I really loved this video on this topic. I have been researching all about power stations for a few months and kind of came to the same idea of getting a small and large solar generator for different reasons. I live full-time in a van & my boyfriend lives in his RV, but we are poverty-poor. Therefore, all the research. I no longer have working AC or heat from the van (old van). I have no battery bank, just one car DC port for a 300W inverter. That has worked for a few years to charge Bluetooth speakers, a tablet, some phones, and my laptop. But, I am craving a small heater when it goes to 32F at night, or to run an electric blanket, or a cooling fan, or get a freezer instead of an ice cooler where food gets wet and ruined after the ice melts. I crave cooking with appliances like a microwave, a toaster, etc. So, I need power and don't want a noisy polluting gas generator that needs maintaining. So, my idea was to get my first ever battery solar generator around 500WH to go into a library or cafe to charge on AC plug and use it when sitting outside in hot summer to charge by sun. (I am unhoused, so charging options are public buildings). Later, I want to get the larger unit (around 1500Watts inverter generator) to stay in van and power stuff or put directly outside to cook. My concern is the weight as I have physical limitations to drag a heavier unit inside somewhere to charge or haul about. After I have both, I thought of charging the smaller one by AC to fill the battery capacity and then daisy-chain to the larger unit to transfer that power over. I am not an electrician, but really trying out an idea with a real-life experiment. So, what do you think about the transfer of stored power from one to the other? Are there voltage or amperage considerations I should have about doing that? (Please share thoughts and keep them simple as in "For Dummies", please - I don't speak technical).
I know this is an old video but I have that little RockPals Solar Generator. I mainly use it for my CPAP machine. MUCH cheaper than the batteries supplied by the CPAP maker. I found that once the Voltage in the batter dropped below 12V my CPAP machine would shut off if used on 12V DC. I don't have this problem if I use AC Power or 24V DC. I can get several nights using AC Power with my travel/camping CPAP. Less if I'm using the CPAP machine I use at home which has a water tank. I love all the options it has to charge or be used and happy with it. Going to get a second one. Now just need to get a teardrop. :D
Watched whole video just to point out that it does not charge from a car, but you caught it right at the end, good job. With van and car campers this is a BIG deal.
I had this thought that maybe you can trick the Bluetti to accept charging in cold weather by covering it with an electric blanket, something like that of a tea cozy. It would be a neat experiment.
Another great video. When we began our camping and travels with our t@b, one of the first purchases was an ARB 50qt. The second was a Powerenz LiPo 48 110w system for the sole purpose of powering the ARB when we're boon docking. Testing the pair in my garage, the LiPo powered the ARB for 25 hrs from a dead start. I've gotten longer times if the ARB is already chilled before I connect the LiPo. Of course, the LiPo has power ports to charge my laptop, ipad and Iphones and a host of camera gear. I really like the size as well as the built in solar panels. I do carry one additional panel that I can connect to the LiPo to help with charging. Stay safe
Wait did we read that right? Your ARB fridge has built in solar panels? I hope we read that right, that sounds amazing! We are due for a bit larger fridge next spring. We are thinking about 30-40 quart as our 20 was just right. The only problem beings it was just right there was no room to get your hand in there and move around items. Your system sounds great. Like you we have really been impressed with the combo of lithium and 12 volt fridges. Thanks for sharing.
@@PlayingwithSticks No, Sorry for the confusion. The LiPo has a built in solar panel, like a trifold that I fold out when I want to solar charge the unit. The LiPo then will easily keep the ARB running.
Hi Drew, thanks for putting out this video. A couple of things that I would add is 1) sizing your unit based on your power needs. So adding up all the power requirements of each component to make sure the battery is large enough or the inverter powerful enough. 2) Building in some redundancy. So if you were to go boondocking for a week and the weather was lousy, making sure you had enough power for the length of your stay. I’m currently building a 5 x 10 teardrop to full time in and will use a Bluetti AC200P which has a 2000 wh battery and a 2000 watt inverter.
Great points. Yes, should have added that to the video. Big fans of the 5X10. I realize it is only 1 foot wider than ours, but 1 foot makes a big difference. We haven't had time to study your power station yet. Looks like a beefed up version of our AC50s. So what is the difference in terms of features between the AC200P vs. the EB240?
@@PlayingwithSticks There are a few major differences. The AC200P has a 2000 watt inverter whereas the Eb240 only has a 1000 watt. The battery chemistry of the AC200P is Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePh) which is more stable and will last much longer than Lithium Ion before degrading. The AC200P also has a regulated 12v 25A output which is perfect to wire to a fusebox. It also has 6 ac outputs and an extra 12v output. You can also charge the AC200P very quickly by simultaneously using ac and solar inputs. Not sure if you can do that with the EB
Good video. I'd take 2 solar generators like you stated. Use one and charge the other and keep alternating between the two. We would keep them in our car and run an extension electrical cord and a power strip from them to power devices. In cold weather, for heat, we would use wool blankets and hot water bottles under the covers close to our feet and torso to keep warm. In hot weather, we would keep cool by using frozen cold / gel packs. For most of my cooking, I would use our rocket stove and a solar oven. We would use our solar generators to power our cell phones, refrigerator, laptops, lights, our batteries for our electric bikes, and a movie projector. Thanks for sharing.
I purchased an Ecoflow 1300 recently and the 12v cigarette plug charger works well-slow at 120w Max draw, but it works. I run the EF with 2 110W panels and it takes a full day to recharge when depleted. Thanks for your videos!
Thanks for sharing this! It is always great to hear feedback from owners in the field. We just picked up the Bluetti AC50s, which like yours has the 12 volt charging capability. But, like you said it sure takes a long time! But, long is still much better than not at all! The only surprise about your comment was that the 2 110 watt panels take an entire day to charge. Wait, never mind that completely makes sense as your solar portable power station is more than twice the size of mine. Our AC50s with the 2-100 watt panels is taking us about 4.5 to 5 hours to fully recharge. So yes, yours sounds at the top of industry standards. And yours looks so much cooler than this 1,500 watt (computer tower) of ours :)
I like being able to charge everything in the vehicle while I drive. However my truck’s 12v connections and extensions are starting to look like the Christmas Tree light plug in “Christmas Story” 😬. Rubber bands and tape to hold it all together. Not if...but when 😱.
It is nice isn't it? Especially on those rainy weeks that comes in really handy! Another reason for you to get a small portable generator. We use ours in the car while driving almost as much as the car's 12 volt.
Love the bluetti, and have been watching down2mob run his entire Aliner on it via his 30amp port. Still waiting for the tech to get better though... eventually someone will make a 3000 watt solar battery generator. Hopefully bluetti 😁 I’m in the same camp as you though, we have a small 220w battery generator, and a larger 3100w gas generator. Each has their uses and I appreciate having the flexibility of both 👍🏻
I don't think you will have to wait long for that tech. It is moving at such a fast rate we can't even keep up with it! Your combo sounds perfect. And the beauty of yours is a long wet spell isn't going to rain on your parade.
The scenery in Alaska is stunning. Spent a day in Skagway only but will definitely go back. We recently got our Bluetti AC200 and so far so good. Love your channel and keep up the good work.
Great to hear your AC200 is doing well. On paper that is a great power station! Skagway is a fun little community. SE Alaska is so different compared to the rest of Alaska. It definitely has a special place in my heart.
For me it is about the ability to solar charge everyday so that I have a continuous source of power. If it takes too long to charge by the Sun it would not work for me. Great video!
That is us too. We just picked up the Bluetti AC50s that everyone on here told us about. It is funny, because we said there wasn't a solar portable power station that could do it all. And folks were like "it actually comes out November 15th." And they were right. We have been using it the past couple of weeks in the field and its the real deal. The fact that it accepts 200 watts of solar is great!
I've used them all. I've settled on the Inergy Kodiak. Half the size of the bigger units and double the power. It is able to be recharged using several different methods and even has the RV 50 amp socket. They now make an even newer model which is modular and you can add as many battery units as you like to it. I have the older 1300 watt model and I love it! However it is pricey. The thing is also built like a tank yet half the size of most solar generators.
Great practical analysis. The one point you made that I like for myself is multiple everything with different characteristics. Kind’a hits that Boyscout Be Prepared mind set too.
Good point Mike. You’re right, even someday if all these generators can do everything we need in just one generator it still would probably be best practice to have two different ones because you never know how they all function in different extreme environments. And then we’re pretty hard on our gear too so you never know when we’re going to drop something out there, So having a back up would be a real blessing.
The portable power stations are my favorite videos. I'm a tech guy and love solar power. I own that rockpals and a beaudens 166Wh PPS and I like the two device approach vs one. I enjoy being strategic about the loads. I'm really looking forward to a nice mid tier one. They don't seem to have many. Its like 300 or so then boom 1000+ is the next level. Give or take a few devices.
We definitely agree! One of the neat things we are seeing the last 6 months is that they are creating mid tier models that support high watt devices like blenders, blow dryers, etc. We have seen a handful of 200-600 watt generators that can really crank out the power up to and over 1,000 watts. We ourselves do not use any high watt devices at camp, but we use them quite often at home and for work projects. Just having this 1000 watt has been great for powering some of my tools while being in areas where my extension cords cannot reach.
I use 2 power stations in my a-frame popup. I use the Bluetti 1500 to power my 40 liter fridge/freezer that I run as a 2/3's freezer to accommodate my organic & meat based diet. I have the new Bluetti AC50S that I just received and it stays inside the camper powering cell signal booster and charging of electronics. Camper batteries power the fan, led lights and furnace if I need it. If freezing at night, I switch the fridge/freezer to the camper lead acid batteries. The Bluetti 1500 lives in the back of the SUV with the fridge along with 200 watts of dedicated solar plus additional 200 watts dedicated solar for the camper (solar suitcases). I hacked the suitcases to wire the individual panels in series so I can put them 40 feet away with no current loss. With all this power I can go nearly 4 days without sun, recover quickly when there is sun plus have frozen meat and ice!
This is a great system you have Wally! Similar to ours in that we run 1 large, 1 small, and our lead acid for the colder times. But, you have done a much better job than us with the solar part of your setup. Thanks for sharing this, much appreciated!
