I grabbed this product (Goal Zero 32001 Lighthouse 250 Portable Battery Charger USB Power Hub and Lantern) during an Amazon "Deal of the Day" sale. It looks like a neat gadget that can be useful not just for camping, but also during an extended power outage. After thoroughly testing all its advertised functions, I'm very happy with my purchase.
[LED Lantern]
The Goal Zero lantern contains two CREE 3-Watt LEDs, with an advertised light output of 250 lumens at full power. I already own the Energizer Weather Ready Folding Area Lantern, but this Goal Zero lantern is far superior in many aspects:
- Over twice the maximum light output (250 vs. 96 lumens)
- Well-regulated brightness (instead of getting dimmer as battery voltage drops)
- Gives either all-around or semi-directional (180-degree) illumination
- The LED brightness can be adjusted to extend battery life
- Powered by internal Lithium-ion rechargeable battery pack
[Rechargeable Battery]
The internal battery pack can be recharged from any USB power adapter, through the attached USB cable. The battery is rated 4400mAh in capacity. The charging current I measured starts at around 0.85A (according to my PortaPow USB Power Monitor), and drops when the battery is close to full. So I expect the charge time to be 6-7 hours. I can also recharge it using the Goal Zero Nomad 7 Solar Panel. The charge time is about the same - as long as there is direct sunlight.
One good feature worth mentioning: the unit supports pass-through charging. That means while the internal battery is being charged from a solar panel, it can still power the USB port to recharge your cell phone. This offers a good energy buffer in case the sunlight gets blocked by clouds momentarily.
[Dynamo Crank]
What if the sun doesn't shine and you are running out of battery power? There is still the last resort of dynamo cranking. According to my test, one minute of vigorous cranking (roughly 120 turns on the handle) can light up the lantern for 3 minutes at maximum brightness. The runtime is doubled if only half of the lantern is lit, or even longer if brightness is set lower.
The user manual says cranking at 120 turns per minute generates a charging power of 2.2W. That's equivalent to roughly 500mA of charging current. So theoretically, I have to crank it for about 8 hours to get a full charge.
[Power Hub mode]
The Goal Zero lantern also doubles as a USB charger for your other devices. It generates a regulated 5V output at up to 1.5A (7.5W). So it is good for charging most smart phones and small tablets, but not for iPad which requires more 2A.
I tested the capacity of the battery, by connecting a 5-ohm power resistor as load. The USB port generated 4.9V at 0.97A (4.75W) for 166 minutes before shutting off. This corresponds to a total output energy of 13Wh. Assuming the power conversion process is only 80% efficient, I can then estimate the internal battery to have a capacity of 4400mAh (3.7V * 4.4Ah * 0.8 = 13Wh), exactly as advertised.
To put this capacity number in perspective: my Samsung Galaxy S3 has a battery pack rated 2100mAh. So a 4400mAh battery should be able to recharge my phone 1.5 times, assuming 25-30% conversion losses.
[Battery Status Indicator]
I noticed during my test that the battery status indicator is highly non-linear. The indicator consists of 4 blue LEDs. So naturally people will expect each LED to represent 25% of energy left. The actual representation I found is:
- 4-LED = 98-100%
- 3-LED = 86-97%
- 2-LED = 23-85%
- 1-LED = 1-22%
[Summary]
With the exception of the battery status indicator, this Goal Zero lantern/battery charger performs exactly as I expected. The only complaint I have left is its high regular price. At the "Deal of the Day" price I paid (37.5% off from regular price), I consider it a 5-star product.
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From the manufacturer
Lighthouse 250 Lantern
Light up any situation with 250 lumens of bright LED light, or use the dimmable, DuaLite Directional Lighting feature to extend runtime. Recharge from USB, solar or the included hand crank. The Lighthouse 250 includes a built-in USB port to power small handheld devices to keep you connected to the ones who matter most. The Lighthouse 250 Lantern and USB Power Hub is the only lantern you will need.
