Sleek, beautiful, and powerful!
“Emergency Preparedness” is our primary concern when considering the purchase of a fuel operated generator or a portable power station. We will, however, be using it in other situations as well. Our goals included the ability to cook, boil water, make coffee, toast bread, run the blender, make popcorn, charge phones and laptop, wash clothes, and run our full sized refrigerator during a power outage. Preparing for a short term power outage is not too hard to overcome, but the extended outage is the culprit that had to be dealt with. Solar charging capability was and still remains an absolute requirement!! We own other power stations and we’re able to run many devices, but the ultimate question that had to be asked is, For how long can we run our devices, especially the refrigerator? We needed that one last piece of the puzzle which made our plan come together, and we found it to be the Bluetti AC200P Portable Power Station.
What do I like?
● the case is flame retardant and aesthetically pleasing with a nice design and color scheme
● 2000 WH LiFePO4 (lithium iron phosphate) battery which provides more stability and longer life cycles than Lithium-ion; >3000 cycles to 80% capacity = a very long time
● 2000W pure sine wave inverter (this accommodates equipment - especially sensitive equipment, supports maximum output and better efficiency with less interference, prevents equipment failure)
● the built in MPPT Controller
● the built in battery management system (BMS) which offers more efficiency and various protections
● the information available via the digital display is more than I will ever use, but it’s nice to know that it’s there
● there are 6 AC outputs
● there are 5 ways to charge this product
● I can charge with 700W of solar
● pass through charging is supported which is great for running my full sized refrigerator
● this will run everything that I need to run during a power outage
● I can use this unit on a rotation plan along with my other power stations during longer power outages
● the description states that the wall charger is 400W but I experienced 448W – 456W when charging the unit (it took 1hr 54min to charge from 62% to 100%)
● simultaneous charging via solar and power brick which ups the input to 1100+W capability
● simultaneous charging via two power adapters (only1 is in the box) which ups the input to 800+W capability
● the unit when running is super quiet
● the 2 year warranty which begins on the DATE OF RECEIPT!
● the aviator plug makes for a more secure connection
What I don’t like:
● the chemical smell experienced after unboxing; hopefully this is a result of the manufacturing process and seems to be dissipating
● at this price point a cover bag or case should be included
● how long the device connected to this product will run is not displayed on the screen
● it’s heavy but manageable; requires a cart or dolly for true portability as it weighs in at 61lbs
● the clock – it’s not really needed but since it’s there it should hold the setting, but it doesn’t; in fact in the manual it states that you should set the clock at least once every two weeks;
Helpful hints:
● when charging via solar you must have at least 35volts going into the unit or it will not charge; the power station can handle 35-150V/12A max
● when connecting solar panels in series the volts add up but the amps stay the same
● when connecting solar panels in parallel the amps add up but the volts stay the same
● you may be able to over-panel when charging this power station via solar, but do not exceed the voltage limits (this may prove useful on those less than optimal charging days)
● make sure that the respective DC OR AC buttons are on or off when using or not using those outputs
● make sure that DC input source is correctly selected as PV or Car via the settings screen or the unit will not charge
● the AC outputs are not a good source for charging small loads
● make sure you are familiar with ECO power saving mode and turn it on or off according to your needs
● to set the date and time you need to set each item individually (I covered this briefly in the video)
● solar panels used do not need a controller as this product has a built in MPPT Controller
● I purchased 2 - 15ft heavy duty extension cords due to the weight of this product; I will be able to leave the unit on the floor, dolly, or cart and not have to lift it to place it on a counter. These will also come in handy for pass through charging when using it to power the refrigerator.