@@TheViralVisions I use two, 200 watt solar suitcases although I find that I can mostly get away with just one if it's sunny and I plug the fridge into the camper. The 200 watts lets me "catch up" faster if I run my batteries low overnight. I have a small 3-way fridge in the camper too.
@@BOOSTEDLASER That is a tough one. Honestly they both are great! To me the Jackery looks a little better and has a little better ergonomics. But if it is about function. Get whichever one is on sale :)
Hi Drew ... and May, and your beautiful family! We finally treated ourselves to a Jackery! We bought the 300 when it was introduced and on sale $50 less... It has been wonderful! Over the winter sometime we will get the solar panel to be ready to roll for next season. We love having the extra power. On chilly nights we actually plugged in our heating pads to warm up our sheets and blankets. We made a little tent underneath the blankets for an air pocket and kept them on for 15-20 minutes. Getting into bed in our teardrop on chilly nights was amazing! We unplugged them after we got in so as not to accidentally fall asleep with the heating pads there... but what a difference! We also use it to run our outdoor "fun starry lights" when our grandsons are camping with us. Quick question... how well do the lithium batteries in the solar generators do when the temperature goes below 30º? Your videos have been getting better and better... you really make a wonderful effort to connect with your audience ... Many blessings to you all! ~ Maria
@@TheGratitudeAttitude Walmart electric mattress pad. I wanted something under me with a thermostat. I would rather have 12volt, but hard to find. I keep track of power usage, and the jury is still out for cold nights and needing extra heat if it is best to use on high until warm then shut off, or leave it on low. Bed warming by itself not including using it for night additional heating is fantastic, but I use for both. I have a camper battery, not a portable power station like shown here, but I am looking at getting a portable. Lithium does not like to be charged cold - smarter lithium batteries limit charging speed when too cold. I have not found ANY complaints, just warnings. I dont know if these are smart enough to limit charging when cold or if it does not matter in most “cold” environments most people are usually in.
Congrats on the Jackery. Amazing products. Once you pair that with the solar you will be amazed how much energy you can get with such a small portable solar power station. As for the lithium in our experience they do well in terms of powering items. It is the charging where they really don't like the cold. Many like the Bluetti's have fail safes on them to ensure they cannot be charged at extremely low temps. I am really interested this winter to test it out and see when that kicks in. Thanks for the really sweet comment on the video. We have been having fun with these videos and are excited to keep growing and evolving. I think you will really enjoy the next video. We put quite a bit of extra love into that one!
I see you have a 200w My Heat personal space heater. I bought 5 of them a few years back at the end of the heating season when the store had them marked down to $5 each. I'm looking forward to trying one out in my van when I get a bigger solar battery to use along with a heating pad for the cold Wisconsin winter nights. Currently I just set up using 2 of the My Heat heaters in my small bathroom and they can get the temp up to 78 degrees in a short time, then I can shut one off and the remaining heater can maintain near that level for many hours.
Like you, we love this little heater! Funny thing it is actually too powerful for our teardrop most the time. We wish they actually made a 100 watt version. But, on those cold late fall or winter days 200 is great! $5 that is amazing. I think we would have picked up a bunch as well and gave them out to all our camping buddies here. Big fans of the electric blankets. Just ordered our first heating pad last month. Still putting it through the tests. Thanks for sharing how you are using these Steve!
Thanks. I have been getting more and more interested in those little 200 watt heaters. I use the heated mattress pad, so sleeping is great, but I need a heater to warm up the air after.
My crock pot uses 100watts on low (100/170/270 watts). Maybe I’ll give that a try just warming up the air camping. I got to watch for those end of season sales! Wow! $5! Great find.
@@mikemead2315 I picked up the 170 watt on low 350 watt on high heater. Have been testing it against the 200 watt and another heater with a thermostat throughout the month. Should have the video up in November for you.
Looking forward to the video about adding a thermostat to the little heater. I purchased one after I watched your video showing it would run off your Rockpals .
We found another one this summer that has a low heat setting (I think that one is 160 watts). We are going to have to buy it one of these days and try it out. I keep telling folks I wish they made one at about 100 watts. For fall camping that is more than enough heat for us.
@@1cosmocat amzn.to/34hmg0G I was off by 10 watts. It is 170 watts on low and 250 on high, which sounds amazing! Nice to have 50 more watts than the Lasko for certain times, but also nice to have 30 watts less for other times. Hope this thing is as good as it sounds. And it is only $18!
You are a genius. Nobody mentions about these circumstances. when I have to charge and I have a refrigerator connected to it what am I supposed to do. So having two of them would be best while one is charging the other one is cooling. Thanks
Yes, good point you have. And also I often forget to mention. Using the pass-through charging feature of your power stations over time can start impacting the strength of the battery. Meaning if you use solar to charge the power station that is currently running the fridge this will over time deplete the overall usable capacity of the battery.
Interesting watching this in 2024 with the tech that has been released over last year (and costs based on over the last 4 months). I have a 2kWh Ecoflow Delta 2 I bought 2023 Black Friday, and it charges fast, app control, power automations (set up via phone app), and it outputs a great amount of power relative to its power capacity. Some smart UA-camrs have found alternator hacks to permit DC/DC charging via the solar port (480W). Power station tech has really evolved.
Ok, you convinced me. I'm gonna a get a 300 rockpal and a 500 jackery to start and then I'll get one of these big boys. I don't think I need a bluetti 1500, but I want one.
Wait, hold on Ryan! The new AC50s that you will find in our heater video does everything the rockpals and the jackery can do combined. The best of both worlds. I think it would be a great place for you to start. Here is the link. I think I may have sent it to you already, but just in case I didn't amzn.to/3ulo044 It is funny just after I made this video, maybe one month after, the AC50s came out.
@@PlayingwithSticks right on! All I need is my darn camper now. I can't wait until October comes. Until then, I'll enjoy playing with my new toys and, playing with sticks.
Tell us more about using an inverter in a car with this Bluetti? Is it worth it and more info.. or perhaps a video? I am looking at generators and don't want to end up buying several things only to wish I had bought something like this.. I'll probably start with one of the Jackerys but would like to be able to run a heater in a mini van. Thanks for all the helpful info. I'll check out the comparison chart next.
So basically you would take a regular car inverter, preferably one that has pure sine wave (which basically means a clean current that won't hurt your electronic devices) and you can charge the Bluetti off of it. Now you could use a budget low watt inverter. This would save you space and cash. In theory a high watt inverter would charge this faster, but I am not sure if the Bluetti has amp/watt restrictions for power coming in. This is definitely not my area of expertise. I haven't actually done this workaround in person, it just theoretical for me for the Bluetti. I have done it with other solar portable generators and it has worked well.
The problem I’ve found with the jackery panels is they are not waterproof at all. I live in a wet climate and am wondering if there are any other portable panels that would be more appropriate?
Good to see you on here. To be honest we had such a busy summer and transition to Thailand we forgot to follow your channel. I'm really glad you popped by.
Love the channel. Redundancy is good. Have you tried using the rockpal to chase the sun and then use the 160W Ac adapter from the Bluetti in the rockpal’s AC port? I know inefficient with the 12 to 120 conversion and Inverter loss. With solar generators that allow AC use while Solar charging, you can leverage one solar panel to charge multiple generators that way. Redundancy and flexibility are good things.
Great idea. We have so much sun up here, it really wouldn't take a whole lot of time to charge up the Rockpals and move over to the Bluetti. But, now that we have the Bluetti AC50s it is going to be our main charging unit. So glad we made this video because Bluetti reached out to us and said, hey that perfect power station does exist. I think they released it one month after this video came out.
Honestly before all these fun toys from the channel a 500 watt generator would have been more than enough to keep us out here for a week, which is our typical summer camp length. But, with all the toys I wonder how far we could make it with one of these larger generators without using solar. With all the power tests we did I think we could make it the whole week on our regular use if we didn't have the fridge. Even with the fridge we would be fairly close. The fridge as crazy as this sounds ran for 200 hours on our test!
@@PlayingwithSticks , 200 hours is crazy long! Impressive. I get 24 hours, but I got so much solar, I can charge in moon light🤣. Almost. That was the trade off to minimize battery. Cracks in the theory though.
@@PlayingwithSticks Yeah, I wish I could not relate to needing more and more power. I think they call the expansion of goals and objectives “mission creep.” I call it more necessaties. My blended frozen daiquiri agrees while I am in my electric blanket toasted bed. 😃
@@mikemead2315 Now of course that was at 75 degrees and at desert temps that 200 would drop to about 55 hours if the compressor was running full time. But again 24-55 hours is pretty impressive still.
Thanks much! ANother gret share and video! Makes sense to me to have both, even as a future Vanner I hope... I just bought the 50S Bluetti small one, so when I can get another Van, the big one makes sense. Take care and all the BEST to yo and family! Cheers:)
Love our Bluetti AC50s! It is honestly our all time favorite power station. It does everything we need it to do. Fast solar charging like a Rockpals, but regulated power like a jackery.
Quite a few folks purchasing Bushwackers these days. They must be doing something right! We didn't realize they had a "standy" version. We are going to have to check that out. Thank you!
@@PlayingwithSticks I actually just canceled my order today this company is new with these Teardrop that you stand up there having a lot of problems they just had a recall because they’re forgetting to bolt the camper to the frame can you believe that so I just canceled my order I think I’m gonna go with the Runaway you can’t stand up on it but you know what all you need to do is sleep and there’s less troubles without water tanks and gray water tanks and black water tanks this guy in the video he’s onto something keep it very minimal
@@JerseyStyle7 Yes big fans of the minimal approach. Unfortunate to hear about the recalls. Hopefully that is just on the "standy" models or we are going to have quite a few disappointed folks in the community. Because like I said before, there has been a really large amount of folks picking them up this year. Thanks for sharing your update by the way.
