I was given an opportunity to test out Bluetti’s new Handsfree 2. I use Bluetti products everyday and power a good portion of my house with them. My primary Bluetti unit is an AC200Max with 2 B300’s. Also I have an AC200P, an EB70s and an EB3A. Along with 16x 200 watt solar panels. This Handsfree 2 has a 512wh capacity and is double the capacity of their smaller (also new) handsfree1 unit. This fits in nicely between my EB3A and EB70S. It is extremely portable with its slim build and workable 16 lb weight. It offers a respectable 350W solar input, which I have tested extensively. I connected it to 2 200 panels in series. With the 45 volt / 8.2 amp input limit, I have managed to get 290 watts of solar input. This allows it to be fully recharged in under 2 hours. It offers 700 watts output, with a power lifting mode rated at 1200W. I have tested and used it with a lot of things. The most power intense items I’ve used it with include an 8000 btu air conditioner. It is a new inverter powered AC, which doesn’t have the power spiking compressor of the more traditionally AC’s. This application actually worked surprisingly well. While connected to solar I’ve been able to run it for hours in 80 F days, with sunny weather.
With the seasons changing now, the air conditioner has come out and my space heater has come in. It is able to power my Vornado space heater on low (600W) for about 45 minutes on stored battery power.
Another thing I’ve used this for is for generating additional solar power and dumping it’s harvested energy into my AC200MAX. On a good sunny day this can be done a couple of times.
While this unit is optimized for portability, it can also be used daily via its pass through (UPS >20ms) as a back up at home. For me, I have used it to run my desktop PC and internet router. It has performed well in this application. Out of the Bluetti units I own and use, this one is newer and more polished. It offers more charging options, including silent, normal and turbo (= 600w). The fan noise is much quieter on this and it has improved battery chemistry with a 4000 charge cycles to 80% rating.
The dual 100W usb-c ports and dual usb-a ports make charging my personal electronics convenient, whether on the go or at home.
Pictures include it fitting in my 30L backpack and showcasing its portability paired with my main mode of transportation, a Honda PCX scooter. Bluetti offers this with a 60L hiking back pack, which I didn’t test. Bluetti’s backpack it’s built specifically for it and is made for mobile solar harvesting and off grid mobile power.
In closing, I think Bluetti did a great job here and has filled a particular nook. I am impressed with its portability and its overall abilities. It has worked reliably for me for a few months now. I do recommend it for anyone needing power on the go and or for a nice back up power source at home.
Thanks Ethan @Emax for your sharing!
Your pictures sharing gave us a great idea for not only hiking, but riding a motorcycle with Handsfree is also an excellent scenario.
It sounds like the Bluetti Handsfree 2 is a fantastic addition to your setup, providing impressive portability and efficiency for both solar charging and backup power. Your extensive testing showcases its versatility, especially with high-demand devices like the air conditioner and space heater.
I haven’t used it while being fully incapsulated in my backpack. For a light load, it would likely work fine for a while. Ideally one would want to open portions of a bag to allow airflow to and from the fans.
