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Posted: 10/4/2022 3:49:10 PM EDT
[#1]
The way to compare value on a device you are talking is $ per KWH. Solar Generator is a battery that is pre equipped with inverter, and solar charge controller. They are so expensive for the size of the batteries they come with that it makes me cringe. I would still want at least a small generator for overnight battery charging. One of those honda clones from HF.
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Posted: 10/4/2022 4:45:38 PM EDT
[#2]
What are your power usage requirements? You can build your own battery bank with inverter and solar, or you can buy the units. You pay for the convenience of the pre-built, aesthetically pleasing, compact units. The price significantly depends on the size of the batteries. Are you looking to keep cell phones charged or flying drones and watching TV while pulling a cold out out of the mini-fridge?
In my research, Ecoflow is a decent brand. I have a Jackery that has been ok for what it is. Check out Bluetti and Rockpals too. There are a few other brands with a decent rep, but I don't remember their names off the top of my head. |
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Posted: 10/4/2022 4:58:27 PM EDT
[#3]
I recently bought an Ego lawnmower that came with a 7.5 Ah battery. I noticed they sell a power station that uses their standard battery. This is awesome cause now I can use my lawnmower battery with that powerstation.
Pretty sure with a 7.5 it'll charge a phone about 20 times. Reason I bring this up is if you happened to need or want new electric tools (which are impressive) you could standardize on the battery and then have tools (either for home or this property) plus the power station for only $99 https://www.lowes.com/pd/EGO-NEXUS-ESCAPE-POWER-STATION/1003130754 |
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Posted: 10/4/2022 5:03:20 PM EDT
[#4]
Someone has already asked about power requirements, but I'll add a few things in.
1: Only get a power station that uses Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries. If they use Lithium Ion, then you are limited to the amount of times it can be drained before degradation (500 for Lion vs 2000+ for LiFePO 4). 2: Only get one that uses MC4 connectors for the solar panels. Don't get one that needs a propriety plug that is usually only on their panels. 3: Look at standalone panels instead of the high dollar fold up ones unless you want portability of the panels. My standalone 530watt panels were 1/4 the price of the Bluetti 350watt fold up panels. |
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Posted: 10/4/2022 5:06:09 PM EDT
[#5]
I've been eye balling the Goal Zero Yeti 500x for a while. Looked Bluetti, EcoFlow, and Jackery also. Haven't pulled the trigger on anything yet though. I'd love one of the larger models but they get pretty pricey.
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Posted: 10/4/2022 5:09:27 PM EDT
[#6]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Someone has already asked about power requirements, but I'll add a few things in. 1: Only get a power station that uses Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries. If they use Lithium Ion, then you are limited to the amount of times it can be drained before degradation (500 for Lion vs 2000+ for LiFePO 4). 2: Only get one that uses MC4 connectors for the solar panels. Don't get one that needs a propriety plug that is usually only on their panels. 3: Look at standalone panels instead of the high dollar fold up ones unless you want portability of the panels. My standalone 530watt panels were 1/4 the price of the Bluetti 350watt fold up panels. 1. Copy 2. Copy 3. Portability is a must, so folding would be highly desirable. As for usage, charge phones, radios, run a small fridge, fans, etc. I trust a consumer product more than I trust my abilities to assemble one. I know my limitations. |
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Posted: 10/4/2022 5:57:56 PM EDT
[#7]
Define "small fridge" please. I ask because most power stations are not going to run a fridge long.