And here I am with my now 8 year old lead acid, marine, deep cycle Walmart battery that charges both from my vehicle's alternator while driving and keeps topped up with a 40W solar panel on a string. Been across Canada on a 3 month road trip, all over northern BC, into the Northwest Territories and a month+ long road trip into the Yukon. Not to mention innumerable trips on northern Vancouver Island to a lake for 3-4 days. Still load tests as new (almost). Why would I need to spend the money to add a solar generator...what more would it give me? We make toast just fine, we charge our camera, tablet, lithium flashlights, etc just fine. We keep warm with 0° rated bags...It reminds me of fishing...used to be simple, now there are so many lures, styles of reels, types of rods, gizmos, etc that, to me, it isn't fun any longer.
Great points! Yes, if you have a system that works, don't mess with it. I guess with this video others like you can also look at it through a different lens in that maybe picture it all as AGM, not lithium. Do you have enough power to supply your items? Do you need to reduce weight in your trailer? Does powering all your items from your trailer work, or would it benefit you to power items all around the campsite? Do you travel in areas with heavy trees where you need to chase the sun? Do you stay at the same place for weeks on end, so the ability to charge off your vehicle is not as feasible? Again you are right, for many people, especially us in the northern climates lithium may not be the best option for them. And for some power in general just sounds ridiculous! Many folks will watch this video and think why do they bring that stuff out there? Isn't camping to unplug? Thanks again for this great comment, always fun to hear all sides on these subjects.
Our son East is often trying to get us to get an underwater camera for icefishing like everybody else around us. I tried to explain to him that that takes away the fun, but at three that’s a hard concept to grasp when seeing a fish below the ice sounds so alluring 😂
Yeah, those Walmart deep cycle batteries are a great deal. Good job with your good balance of usage and fast charging that keeps them healthy for years. I too have a fixed (screwed down) setup. Cant be beat for the money. I have no problems traveling with my camping setup, or when I camp setup in the sun. I’m still in the market for a small solar generator though due to the times it will just be handy to easily take some power anywhere I want. And as a backup. More of a luxury. Your setup is by far the most bang for the buck!
Thanks a lot! I'm thinking about buying this. Is this the same as the Rich Solar X1500? And the MaxOak EB150? Thanks for mentioning the Ecoflow. I'll check it out too. You brought up quite a few points that I didn't think of yet. You just got a new subscriber :)
What I find with these companies is you have to look closely at the specs. MaxOak is the same one. However ones like Rich Solar may be the same, but may be slightly different. Kind of like buying a tv on Black Friday. Same base model number, but slightly different components. So some of the deals are a little too good to be true, but some are really true just packaged under a different brand. Glad the content was helpful Frank.
I know this is an old video but I have to say chasing the sun is what they make extension cables for you don't have to lug around the power station and within 50 feet you're not going to get that much power loss
I'm lucky in that my teardrop has a deep charge marine battery hooked up to a trickle charger which I can either plug in to an electrical outlet or to my solar panel. We also don't bring along anything that needs electricity.
Yeah. Your setup is the most bang for the buck. I have same, but with solar panels. However, the versatility and portability of these solar generators has put one on my list, probability small one first. I’m in no rush. My setup fits 90%+ of all my needs.
@@mikemead2315 Yes, we've gone 5 days without having to recharge the battery. I'm having a Foxwing added along with a changing room added this fall. I can't wait to try it out next Spring.
@@david-marynoll5699Yeah. I like your additions! I was out for a month in the desert SW in the winter, and the first two things I bought when I got back was a refrigerator and a quick setup shower tent. Too much food rotted, forced drives to town or unhealthy canned stuff. I sleep in back of my truck, so I needed a place to stand for “privacy”. An awning was next. I am using more and more electricity, thus the solar panels. Tired of the back of my truck, so looking to the next evolution of my camping (tent to popup to tent to car to truck to ? ) and this channel is helping me. Which teardrop do you have?
The low-grief-factor, no setup, and versatility is the selling point of a Solar Generator. A solar setup with solar panels, charge controller, battery, inverter produces more power cheaper, but goofing around installing it, setting it up to set some panels remotely in the sun, and not being able to move it all easily to another camper or use it in a vehicle really limits its use. The type of camping could be a decider too. Always in the sun desert camping has different needs than forest camping. Solar generator has a lot of things to like. FYI: I have 500+ watts attached to my camper. I now need a solar generator and portable panels.
Can those generators be stored in extreme temps? For example in the truck bed under a taneau cover? Desert or cold climates? Or will this affect performance or damage the units? Thanks for another great video.
Good question. Unfortunately I do not know the answer to this. I know it is harmful for these lithium batteries to be charged at extreme temps. As for storage or using them that is where I am currently unsure. We are going to put it through some harsh Alaska tests this winter hoping to find out. Hopefully we don't hurt it too bad, because we really like this beast of a unit. The great thing about Bluetti is they have systems in place to stop you or me from hurting these batteries. For instance when you charge in cold weather it either completely turns off or slows down the charging rate. May be frustrating at the time, but a great way to save you $1,000. Glad you enjoyed the video Frank.
Right? When we first got it we couldn't believe how light it was. And the fact that it can power our fridge all week out here with the solar panels is incredible!
Any update since you've been using this for some time now? How has the ion batteries held up? I'm on the fence about buying the 150, but I really want to stick with lifepo4's, but the 150 is a power house at a reasonable price so it's tough.
You’re asking the wrong guy on this one. Because I always say go with the cheaper one. My Theory is that battery technology changes so fast whatever technology you buy today three years from now the life of the new ones will be double. And not just double life but new technology that makes you want to get a rid of your old technology and buy the newer version. Basically I’m trying to say my guess is most of us will get bored with our power stations before we ever get even close to going through all the charge re-charge cycles that they are guaranteed to have. I tell folks unless you’re full-time RVing I don’t think that charge recharge cycles mean that much. If you do the math that would be an insane amount of camping to get your moneys worth. As for how it’s holding up? Just like you’ve probably heard from everyone else on the Internet the thing is built like a workhorse so it’s just like the day we got it. It’s a bit bulky not the best looking power station but it gets the job done. I also have not had any issues with the lithium using it in cold weather. The cabin of our teardrop is pretty warm but it was one of the things I was worried about and now those worries are gone.
@@PlayingwithSticks I appreciate the response. I'm...a step in the direction you mentioned with having two. I already bought the Bluetti EB3A for small things and I've been surprised how good it is, but it is only 268 wH, but charges at a whopping 300 watts plugged in and no brick in about an hour. I already have a 100 watt panel specifically for that unit. We're not out and about daily, Camping 3 times a year and looking for a backup for home; so that 150 on a week long camping trip each time seems fantastic, but I genuinely love the direction LifePO4 has gone, especially a safer battery. I love a high watt inverter, but I would take a lower watt inverter and larger wH. So many options. Anywho, thank you for the video and advice. Good to know it's still like new for you. That helps a lot. We camp during summer months, so we manage to avoid the colder temp issues. Still so damn tough making a decision one these things when it comes to the bigger investments. Not a disposable income, but we look at these as emergency items that will get cycled maybe 20 times a year.
@@mikemead2315 The thing that really bums me, after confirming this yesterday with Rockpals is that they discontinued making their 300 watt model. Now when touting the power of Rockpals I am a bit unsure if the other models have the same ability. For example their 330 watt model can only take in 60 watts vs the 100 watts of solar the 300 watt model can take in. To get another generator from them to test I would have to do a review, which I don't think the community particularly needs from us. We may have to start a separate channel just for unboxings and reviews so we can test all this gear and feel confident sharing about it on the main channel.
@@PlayingwithSticks, Good points. I am finding lots of valued product characteristics no longer transfer to other products or even to the same “new and improved” product. Each one needs to be evaluated independently. I liked finding a company or product line I like and blindly buying more of their stuff. No more. (sigh). Thanks for the heads up.
@@PlayingwithSticks Wow. I am just getting started with RV camping and it sounds like I made it just under the wire. I bought the 300w Rockpals from Amazon in August, and it worked great. I mainly needed it to run my cpap all night while boondocking for a couple days, and to recharge my phones. That worked fine. Now I'm considering adding a 2nd one and some portable solar panels for more extensive boondocking. Your vid was great!
Can someone please help me understand why they call these devices generators? A machine that generates electricity is usually powered by an engine? These aren't generators, they're overpriced battery packs with a 110 inverter inside, why not build your own battery pack and inverter for much less cost? And why call it a generator when it's not even capable of generating electricity, but only capable of storing and sending electricity? I mean solar panels are closer to the truth of what a generator is than these things. It makes no sense? I guess that means it was a product marketing decision?
We have all said the same thing in this community from time to time about this subject. We see your frustration. The answer I was told that jived with me best was that gas generators also do not create energy. The energy comes from the fuel and the generator converts it into useable energy. A solar generator also does not product electricity. However it uses the energy from the sun and converts that into useable energy for us. As for price you are absolutely right as well. Go on Will Prowse's channel and he will help you create a nice little DIY version for a lower price. However, you probably have noticed these generators are not expensive as they used to be per watt. For example this Bluetti may even be cheaper right now than a battle born which has no inverter at all. With all the coupons and discounts this week the 1,500 watt generator from Bluettie comes out to .736 per watt. Yes you can do a much cheaper setup using AGM batteries and a DIY solution. But, if you were to use lithium I would be interested to see how much you could save. It may not be as much as we all think. If anybody sees this and wants to crunch the numbers please do and let us know! I would love to figure out the comparison, I just don't have time right now with work and family. And to your last statement, yes a marketing choice. Just like many squardrops are called teardrops, sometimes I think the general population are just more comfortable or morn drawn to certain titles. Thanks for your thoughts Deane. Again, you aren't alone in this one.
Because they figure it's the same thing and don't know what else to call it? lol You're correct though; they're just lithium batteries with an inverter.
You have some popular complaints. Drew hit it on the head on the conversion of one form of energy to another is what technically makes it a generator, but yeah, they could have come up with a better name. As far as building your own, bit harder to compete with companies buying components in quantity and without cases than you think. A non-portable system is easy with a heavy battery, but those silly lite lithiums start the price high. Add a solar charge controller (MPPT is not cheap), sine wave inverter (also not cheap), 120v battery charger, various ports, converters, case (mine would be free plywood), and it adds up fast. Bit shocked when I added it up. The battery, charge controller, and inverter are most of the cost, so any tradeoff there geared to your needs can really pay off. If you have the ability, it would be fun to build, and you get what you want, and any issues you could fix! Sounds good to me!
