I recently changed from an AC 200P to an AC 200L in my RV(quieter operation, better inverter power efficiency, faster 120 charging with no external power brick). I plug these units into the 30 amp plug in on my RV when dry camping. The AC 200P powered the following items with no problem: 1500watt microwave, 500 watt space heater, 750watt coffee maker. The AC200L runs all these items with the exception of the microwave. The microwave does run but seems to pulse with the interior light rapidly cycling on/off and the carousel tries to rotate but doesn’t. I am pretty certain there is nothing wrong with the microwave because it works fine when connected to regular shore power or the AC200P. From research I have done it appears that the power spec’s of the AC200L meet and/or exceed those of the AC200P so I am baffled by this outcome. I did reach out to Bluetti support and although the responses were timely the response was pretty much there is no guarantee that current devices will work on new units! I get that but isn’t it reasonable to expect that an appliance should work on a new unit with at least equal spec’s to the unit it is replacing? Is my expectation unrealistic? Any ideas for work arounds with any of the app settings? Thanks in advance for any thoughts, idesa, perspectives other members might have.
I experience the same issue with my dehumidifier on my AC70 but do not on an older EB3A. What happens is the unit shakes violently and bogs down, but on grid power (or EB3A) it runs perfectly fine. You can hear the compressor kick on and make a slight hum sound. I am convinced it is either one of two things: Bluetti cheeped out on power inverters OR the inverters are perfectly capable but they changed the inverter logic and it doesn’t handle device loads that experience a high inrush current very well. Whatever is the cause, Bluetti needs to fix this ASAP because you CANNOT have an unreliable inverter. Half the point of buying these units is so you have reliable form of electricity to power your high demand devices during a power outage. I am noticing a downward trend in quality with Bluetti products lately (first with a solar panel I bought) then a newer powerstation and I hope they are not cutting corners on quality. I like their products but I am very blunt when it comes to my subjective opinion. If I don’t like something I will tell you. I’m hopeful its just software. I will admit part of my engaged response is because I have invested so many dollars into the Bluetti ecosystem, so I have a vested interest. The other part is the community (and Bluetti staff) is very engaging and friendly, so they are somebody I am very willing to deal with even if the proverbial feces hit the fan.
Thanks sealy 1986 for the validation. Your experience sounds exactly like mine with another appliance and another generator. If perhaps others could also chime in so we could get some attention to this problem would be great. I too, am hoping that it is a fix that could be addressed through a firmware update, even if it has to be done on an individual basis I feel I am certainly capable of handling step by step instructions from a tech. Also, just like you, I have invested in several Bluetti products (AC70, AC180P, AC200P, AC200L) and would hope to continue w/in the Bluetti ecosystem but this problem should be considered unacceptable by Bluetti for its loyal customers who have very reasonable performance expectations! Bluetti please take action.
I see both of your points, they are legit and I’m not going to argue with that, but I would like to explain how that can happen.
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Microwave ovens interact with the AC sine wave in a way that creates peak current draw near the waveform’s voltage peaks. This is a form of non-linear load, meaning the current is not drawn evenly throughout the AC cycle. Instead, it comes in bursts that are typically at or near the voltage peaks. As a result, the current drawn can momentarily exceed the microwave’s average power rating. This can challenge the inverter, especially if it’s designed with tight protection limits.
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The most likely explanation is that the AC200L uses stricter surge protection, or its inverter is tuned differently in terms of how it handles transient spikes. This is a safety mechanism, in fact the AC200L inverter is way more efficient and technologically advanced than the one from the AC200P, and it can be overly cautious when dealing with brief surges like those from a microwave.
This behavior is basically normal and expected, given the nature of non-linear inductive loads like microwaves. In contrast, purely resistive loads like hot plates, electric skillets, or space heaters are much easier for the inverter to handle.
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Anyway, did you try to enable Power Lifting Mode? This was designed to better handle resistive loads but it basically increases the inverter’s output ceiling temporarily so it may help it handle surge loads more effectively.
Thanks for responding and the helpful explanation of inverter behavior. I do have the Power Lifting Mode(TLM) engaged with the same result. Here is what I am still not understanding. When I run the microwave the maximum output that shows on the AC200L display is around 1950 watts momentarily which seems like it is well below the 2400 watt continuous and 3600 watt TLM ratings for the unit. Is this the “overly cautious” that you are referring to? If yes, is there any way firmware can be “tweaked” to adjust parameters? Perhaps with this type of feedback from the field Bluetti may be willing to make adjustments? I understand that this may be a balancing acting when it comes to device longevity given Bluetti’s robust warranty.
One thing not mentioned above, voltage - From Google;
In Australia, the standard grid supply is 230 volts at a frequency of 50Hz. This means the voltage supplied to homes and businesses alternates 50 times per second. The standard also allows for a small variation in voltage, typically within +10% and -6% of the nominal 230V, meaning the voltage can range from 216V to 253V That’s a 10% bandwidth, which is not small in my opinion. Unfortunately some devices need a stable supply and probably a much smaller tolerance.