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Posted: 10/4/2022 6:12:33 PM EDT
[#8]
I was recently looking at various power stations. This one is intriguing:
 
Some of the things I found intriguing about it are: - roughly 2kWhr battery - LiFePO4 battery vs Li-ion - 2 separate solar input, MPPT controllers, total of 1200W input - Supposedly can daisy-chain external batteries to get up to 8kWhr total - 2kW pure-sine output No real insight into the company but they seem like (yet another) Chinese-based outfit. Also, "portable" in this case is about 48.5lbs. Not very many reviews yet but the ones they do have seem positive. City Prepping had a Youtube review on it and he seemed to like it. I'm curious as to whether you can use this as a UPS or not. It appears that you can charge and discharge at the same time but it's not clear if you are running all the time off the inverter and the charging is a separate circuit or whether it switches. One of the ones I looked at was a switched unit that would not have been a good unit for a UPS. A while back, I'd gotten a Goal Zero Yeti 500X that was on clearance at an REI that ended up being about 1/3 the retail price. I ended up making a cable up for it to be able to use the Anderson connectors I put on my folding solar panels. It's good for what it is. It's Li-ion so limited in charge cycles. |
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Posted: 10/4/2022 6:18:27 PM EDT
[#9]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Define "small fridge" please. I ask because most power stations are not going to run a fridge long. Dorm/hotel room fridge. |
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Posted: 10/4/2022 6:19:00 PM EDT
[#10]
OP, I just bought this one.
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Posted: 10/4/2022 6:43:54 PM EDT
[#11]
Quote HistoryQuoted: OP, I just bought this one. |
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Posted: 10/4/2022 7:35:03 PM EDT
[#12]
Quote HistoryQuoted: That looks pretty nice. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: OP, I just bought this one. And they identify it as usable as a UPS with 10ms switching time. |
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Posted: 10/4/2022 8:48:10 PM EDT
[#13]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Dorm/hotel room fridge. Check into the wattage of whatever unit you are looking at. You need to know the start-up and running wattage to figure out the minimum size battery/inverter. With these battery power units, knowing your intended power consumption is kind of critical. Unlike gas generators, you need to know both the output capabilities and the storage capacity of the battery. If a mini fridge uses 100watts and only runs 8 hours a day, the fridge alone will drain that smaller unit in less than 2 days. And 1200 to 2000wh is considered to be very large by these battery pack standards. Solar charging will offset that, but you need enough panels and a sunny day to both keep your stuff running and charge the power pack. Keep in mind that these companies are also giving you the theoretical best case scenarios when they tell you the power capacity and solar recharging times. Also, be aware that the Delta Max uses a battery chemistry that has a lower cycle life. I love solar/batteries but they do come with some serious limitations including the current prices. For half the cost of one 2000wh battery pack and the panels to keep it going you could have a smaller, reliable dual fuel inverter generator with similar running watt capabilities and that runs off propane giving you up to 34 hours run time on 20lbs of propane. The downside is bringing in the propane, noise, and oil changes. |
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Posted: 10/4/2022 9:33:22 PM EDT
[#14]
Quote HistoryQuoted: OP, I just bought this one. Nice. What type of connector does it use for solar panels? |
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Posted: 10/4/2022 9:39:25 PM EDT
[#15]
I built something recently, I'll see if I can post pictures tomorrow.
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Posted: 10/5/2022 12:41:25 AM EDT
[#16]
I would check out reviews on you tube.. HOBOTECH & Will Prowse do a lot of reviews. I have a few Jackery's. Better brands out there with more features for the money. Had a Rockpals it died. I would think about a few rigid panels installed at the cabin. Cheaper then portable ones & you won't have to worry about deploying them. just plug them in. Also might want to check out fridge/coolers. I have a Bougerv & am very happy with it.