@@mikemead2315 Well, I ran a camper van conversion shop in California in the early 1990's so it's utter non-sense to me that these overpriced "portable" power supplies are even a thing. If you're going to build a camper try to do it as professionally as possible by sourcing the best price for the best equipment and build all of it directly into the vehicle's walls to save space. And yes, sometimes you'll need a way to pull out a battery and solar panels and hike them to a sunny spot, but the whole notion that you need to buy this totally separate system is a waste of money and a waste of space. There's such cheaper options when it comes to building a camper that has all the electrical fully integrated...
Great review! I've been looking at the jacker 240 for a while but I'm unsure if I can use certain appliances (small heater, small shop vac, etc). On another note, where did you get that awesome hoodie?
Good question on the larger items Dustin. The Jackery 240 can put out 400 watts, which is pretty impressive for how small it is. With our smaller rockpals that puts out 300 watts we are able to power the small 200 watt heater, cannot power the shop vac/toaster/blender/etc. But honestly we really don't need any of those things over 400 watts, they are more just novelty items for us. As for the hoodie we still have it up for sale at this link www.bonfire.com/teardrop-life/ Glad you like it!
Calling these units "generators" is wrong. They are batteries. It would be more accurate to call them power storage units or power stations. But they are not generators. They can only store power, not generate it. You have to plug them into a wall socket or attach solar panels to them to recharge just like any other battery.
Thanks Drew, I just posted my last Kayak fishing trip of the season, but don’t get too excited, I got skunked and had problems with the Kayak, but the beautiful foliage along the river more than made up for the lack of fish. Have a great day.
Do I win anything for being the 1k “like”? j/k I win with the great wisdom you share. I wasn’t going to post from saving you one less comment you have to read but I feel obligated to comment again because you hit all the right topics with yet another thorough and informative review. You inspire me. Thanks and keep doing what you’re doing!
You really should win something! At the moment we don't have anything fun to award you with. Haha. Please feel free to post anytime. We get a number of rude comments on here from time to time. So it is always to get a comment like this.
Is the Jackery 1000 big or worth it to jump to 1500? I have an off grid camp. 12v refrigerator, lights, laptop, recharging are main uses. Maybe an electric blanket. I have a small 200w now which would become my 2nd.
Your setup sounds very similar to us. For us it is either stay small 500 or below or go BIG. Meaning if we were to go up to 1000 in size we would just go all the way if the budget, weight, and space allow it. Meaning Yes we love the idea of the 1000 watt from Jackery, also a great model. But if you have the space and money it wouldn't hurt to go 1,500 or 2,400. If you read all the comments just from the last hour many say you can never have too much. A great example is a heater. A little 200 watt heater can only go 7-8 hours on this 1500 watt generator. Plenty of time if you have good insulation in your trailer. But wouldn't more time be nice? I guess that is really the question. Do you forsee yourself in the future ever using items that hog power. Ours is the heater, the projector, and the fridge. With those three combined on a week trip we wouldn't shy away from a larger generator. Now if you were in the desert and you had 325 sunny days a year, the 1000 would probably be just right for your needs. Hope this helps. Big fans of the electric blanket by the way!
OK silly question, but why are you still using the lead acid 12 volt battery, if you have this? I presume the 1500wh solar generator has about 50% more power and lighter. That would free up some space also.
Not a silly question at all Kevin. Unfortunately Lithium has one major flaw. And that is that it doesn't like cold. It performs moderately well in the cold, but it actually hurts the battery to charge it once it gets below a certain temp. So what we do is use the 12 volt battery to keep the cabin of the trailer warm during transport and when we first arrive to site. This keeps the ambient temp up for the lithium to perform at it's optimal ability. Hope that makes sense. This winter as we get to use these lithiums a lot more out here we are really excited to see if this method I am using carries over well into the typical Alaskan temperatures we run into when winter camping. You are absolutely right in that swapping out our AGM battery for some more space would be ideal if the temperatures were milder.
Another thing we could do in the future is run the teardrop off of the vehicle's battery. We just converted our 4 plug wiring harness to a 7 pin to allow for a break controller. But I could attach one more wire and now have the ability to run that electric blanket off the vehicles power to keep the lithium batteries up to temp.
@@PlayingwithSticks Well, while the vehicle is running, using the vehicle battery is just fine. Good idea. But, parked without the vehicle running, using the vehicle starter battery is a really really bad idea that will leave you unable to start your vehicle and on the road to buying a new starter battery sooner than expected. Before I knew anything about batteries, I permanently wrecked a starter battery by powering a fridge in a week camping from MN until it died on a ferry boat on Vancouver Island. Starter batteries have the ability to do a blast of energy to start the vehicle then need to be charged IMMEDIATELY, so the chemicals created by the blast conversion of chemical to electrical dont precipitate and coat the plates making them insulated from the chemicals that make electricity. Not charging a starter battery immediately just once does great damage. Using a deep cycle battery in the vehicle is a possibility, but deep cycles make poor starter batteries especially in the cold.
Basically, I need something to run my A/C and laptop. I've used a standard generator before, but more and more campgrounds seem to be banning those because of noise. So, I'm at the mercy of finding a campsite with hookups (and noisy neighbors). What would you suggest to use for boondocking but having power for A/C and laptop?
The laptop is easy to power with just about any solar generator. Recharging it is easy with a small solar panel, car, or plugged into an hookup outlet. The AC is much harder and requires a more analysis. A lot of the large solar generators could run a small non-RV AC for a short time. However, to run it longer would require a solar generator with optional additional battery add-ons, solar generator units that connect together, or more common a stand-alone built-in battery power system. Various people have posted on youtube running AC off of a solar system usually with a very efficient AC (not RV AC), big batteries, and lots of solar to charge the big batteries. Remember that whatever battery or solar generator system you get needs to be recharged during the day with solar, hookups, car, or generator, so the batteries or solar generator is only half the system. I suggest you watch the youtube videos on running AC on solar power and running AC from a solar generator to get a better feeling of the possibilities. I think their setup and their stated limitations would help you focus on a path that would fit your requirements.
Mike Mead nailed it with that answer Michael. I have noticed in some of Hobo Tech's videos he does a few AC tests from time to time. In the past everyone said this couldn't be done. But I am seeing more and more people on here finding a way. Now is it sustainable, probably not with poor weather. But can it take the edge off on a hot day? If you have a nice insulated trailer I think it definitely would help. Even if you can only get 15 minutes out of it.
More and more I am seeing these advertised as “power stations.” Makes me happy. Although generator is technically correct, it still bugs me. Yup. Power station. I like it.
Sometimes I try to train myself to say Power Station. But then it gets confusing, because to many a power station is a battery bank. Here is my new term I just learned, let me know what you think Mike. "Portable Solar Power Station" No confusion there right? Or is it?
@@PlayingwithSticks I think your term is more descriptive of the usage and expected parameters. I always knew them as solar generators - until today. The only reason I mentioned power station was what I found doing Amazon searches. All three names (solar generator, power station, portable solar power station) found most of the same units, and the same units were listed with different names. I don’t know what the industry will settle on. They may use all of them - each found by different users. I think it is the term “generator” that confused and really irritated some people, and the manufacturers are looking for terms that sell more units. Describing what it does and how to use it is the real key, and you have done that.
Funny I getting 2 small power batteries. Charge one while using the other. Then swap it out. It small to store anywhere in my FJ. I do hate that some come with hard handles. I rather fold them flat.
Glad you were able to watch this one. I thought it would be perfect for you as you are making this decision. Always a big decision buying a solar power station because they are a bit costly. But, if you look through the comments, it is a decision I have never seen anyone in the community regret.
The specs are insanely amazing. Basically can power any household item. Which most power stations can’t do. Recharges in 2 1/2 hours with the dual charger. And then the ability to charge more than 15 items at a time. It really would be the perfect emergency home back up power station. I’m a little bummed that we don’t have time to test it out. We are so backed up on content at the moment we had to pass on the opportunity.
@@PlayingwithSticks thanks a lot for the reply it's been 7 mounths since my last question haha. Also the new 500 w eb55 look great as a portable solution. (Maybe combine the 2) left the big one in the car. Small in tent. I'm pretty sure that thing can top off my Chevy Volt hahaha
I have an ego power station you can replace old batteries because they are power packs used for saws clippers and blowers its kinda future proof when bateries die just replace not buy a whole new unit.
Love your channel. I will be a full time nomad soon living out of my car. I was windering... What kind of little blue heater was that? What is it called? How long does it run on a 1000watt solar generator? Thank u 😃
Hi Cat! Is that your name? Congratulations on the transition to becoming a full time nomad! How exciting! The little purple heater in the video is the basic Lasko 200 watt heater www.amazon.com/dp/B078839Q86/?ref=exp_playingwithsticks_dp_vv_d On the 1,500 watt generator in this video it ran for about 7-8 hours. Sounds short. But if you have a high r value (insulation) in your camper you don't have to run these long to get the temps up. Your trailer should hold the temp for a couple hours and then you turn it on again. This would be the safest way to do it in a small space. However, in a future video we will be sharing how to attach a thermostat to this so it fires up by itself while you are sleeping.
@@PlayingwithSticks Thank you sooo much; and yes my nick name is Cat. I will be living out of my CAR lol a 1997 ford Taurus... I will be purchasing a jackery 1000 for power. I will move up to a van when I can afford one one day. Thank you for replying
Not quite sure what this comment means. But yes used the free 1500 W generator to talk about quite a few thoughts we all share in the community about size of generators, types of solar panels, usability,...if you watch the video you’ll see it’s got some good useful information. Truly no filler in this one.
For "comfort power" - like electric blankets or a ceramic heater, where do you physically keep the larger generator overnight that is powering it? Do you keep it in the galley and run a power cable to the cabin, or bring the large generator into the cabin? I purchased the jackery 1000 but havent taken it out yet for cold weather camping. I need some help visualizing where best to keep it for this use.
