REVIEW – I have a bunch of DeWALT cordless power tools, and about 15 DeWALT batteries for these power tools. Most of these batteries are sitting in their chargers waiting for their chance to shine. A few years ago, I purchased a portable light that attaches to DeWALT batteries, creating a portable spotlight. It works great. When the VAXCANZE 200W Power Inverter came up for review, I knew it would fit perfectly in my shop to give me a compact, portable power station.
⬇︎ Jump to summary (pros/cons)
Price: $29.99
Where to buy: Amazon
What is it?
The VAXCANZE 200W Power Inverter is a device that uses DeWALT 20V Battery Packs and adapts the power to USB-A (5-10V/2.1A), USB-C (5-10V/2.1A), and AC (110-120V) output.
What’s included?
- Power Inverter
- Instructions
- (No batteries are provided)
Tech specs
- Running Watts: 200W
- Peak Watts: 400W
- Output Voltage: AC 110-120V
- Inout Voltage: DC18V/20V (DeWALT Battery format)
- USB-A Output: 5V/2.1A (stated – see below)
- USB-C Output: 5V/2.1A (stated – see below)
- LED Light: 200 Lumens
- Under-voltage Shutdown: 14.4V
- Over-voltage Shutdown: 23.4V
- Operating Temperatures: 32º – 113º F (0º – 45º C)
- Dimensions: 4.7L x 3.5W x 4H in. (12L x 8.9W x 10.2H cm)
- Weight: 9.6 oz (275 g)
- DeWALT Battery Compatibility: DCB200 through DCB206
Design and features
The VAXCANZE 200W Power Inverter is designed to sit on top of a DeWALT 20V (or older style 18V) battery. It clicks onto the battery just as a DeWALT cordless tool would.
On top of the unit are two buttons. One for turning the power inverter on, and the other for turning on the onboard LED light and selecting the light’s intensity.
Charging/powering a device is accomplished with the two USB-A ports, the single USB-C port, or via the 120-120V AC power receptacle (US). The USB ports (A & C) provide a stated 5V/2.1A of DC power (see below in the Performance section for the actual output that was observed).
The device has a 3-level LED “flashlight” onboard. The three levels are 100%, 80%, 50%, and off. 100% outputs a stated 200 lumens of light.
It has a metal handle on top that folds down, out of the way. When used with the folding handle, the power inverter/battery becomes a lantern.
Performance
Using the VAXCANZE 200W Power Inverter to charge phones, drones, and other devices worked perfectly. I used a USB power meter to observe the actual output from the USB-A and USB-C ports. Although the stated output from the USB ports is 5V/2.1A, I was able to get up to 9V for a fast-charging device (with the proper cable), but only at a maximum of 1.4A.
The AC power plug was able to power most lower-wattage devices (lamps, fans, etc.). I attempted to use a heat gun, and the inverter shut itself off. This is a good feature, as the heat gun was 1600W, and it certainly would have fried this little inverter. Devices like hairdryers, vacuums, and irons are all too power-hungry for the VAXCANZE 200-watt Power Inverter. Leave those to the larger power stations.
When trying to stress the inverter, with all three USB ports and the AC power plug used at the same time, the onboard cooling fan kicked on. The fan is noisy and would be obnoxious on a camping trip if you were trying to sleep. Under normal load, the fan does not run, and the inverter is perfectly quiet.
On a fully-charged 2AH DeWALT Battery (their smallest), the battery lasted 2 hours when I used the onboard light on high (100%) while charging two nearly-dead phones to 100% charged. This was expected. I assume using a larger DeWALT battery (a 5 or 6AH), it would last much longer.
I have a couple of portable power stations, and the biggest problem with them is their weight. The VAXCANZE 200W Power Inverter is a good solution to this problem. Even with a 2Ah DeWALT battery attached, this thing only weighs about 1.5 pounds (0.68 kg).
The two buttons on the inverter are membrane-type switches and feel very stiff. I am a little concerned as to their durability over the life of this device.
I did have to have the power inverter replaced during the review. The first unit was working very well, and then it would not turn on after sitting unused for about a week. The manufacturer replaced it quickly, and the second unit has worked perfectly. I’m not sure if the power button broke or the internal electronics. Either way, it was remedied quickly by the manufacturer.
Final thoughts
The VAXCANZE 200W Power Inverter is a fairly good deal and a welcome addition to my shop. It performs pretty much as described in their Amazon listing, except that the max amperage output was only 1.4A, and not the stated 2.1A. Even with this shortcoming, this little inverter will be used quite a bit around my house, and even away from home.
What I like about the VAXCANZE 200w Power Inverter
- Provides a very portable power station solution
- Protects itself from being overloaded
What needs to be improved?
- USB power output needs to provide 2.1A when called for
- Onboard buttons feel stiff
Price: $29.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided for free by VAXCANZE. VAXCANZE did not have a final say on the review and did not preview the review before it was published.
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