Lumens: 250
Run Time: 2.5 - 28 Hours
Recharge by: USB, Solar, Hand Crank
Power Output: USB
Ideal for: Phones, GPS, smaller USB devices
Three Ways to Charge
The Sun
The Lighthouse 250 can be charged by connecting a compatible solar panel - Nomad 7 Solar Panel. (sold separately).
USB
The Lighthouse 250 Lantern can also be charged by being plugged into a USB power source in about 7 hours.
Hand Crank
The built-in crank gives you 10 minutes of light for 1 minute of cranking.
Device Run Times :
Headlamp 2-5 Charges
Smartphone 2 Charges
POV Camera 3 Charges
Tablet 50 Percent Boost
Hand Crank
The built-in crank gives you 10 minutes of light for 1 minute of cranking.
Product information
| Battery Description | Lithium-Ion |
|---|---|
| Item Weight | 1.25 Pounds |
| Mounting Type | Floor Mount |
| Water Resistance Level | Not Water Resistant |
| Battery Life | 48 Hours |
| Light Source Wattage | 6 Watts |
| Number of Batteries | 2 Lithium Ion batteries required. (included) |
| Voltage | 3.7 Volts |
| Wattage | 3 watts |
| Manufacturer | Goal Zero |
| UPC | 847974002186 |
| Global Trade Identification Number | 00847974002186 |
| Product Dimensions | 6 x 15 x 3 inches |
| Item Weight | 1.25 pounds |
| ASIN | B00DVE8DUG |
| Item model number | 32001 |
| Batteries | 2 Lithium Ion batteries required. (included) |
| Customer Reviews |
3.8 out of 5 stars |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
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Compare with similar items
This Item  Goal Zero Lighthouse 250 Lantern and USB Power Hub | Recommendations  |  |  | |
| Price | Currently unavailable. | $44.95 | $59.95 | -20% $19.99 List: $24.99 |
| Delivery | — | Get it as soon as Thursday, Jun 12 | Get it as soon as Thursday, Jun 12 | Get it as soon as Thursday, Jun 12 |
| Customer Ratings | ||||
| Sold By | — | Black Diamond Equipment | BioLite | GLOCUSENT |
| light source type | Light Emitting Diode (LED) | — | Light Emitting Diode (LED) | Light Emitting Diode (LED) |
| brand | Goal Zero | Black Diamond | BioLite | Glocusent |
| color | Green | Black | 500 | Green |
| power source | Battery Powered, Solar Powered | — | Battery Powered | Battery Powered |
| material | textile | Plastic | Plastic | Plastic |
Preparedness
This item is no toy -- it certainly is not priced like one at this point! Multi-purpose -- yes -- it provides lighting, emergency flasher (that does not interfere with the illumination since it is in the shade part of the lantern). and, it also serves as a USB device charger so that if your cellphone dies and you get in range you could make a call. Versatile mounting -- you can hang it from a rope in a test or other location or have it sit flat on a surface or flip the metal legs out. Variable illumination - it can adjust the brightness from dim to maximum on one or both sides which if you turn it very low, it can last for a long time. various charging options -- you can recharge it from any device that can provide a USB-compatible power supply OR you can charge it from the built-in hand-crank generator - which also allows you to crank it in either direction. the UBS cable is built into it and cleverly stores the very short cord so it cannot be lost when you need it most! It is supposed to fully chrage itself in 7 hours from a USB output. The box is also mainly paper for those concerned with waste! the 250 is the max lumens output - if the lantern is fully charged, it is supposed to take 2 hours to charge a smartphone. it also has tiny LED battery capacity gauge that makes it easier to figure how more time you have using it. It is easy to store -- it is light-weight and compact. The only things i can think of to improve it are to make some part glow in the dark and maybe put some sort of a boot or cover over the USB outlet to keep out corrosion. This product is now a permanent part of my emergency preparedness / camping gear!
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on July 18, 2014
- Reviewed in the United States on September 24, 2014
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- 905CanuckReviewed in Canada on November 29, 2015
Perfect for prolonged power failures or camping
