Review request for HKJ [USB Power Devices]

I'm sure HKJ will review one if you send him one. I would :)
You always seem to come up with quite costly things...

These power banks are definitely on the expensive side, I must admit I would like one. I am not going to buy one this month and probably not next month either, I have way to much “junk” in queue and I have used a bit much money recently (Bench DMM’s and other test equipment are not cheap).
But when my current queue is running low I may return to that list again and maybe order one of them.

While browsing around, I came across some reviewers of USB-C cables and USB-C chargers, maybe they’ll be useful for reference:

reviews of USB-C stuff by Nathan K.
https://plus.google.com/collection/UQ94NB

reviews of USB-C stuff by Benson Leung
https://plus.google.com/collection/s0Inv

and a Google spreadsheet summary of USB-C PD chargers and cables:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1vnpEXfo2HCGADdd9G2x9dMDWqENiY2kgBJUu29f_TX8/pubhtml#

(if the above link doesn’t work, I got it from below:)

seems like the Apple 87w USB-C PD power adapter is the highest-wattage USB-C PD power supply listed at the moment

Currently a used Xtorm AL390 is available for 115€ (instead of 150€).
https://www.amazon.de/gp/offer-listing/B00I8S6UMI/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&condition=used

Hey, who can tell if these USB HUB designs are good?
.
.

ORICO 4 Port Bus Powered USB 3.0 Hub with Individual Power Switches and LEDs (W9PH4-U3-V1)
.
.
.

ORICO USB3.0 Transparent Desktop HUB (MH4U-U3)

There’s also a new AC powerbank arriving:
https://www.hypershop.com/collections/all/products/hyperjuice-ac-battery-pack-100wh-26-000mah

Hey, i’d find a new USB multimeter with integrated thermometer:

That looks exactly like the Prufen Smart Cable from last year’s KickStarter project. There is a slightly updated version of it with auto-timer off (I think that’s the main difference of the revised version released this year). I think it’s available only in Singapore or ordered online from there (I believe the creator is a Singaporean).

See here (video explains the features):
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1633003644/worlds-first-usb-cable-w-safety-features-and-mah-m/description
http://prufen.com/landing-page/

some news release info and documentation (Word):

Perhaps Mr. DodgeReviews would be able to source it and make a review… :wink:

That link is useful to read about it, but they do not sell it (Except if you need many).

BTW, regarding the item mentioned by angerdan:

I have that item. It’s not a QC2.0/3.0 converter, I think they term it as “QC2.0/3.0 trigger”.
If connected to a USB charger/adapter that only outputs 5v, then placing the trigger between the USB meter, it will only register the same 5v.

It only “triggers” QC2 or QC3 modes if the charger/adapter supports QC2/3. I tried it on a Mi PLM05ZM (Mi 20000mAh v2 power bank) and also a TronSmart W3PTA (so far those are my current chargers that support QC2/3). The left button on the picture changes between QC2 (5-9-12v) and QC3 (5-20v continuous?) mode. While the middle and right button is for “up” and “down” (if QC2, that triggers 5v -> 9v -> 12v; if QC3, I think it steps the voltage up/down). Since I only have 12v QuickCharge support for my 2 QC chargers, I haven’t tested the trigger for 20v (QC3 has 20v, but very few support it at the moment).

I saw a video by Mr. DodgeReviews of a QC2/3 converter which seems to actually convert the voltage from 5v to 9v to 12v (even when used with a regular USB charger that outputs only 5v), but it’s another item…

[quote=HKJ]

With the EAN you can find several dealers:
google.de/shopping/product/6211113224349204618
ebay.de/dsc/i.html?_from=R40&_sacat=0&LH_TitleDesc=1&_nkw=4043718267668
.
.
.

Yea, thats correct. It just requests another voltage if the power supply can deliver it.
In which video did you see the review?

[quote=angerdan]

About €50 in ebay including shipping, no match on google shopping. It is not that interesting.

I did test a usb QC boost converter here: Test of Juwei charge accelerator J7-i (j-k)

I think he means my (very eary) vid on the Juwei J7-I, same thing that HKJ has reviewed.

[quote=HKJ] About €50 in ebay including shipping, no match on google shopping. [/quote]

Way too high a price for such limited functionality.
I could spend that kind of money on a YZXStudio or ZKEtech meter that offers a lot more for the money, but not on this.

The Prufen Smart Cable (my guess is it was licensed to “intos.de” above) price as indicated here: http://prufen.com/shop/ is US$19.90 + $6.90 shipping (flat rate for most countries I think).

http://s.aliexpress.com/f2aum2ya

Pretty cheap QC3.0 charger

I put in a order, but it will be some time before I review it.