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Posted: 10/5/2022 9:30:37 AM EDT
[#17]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I was recently looking at various power stations. This one is intriguing: www.amazon.com/dp/B0B62J2DN3 Some of the things I found intriguing about it are: - roughly 2kWhr battery - LiFePO4 battery vs Li-ion - 2 separate solar input, MPPT controllers, total of 1200W input - Supposedly can daisy-chain external batteries to get up to 8kWhr total - 2kW pure-sine output No real insight into the company but they seem like (yet another) Chinese-based outfit. Also, "portable" in this case is about 48.5lbs. Not very many reviews yet but the ones they do have seem positive. City Prepping had a Youtube review on it and he seemed to like it. I'm curious as to whether you can use this as a UPS or not. It appears that you can charge and discharge at the same time but it's not clear if you are running all the time off the inverter and the charging is a separate circuit or whether it switches. One of the ones I looked at was a switched unit that would not have been a good unit for a UPS. A while back, I'd gotten a Goal Zero Yeti 500X that was on clearance at an REI that ended up being about 1/3 the retail price. I ended up making a cable up for it to be able to use the Anderson connectors I put on my folding solar panels. It's good for what it is. It's Li-ion so limited in charge cycles. They did everything right, but didn't bother to include $75 in heating elements to allow charging below 32F... 
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Posted: 10/5/2022 10:22:49 AM EDT
[#18]
Quote HistoryQuoted: They did everything right, but didn't bother to include $75 in heating elements to allow charging below 32F... Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: I was recently looking at various power stations. This one is intriguing: www.amazon.com/dp/B0B62J2DN3 Some of the things I found intriguing about it are: - roughly 2kWhr battery - LiFePO4 battery vs Li-ion - 2 separate solar input, MPPT controllers, total of 1200W input - Supposedly can daisy-chain external batteries to get up to 8kWhr total - 2kW pure-sine output No real insight into the company but they seem like (yet another) Chinese-based outfit. Also, "portable" in this case is about 48.5lbs. Not very many reviews yet but the ones they do have seem positive. City Prepping had a Youtube review on it and he seemed to like it. I'm curious as to whether you can use this as a UPS or not. It appears that you can charge and discharge at the same time but it's not clear if you are running all the time off the inverter and the charging is a separate circuit or whether it switches. One of the ones I looked at was a switched unit that would not have been a good unit for a UPS. A while back, I'd gotten a Goal Zero Yeti 500X that was on clearance at an REI that ended up being about 1/3 the retail price. I ended up making a cable up for it to be able to use the Anderson connectors I put on my folding solar panels. It's good for what it is. It's Li-ion so limited in charge cycles. They did everything right, but didn't bother to include $75 in heating elements to allow charging below 32F... I'm curious if they figured if you're using it in the cold that you'll be generating heat from charging/discharging anyway (or it will be protected from low temps somehow maybe in the shelter where you are at. That makes you the heating element.  ).Reading the manual, it says that it's not a UPS but it also says you can charge and discharge simultaneously so I'm not sure what they're talking about. Hopefully somebody does a real test of the unit. City Prepping did his usual testing efficiency stuff and it rated pretty well in that regard. But, not so much on the practical side like can it be used like a UPS or not. |
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Posted: 10/5/2022 11:02:25 AM EDT
[#19]
I haven't seen too many prepackaged systems yet that actually can keep up with more than light loads on the battery pack.
If you bought a few panels, charge controller, battery, and inverter sized for what you actually want to use it for, you may come out ahead. Everything but the panels could be installed on a cart, and the panels set up on a folding frame for portability. |
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Posted: 10/5/2022 11:06:45 AM EDT
[#20]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Never mind, thought this was GD 
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Posted: 10/5/2022 11:08:09 AM EDT
[#21]
Quote HistoryQuote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Never mind, thought this was GD https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/218/622C9011-544C-435A-9A90-808654AFC46E-691067.jpg Haha, I had actually posted a joke about burying a small modular nuclear reactor on site, but you are a lucky guy. "Dig a hole for one of these and get power for decades"  Attached File |
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Posted: 10/5/2022 11:11:47 AM EDT
[#22]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Haha, I had actually posted a joke about burying a small modular nuclear reactor on site, but you are a lucky guy. "Dig a hole for one of these and get power for decades" https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/481717/BandWmPower_spiegel_jpg-2551463.JPG Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Quoted: Never mind, thought this was GD https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/218/622C9011-544C-435A-9A90-808654AFC46E-691067.jpg Haha, I had actually posted a joke about burying a small modular nuclear reactor on site, but you are a lucky guy. "Dig a hole for one of these and get power for decades" https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/481717/BandWmPower_spiegel_jpg-2551463.JPG I sure am. That photo was from a wedding we attended when I was about six months into a brutal chemo regimen. I'm just as ugly as that, but don't normally look that deathly. |
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Posted: 10/5/2022 11:33:44 AM EDT
[#23]
Assembly of something pretty close to what you are looking at is pretty simple. Red only goes to red, black only goes to black to avoid letting the smoke out.
