Welcome to my unbiased review of the Anker 555 Powerhouse portable power station. I’m your usual tech reviewer who enjoys testing out new gadgets and providing helpful information to my viewers. In today’s blog, we’ll take an in-depth look at the Anker 555 – I purchased this unit myself and am not receiving any compensation for this review. So you can expect completely honest opinions about how this power station performs in real-life use cases. I’ll cover what’s included in the box, the key specifications, how charging works, the different output options, and how it held up powering my refrigerator during some tests. By the end, you’ll know if the Anker 555 Powerhouse is right for your next camping trip or emergency kit. So let’s get started!
What’s Included
The Anker 555 Powerhouse comes with several accessories and cables for charging and powering devices:
- Power brick charger
- Solar charging cable
- Manual
- AC power cable
- Car charger cable
- DC to DC cable
- USB-C to USB-C cable
- USB-A to USB-C cable
The unit itself is portable at around 30 lbs and contains a lithium iron phosphate 1000 watt hour battery. The accessories allow you to charge the Powerhouse from the wall, car, or solar panels. Then you can use the outputs to power or charge laptops, phones, small appliances, tools, and more.
Specifications
The Anker 555 Powerhouse uses a lithium iron phosphate battery which provides several benefits over traditional lead acid batteries including better performance in cold weather and longer overall lifespan.
It has a 1000 watt maximum power output capability and can accept up to 200 watts of solar input if using two 100W solar panels. The peak power surge is 1500 watts which is useful for power tools and appliances with high startup power requirements.
The power brick charger included with the unit can fully recharge the Anker in about 5 hours. A pure sine wave inverter is used for clean power suitable for sensitive electronics.
In terms of connectivity, there are 6 AC outlets, 1 DC car port, 1 100W USB-C port, 2 60W USB-C ports, and 2 Quick Charge USB-A ports.
The battery capacity is 1024Wh and the weight comes in at around 30 lbs, making it portable while still packing in ample power. Overall the specifications make it a versatile mid-sized power station.
Charging the Unit
The Anker 555 Powerhouse comes with a power brick charger that plugs into the wall. I noticed during my testing that this charger gets very warm during the charging process. There are no cooling fans like some competing power stations have.
After charging the unit for a few hours, the brick can get quite hot to the touch. Be very careful picking it up after charging and don’t touch the metal prongs. Let it cool down for 10-15 minutes before handling.
I’d recommend keeping the charger in an open, ventilated space and not covered or crammed in tight areas during charging. The heat generated is normal, but you don’t want to create a fire hazard by overheating the charger.
Some safety tips:
- Allow proper air circulation around the charger during charging
- Let it cool before handling
- Be very careful when picking it up right after charging
- Do not charge near flammable materials
- Do not cover the charger
- Use in a well ventilated area
By taking some simple precautions, you can safely charge up the Anker Powerhouse and get years of use from the included charger. Just be aware it runs hot and don’t touch the metal parts right after charging.
Output Options
The Anker 555 Powerhouse provides several different output options to power a variety of devices:
AC Output
The unit has 6 AC outlets that support up to 1800W total load. You can plug in up to 3 three-prong devices. There is a separate on/off switch and power indicator light.
DC Output
There is 1 DC car charging port that provides 12V/10A (120W max). This also has a separate on/off switch and indicator light.
USB Output
The USB ports do not have a separate on/off switch. There are:
- 1 USB-C port with 100W max output
- 2 USB-C ports with 60W max output each
- 2 USB-A ports with QuickCharge support
The variety of output ports provides flexibility to charge laptops, phones, small appliances, power tools, and more. With 1500W peak power, the Anker can handle most needs for power outages, camping, and emergency preparedness.
Real-World Performance
I wanted to test the Anker 555 Powerhouse in real-world scenarios to see how it performed. The main test was powering my kitchen refrigerator to see if it could last a full day. My Whirlpool fridge uses about 800 watt hours per day and the Anker is rated for 1024 watt hours.
I started by plugging the fridge directly into the Anker. It cycled on and off as expected, drawing 300-400 watts when running. After nearly 15 hours, the battery was depleted to 8%. This fell about 10 hours short of the 24 hours I was hoping for.
The next day I recharged the Anker and supplemented it with solar panels. With 60 watts of solar input and the fridge cycling on and off, the battery lasted over 15 hours before hitting 4%. This was better, but still fell short of the full day.