Has this USB meter been reviewed?

RuiDeng ‘RD’ USB 3.0 comprehensive tester (this is the highest model, as listed in the table in the official store)

Official store in AliExpress:

https://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/RD-USB-3-0-OLED-Comprehensive-Tester-5-bit-current-4-bit-voltage-voltmeter-ammeter-power/923042_32804740758.html

Banggood also has this exact same model at a slightly lower price (due to flash deal/promo)

I think in Amazon, it is usually associated with the ‘DROK’ brand of meters, but I’m can’t be sure which one of the DROK models corresponds to this highest model.

d-t-a see here: USB meter: RD Tech USB 3.0 tester USB-3.0-H

A few USB PD modules that look interesting, to me, at least.

These two both have and DC barrel-jack input and a USB PD USB-C output. They advertise power capabilities over the USB port that are appropriate to the input voltage, and buck it down to what the connected device requests. It looks like it can do 60W or better. Useful for re-using DC power bricks or a DIY USB-PD battery pack.

This one basically just does protocol conversion between QuickCharge 2 / 3 and USB-PD and relies on the QuickCharge supply to provide the requested output voltage:

I'm not sure how practical it is to test them, given the complexities of USB-PD, and the value of the equipment at risk when powered by this sort of thing, but they are interesting, and potentially very useful.

Thanks, Eas. I thought I saw a review for an older model. Your link looks like the it is the highest RD_Tech model.

I think this is one of the few USB meters that support USB 3.0 passthrough (most USB meters only support USB 2.0 passthrough); ie. when you connect a USB 3.0 device > USB 3.0 meter > USB 3.0 port, the USB 3.0 device will still get USB 3.0 speed.

Most other meters: USB 3.0 device > USB (2.0) meter > USB 3.0 port; result is USB 3.0 device operate in USB 2.0 mode only.

~

Suggestion for HKJ:

I love reading your reviews, but I’d like to make a small request — can the reviews have a ‘date published (and/or updated, if it has been updated)’?
Of course, in the forum, there’s the message posted date. But in the website, sometimes I’m not sure if a product reviewed is one that’s quite old or just a recent one. Approximate date is also fine (eg. month+year only)

(just some added info…)

In the previous page, I mentioned some new USB meters, namely the Power-Z KM001 (initially labeled ‘KingMeter’) and also a ‘Kotomi Pro’.

Upon doing some more browsing, I notice that there is a Power-Z KT001 and it seems to be exactly the same (rebrand or re-label) of the ‘Kotomi Pro’:
for instance, compare the images from

(Kotomi Pro)
https://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/Kotomi-Pro-High-Precision-Color-USB-Current-Voltage-Meter-Capacity-Coulometers-PD-QC-Trigger-Line-Resistance/815142_32817004758.html

and

a review (in Chinese) of the Power-Z KT001:

Other than the color difference (Kotomi Pro is blue, the Power-Z KT001 is red), and possibly minor differences due to maybe firmware revisions, the screens of the 2 are practically the same.

Ergo, the Power-Z KT001 = Kotomi Pro (with maybe slight firmware differences).

(edit:)
found a post that shows the Kotomi Pre (as in ‘Premium’, probably = Kotomi ‘Pro’) with the faceplates being changed to read Power-Z KT001, so they are indeed interchangeable…):
http://www.chongdiantou.com/thread-52961-1-1.html

(edit:)
a video review of the Power-Z KT001 triggering USB Power Delivery (the FL001 is also shown) {in Chinese, but device is in English mode; short video ad may be shown at the beginning…) :

There is a comparison table (in Chinese — use Google Translate or ‘Instant Camera translate’ to translate them) comparing the specs of the Power-Z FL001 vs KM001 vs KT001 here:
http://www.chongdiantou.com/thread-53476-1-1.html

(edit:)
sometimes the table does not show up, I’ll try to copy the table and post here…

~

The Power-Z FL001 seems to be a direct competition with the YZXStudio ZY1276 in terms of function.
Refer here for a side-by-side picture comparison of ZY1276 vs FL001 (this is a seller page in Taobao China (use Google camera translate to read the notes if needed), and of course that is biased in favor of the ZY1276):

The Power-Z FL001 has a fairly comprehensive English instructions manual here:
http://www.chongdiantou.com/thread-19102-1-2.html

The ZY1275 is supposed to be in direct competition with the Power-Z KM001, but I still can’t find much info about the ZY1275 (there are some pictures of it in Taobao, but basically just those and nowhere else?).

For info only….