Understanding how one of these works is also fairly useful so you can get the most out of it. If you haven't looked at it yet I recently posted on how I put mine together. https://www.ar15.com/forums/outdoors/DIY-portable-battery-bank-build-now-with-shopping-list/18-703690/  Attached File |
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Posted: 10/6/2022 9:52:03 AM EDT
[#24]
I’ve had good luck with EcoFlow Delta products. Their Facebook group has plenty of insight and experience, as well as the ability to interact with their team
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Posted: 10/6/2022 3:20:17 PM EDT
[#25]
We have a Jackery 1000.
We put it to use during the hurricane. It did what its supposed to, but we didn't ask it to do much. Fans, phones, drill and saw batteries, etc. I'm not sure, but driving a fridge for an extended period may require more. I had shore power at my office, so I haven't put the solar panels to use. However, the manual indicates it needs about 8 hours for a charge. The user's manual shows number of recharges for various stuff. https://www.jackery.com/products/jackery-explorer-1000-2-x-solarsaga-100w-solar-generator It's definitely portable. You can simply sling it over your shoulder like another bag. |
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Posted: 10/6/2022 5:17:29 PM EDT
[#26]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Assembly of something pretty close to what you are looking at is pretty simple. Red only goes to red, black only goes to black to avoid letting the smoke out. Understanding how one of these works is also fairly useful so you can get the most out of it. If you haven't looked at it yet I recently posted on how I put mine together. https://www.ar15.com/forums/outdoors/DIY-portable-battery-bank-build-now-with-shopping-list/18-703690/ https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/502236/Controls_jpeg-2533058_JPG-2551483.JPG Thank you for the great information and pics, very much appreciated! |
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Posted: 10/6/2022 5:37:19 PM EDT
[#27]
I bought an EF Ecoflow Delta Pro. It was expensive, but it rocks!
We no longer carry propane with us camping. We cook with electricity, use a Alpicool fridge. Even thinking about using an electric heater for winter camping if the family wants to come. The battery is large enough that you don't have to charge it, but I have been collecting solar panels and now have 600W of panels that hopefully will keep it topped off. ETA: For extended power outages without solar I plan on using my dual fuel generator to top off the ecoflow once per day (or however often needed). I believe that will be an efficient use of the gas generator since when its running it can be utilized close to 100% for charging the ecoflow. The ecoflow does not loose efficiency if it is loaded much less than its max capcity like a gas generator would. |
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Posted: 10/6/2022 5:39:49 PM EDT
[#28]
Quote HistoryQuoted: 1. Copy 2. Copy 3. Portability is a must, so folding would be highly desirable. As for usage, charge phones, radios, run a small fridge, fans, etc. I trust a consumer product more than I trust my abilities to assemble one. I know my limitations. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Someone has already asked about power requirements, but I'll add a few things in. 1: Only get a power station that uses Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries. If they use Lithium Ion, then you are limited to the amount of times it can be drained before degradation (500 for Lion vs 2000+ for LiFePO 4). 2: Only get one that uses MC4 connectors for the solar panels. Don't get one that needs a propriety plug that is usually only on their panels. 3: Look at standalone panels instead of the high dollar fold up ones unless you want portability of the panels. My standalone 530watt panels were 1/4 the price of the Bluetti 350watt fold up panels. 1. Copy 2. Copy 3. Portability is a must, so folding would be highly desirable. As for usage, charge phones, radios, run a small fridge, fans, etc. I trust a consumer product more than I trust my abilities to assemble one. I know my limitations. Be prepared to pay out the ass then for the fold up panels. Been looking at them today for camping and to get around 1000 watts of solar is going to cost around 2500-3000 dollars. As for a fridge, I have numbers for our full-sized fridge (23 cu ft I believe). It used 0.31 kw in 12 hours and 0.64 kw in 25 hours. This was while it was in air-conditioned space though, so if you wanted to power it during an outage during the summer, it will be much higher. Based on the above figures, I can probably last 3 days with my Bluetti AC200P assuming no re-charging was occurring. If it was sunny, I could keep going indefinitely. |
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Posted: 10/8/2022 3:20:41 PM EDT
[#29]
For a portable 12 VDC-only solution, I recommend the Powerwerx PWRbox, which is built inside an MTM .50 caliber plastic ammo can.