Great question Mitch. In the best world scenario we would have a pass through galley. This would allow us to keep the generator in the back and run a cord to the cabin. In our setup, with no pass through, we either plug in the shore power from the galley when running lights or keep the generator with us if we are running 12 volt items. Not ideal, but still plenty of space. We just started the cold camping season here and have had to take the 1,500 watt inside with us. If I was able to take the handle off it would fit perfect in our open cabinet space. However, with the handle on it ends up at my feet. For winter camping I am usually solo, so no big deal. But, if I had the family this would be a pain. I think I would have to create some sort of shelf or netting for it to rest on above the bed. You may be surprised to find how well the Jackery 1000 fits in or above your cabinets. Our teardrop is small and ours has plenty of space to breathe.
Hi. I just received my Bluetti 1000. I was trying to connect solar panel to cord to attach to power station. One connection went together Easily. The other one Will not. Is that Normal? Or is there a trick to get it connected?
My guess is that your power station and solar panel cords are not compatible. A quick google search of your power station will tell you the cord it uses. Than you can buy a really cheap cord off of Amazon to match the Bluetti.
That is a really great question. I can almost 99% guarantee you if you watch one of will Prowse’s videos about the echo flow 1300 he will touch on that. But my assumption would be that you’re right it probably would decrease it. And I think that’s one reason why the Bluettis don’t go to faster recharging because they’re all about being a solar portable generator that is just as efficient and long lasting as a battle born lithium battery and even at less cost.
@@AskIveSolar Someone once said something to me that if I am honest with myself I think I agree with as well. And that is that unless you are doing this full time and depleting your battery consistently day in and day out, people are paying for a future return that they may never see. The argument is that we all pay more for lithium because we see it as a high cost up front, but with savings in the long run due to the many charge cycles. But his point was that because technology is increasing at such a fast rate, especially within the lithium and solar generator industries, that most of us will probably end up buying a new/better/more efficient/faster charing/etc battery before we ever reap the benefits of the high up front cost of the first battery we bought. And that first battery after 5 years is considered a dinosaur in terms of what it can do. Hope this makes sense. Good example is the EcoFlow. A few years ago nobody would have predicted you could charge an entire 1300 watt generator in less than 2 hours. How many people out there ended up buying the Ecoflow because they couldn't wait 8-10 hours for that recharge on their original purchase.
@@PlayingwithSticks Yeah I can see that logic. Kinda like the case for leasing a vehicle if you change cars every three years. I'm not that guy tho. Lol. I want my money's worth. And am not as much of an upgrade junkie as I use to be. Even then I was calculated or broke. Lol. That eco certainly fits a certain niche. But I got a lifepo4 PPS because I knew I was gonna hammer it and charge cycles matter a lot to me because of that. I got that rockpals renewed for 165 vs 250 or so. That made it a good purchase for me.
Longevity is best if a lithium battery is not charged to its max, and not depleted all the way. Better battery and power station manufacturers are taking that into account to greatly increase their longevity. The ability to “over panel” (200 watt panels on a 100 watt input) is getting more popular to take advantage of overcast days - power station just uses what it needs. More expensive power stations have really fast charging, although, they may be using different lithium chemistries too - at the moment out of my price range.
While I agree with your premise of two sources of portable power (other than a gas generator), you MIGHT buy a small SG/power supply that also has a regulated output just like the larger.. Uh, oh, now I've done it.. LOL! It's the RE-generation/RE-charging of these battery packs, while in the field (your words: "run around chasing the sun", my words: if there is any), that needs proper attention or they become expensive boat anchors..
Great point on the boat anchors. And yes I would love for both generators to be regulated. However, What I have found through my own tests and you can see from tests from others online the smaller generators that have regulated power do not charge near as quickly off the sun as the rock pals does, and the difference even gets greater in low light situations. However, I’ve heard some of these newer smaller generators that are coming out this season are catching up to the RockPals on utilizing the sun faster.
Oh and you remind me I completely forgot to mention in the video the number one reason why it’s great to have a larger generator. And that is like you said for the days there are no sun.
@@PlayingwithSticks They are already here..... It depends greatly on the battery chemistry, such as Lithium iron phosphate and a proper mppt controller vs the inferior/outdated Lithium iron and pwm... Enjoy...!!!
We have not. They have reached out to us a few times to test it, but we try to only do one portable solar power station video a year. We assume it is a great product as we love all our other Anker devices. They are built extremely well. We use Anker for our battery banks that can be taken on planes. We have a couple with an AC outlet which is really nice. Sorry we couldn't be more helpful Bryan.
@@PlayingwithSticks Great, I'll look into it! You are always helpful! Love your videos! Our family watches them together every other Saturday morning. :)
@@BryanLewis This was such a fun comment to receive. Had to tell May about it. One day we looked up at our analytics and realized, oh my goodness we were on 4.5 million screens around the world. So cool to know that this info has made it much further than we ever imagined. We had always said if our videos helped at least one person it was worth it.
Yes, the 1500 will run an AC for awhile. A lot longer than I thought. Maybe as long as 10 hours for best efficient Energy Star rated 5k AC (Calculation only - I think 10hours is a real stretch. Cut that in half for other less efficient ACs. Also depends on how hot it is. ) Here is the rub - After using it for the 5-10 hours how will the Power Station be recharged? The energy taken out of any Power Station needs to be put back in to use it again for AC or anything. If the entire 1500 is used up, it will take 250 watts useable-solar at least 6 hours of good sun to charge it (250x6=1500) or any other combination of watts of solar and hours of good sun that totals 1500.
Wow, I am surprised there are AC units that are that efficient. How neat is that. And yes, recharging would be the issue. Definitely not for full timers. However, I like the idea of just using the AC to get that temp down for those weekend warriors. Especially if you have a well insulated trailer. 30 minutes here, 30 minutes there would probably do the trick. We find when traveling in SE Asia when we get the luxury of AC in our bungalows we really don't run it full time. I think once you get your core temp back down, often times switching over to the fan does the trick for a half hour to an hour before cranking on again.
Good point! They are definitely not what we would consider budget solar. However, in terms of price per watts I think they are the lowest in the industry. Right now with all the coupons and specials I think it comes out to be about .736 cents per watt which is pretty incredible to see how much the price has went down on these the last year. Good to see you around.
@@PlayingwithSticks yes I love your vlogs I always👍🏼 very informative and I even bought a shower on the back of your vlogs. Please continue if you can. It’s very reassuring to me ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ to you and your family! Peter.
I believe Bonfire does ship worldwide which is one reason we went with them. Will have to get down there sometime and make a video. I can’t imagine how much fun we could have in a small camper trailer in Australia!
Very true. I have never went home and said, man we have way too much power! Now maybe I wouldn't be saying this if I didn't have a gear addiction. But, I don't see the addiction slowing any time soon :)
@@PlayingwithSticks ... ive had goo d luck with a champion gas generator... bad storms were in northeast louisiana and i plugged in the gas generator via75foot extension power cord and set the unit outside on the porch and had it hooked up to a 110 house size refrigerator for 4.5hours untill power was restored... i have full faith in this unit, but I realize technology is moving on ... but this is one of those things I will never get rid of bc its a crown jewel in my book that I wont get rid of......
@@sixpapavictor Yes! As Alaskans we would never be without a gas generator. We pretty much only keep it at home. But it is also nice to have as a backup for winter camping in a pinch.
I would say it is really hard to beat the 500 watt from Jackery. Price, quality, I even like the look of it. And for many of us small camper owners 500 to me is about the perfect ideal size. If it was me I think I would go one 500 and one 240. This way I could leave the 500 in the teardrop and use the 240 to chase the sun.
@@joemomma3770 Good timing on this. Maxoak just reached out to us and said the same thing. Love hearing this! Thanks again for sharing this. I am betting Roy will appreciate this.
@@joemomma3770 They actually did. However, we try to only do one solar generator review a year, just to not wear out the topic. But, we have been toying with the idea of opening a second channel lately, just dedicated to gear reviews. This way we can test the gear, speak confidently with you all about what we feel works and doesn't work and the items we fall in love with we will bring over to the main channel. Just an idea.
When your talking size , I thought you were talking amp hours and what kind of loads you could run , wouldn't that be more important then actual size ?
I see your point. However, you may not be aware, but this channel is dedicated to small camper trailers. We’ve also done a lot of videos on here about amps and what things can power . The short portion in here about size is about does it literally fit in a small camper trailer. And not just physically in the trailer but in our lifestyle. Many folks including us were under the impression that these were just too large to carry around and to fit in small galleys and closets. And then all the runtime test results that show in the background of the video would give you an idea of how long these run items so we did include that as well for you. Sorry for the confusion there. Basic answer though is that this unit only runs up to 1000 W anything greater than that it’s not going to be able to power it. I think overload it’s able to run up to 1200 watts. It runs a continuous output of 9 Amps from the 12 V adapter, 3 A from the USB ports.
I just thought about your comment again. The only part about the physical size is just the very first segment of the video. The rest of the video is about The amount of watts/amps in terms of capacity and output and would you be better off with smaller batteries, multiple smaller batteries, etc.
@@PlayingwithSticks also, I’m guessing if you needed some appliances during the night like a heater for example to have a engine running in order to do that could be annoying versus the other option which is completely quiet, correct?
Mostly. I think the best heaters for most of us are propane, so they’re quiet regardless. But if we’re talking electric heaters, yes, they’re nice and quiet, but it’s hard to have enough power available to keep them going. A generator in this scenario may be a better choice for people if they’re staying out more than just a weekend.
Solar Storage Unit. Sunny Unit. So the sun generates Energy. The panel collects/senses/accepts/detects/absorbs and converts. ? The Battery stores Solar energy. Solar Battery, no, more like electric Battery, converted to electric. Advertising crp.
You should also check out the LightHarvest 1.8kWh All-In-One Portable Power Center (www.lightharvestsolar.com/catalog/item/9111485/10437933.htm) It has an integrated MPPT Charge Controller that can take any DC input up to 60V and 10A, meaning it can handle the output of almost any solar panel, including residential. It also has a 1000W pure sine inverter, so can run an electric kettle or induction stove or other high draw items. They also have a 2.4kWh unit.
Thanks for sharing Kris. Based on everything I see physically it looks like it is coming out of the same plant as Maxoak, just with a different paint job. Interesting that it has different capabilities.
