Tekkeon TekCharge Mobile Power and Battery Charger Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I've been using this for several months, and more than once it has paid for itself. It is small, lightweight, and has done everything I need it to.
I get several full phone recharges out of a set of four AA batteries, as compared to about one 85% charge from the Eveready® Energizer® Energi To Go™ Instant Cell Phone Chargers charger (although I suspect that the energizer was eating my batteries if I left them in there for more than a day.)
This unit does not discharge batteries no longer how long you leave them in there, so pairing it up with low self-discharge batteries is beneficial. You'll forget you have it until you need it!VIDEO REVIEW TRANSCRIPT:
This is the TekCharge MP1550 mobile power supply and battery charger. This unit allows you to transfer power from standard AA batteries to USB power, and also will allow you to charge rechargeable AA batteries From USB power in an emergency.
This allows you to carry emergency power for cellphones, mp3 players, or anything else which can be charged from a USB port or cable. The maximum output voltage is 5v. You can use either standard alkaline AAs, or use rechargeables to power the unit.
The device is very small and compact, only a little larger than the batteries it contains.
The device comes with a charging cable and several interchangeable tips. The retractable cable on mine arrived frayed to the point where I don't think I could depend on it to work when I need it to. You can see the stray wires poking out from the wire sheath. I could have returned the unit, but I've never had good luck with "one size fits all" cables, and therefore probably wouldn't use it anyway. I bought the cables I need from my favorite auction website. For me, a six inch USB to mini-USB cable will do 85% of what I bought the unit for. A Standard USB A to B cable will do everything else.
The unit outputs power through a standard 5V USB plug. Any device I can think of with a USB charger can be plugged in and receive power through this port. There is an "ON/OFF" switch next to the plug, which controls whether a device is receiving power. There are also several indicator lights on the front of the unit which show how much power is left in the batteries.
The unit will run off of either 2 or 4 AA batteries. I would recommend using four whenever possible, as the lower discharge rate on each battery will mean you get more total power from each cell, as compared to using two at a time. However, it is nice to know that if I need to scavenge two batteries from the charger in an emergency, I will still be able to recharge my phone using the other two cells.
Beside the output USB Jack is a mini-USB Jack labeled "5V in". This is the jack which you can use to charge rechargeable batteries without removing them from the unit. The manual states that the unit will fully charge two batteries in three hours, or four batteries in six hours. It also strongly recommends to recharge batteries only when they are completely empty, so the charging function shouldn't be used to "top off" batteries which are only partially discharged.
I use low-self-discharge batteries, and use a separate Lacrosse BC-900 series charger to keep my batteries well maintained.
The Tekcharge unit does not appear to drain the batteries when it is not in use, which the "energizer" brand AA recharger seemed to do. Also, I get more power out of each cell as a result of the lower discharge rate associated with drawing the power from four cells instead of two. The battery compartment is also much easier to open than the energizer model, which often got stuck or jammed. However, to open the battery compartment you have to push down on the lever next to the USB jack. This is not indicated on the unit, although the manual does clearly state it.
Overall, I am extremely pleased with this unit. It does exactly what it advertised, and feels well built. Again, the cable arrived frayed from the factory, but I would have thrown it away even if it was in good condition. However, for those who prefer playing with interchangeable heads, it would have been an issue. I am pretty confident that it was an isolated problem, and I'll bet customer service would have replaced it had I felt the need to contact them over it.
I keep this unit in my backpack, and it's nice to know that I have two weeks or more of power for my cell phone if I get stuck somewhere without my charger, along with a means of recharging batteries away from home.


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TekCharge MP1550 takes advantage of AA batteries to provide emergency power to popular mobile phones, plus many more small portable devices. Because TekCharge uses alkaline or rechargeable AA batteries, you'll never be without power again--even on the road. TekCharge also doubles as a battery charger for your rechargeable AA batteries, so you can stay green while staying charged.
TekCharge charges and powers portable devices--anywhere, anytime--making it a versatile solution for the power needs of most of your mobile products, on the road, and at home. Often, portable devices are in need of recharging after a few hours of use. With TekCharge, you can enjoy hours of extended play time on your mobile phones, smart phones, PDAs, iPhone, iPods and MP3 players, portable CD players, Bluetooth headsets, and other small portable electronic products.
TekCharge connects to your device in two ways: First, you can use an adapter to connect to your device; or second, you can use your USB device cable, bypassing the need for an extra adapter. The device also features a voltage regulator so it won't harm your device or its battery.TekCharge comes with a handy tote, plus seven adapter tips for connection to:
Blackberry (mini USB)
LG mobile phones
Motorola mobile phones (mini USB)
Nokia mobile phones
Samsung mobile phones
Sony Ericsson mobile phones
iPod/iPhone (using your own iPod USB cable)

Add-on adapters are also available for Bluetooth headsets, other mobile phones, MP3 players, PDAs, portable games, and portable media players.
Approximate Charge for Common Devices

*Hours shown are approximate and will vary depending on connected device.
What's in the Box TekCharge MP1550, Retractable input/output cable, Universal adapter kit (7 tips), User guide

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