https://powerwerx.com/pwrbox-portable-power-bioenno-batteries Pic from their website:  Attached FileI have one with a 40ah Bioenno LiFePO battery. It gets used several times a year at my friend's off-grid cabin where we use it for charging phones, running 12 VDC LED lights, and sometimes a ham radio. It easily provides enough power for a long weekend with capacity to spare. Also, the battery doesn't take up the entire inside. I'm able to keep the AC charger in the box along with a small inline power meter , and a couple phone charging cables and a 6 foot cable with Anderson Power Poles on both ends. The total weight is only about 12 lbs. so it's very portable. I also have a solar panel for charging in extended use scenarios but it looks like that particular model may be discontinued. |
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Posted: 10/8/2022 4:40:07 PM EDT
[#30]
Spend a few hours, save a lot of bucks, get good stuff, learn what you're doing.
Start with Will Prowse vids on YouTube. His opinions on Jackery and Bluetti systems are frank and eye opening once you've seen his other vids and understand his depth of knowledge. Yes. He sounds like he's talking to toddlers. Get past it and learn. I did. |
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Posted: 10/8/2022 4:42:20 PM EDT
[#31]
Quote HistoryQuoted: 1. Copy 2. Copy 3. Portability is a must, so folding would be highly desirable. As for usage, charge phones, radios, run a small fridge, fans, etc. I trust a consumer product more than I trust my abilities to assemble one. I know my limitations. Not difficult.  $620 Milk Crate Solar Power System: 640Wh LiFePO4, 500W Inverter, 260W Solar/AC Input, 8x USB |
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Posted: 10/8/2022 4:46:22 PM EDT
[#32]
 Quick rant about "solar generators" (AC50S/Jackery) and my future DIY build that will kill them all This opinion counts for shit, until you watch a bunch of his other vids and builds and tests. |
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Posted: 10/9/2022 6:40:47 AM EDT
[#33]
I have the Eco Delta Pro. It is a rock solid (heavy!) system. Wait for sales at Costco.
I'll actually tote this around in the UTV and run a jackhammer for several hours throughout the property. Cheaper than running generator and having to buy gas. |
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Posted: 10/9/2022 8:07:13 AM EDT
[#34]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I recently bought an Ego lawnmower that came with a 7.5 Ah battery. I noticed they sell a power station that uses their standard battery. This is awesome cause now I can use my lawnmower battery with that powerstation. Pretty sure with a 7.5 it'll charge a phone about 20 times. Reason I bring this up is if you happened to need or want new electric tools (which are impressive) you could standardize on the battery and then have tools (either for home or this property) plus the power station for only $99 https://www.lowes.com/pd/EGO-NEXUS-ESCAPE-POWER-STATION/1003130754 You have my interest. I have two ego batteries for my lawn tools this may fit into my battery preps. 