Great question Mike, yes we do. I never knew this until one day I ran into a page on our Amazon account that showed what people were purchasing. Not sure if I could find that page again. But, what was neat is that there was a ton of random items like household items, sanitary supplies, etc.
Definitely is. I am planning on going wild and actually wearing a different colored hoodie on the channel someday. I'm such a creature of habit, I may back out at the last minute :)
Good question Stephen. 125 amp-hours as referred to by the deep cycle battery descriptions. Remember that this is lithium so that you can use the full rated power - compared to agm or gel which can only be used to half the rated capacity. Always good to mention this as the amp hours sound low when comparing to a deep cycle battery.
Power stations are rated in watt-hours which is then valid across all voltage outputs. A battery’s amp-hours only applies to the battery itself and must include the voltage. Maxoak uses a battery rated “101,351mAh/14.8V.” which is 1500 watt-hours. If a person uses nominal voltage of 12volts with the 1500 watt-hours, the calculated amp-hours would be 125. Still 1500 watt-hours.
Love it Damon. It kind of is in that we try out a lot of products out here and then when we find ones we like we really like to showcase them. The only thing that strongly separates us from an informercial is that we highlight similar products from competing brands. And not to mention there are no kickbacks from all three brands (unless you count Amazon affiliate links). If you may have noticed we like the Rockpals, Jackery, and the Bluetti. They all have different strengths and weaknesses. But, are good fits for different camping lifestyles and needs. Man, even my comment sounds like an informercial 😂
Wait, what is it again Dave? Yes, that term is a tough one for many of us. The new one I learned and have been throwing around is portable solar power station. How about that? Better?
@@PlayingwithSticks Battery. It is a Battery. plug it in and it gets charged. Plug it in a home before camping = No solar. BATTERY. please think, do not blindly buy into Advertising, marketing. BATTERY.
@@dafrasier1 It turns out the terms used in electrical engineering and power engineering when converting from one form of electricity to another (AC-DC, DC-AC, DC-DC, AC-AC) besides converter and regulator is generator. Bit different than the mechanical to electrical conversion generators most of us are familiar. As you suggest, for some the same item can be used without solar making the solar part of the name redundant - now. The solar name comes from its origin. The self contained unit was originally designed for solar. People working in solar wanted a portable version of their fixed system - a solar charged self-contained battery, charger, and inverter was its original design and intent. However, it has evolved to much more uses, and because of that, even though the industry started with the solar generator name, the name is also changing to better reflect its use. Amazon now also has the same devices listed under a variety of non-solar-generator descriptions. The jury is still out on the final name(s).
For us the toughest sell was fitting it inside. The handle that everybody loves was actually difficult because it made it so we couldn’t fit it up in the cabinet. There are some caps on the handle that looks like they can be removed to take out the screws to remove that handle but we had trouble getting the caps off. However even in our small teardrop we did find a place to fit it inside below the cabinets. I’m glad to hear your opinion on here because that’s what we were wondering after people see the videos and see us hauling around this larger generator it may help some people decide that it’s not for them. We were kind of the opposite and that we thought we didn’t want a larger generator but after hauling it around for a couple months it’s definitely going to stay in our teardrop for many of our short and long trips.
I can’t choose my geographical location. But since that video we’ve used that all over the states in hundred plus degree temperature and are having great results. You can watch other UA-cam channels that thing is efficient. Same goes for the JP 40 which we currently use.
That is correct Christine. There are ways to get it here, but they haven’t quite figured it out. Maxoak went through the process to actually get their generators to Canada. I think a couple months ago maybe three months ago was the first time they got them across the Canadian border. Through that they understand the method to get it to Alaska. You may want to look at their new 500 W generator based on what I’ve been reading the last two days it seems to charge really quickly on solar and has many other great features. I always tell my wife if somebody wants to make a good side income they need to make a run to the lower 48 to get some lithium and beer distributor up here. If goal zero can figure out how to get up here I think all the other ones can to. Don’t even get me started on camera batteries. I’ve been using the same two batteries since 2017 and they barely have any life left!
This is what I found so far. The same lithium (class 9?) shipping rules apply to the lower 48, so in theory, it should be just as hard to get lithium here. The key seems to be lithium must be shipped ground transport - not air nor vessel. Apparently, less shipping to Alaska is done by ground through Canada. I dont know yet if not shipping ground through Canada is due to ground shipping cost in general or shipping through-Canada rules.
@@mikemead2315 So strange isn't it? I also can't figure out how places like Best Buy and REI get those Goal Zero Yetis up here. At first I thought this was all an air cargo issue. Now I am starting to think it is a getting through Canada issue. May and I often say if somebody wants to make some quick money up here bring up a truckload of lithium batteries.
@@PlayingwithSticks Once past the Lithium safety ground-shipping rules, there is customs with duty payments on value for just a guy in a pickup truck with fifty $1000 boxes. A real shipping co probably has some kind of Canada-to-Alaska reduced-duty agreement rules too. Couple of boxes no problem. Wait, how did you get your Rockpals and Bluetti?
I’m not sure what video you watched. This was basically me talking to you the entire time no filler here. I didn’t talk about my day, or how the wind felt blowing through my hair, I talked about power stations. I love this stuff.
This is really good feedback. I appreciate that. I also know this is one of my issues. I’m always trying to cram everything into one video. Thanks again for the feedback
I really loved this video on this topic. I have been researching all about power stations for a few months and kind of came to the same idea of getting a small and large solar generator for different reasons.
I live full-time in a van & my boyfriend lives in his RV, but we are poverty-poor. Therefore, all the research.
I no longer have working AC or heat from the van (old van). I have no battery bank, just one car DC port for a 300W inverter. That has worked for a few years to charge Bluetooth speakers, a tablet, some phones, and my laptop. But, I am craving a small heater when it goes to 32F at night, or to run an electric blanket, or a cooling fan, or get a freezer instead of an ice cooler where food gets wet and ruined after the ice melts. I crave cooking with appliances like a microwave, a toaster, etc. So, I need power and don't want a noisy polluting gas generator that needs maintaining.
So, my idea was to get my first ever battery solar generator around 500WH to go into a library or cafe to charge on AC plug and use it when sitting outside in hot summer to charge by sun. (I am unhoused, so charging options are public buildings). Later, I want to get the larger unit (around 1500Watts inverter generator) to stay in van and power stuff or put directly outside to cook. My concern is the weight as I have physical limitations to drag a heavier unit inside somewhere to charge or haul about.
After I have both, I thought of charging the smaller one by AC to fill the battery capacity and then daisy-chain to the larger unit to transfer that power over. I am not an electrician, but really trying out an idea with a real-life experiment.
So, what do you think about the transfer of stored power from one to the other? Are there voltage or amperage considerations I should have about doing that? (Please share thoughts and keep them simple as in "For Dummies", please - I don't speak technical).
I know this is an old video but I have that little RockPals Solar Generator. I mainly use it for my CPAP machine. MUCH cheaper than the batteries supplied by the CPAP maker. I found that once the Voltage in the batter dropped below 12V my CPAP machine would shut off if used on 12V DC. I don't have this problem if I use AC Power or 24V DC. I can get several nights using AC Power with my travel/camping CPAP. Less if I'm using the CPAP machine I use at home which has a water tank.
I love all the options it has to charge or be used and happy with it. Going to get a second one. Now just need to get a teardrop. :D
Watched whole video just to point out that it does not charge from a car, but you caught it right at the end, good job. With van and car campers this is a BIG deal.
I had this thought that maybe you can trick the Bluetti to accept charging in cold weather by covering it with an electric blanket, something like that of a tea cozy. It would be a neat experiment.
Another great video. When we began our camping and travels with our t@b, one of the first purchases was an ARB 50qt. The second was a Powerenz LiPo 48 110w system for the sole purpose of powering the ARB when we're boon docking. Testing the pair in my garage, the LiPo powered the ARB for 25 hrs from a dead start. I've gotten longer times if the ARB is already chilled before I connect the LiPo. Of course, the LiPo has power ports to charge my laptop, ipad and Iphones and a host of camera gear. I really like the size as well as the built in solar panels. I do carry one additional panel that I can connect to the LiPo to help with charging. Stay safe
Wait did we read that right? Your ARB fridge has built in solar panels? I hope we read that right, that sounds amazing! We are due for a bit larger fridge next spring. We are thinking about 30-40 quart as our 20 was just right. The only problem beings it was just right there was no room to get your hand in there and move around items. Your system sounds great. Like you we have really been impressed with the combo of lithium and 12 volt fridges. Thanks for sharing.
@@PlayingwithSticks No, Sorry for the confusion. The LiPo has a built in solar panel, like a trifold that I fold out when I want to solar charge the unit. The LiPo then will easily keep the ARB running.
Hi Drew, thanks for putting out this video. A couple of things that I would add is 1) sizing your unit based on your power needs. So adding up all the power requirements of each component to make sure the battery is large enough or the inverter powerful enough. 2) Building in some redundancy. So if you were to go boondocking for a week and the weather was lousy, making sure you had enough power for the length of your stay. I’m currently building a 5 x 10 teardrop to full time in and will use a Bluetti AC200P which has a 2000 wh battery and a 2000 watt inverter.
Great points. Yes, should have added that to the video. Big fans of the 5X10. I realize it is only 1 foot wider than ours, but 1 foot makes a big difference. We haven't had time to study your power station yet. Looks like a beefed up version of our AC50s. So what is the difference in terms of features between the AC200P vs. the EB240?
@@PlayingwithSticks There are a few major differences. The AC200P has a 2000 watt inverter whereas the Eb240 only has a 1000 watt. The battery chemistry of the AC200P is Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePh) which is more stable and will last much longer than Lithium Ion before degrading. The AC200P also has a regulated 12v 25A output which is perfect to wire to a fusebox. It also has 6 ac outputs and an extra 12v output. You can also charge the AC200P very quickly by simultaneously using ac and solar inputs. Not sure if you can do that with the EB
Good video. I'd take 2 solar generators like you stated. Use one and charge the other and keep alternating between the two. We would keep them in our car and run an extension electrical cord and a power strip from them to power devices. In cold weather, for heat, we would use wool blankets and hot water bottles under the covers close to our feet and torso to keep warm. In hot weather, we would keep cool by using frozen cold / gel packs. For most of my cooking, I would use our rocket stove and a solar oven. We would use our solar generators to power our cell phones, refrigerator, laptops, lights, our batteries for our electric bikes, and a movie projector. Thanks for sharing.
