The experience of Titou & Dydy X Power Queen
, From Sally Zhuang, 7 min reading time
We are Titou and Dydy!
We love adventure, travel and discovery.
More than a year ago, we decided to completely renovate an old Renault R4 from 1982 to use it as our own small campervan to set up. Together we disassembled the van from top to bottom and learned about welding, chassis repairs, mechanics, and even body painting.
When our new travel companion was back on its feet, we had to consider a minimum of comfort. The old, holey seats were replaced with new ones that are comfortable and will last us thousands of miles. In the rear, we built a large bed and some storage space so we can take everything we need for our travels and sleep warm and protected! We used recycled cotton to insulate the interior of our 4L van as best as possible.
But to convert a 4L into a touring van, we had to accept some limitations. The goal was to optimize weight distribution, but also to reduce the overall weight of the system as much as possible. Recycled cotton has the advantage of being very lightweight while also providing excellent thermal and sound insulation. The wood was also carefully selected and meticulously prepared to meet these requirements.
And after the insulation, the fixtures, the bed, the mattress... all that was missing was electricity!
We couldn't install an additional lead-acid battery to power an American-style refrigerator, a shower, and a full-size stove. We had to scale back our comfort requirements, but ultimately not that much...
We wanted to be completely energy self-sufficient without having to recharge from an outlet during our trip, so we looked at various solutions. The idea was also to use modern technologies for energy charging and protect the environment.
The answer was obvious: We needed a portable power station that was as light and compact as possible. We chose the Power Queen 300Wh Powerstation, who took the time to advise us and really listened to our needs. By combining this system with a portable 100W By combining the solar panel with the solar panel, we had a completely autonomous system that provided us with all the energy we needed for our adventure, and the journey could begin...
POWER QUEEN POWER STATION AND ITS SOLAR PANEL
But before we embark on our journey, we would like to tell you a little more about the powerqueen energy station...
The Power Queen portable Energy station from Power Queen It packs 300Wh into a compact design measuring 23 x 16.1 x 19.5 cm and weighing just 3.6kg. That's an incredible power-to-weight ratio of 12g/Wh! Suffice it to say, this was THE solution we needed, because in addition to this crucial feature in our case, the station also offers the advantage of:
- A 12V cigarette lighter output
- Integrated inverter for 230V, 300W power
- Two 12V jack outputs
- Two USB 3.0 outputs
- Two USC Type C outputs
- A large LED panel (of course for night-time mechanic sessions)
The Power Queen Power station but can also be charged via a single input:
- Charging via a socket with a 230V adapter
- Charging via a cigarette lighter in your vehicle
- Direct charging via the portable 100W solar panels
We were able to test the three charging modes:
Very fast and efficient on a 230V Power outlet so you can quickly recharge your batteries when needed.
In our case, it was very convenient, thanks to the cigarette lighter socket on the 4L, if you're on the go a lot like us. This was one of our main charging methods (along with solar charging), but also the most efficient, with a virtually constant 3A charge!
And last but not least, the pleasure of harnessing free, environmentally friendly energy thanks to some truly powerful solar panels. We were able to achieve a charge of over 60W for an hour at dawn, before the sun was yet at its zenith.
So we had breakfast every morning after taking out the solar panel and starting to charge our Power Queen Station.
But the question that really interests us is: Did the station's 300Wh of autonomy really meet our needs? And if I only answer "yes" say, you'll tell me I only used it to charge my phone... well, not even then!
After all, it is not possible to continuously power the equivalent of a caravan, a kitchen, a heating system, or an electric water heater...
But you'll be surprised to know that during our more than 15-day trip, we never had to rely on any other energy source than this. That's right, we didn't use a household outlet or any other power source besides the sun and our vehicle's alternator... and here's the proof:
IN PRACTICE
The journey begins here...
We traveled for 16 days in complete autonomy.
We covered more than 4500 km and crossed 4 countries.
From southwest France to the breathtaking green landscapes of Slovenia. Passing the beautiful city of Pula in Croatia and the entire west coast. On the way there, through Italy, via Pisa and Venice, and on the way back, through Milan and Turin.
We slept exclusively in our 4L, under the starry sky, surrounded by nature, mountains, vines and animals.
What about our energy consumption?
Our needs:
- 2 mobile phones that we charge every day
- Electronic devices such as cameras, an electronic cigarette, a walkie-talkie... in total we consume perhaps 100Wh in 2/3 days
- A picture clothing
- A drill battery (1 time), whose charger is connected to the station's mains socket
- and a 48-watt cooler that was powered almost constantly during the day, and during our trip, we only ran out of battery power once. It was a very hot day, and our cooler had to run continuously for more than 5 hours, which completely drained the station.But after a one-hour charge thanks to the 60 watt After solar panels the next morning and a 4-hour drive, during which we were able to charge 40 watts per hour via the alternator, we were ready to go again!
- We showered at campsites or in private homes and heated our food with gas bottles. The capacity of the station was therefore really sufficient for a 2-person trip into the wilderness, considering our actual needs and power consumption.
Conclusion
As we conclude our experience with the Power Queen portable power station, all we can say is THANK YOU. Thank you to Power Queen for collaborating with us on this project and for meeting all our needs.
While this station doesn't have a huge energy capacity, its weight, dimensions, and options make it the most powerful and interesting device on the market in terms of value for money.
After testing it under test conditions, in the heat, and intensively for 15 days straight, we are truly amazed at the robustness of this product and would highly recommend it to anyone.
If you are looking for something that is easy to carry, meets all your needs and is easy to use, then this is the right product for you!
And a little bonus that changes everything: the customer service is really responsive and professional!
They're willing to answer any questions you might have and they're more interested in your project and needs than you'll find anywhere else, so for that reason alone, you should buy it!
from TITOU & DYDY
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