While the Anker didn’t quite live up to the advertised runtime for my fridge, the performance was still decent. The pure sine wave inverter handled the inductive load well. I’d be interested to see more detailed testing from reviewers with specialized equipment to analyze the runtime discrepancy. But for general backup power needs, the Anker 555 Powerhouse held up reasonably well in real-world conditions.
Uses for Camping & Emergencies
The Anker 555 Powerhouse provides versatile power options for camping trips, amateur radio operations, and emergency preparedness. Its robust capacity and output make it well-suited for powering equipment in off-grid situations.
Benefits for Camping
When camping off-grid, the Anker 555 can keep your essential electronics powered up. Charge phones, tablets, and other USB-powered gear from the USB ports. Run lights, fans, and small appliances from the AC outlets. The 12V DC outlet can power gear specially designed for 12V inputs. With enough capacity to recharge laptops and phones multiple times, the Powerhouse lets you stay connected and powered while off-grid camping.
For Amateur Radio
For ham radio operators, the Powerhouse is great for field operations when commercial power is unavailable. The 12V DC output can power mobile radios and accessories. And the AC power lets you run base station radios and accessories that need 110V AC power. This makes the Powerhouse a versatile emergency communications platform for public service events, field day, parks on the air, and emergency drills.
Natural Disaster Readiness
During power outages from storms and other disasters, the Anker Powerhouse can be a lifesaver. Keep refrigerators running to preserve food and medications. Power medical devices, CPAP machines, or other critical electronics. Run lights, fans, and small appliances to maintain some normalcy when the grid is down. The Powerhouse provides reliable backup power when you need it most.
Solar Charging Setup
The Anker Powerhouse 555 comes with a solar charging cable that allows you to connect external solar panels to charge the unit. Here’s how to set it up for solar charging:
The solar charging cable has a DC7909 male connector on one end that plugs into the “Solar” port on the Powerhouse 555. On the other end, it has bare wire leads that you connect to your solar panel setup.
To connect solar panels, you’ll need a solar charge controller and cabling to wire the panels together. A charge controller regulates the voltage and current from the solar panels to safely charge the Powerhouse battery.
Once your solar panels are wired to the charge controller, run a cable from the charge controller output to the solar charging cable. You may need an adapter to connect the controller’s output plug to the bare wire leads.
With this setup, sunlight hitting the solar panels will charge the Powerhouse battery through the charge controller and solar charging cable. The Powerhouse display will show wattage input from the solar panels when charging this way.
Position the solar panels in direct sunlight to maximize power input to the Powerhouse. One or two 100W panels is usually sufficient, but you can connect up to 200W total solar input.
With good sunlight, the 200W max solar input can fully recharge the Powerhouse from 0% to 100% in about 8 hours. Solar charging allows you to recharge the Powerhouse off-grid during power outages or when camping outdoors.
Extra Ports
The Anker 555 comes equipped with a good selection of built-in ports, including USB-A, USB-C, and AC outlets. However, if you need additional USB ports, you can easily add a USB hub.
I purchased a compact 5-port USB hub for only $5 at a discount retailer. This gave me two additional USB-A ports and three USB-C ports. With the USB hub plugged into one of the Anker’s USB-A ports, I now have a total of seven USB ports available.
The small size of the USB hub makes it perfect for portable use with the Anker 555. It doesn’t take up much space in a backpack or bag. The hub is also bus-powered, meaning it draws power directly from the Anker rather than needing its own AC adapter. This makes setup quick and easy.
For those who need to charge or power multiple phones, tablets, or other USB-powered gear, adding an inexpensive USB hub greatly expands the functionality of the Anker Powerhouse. It’s an easy way to get more ports without taking up much space.
Conclusion
The Anker PowerHouse 555 is a solid medium capacity power station that provides ample output for basic home and outdoor needs. In testing, it powered a full size refrigerator for nearly 15 hours, falling just short of the estimated 24 hour runtime. With supplemental solar charging, runtime improved to over 17 hours.
While it couldn’t quite power the refrigerator for a full day as hoped, the Anker performed admirably given its 30 pound portable size. For most users, it will have more than enough capacity for phones, laptops, small appliances, medical devices, and other electronics. The wide range of output options allows flexibility to charge or run anything from USB devices to power tools.
Its size makes it ideal for RV and camping trips, providing backup power without taking up too much space. The PowerHouse 555 can recharge from solar at up to 200W, which is perfect for off-grid activities. It would also make a smart emergency preparedness purchase for the home, able to keep essentials like lights, fridge, and medical devices running during outages. Those looking to fully power large appliances for extended periods may want to consider a larger capacity model, but for most applications the Anker PowerHouse 555 hits a sweet spot of power, portability, and price.