20 years ago there were those who were into gadgets and those who really didn’t give a stuff, but that was then and this is now and the world is a very different place. Our day-to-day on a whole is fueled via electronics and equipment that require power, and that goes very much so for teens as much as it does their parents. Suffice to say the need for power is vast, and we live in a world of constant monitoring of depletion.
While there is no shortage of juice packs and external batteries to help keep you untethered from a wall outlet, they’re mostly all the same, and their flexibility tends to be limited due to smaller capacities and restrictions on output type. But, there’s currently something brewing that looks quite a bit different, a bit unusual, and a bit exciting. It’s called CRANK Juice Box, and it’s a “lightweight power bank that charges your computers, USB devices, cameras, and can even jumpstart your car,” now funding on Kickstarter. While we don’t often promote Kickstarter projects this one does look interesting.
“The Crank Juice Box is a lightweight power bank for our most used devices. We’ve designed a compact unit with a huge battery to keep all of your USB devices, 3 generations Apple Mac books, iPads, iPhones, Kindles, Android Phones, Google Phones, PC Laptops, camera support, professional cameras, and also new generation computers with USB C.“
One of the faults of other external and portable power sources is that while the primary purpose is one of utility, there isn’t a focus on encompassing functionality to bring out the full utility of said devices. Typically, there is only a USB port for power output and cabling and so forth are yours to supply. The creators of CRANK appear to want to avoid that so the potential of the device can be reached from day one, so the number of ports for output are wide.
It comes with a suite of cables to power generations of laptops, an LED display, built-in-flashlight, wall charger, cigarette lighter charger, jumper cables for your car (so it seems this functionality isn’t so much an afterthought as much as an engineered purpose), and a hard and soft case – all built around the beating heart of CRANK, the 18000 mAh battery.
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For photographers and videographers the uses of this are relatively obvious, in that it can charge/power your cameras, mobile devices, external monitors, computers, and all other periphery that’s essential to operating on location unhindered and untethered. Perhaps it helps to know that the device itself is part designed by professional photographers and filmmakers.
It’s currently in its Kickstarter campaign and you can check out more about it here and lock in a 52-70% discount on the suggested retail, and what extras come with. As with all Kickstarter products we feel obliged to remind you that the time to production often changes, and we are not affiliated with the product itself. Again, that said, the obvious utility of this is certainly of interest and piques ours.
The Crank Juice Box Kit Comes With:
Your Choice Of Black or Orange Crank Juice Box
Jumper Cables For Your Car
USB Wall Charger
USB Cigarette Lighter Charger
3 Generations Of Apple Chargers For Apple Laptops
Charger Cable For The Crank
8 Adapters For Various PC and Electronic Inputs
The 4 Cables Squid. Thunderbolt, Micro USB, Mini USB, & Apple iPhone & iPad 30 Pin Connector (Old School)
Hard Travel Case For Crank & Accessories (see Below)
Crank Battery Size is 18000 mAh
Flashlight Built Into Crank –
TECH SPECS
3 Settings Continous, SOS, Strobe
Capacity 18000MAH
Applicable Engine Type: <6.0 L Gasoline & <2.5L Diesel
Output Voltage At Auto Start End: 12V
Output Voltages: 8.4V/2.1A 12V/2A; 16V/3.5A; 19V/3.5A
Dual USB Outputs: 5V 2.1A • Start Current: 600A
Peak Current: 750A(<3S) Battery Type: Lithium-ion Polymer Battery Charge Mode: CC/CV 15V/1A LED Power: 1W (White) LED Light Modes: 3 (Steady-SOS-Strobe) Cycle Life: > 1000 Times
Operation Temperature Range: -20 Degrees C to 80 Degrees C\
Product Size: 180x86x43 mm
N.W: 1.5 Lbs or .68 KGS
Certificate: CE ROHS FCC
UL Listed Battery Jumper Clamps
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What a load of hooey this article is . . . obviously written (with NO intention of being honest) about a genre of product that has long been available.
One of the best outfits to check out is NOCO. They have an extensive line of chargers, superbly built and ultra reliable that are stabilised, reliable, and work flawlessly. (I own, use extensively for the same reason . . . three of them).
I haven’t a firm idea about what the final price is for this rip-off, but judging by the special offers (?!!!!) on kickstarter, it will be a grossly overpriced copy that you pay two, three, four times as much because it has “professional” and/or “photography” in its description. All you “photographers (what a joke)” will come crawling for something labelled (with $0.02 stickers). A sucker born every minute, . . . as for aspiring photographers, a sucker born every second.
It’s “spider” cable with multiple plugs is a pathetic joke. There are no strain reliefs anywhere (par for the industry), so the cable will probably be rendered worthless within a month or two, I.e. Doesn’t count in the final price. Charge cables, . . . standard in the industry, as is a pouch, and or box. Noco supplies cables, a pouch (needs to be replaced) and whatever else you need. It also has a double flashlight offering more functions than anyone else in the industry.