Awesome video. Beautiful background, great sound, superior editing and super practical content. Thank you. 😊
I go with the TOGO generators, have a 1500w and a 300w. Absolutely love them. The 1500w will power my ICECO for a very long time on a full charge.
TOGO is new to me. I will have to look into them.
I purchased an Ecoflow 1300 recently and the 12v cigarette plug charger works well-slow at 120w Max draw, but it works. I run the EF with 2 110W panels and it takes a full day to recharge when depleted.
Thanks for your videos!
Thanks for sharing this! It is always great to hear feedback from owners in the field. We just picked up the Bluetti AC50s, which like yours has the 12 volt charging capability. But, like you said it sure takes a long time! But, long is still much better than not at all! The only surprise about your comment was that the 2 110 watt panels take an entire day to charge. Wait, never mind that completely makes sense as your solar portable power station is more than twice the size of mine. Our AC50s with the 2-100 watt panels is taking us about 4.5 to 5 hours to fully recharge. So yes, yours sounds at the top of industry standards. And yours looks so much cooler than this 1,500 watt (computer tower) of ours :)
I like being able to charge everything in the vehicle while I drive. However my truck’s 12v connections and extensions are starting to look like the Christmas Tree light plug in “Christmas Story” 😬. Rubber bands and tape to hold it all together. Not if...but when 😱.
It is nice isn't it? Especially on those rainy weeks that comes in really handy! Another reason for you to get a small portable generator. We use ours in the car while driving almost as much as the car's 12 volt.
Love the bluetti, and have been watching down2mob run his entire Aliner on it via his 30amp port. Still waiting for the tech to get better though... eventually someone will make a 3000 watt solar battery generator. Hopefully bluetti 😁 I’m in the same camp as you though, we have a small 220w battery generator, and a larger 3100w gas generator. Each has their uses and I appreciate having the flexibility of both 👍🏻
I don't think you will have to wait long for that tech. It is moving at such a fast rate we can't even keep up with it! Your combo sounds perfect. And the beauty of yours is a long wet spell isn't going to rain on your parade.
The scenery in Alaska is stunning. Spent a day in Skagway only but will definitely go back. We recently got our Bluetti AC200 and so far so good. Love your channel and keep up the good work.
Great to hear your AC200 is doing well. On paper that is a great power station! Skagway is a fun little community. SE Alaska is so different compared to the rest of Alaska. It definitely has a special place in my heart.
For me it is about the ability to solar charge everyday so that I have a continuous source of power. If it takes too long to charge by the Sun it would not work for me. Great video!
That is us too. We just picked up the Bluetti AC50s that everyone on here told us about. It is funny, because we said there wasn't a solar portable power station that could do it all. And folks were like "it actually comes out November 15th." And they were right. We have been using it the past couple of weeks in the field and its the real deal. The fact that it accepts 200 watts of solar is great!
I saw the will prowse review of the Blue Yeti he put it through its Paces for sure. Looks like a good system.
I've used them all. I've settled on the Inergy Kodiak. Half the size of the bigger units and double the power. It is able to be recharged using several different methods and even has the RV 50 amp socket. They now make an even newer model which is modular and you can add as many battery units as you like to it. I have the older 1300 watt model and I love it! However it is pricey. The thing is also built like a tank yet half the size of most solar generators.
Thank you for sharing. Love that they are smaller. I will have to look into them more.
Great practical analysis. The one point you made that I like for myself is multiple everything with different characteristics. Kind’a hits that Boyscout Be Prepared mind set too.
Good point Mike. You’re right, even someday if all these generators can do everything we need in just one generator it still would probably be best practice to have two different ones because you never know how they all function in different extreme environments. And then we’re pretty hard on our gear too so you never know when we’re going to drop something out there, So having a back up would be a real blessing.
The portable power stations are my favorite videos. I'm a tech guy and love solar power. I own that rockpals and a beaudens 166Wh PPS and I like the two device approach vs one.
I enjoy being strategic about the loads. I'm really looking forward to a nice mid tier one. They don't seem to have many. Its like 300 or so then boom 1000+ is the next level. Give or take a few devices.
We definitely agree! One of the neat things we are seeing the last 6 months is that they are creating mid tier models that support high watt devices like blenders, blow dryers, etc. We have seen a handful of 200-600 watt generators that can really crank out the power up to and over 1,000 watts. We ourselves do not use any high watt devices at camp, but we use them quite often at home and for work projects. Just having this 1000 watt has been great for powering some of my tools while being in areas where my extension cords cannot reach.
I use 2 power stations in my a-frame popup. I use the Bluetti 1500 to power my 40 liter fridge/freezer that I run as a 2/3's freezer to accommodate my organic & meat based diet. I have the new Bluetti AC50S that I just received and it stays inside the camper powering cell signal booster and charging of electronics. Camper batteries power the fan, led lights and furnace if I need it. If freezing at night, I switch the fridge/freezer to the camper lead acid batteries. The Bluetti 1500 lives in the back of the SUV with the fridge along with 200 watts of dedicated solar plus additional 200 watts dedicated solar for the camper (solar suitcases). I hacked the suitcases to wire the individual panels in series so I can put them 40 feet away with no current loss. With all this power I can go nearly 4 days without sun, recover quickly when there is sun plus have frozen meat and ice!
This is a great system you have Wally! Similar to ours in that we run 1 large, 1 small, and our lead acid for the colder times. But, you have done a much better job than us with the solar part of your setup. Thanks for sharing this, much appreciated!
How many solar panels do you use to power all that. I’m on a meat based diet too so the freezer part is cool
For our family we have to 100 W solar panels, but we typically only use one
@@TheViralVisions I use two, 200 watt solar suitcases although I find that I can mostly get away with just one if it's sunny and I plug the fridge into the camper. The 200 watts lets me "catch up" faster if I run my batteries low overnight. I have a small 3-way fridge in the camper too.
@@wallywal6139 Thanks!
Great video! I look forward to having more power for the upcoming cold season!
Thanks Maykou! Glad you enjoyed it.
@@PlayingwithSticks GUN TO HEAD..SAME COST....THIS OR JACKERY 1000 ?
@@BOOSTEDLASER That is a tough one. Honestly they both are great! To me the Jackery looks a little better and has a little better ergonomics. But if it is about function. Get whichever one is on sale :)
We just do some campfire outside and we f... the cold like this)()() the generator we just use it to do some food
Awesome and INFORMATIVE Video. These are the 2 that I was considering as a combo, so THX!
That is neat to hear. It is always fun when we can help confirm someone's thoughts.
Hi Drew ... and May, and your beautiful family! We finally treated ourselves to a Jackery! We bought the 300 when it was introduced and on sale $50 less... It has been wonderful! Over the winter sometime we will get the solar panel to be ready to roll for next season. We love having the extra power. On chilly nights we actually plugged in our heating pads to warm up our sheets and blankets. We made a little tent underneath the blankets for an air pocket and kept them on for 15-20 minutes. Getting into bed in our teardrop on chilly nights was amazing! We unplugged them after we got in so as not to accidentally fall asleep with the heating pads there... but what a difference! We also use it to run our outdoor "fun starry lights" when our grandsons are camping with us. Quick question... how well do the lithium batteries in the solar generators do when the temperature goes below 30º? Your videos have been getting better and better... you really make a wonderful effort to connect with your audience ... Many blessings to you all! ~ Maria
LOVE my electric bed warmer! Getting into a toasted bed is pure heaven😃
@@mikemead2315 Where did you get a "bed warmer?" Is it similar to what a heating pad looks like?
@@TheGratitudeAttitude Walmart electric mattress pad. I wanted something under me with a thermostat. I would rather have 12volt, but hard to find. I keep track of power usage, and the jury is still out for cold nights and needing extra heat if it is best to use on high until warm then shut off, or leave it on low.
Bed warming by itself not including using it for night additional heating is fantastic, but I use for both.
I have a camper battery, not a portable power station like shown here, but I am looking at getting a portable.
Lithium does not like to be charged cold - smarter lithium batteries limit charging speed when too cold. I have not found ANY complaints, just warnings. I dont know if these are smart enough to limit charging when cold or if it does not matter in most “cold” environments most people are usually in.
@@mikemead2315 Thanks for that tip!
Congrats on the Jackery. Amazing products. Once you pair that with the solar you will be amazed how much energy you can get with such a small portable solar power station. As for the lithium in our experience they do well in terms of powering items. It is the charging where they really don't like the cold. Many like the Bluetti's have fail safes on them to ensure they cannot be charged at extremely low temps. I am really interested this winter to test it out and see when that kicks in. Thanks for the really sweet comment on the video. We have been having fun with these videos and are excited to keep growing and evolving. I think you will really enjoy the next video. We put quite a bit of extra love into that one!
I see you have a 200w My Heat personal space heater. I bought 5 of them a few years back at the end of the heating season when the store had them marked down to $5 each.
I'm looking forward to trying one out in my van when I get a bigger solar battery to use along with a heating pad for the cold Wisconsin winter nights.
Currently I just set up using 2 of the My Heat heaters in my small bathroom and they can get the temp up to 78 degrees in a short time, then I can shut one off and the remaining heater can maintain near that level for many hours.
Like you, we love this little heater! Funny thing it is actually too powerful for our teardrop most the time. We wish they actually made a 100 watt version. But, on those cold late fall or winter days 200 is great! $5 that is amazing. I think we would have picked up a bunch as well and gave them out to all our camping buddies here. Big fans of the electric blankets. Just ordered our first heating pad last month. Still putting it through the tests. Thanks for sharing how you are using these Steve!
Thanks. I have been getting more and more interested in those little 200 watt heaters. I use the heated mattress pad, so sleeping is great, but I need a heater to warm up the air after.
My crock pot uses 100watts on low (100/170/270 watts). Maybe I’ll give that a try just warming up the air camping. I got to watch for those end of season sales! Wow! $5! Great find.