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Posted: 10/9/2022 3:21:38 PM EDT
[#35]
Quote HistoryQuoted: OP, I just bought =https://inergytek.com/products/kodiak-x2 I have the Inergy Apex. About 5 years old now. Successor to the original Kodiak. The power switch came off, that's it so far. It's been beatup and dropped, it has an all metal case. The product is great, customer service is non-existent. |
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Posted: 10/9/2022 7:30:16 PM EDT
[#36]
Jackeys are on sale right now if you looking that route.
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Posted: 10/11/2022 9:17:59 AM EDT
[#37]
Looks like Bluetti is having a one day sale on certain items.
https://www.bluettipower.com/collections/prime-day |
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Posted: 10/11/2022 9:22:19 AM EDT
[#38]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I've been eye balling the Goal Zero Yeti 500x for a while. Looked Bluetti, EcoFlow, and Jackery also. Haven't pulled the trigger on anything yet though. I'd love one of the larger models but they get pretty pricey. Goal Zero is the Yeti of the solar generator world. |
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Posted: 10/11/2022 11:36:27 AM EDT
[#39]
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Posted: 10/12/2022 10:44:42 AM EDT
[#40]
What’s the opinion on the jackery explorer 300?
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Posted: 10/17/2022 4:52:23 PM EDT
[#41]
Quote HistoryQuoted: What’s the opinion on the jackery explorer 300? I just bought one for my wife's business, we have to set up vendor tents at various craft shows. We don't have a huge power need, but lights, fan, etc. This one would also run a CPAP or similar. I bought an adapter cord to go from 8mm proprietary solar input to MC4 solar input, the cord was like $22. I got it on the Amazon pre-Prime sale, I paid $200 and it is normally $350 (although often on sale for $300). I didn't do a ton of research into the model before I purchased it, but I think with the additional input cord I've cancelled out the most lacking feature. Seems pretty rugged, and very "dummy proof;" I didn't have time or patience to build anything. If I need a bigger one, I'll put significantly more thought into it. |
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Posted: 10/17/2022 7:35:05 PM EDT
[#42]
No experience with portable power stations. However, they really are nothing more than a battery bank, with a few convenient power ports....
I lived four months a year, off grid, on an island, for about 25 years. Lugging batteries, of any kind, is a huge pain in the ass. Period. And when the power levels are down, they're down and you are shit out of luck. Essentially its always a race: Can I get to the end of the weekend or the week with power before the battery dies.... We ran 12 volt deep cycles for things like a small TV, and a multitude of disposable batteries for everything else. I no long live off the grid on that island. And technology has evolved since. However, based on experience, I wouldn't rely solely on any "charge at home, use at the cabin" solution. Period. Been there, done that, and its often not cool. A better option would be to explore some basic power generation AND storage on site. For all but the most extreme climates, small solar panels are a viable option. For years I've needed to run small compressors at an off grid site. The usual power packs are always dead. Always. The solution was a single deep cycle 12 V battery, and a small cheap solar panel. I simply let the battery charge all week. Its always up to full charge and ready to go when I need power for the compressor. |
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Posted: 10/17/2022 8:23:52 PM EDT
[#43]
Quote HistoryQuoted: No experience with portable power stations. However, they really are nothing more than a battery bank, with a few convenient power ports.... I lived four months a year, off grid, on an island, for about 25 years. Lugging batteries, of any kind, is a huge pain in the ass. Period. And when the power levels are down, they're down and you are shit out of luck. Essentially its always a race: Can I get to the end of the weekend or the week with power before the battery dies.... We ran 12 volt deep cycles for things like a small TV, and a multitude of disposable batteries for everything else. I no long live off the grid on that island. And technology has evolved since. However, based on experience, I wouldn't rely solely on any "charge at home, use at the cabin" solution. Period. Been there, done that, and its often not cool. A better option would be to explore some basic power generation AND storage on site. For all but the most extreme climates, small solar panels are a viable option. For years I've needed to run small compressors at an off grid site. The usual power packs are always dead. Always. The solution was a single deep cycle 12 V battery, and a small cheap solar panel. I simply let the battery charge all week. Its always up to full charge and ready to go when I need power for the compressor. Mine has a 2kwh LiFePO4 battery and accepta 900w of solar input. I have a single 445w panel connected but I'm going to add a second 445w panel. My panels are to large for portability but I plan to install them at my house for long term refrigerator power. |
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Posted: 10/18/2022 9:02:09 AM EDT
[#44]
Some of them sure are nice.
