# Powapod - Caveat emptor



## MinivanMaster (Mar 14, 2017)

Ordered Powapod 9/26/17. ETA before 10/19/17. Delivered 10/30/17

10/31 I get this email:
*Product Usage Update.*
*Notice:* For the improved care, safety & longevity of your product we kindly request you now plug PowaPod into the *WHITE* usb port on the supplied car charger only.

You may of course continue to use the green port with any other driver device other than PowaPod.

I follow their directions, and write to them this is bait and switch. They were advertising to use the GREEN quick charge for passengers of course. They responded and would allow a product return to a Chinese address, which was a surprise. I seem to recall there was an US address for returns originally (but I can't find proof). $22.75 cheapest shipping back, so infeasible. I disputed the charge with my Visa card that Powapod changed the terms or return, and product function. After some months, my card told me to go pound sand.

In the meantime, the iphone charger stopped working. Youtuber drivers are complaining about this. Everyone I know IRL who bought this junk, the iPhone lightning charger stopped working, even if using in the white non-quick charger. You can mitigate the issue by unplugging the adapter in your cig socket, wait a bit, plug it back in every time someone wants to use the iphone charger, but that's ridiculous. I contacted their support Nov 30, but no response. I tried again just now.

I'm going to redispute with my credit card. Instead of bait and switch, I'm going to claim the product is faulty. I can't find any old versions of their website on web archivers like wayback or http://archive.is/http://www.powapod.com/ Anyone save the sales terms?

There are simpler, better alternatives to this product that actually quick charge. Don't buy this shit.


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## MothMan (May 15, 2016)

I believe I got mine in October 2017. The only cord on mine that has always worked for PAX is the micro-USB. I can count on one hand the number of iPhones that worked with the lightning plug. Only one PAX has ever gotten the USB-C plug to work.

Since Powapod would never answer any of my emails about this piece of junk and since my PAX think it is very cool, I have tried to make lemonade out of the lemon. I bought adapters off Ebay and found that for some reason if I put an adapter on the lines, they work. The vast majority of my PAX want lightning plugs so I put lightning adapters on the micro-USB and USB-C plugs. On the lightning plug, I put a USB-C adapter. If my PAX wants to charge something with micro-USB, I pull the lightning adapter off the micro-USB plug.

The problem with this setup is when PAX pull their phone off the line, the adapters sometime stick in the phone and the PAX does not notice. I have to keep an eye on it and ask for the adapter back when it disappears.


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