Where can I buy the "Porta-Power to Go"? Ed recommended it in his Y2K home preparation book, but didn't mention where he bought it. It is a portable power backup unit that weighs about 20 lbs and is capable of providing DC power, jumpstarting a car, or powering a couple of AC appliances, provided you buy an inverter for it. It can be powered via solar electricity.

-- Matthew Silver (mhsilver@worldnet.att.net), December 17, 1999

Answers

You could probably just buy a car battery and an inverter and be able to do the same thing for less money just because it isn't called a "Porta-Power." Not sure about that, just a thought.

-- Hawk (flyin@high.again), December 17, 1999.

Check this thread - it has something that sounds similar to what you are talking about.

-- Amy Leone (leoneamy@aol.com), December 17, 1999.

Just noticed you mentioned solar chargability. If you have a car you won't need that, just a bit of gas to recharge it.

-- Hawk (flyin@high.again), December 17, 1999.

It is all at Costco. Power Unit is $57. with a $10. rebate. Inverter is $34.

-- tc (trashcan-man@webtv.net), December 17, 1999.

Is this like a Porta-Potty to "go"?

-- (urgent@in.extremis), December 17, 1999.

I saw a 30 minute "infomercial" on a Prestone product called "Jump It", that sounds like the same thing, sort of.

It's a portable battery pack designed for jump starting cars, but can also be used for emergency power. It also has a built in light. Check out www.prestonejumpit.com

You can also get an optional power inverter to power AC appliances. They showed people using TVs, radios and even computers with it.

They also offer an EZ payment plan...just 3 payments of $33 and it's yours...inverter costs extra . You can recharge it by AC, or I'm sure if you are clever you could rig a solar charger unit.

The web site gives all the info. Looks like a pretty cool deal.

-- ActionBill (StopNWO@aol.com), December 17, 1999.

I've see the "Jump It" and similar products at Sam's, Wal-Mart, Target, Meijer, and (briefly) at Lowe's, as well as 150 and 300 watt inverters. These seem to be hot items around here right now: inventories are low, anyway, or perhaps they come from Taiwan, and I'm starting to see some major backlogs from stuff from Tawianese factories that were damaged in the last quake.

-- (ladybuckeye_59@yahoo.com), December 17, 1999.

I've see the "Jump It" and similar products at Sam's, Wal-Mart, Target, Meijer, and (briefly) at Lowe's, as well as 150 and 300 watt inverters. These seem to be hot items around here right now: inventories are low, anyway, or perhaps they come from Taiwan, and I'm starting to see some major back orders from stuff from Tawianese factories that were damaged in the last quake.

-- (ladybuckeye_59@yahoo.com), December 17, 1999.