What I recommend however for you application is I'd look at deep cycle wet cells with a minimum of one 100watt solar panel per two batteries. Solar panel should have an indicating controller which will tell you battery bank status. On my camper, a warm sunny day and eight hours of warm sunlight, it will charge my two batteries in about eight hours after a nights use. Things to also consider, RV type three power fridges run a lot better on propane with a 20 gallon lasting about a week. Electric, the new scroll compressor cooler style fridge and freezers are very efficient. A couple 100 watt solars and decent conditions should handle them pretty well. What the new stations offer is really a small size over wet cells and if its lithium 3,000 charges. Inverters are very inexpensive. I have about five of them from 100 watts to 2,000 watts. |
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Posted: 10/18/2022 5:41:20 PM EDT
[#45]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Most of these portable power packs have built in solar charge controllers. They're designed to be used in conjunction with a solar panel or two. Mine has a 2kwh LiFePO4 battery and accepta 900w of solar input. I have a single 445w panel connected but I'm going to add a second 445w panel. My panels are to large for portability but I plan to install them at my house for long term refrigerator power. You may be able to over-panel it and use any extra through the inverter (i.e. if you had 1200w coming in, 900w would go to the batteries to charge and 300w would go to the inverter for immediate use). |
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Posted: 10/18/2022 6:26:51 PM EDT
[#46]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Most of these portable power packs have built in solar charge controllers. They're designed to be used in conjunction with a solar panel or two. Mine has a 2kwh LiFePO4 battery and accepta 900w of solar input. I have a single 445w panel connected but I'm going to add a second 445w panel. My panels are to large for portability but I plan to install them at my house for long term refrigerator power. Not to mention they typically have: -Inverters -Battery Management Systems -A display that tells you the status of your batteries and estimates of run times -Charge controllers that allow a multitude of charging methods (wall and vehicle charging in addition to the mentioned solar charging) -Cooling systems Calling them a battery in a box is a little over simplifying what they are. |
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Posted: 10/20/2022 12:14:40 PM EDT
[#47]
There are some many choices out there. I finally, after watching a lot of videos and reading posts here, narrowed it down to either a Jackery or a Bluetti. A couple of weeks ago both were having a sale and purchased the BLUETTI EB70S Portable Power Station | 800W. I purchased their 120w solar panel along with it. I have not used in a real situation yet, but just playing with I think it will meet my needs.
Likes: - It seems well built, yet it is light weight - It has the inputs and outputs I wanted - it has the LiFePO4 battery chemistry,2500+ life cycles My dislikes - the charge percentage is shown in 20% blocks instead of an individual number Dislikes from the web - the wall plug charger has a fan on it that is loud. This is true but so far it has not bugged me. - they complain about the charge percentage too. - because of the watts or volts it allows to charge, some people said you should use only Bluetti solar panels with it. |
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Posted: 10/20/2022 7:17:13 PM EDT
[#48]
I’m considering getting this
 When the Grid Goes Down: Home Backup Power Setup - Lycan 5000 |
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Posted: 10/26/2022 11:52:56 AM EDT
[#49]
May be of interest.
 Budget DIY Ecoflow Delta Pro! More power for less money |
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Posted: 10/26/2022 11:54:09 AM EDT
[#50]
So, I just bought some Bluetti PV320 folding solar panels.
Tested them last week and they were producing around 300-350 watts per panel, so seems to be a decent purchase if you want something you can take camping with you. |
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