Power Box 50 & Original Power Box Pedal Generator FAQ
Can you hand crank the Power Box 50 & Original Power Box?
Yes. The pedals are standard half-inch bike pedals. You can just grip them with your hands or, a more comfortable solution, take them out and replace them with hand pegs that are used for hand cranking bicycles. You may need a half-inch to 9/16 converter. Many customers have done this. You should be able to find these parts from your local bike shop or website that specializes in handicap hand crank bicycles.
How do I connect Anderson Plugs to my Power Box 50?
Use a 12-volt connector to Anderson Plug converter.
How do you charge a 12-volt battery with the Power Box 50 or Original Power Box?
The Power Box 50 will charge a 12-Volt lead acid or lithium battery directly by using the cable with alligator clips that comes with it. Connect red positive to red positive, black negative to negative and pedal.
For the Original Power Box, see the advanced power box guide under support. You will need the 12-volt charger. Plug it in and attach the alligator clips to the battery. Black to black, negative, red to red, positive.
What if charging the 12-volt battery with the Power Box 50 is not working?
Make sure the 12-volt connector is plugged in and making contact. Make sure the fuse in the 12-volt tip is not blown. To change the fuse unscrew the tip.
How do I charge other batteries and power generators with my Power Box 50?
Power generators, which are basically batteries with an inverter included in one box, typically have an accessory to charge them from a car 12 volt power port. This can be plugged directly in to the 12 volt power outlet on the Power Box 50.
Batteries other that 12-volt lead acid, such as lithium, can be charged directly or with a lithium charger. First, use a standard Power Box 50. Connect an inverter to it, such as the 300 watt unit sold on our website. And plug a charger into it. A custom Power Box 50 should not be needed and is not recommended but contact us if you think you need a different voltage and connector. For the latter, contact K-Tor and have the charging methods available to you battery available.
The Power Box 50 or Original Power Box wobbles around. How do I steady it?
It should be screwed down to make it stable. If not, you need to press straight down to keep it in place. It will still walk a little, so screwing down is the best solution.
What if the Power Box 50 appears to be turning on and off?
If this occurs you should stop using your power box 50 and contact K-Tor. If there are chargers attached to the Power Box 50 it could be the chargers are turning on and off if the battery is getting full or the charger is trying to draw more power from the power box than it can supply. It could also be that the thermal production in the unit is turning on and off protecting the unit from being overloaded. It is important to understand and correct the problem so that the Power Box 50 is not damaged. Continuing to use the Power Box 50 when it is overloaded or overheated could lead to permanent damage.
For the Original Power Box, most likely the charger is trying to draw too much power for the power box or you are not cranking fast enough to give it enough power.
I have trouble getting the cranks on and off. How do I do this?
For the Power Box 50, taking out the screw should allow the pedals to be pulled off. In some cases, the banging from prolonged pedaling can cause the metal to stick. We use a pulley puller to pull them off like bike cranks in difficult cases. If you have trouble contact us and we will send you a tool to break the cranks free so they can be removed
See the videos under support and then Power Box 50 instructions or Original Power Box instructions.
I have trouble getting the feet on and off. What is the best way to do this?
See the Power Box Setup video under support and then Original Power Box instructions.
How do I power devices greater than 20 watts with my Original Power Box, or greater than 40 watts with my Power Box 50, like laptops and furnace fans or water pumps?
See the advanced power box guide under support. You need to use the power box to charge a 12-volt battery and run an inverter with the battery. Multiple power boxes can also be used in parallel.
Pocket Socket USB 1AMP Hand Crank Generator FAQ
How does it work?
Turning the hand crank on the Pocket Socket drives a generator inside the device creating electrical power. It produces 1AMP from a standard USB interface.
How much do you have to crank to use your device?
It is the same as plugging it in a socket at home. If you have a cell phone a couple of minutes cranking will allow you to make a phone call. One minute of cranking is equal to one minute of talk time. Other devices like rechargeable flashlights will have many minutes of use per minute of charging. This is determined by the charger. The Pocket Socket is more powerful than the charger so the charger determines the charge rate.
Can I use my cell phone or other electronic device while it is charging?
Yes. It is no different than using your device while it is plugged into a wall outlet.
How do I know it will work with my personal device and its charger?
PS USB will work with any devices charged from a USB. Virtually every charger is compatible with the Pocket Socket. A cell phone, satellite phone (Iridium Satellite Phone 9505A), iPod, mp3 player, GPS, digital camera, camcorder, rechargeable light and flashlight, tablet, iPad and Kindle, and 60 W equivalent compact fluorescent light bulb have been successfully tested. Almost any charger that is less than the 10 watts will work. Laptops typically will not work. Cell phone chargers are now 3 amps or 15 watts. The pocket socket usb charges at one amp. the power box can be used with a 2 amp charger. the power box 50 can use a 12 volt to usb 3 amp converter and charge at 3 amps.
My device charges from a USB, will it still work with the Pocket Socket?
Yes. If you have the Pocket Socket USB 1 AMP, no converter is required. If you have an original Pocket Socket, all you need is a 1 amp USB outlet converter, which will allow your product to plug into the Pocket Socket. These are inexpensive and is available in our store. A 2 amp wall charger will not work with the original pocket socket or PS2 but will work with the power box and is available from us.
How long will my Pocket Socket last?
This product has intentionally been constructed from durable materials. You should expect it to last for several years under normal use. It comes with a 1 year warranty. K-Tor® has a recycling program that provides very reasonable repair cost or replacement parts should it ever wear out.
Can I take my Pocket Socket on an aircraft?
Yes. It will have to go through the same screening as any electronic device, but contains nothing potentially dangerous.
Where are K-Tor® products made?
Our products are designed and manufactured in the state of North Carolina. Components for the product are supplied from the U.S. and around the world. Over 50% of the manufacturing content is from the U.S.
Where does the power come from? Is it green, renewable energy?
The Pocket Socket converts the mechanical energy you apply by cranking the arm into electrical energy. It is completely green, renewable energy as it is user generated.