Upshot? This isn’t an announcement of a new product . . . it is a cash grab of wannabees . . . sadly they might succeed.
This product already exists, at a fraction of the price, and with more reliability . . . it just didn’t have those damn “professional photographer” stickers for $250-350 +. Oh well, I’ll pass.
Too late. When I first saw the specs for this, able to jump start a car, I thought that’s incredible! It’s able to jump start a car! I went to an auto parts retailer and typed “jump pack” in the search.
POWERALL has a Battery Booster/Jump Starter Pack that performs the same functions. It has a 16,000 mAh battery instead of the 18,000 mAh battery and it looks like it doesn’t have all the packaged adapters and octopus cables. The size is small enough to fit in the glove box of a car.
Kishore, it looks like the same form factor. What I found costs $130. I don’t know what the final price of the Kickstarter project will be.
I’ll have to check that one out. But Ralph, for someone like me the sables are a plus, and this would definitely fit in a glove box too. No?
Hey Ralph, you are right that there are other jumpstarters on the market. We didn’t invent that. What is different is what’s on the inside. Don’t get caught up on comparing just the battery size. The actual Voltages built into the inside is what is most important. We’ve added the corrrect voltages for Macs (95% don’t have this), for PCs (different than macs), Canon C100 (We cannot find 1 other example of someone who has this becuase Canon uses their own unique to them), and for other things like Sony FS5 cameras. The POWERALL or whatever other battery you find on the market doesn’t have these voltages. At first glance these look similar and not a big deal. But if you research the voltages inside and also look at all the cables we supply for Macs (all 3 connections to brand new macs to 6 year old macs supplied). These connections and cables alone cost more than the Crank if you bought them off Amazon. I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions.
Thanks Gary. I wasn’t aware of the various voltages required by different devices.
btw, does anybody know a way to power things like a laptop (or a phone, or other USB powerable devices) with a regular V-mount battery ?
Also these fit in a glovebox just fine!
btw, does anybody know a way to power things like a laptop (or a phone, or other USB powerable devices) with a regular V-mount battery ?
What a load of hooey this article is . . . obviously written (with NO intention of being honest) about a genre of product that has long been available.
One of the best outfits to check out is NOCO. They have an extensive line of chargers, superbly built and ultra reliable that are stabilised, reliable, and work flawlessly. (I own, use extensively for the same reason . . . three of them).
I haven’t a firm idea about what the final price is for this rip-off, but judging by the special offers (?!!!!) on kickstarter, it will be a grossly overpriced copy that you pay two, three, four times as much because it has “professional” and/or “photography” in its description. All you “photographers (what a joke)” will come crawling for something labelled (with $0.02 stickers). A sucker born every minute, . . . as for aspiring photographers, a sucker born every second.
It’s “spider” cable with multiple plugs is a pathetic joke. There are no strain reliefs anywhere (par for the industry), so the cable will probably be rendered worthless within a month or two, I.e. Doesn’t count in the final price. Charge cables, . . . standard in the industry, as is a pouch, and or box. Noco supplies cables, a pouch (needs to be replaced) and whatever else you need. It also has a double flashlight offering more functions than anyone else in the industry.
Upshot? This isn’t an announcement of a new product . . . it is a cash grab of wannabees . . . sadly they might succeed.
This product already exists, at a fraction of the price, and with more reliability . . . it just didn’t have those damn “professional photographer” stickers for $250-350 +. Oh well, I’ll pass.
Also these fit in a glovebox just fine!
Too late. When I first saw the specs for this, able to jump start a car, I thought that’s incredible! It’s able to jump start a car! I went to an auto parts retailer and typed “jump pack” in the search.
POWERALL has a Battery Booster/Jump Starter Pack that performs the same functions. It has a 16,000 mAh battery instead of the 18,000 mAh battery and it looks like it doesn’t have all the packaged adapters and octopus cables. The size is small enough to fit in the glove box of a car.
I’ll have to check that one out. But Ralph, for someone like me the sables are a plus, and this would definitely fit in a glove box too. No?
Kishore, it looks like the same form factor. What I found costs $130. I don’t know what the final price of the Kickstarter project will be.
Hey Ralph, you are right that there are other jumpstarters on the market. We didn’t invent that. What is different is what’s on the inside. Don’t get caught up on comparing just the battery size. The actual Voltages built into the inside is what is most important. We’ve added the corrrect voltages for Macs (95% don’t have this), for PCs (different than macs), Canon C100 (We cannot find 1 other example of someone who has this becuase Canon uses their own unique to them), and for other things like Sony FS5 cameras. The POWERALL or whatever other battery you find on the market doesn’t have these voltages. At first glance these look similar and not a big deal. But if you research the voltages inside and also look at all the cables we supply for Macs (all 3 connections to brand new macs to 6 year old macs supplied). These connections and cables alone cost more than the Crank if you bought them off Amazon. I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions.
Thanks Gary. I wasn’t aware of the various voltages required by different devices.