I regularly see a stable 240 to 242 VAC grid output. I have metered the output on all my Bluettis and all around 230VAC, no load. A heavy load can drop this to the mid 220’s depending on battery SOC.
I have a small AC drinks fridge (90W) that won’t work from any of the power stations, but perfectly from the grid. It’s not the power stations, it’s something in the “cheapy” fridge.
If you have a power meter and still have the AC200P, check the voltage under load of each power station and the grid. I also have the AC200P, plus several AC180s and 2 AC70s. Fortunately my RV M/W is a 700W small one, but still draws 1350W to supply that heating power and works fine from the AC180.
As an aside, I have a small collapsible electric kettle, it is rated at 900 to 1100W (go figure the range). From my AC70 it draws 1060W from its 1000W inverter. It successfully boils a full kettle without going to overload. Power Lifting is turned off when doing this. This is a purely resistive load.
I had a thought, it is an add on, but how about an EMI line filter for your location’s VAC system. Likely need to make up a box with an input similar to an RV input and a normal GPO output. Inline Filters may also be available. Use a small extension lead to the box and plug in the M/W to the GPO. Or, have a chat to a reputable sparky.
Here in AU they are around $14 AUD - rated to 250VAC 50Hz 10A. It may filter out interference and reasonably priced to try.
Microwaves do emit EMI and or Line Noise, that line noise may be impacting the electronics of the AC200L. Perhaps the AC200P’s electronics were not as sophisticated.
Extra info - My home is open plan re lounge, dining and kitchen. The microwave is around 5-6 metres from my main TV and I sit approx midway in my lounge chair.
There are times when I’m watching a movie, my wife doesn’t want to listen to and I wear good quality Bluetooth headphones.
If my wife operates the microwave whilst I’m on headphones, the EMI it produces, interferes with the Bluetooth signal, making it impossible to listen properly. My only option - hit the movie pause button.
No -there is nothing wrong with the M/W, it’s shielded to protect human health, but not totally sealed. What escapes won’t hurt us, but can affect other electronics and transmissions at close range.
Hi @mbrausam, For this issue, we have pushed the new firmware in bulk. Users can resolve the problem by upgrading to the latest version. We believe the new firmware can help address the issue.
If it is ineffective, please provide the SN code of AC200L and the current firmware version.
Additionally, please try to connect the three devices directly to AC200L without using the RV plug. Does this help? What is the displayed power during loading, and does it report an overload?
Hello,
How do I know if I am running the latest firmware? Do I need to download and if so, how do I do that? What is the updated firmware version #? My version screen lists the following:
IoT: v9041.10
ARM v2134.08
DSP v2098.22
Due to location(s) I am not able to direct connect microwave to AC200L.
Thanks. Matt
My apologies, here is the serial# as requested :
AC200L2450001602925
Can you try running the microwave at say 50% power and see if that still happens? That may give them team some more information to fix.
One thing that comes into my mind: Did you try to enable the “power lifting” setting?
Yes, the power lift setting is enabled. Thanks
Good idea. I am not even sure what the current setting is since I have never changed a setting(I’m guessing 100% default?). Time to look for that owner’s manual to see how to make changes:)
I know this isn’t much help, but mine’s a little smaller at 1350w (based on the label in the door), and with other things running, the app shows 1.7 to 1.9kW pulled when running the microwave and I have no issues.
Also for @snowstorm microwaves are strange in that when set to 50% power, they do not run at 50% power, they run at 100% power for about half the time you select. I wish they actually ran at the % set, but they don’t - at least for all the one’s I’ve seen.
Whether a microwave oven would pulse the power, running at 100% and 0% for certain amount of time, instead of actually running at a steady set power level would depend on the actual microwave. Many older microwaves do not have the ability to run other than at 100% power so it would pulse. Some newer microwaves, such as the Samsung inverter type, could indeed run at a set power level steadily. You can easily tell because a microwave oven that pulses, cycles over a period of 10-20 seconds, not multiple times per second. So your Bluetti wattage indicator would go up and down wildly.
Hi @mbrausam, When you see the blue “Upgrade” button on your firmware update screen, it means a new firmware version is available. Generally, upgrading the firmware is the top-priority solution when issues occur with the power station.
Thank you for providing the firmware version. However, our latest ARM version is currently 213407. Could you please confirm if the version you provided is correct? It would be best if you could share a screenshot of the firmware information.
Additionally, could you test the AC200L by powering other devices to see if the issue persists?
By the way, please note that if you need my assistance, please @BLUETTI_CARE, otherwise, I might not see your message and be able to help you promptly.
Screenshot as per your request. Screen indicates I am up to date. A 1500 watt space heater and coffeemaker both work fine with AC200L. Thanks. Matt
@mbrausam If I’m not mistaken, the upgrades only show up for the AC200L when connected with bluetooth, and will not show up when connected with wifi.