tried turning on the car with the ground, B+ and ACC wires properly connected and plugged into the device. The Alpha stays off and no power goes to the camera. Again, this is with a full charge of the battery. With the voice activated on the Blackvue, I know when it powers on and off. As soon as that ACC cable is plugged into the Alpha, it shuts down and stops sending power to the camera.

Mike what kind of car are you driving? Some of the new cars have battery management a system that monitors voltage to all circuits. Also in some of those new cars you can't add a fuse or circuit to the fuse box without setting off an alarm in the on board computer. So can you try a test light on the same fuse instead of the Alpha following your same process to see if the test light will stay on. You might also try attaching to an ACC circuit outside of the fuse box like the power wire going to your heater, wipers or any other ACC circuit.


Good luck with it

 

[MikeG.]

I have a 2014 Boxster. I'll poke around the Porsche forums to see if anyone over there can give me some insight about the circuits. However, the fact that this device turns itself off even when the ACC cable isn't connected to anything continues to worry me. I'll try to shoot a video of it this evening to better illustrate the situation.

Thanks again for all the suggestions.

 

[Mauro]

I have a 2014 Boxster. I'll poke around the Porsche forums to see if anyone over there can give me some insight about the circuits. However, the fact that this device turns itself off even when the ACC cable isn't connected to anything continues to worry me. I'll try to shoot a video of it this evening to better illustrate the situation.

Thanks again for all the suggestions.

don't want to be negative and disappoint you, but from what i read and hear, it is not recommended to hard wire Porsche. it triggers the comp, and you may have problems.

 

[USDashCamera]

don't want to be negative and disappoint you, but from what i read and hear, it is not recommended to hard wire Porsche. it triggers the comp, and you may have problems.

Yea i believe Alex from blackboxmycar.com said in one of his videos you can't hardwire porches.

 

[fastcarguy1]

Yea i believe Alex from blackboxmycar.com said in one of his videos you can't hardwire porches.

That is why I asked about the car. Yes Porsches and some BMWs do not like to see anything connected to the fuse box. Try another location of an ACC circuit or all Alex at blackboxmycar.com.

 

[USDashCamera]

So I've had my third t power die on me. In my first review I mentioned one of them died and they sent me an alpha replacement. My second old model stopped charging a few weeks ago and I am waiting for that replacement.

Today my first replacement suddenly shut off while starting up... Now it won't charge or output power. It just beeps once when you plug it in and nothing else. Buttons do nothing.

Once I hear back from anypower I will likely be updating my review to reflect this reliability issue. Alex from blackboxmycar.com also said one of his died (although I never heard a follow up).

 

[USDashCamera]

they contacted me and claimed they have found the issue with them, and to send this one back for replacement. only time will tell I guess.

I should note I am also testing the cellink b now too so I will be able to compare them. I will likely wait awhile before i review the cellink b just because of my issues with the t power plus/alpha.

 

[xbnipx]

Hi so all 3 of the Anypower T Power Plus failed on you? I don't want to spend so much money on a product that will just die on you in a few months. Seems like reliability is poor for this item

 

[USDashCamera]

The representative claims they found the issue and to send it in again. I told them this was the third one that has died, and that something is really wrong with them if they are failing this bad. The representative claims they found the issue and to send it in again. One of my original 3 is still working. The other two were sent into be replaced, and now this third was actually the replacement for the first one that died, I have to send it in to get another replacement, so they are replacing the first replacement. I have yet to receive my second replacement which was from a few weeks ago but I shipped pretty slow shipping since it can cost a lot to ship over seas.

 

[xbnipx]

So do you recommend the new alpha version? Also does this battery run hot?

 

[USDashCamera]

it does run pretty warm, but I have mine in my glovebox, stacked on top of each other.

hopefully they arent dying from running too hot in the glove box, they get very warm to the touch but not so hot you that it would be uncomfortable to hold either. there really is no other good place to put them anyways.

when it comes to recommending them, I would say if you want a uninterruptable power supply, you don't have many choices but I hear good things about the cellink b. I think lukas made one but I have heard nothing about it, and the cellink b is supposedly popular in Korea and I am currently testing one right now but it is very large, if I used two like I use two t power plus devices, they would take up my entire glove box pretty much. they are more than twice the size.

I am still just waiting for my replacements now to see if they last or die again. if any of them die again, I am not going to replace them even though they have been replacing them for free other than shipping them to korea, just wasting time if they keep dying.

 

[USDashCamera]

I got an email from any power saying they are reworking them as follows, excuse the english he is from Korea:

"Recently We are adjusting the Programing on CPU enable to match with PCB circuit for T-Power plus Alpha becuase sometimes the current in UPS would be higher and the UPS might works unstable.

After a few days, we can complete to make more stable UPS at our R&D Dept and then a T-Power plus Alpha will be sent you soon."
​

So now I am waiting for my two new replacements.

In the mean time I am testing the cellink b and so far it has been very good at holding a charge, and charging really really fast. I will wait to get the new alpha batteries back before I try to make any opinions on the two different UPS devices.

 

[xbnipx]

Hey @USDashCamera did you ever get a replacement and is this worth buying?

 

[DashBoat]

I'd like to know this as well. I really need to come up with a UPS type solution, and this looks so promising.