@@mikemead2315 I picked up the 170 watt on low 350 watt on high heater. Have been testing it against the 200 watt and another heater with a thermostat throughout the month. Should have the video up in November for you.
Looking forward to the video about adding a thermostat to the little heater. I purchased one after I watched your video showing it would run off your Rockpals .
I am interested in using generators with an electric heater too. I have a mini van and don't need a lot but I want to be comfortable and dry.
We found another one this summer that has a low heat setting (I think that one is 160 watts). We are going to have to buy it one of these days and try it out. I keep telling folks I wish they made one at about 100 watts. For fall camping that is more than enough heat for us.
@@PlayingwithSticks What is the name of the 160 watt
@@1cosmocat amzn.to/34hmg0G I was off by 10 watts. It is 170 watts on low and 250 on high, which sounds amazing! Nice to have 50 more watts than the Lasko for certain times, but also nice to have 30 watts less for other times. Hope this thing is as good as it sounds. And it is only $18!
@@PlayingwithSticks Thx
Excellent, smart comparison!
Thanks Kathleen! Glad you enjoyed it.
You are a genius. Nobody mentions about these circumstances. when I have to charge and I have a refrigerator connected to it what am I supposed to do. So having two of them would be best while one is charging the other one is cooling. Thanks
Yes, good point you have. And also I often forget to mention. Using the pass-through charging feature of your power stations over time can start impacting the strength of the battery. Meaning if you use solar to charge the power station that is currently running the fridge this will over time deplete the overall usable capacity of the battery.
Interesting watching this in 2024 with the tech that has been released over last year (and costs based on over the last 4 months). I have a 2kWh Ecoflow Delta 2 I bought 2023 Black Friday, and it charges fast, app control, power automations (set up via phone app), and it outputs a great amount of power relative to its power capacity. Some smart UA-camrs have found alternator hacks to permit DC/DC charging via the solar port (480W). Power station tech has really evolved.
Awesome review! Thank you for calling attention to the options! Thank you!
Our pleasure Joyce! Glad it was helpful.
Ok, you convinced me. I'm gonna a get a 300 rockpal and a 500 jackery to start and then I'll get one of these big boys. I don't think I need a bluetti 1500, but I want one.
Wait, hold on Ryan! The new AC50s that you will find in our heater video does everything the rockpals and the jackery can do combined. The best of both worlds. I think it would be a great place for you to start. Here is the link. I think I may have sent it to you already, but just in case I didn't amzn.to/3ulo044 It is funny just after I made this video, maybe one month after, the AC50s came out.
@@PlayingwithSticks right on! All I need is my darn camper now. I can't wait until October comes. Until then, I'll enjoy playing with my new toys and, playing with sticks.
@@PlayingwithSticks so skip the EB150 and go with a few AC50s?
Tell us more about using an inverter in a car with this Bluetti? Is it worth it and more info.. or perhaps a video? I am looking at generators and don't want to end up buying several things only to wish I had bought something like this.. I'll probably start with one of the Jackerys but would like to be able to run a heater in a mini van. Thanks for all the helpful info. I'll check out the comparison chart next.
So basically you would take a regular car inverter, preferably one that has pure sine wave (which basically means a clean current that won't hurt your electronic devices) and you can charge the Bluetti off of it. Now you could use a budget low watt inverter. This would save you space and cash. In theory a high watt inverter would charge this faster, but I am not sure if the Bluetti has amp/watt restrictions for power coming in. This is definitely not my area of expertise. I haven't actually done this workaround in person, it just theoretical for me for the Bluetti. I have done it with other solar portable generators and it has worked well.
And yes, we suggest Jackery as a great place to start.
The problem I’ve found with the jackery panels is they are not waterproof at all. I live in a wet climate and am wondering if there are any other portable panels that would be more appropriate?
Love it mate! Awesome video and very helpful.
Good to see you on here. To be honest we had such a busy summer and transition to Thailand we forgot to follow your channel. I'm really glad you popped by.
Love the channel. Redundancy is good. Have you tried using the rockpal to chase the sun and then use the 160W Ac adapter from the Bluetti in the rockpal’s AC port? I know inefficient with the 12 to 120 conversion and Inverter loss. With solar generators that allow AC use while Solar charging, you can leverage one solar panel to charge multiple generators that way. Redundancy and flexibility are good things.
Great idea. We have so much sun up here, it really wouldn't take a whole lot of time to charge up the Rockpals and move over to the Bluetti. But, now that we have the Bluetti AC50s it is going to be our main charging unit. So glad we made this video because Bluetti reached out to us and said, hey that perfect power station does exist. I think they released it one month after this video came out.
@@PlayingwithSticks so the idea here is have a spare AC50, charging via solar panel, and then use the AC50 to charge the EB150 via power plug?
Good point about a larger one means being able to charge it at home. Maybe even no need for additional solar panels. Simplicity. Minimize.
Honestly before all these fun toys from the channel a 500 watt generator would have been more than enough to keep us out here for a week, which is our typical summer camp length. But, with all the toys I wonder how far we could make it with one of these larger generators without using solar. With all the power tests we did I think we could make it the whole week on our regular use if we didn't have the fridge. Even with the fridge we would be fairly close. The fridge as crazy as this sounds ran for 200 hours on our test!
@@PlayingwithSticks , 200 hours is crazy long! Impressive. I get 24 hours, but I got so much solar, I can charge in moon light🤣. Almost. That was the trade off to minimize battery. Cracks in the theory though.
@@PlayingwithSticks Yeah, I wish I could not relate to needing more and more power. I think they call the expansion of goals and objectives “mission creep.” I call it more necessaties. My blended frozen daiquiri agrees while I am in my electric blanket toasted bed. 😃
@@mikemead2315 I am going to have to add "mission creep" into my vocuabulary, right next to "two-foot-itis" :)
@@mikemead2315 Now of course that was at 75 degrees and at desert temps that 200 would drop to about 55 hours if the compressor was running full time. But again 24-55 hours is pretty impressive still.
Thanks much! ANother gret share and video! Makes sense to me to have both, even as a future Vanner I hope... I just bought the 50S Bluetti small one, so when I can get another Van, the big one makes sense. Take care and all the BEST to yo and family! Cheers:)
Love our Bluetti AC50s! It is honestly our all time favorite power station. It does everything we need it to do. Fast solar charging like a Rockpals, but regulated power like a jackery.
i just bought the rockpals 500 watt, but thinking of buying this down the road for my new standup full bathroom Bushwacker 15 teardrop
Quite a few folks purchasing Bushwackers these days. They must be doing something right! We didn't realize they had a "standy" version. We are going to have to check that out. Thank you!
@@PlayingwithSticks I actually just canceled my order today this company is new with these Teardrop that you stand up there having a lot of problems they just had a recall because they’re forgetting to bolt the camper to the frame can you believe that so I just canceled my order I think I’m gonna go with the Runaway you can’t stand up on it but you know what all you need to do is sleep and there’s less troubles without water tanks and gray water tanks and black water tanks this guy in the video he’s onto something keep it very minimal
@@JerseyStyle7 Yes big fans of the minimal approach. Unfortunate to hear about the recalls. Hopefully that is just on the "standy" models or we are going to have quite a few disappointed folks in the community. Because like I said before, there has been a really large amount of folks picking them up this year. Thanks for sharing your update by the way.
And here I am with my now 8 year old lead acid, marine, deep cycle Walmart battery that charges both from my vehicle's alternator while driving and keeps topped up with a 40W solar panel on a string. Been across Canada on a 3 month road trip, all over northern BC, into the Northwest Territories and a month+ long road trip into the Yukon. Not to mention innumerable trips on northern Vancouver Island to a lake for 3-4 days. Still load tests as new (almost). Why would I need to spend the money to add a solar generator...what more would it give me? We make toast just fine, we charge our camera, tablet, lithium flashlights, etc just fine. We keep warm with 0° rated bags...It reminds me of fishing...used to be simple, now there are so many lures, styles of reels, types of rods, gizmos, etc that, to me, it isn't fun any longer.
Great points! Yes, if you have a system that works, don't mess with it. I guess with this video others like you can also look at it through a different lens in that maybe picture it all as AGM, not lithium. Do you have enough power to supply your items? Do you need to reduce weight in your trailer? Does powering all your items from your trailer work, or would it benefit you to power items all around the campsite? Do you travel in areas with heavy trees where you need to chase the sun? Do you stay at the same place for weeks on end, so the ability to charge off your vehicle is not as feasible? Again you are right, for many people, especially us in the northern climates lithium may not be the best option for them. And for some power in general just sounds ridiculous! Many folks will watch this video and think why do they bring that stuff out there? Isn't camping to unplug? Thanks again for this great comment, always fun to hear all sides on these subjects.
Our son East is often trying to get us to get an underwater camera for icefishing like everybody else around us. I tried to explain to him that that takes away the fun, but at three that’s a hard concept to grasp when seeing a fish below the ice sounds so alluring 😂
Yeah, those Walmart deep cycle batteries are a great deal. Good job with your good balance of usage and fast charging that keeps them healthy for years. I too have a fixed (screwed down) setup. Cant be beat for the money. I have no problems traveling with my camping setup, or when I camp setup in the sun. I’m still in the market for a small solar generator though due to the times it will just be handy to easily take some power anywhere I want. And as a backup. More of a luxury. Your setup is by far the most bang for the buck!
Thanks a lot! I'm thinking about buying this. Is this the same as the Rich Solar X1500? And the MaxOak EB150? Thanks for mentioning the Ecoflow. I'll check it out too.
You brought up quite a few points that I didn't think of yet. You just got a new subscriber :)
What I find with these companies is you have to look closely at the specs. MaxOak is the same one. However ones like Rich Solar may be the same, but may be slightly different. Kind of like buying a tv on Black Friday. Same base model number, but slightly different components. So some of the deals are a little too good to be true, but some are really true just packaged under a different brand. Glad the content was helpful Frank.
I know this is an old video but I have to say chasing the sun is what they make extension cables for you don't have to lug around the power station and within 50 feet you're not going to get that much power loss
Thanks
You’re most welcome James!
I'm lucky in that my teardrop has a deep charge marine battery hooked up to a trickle charger which I can either plug in to an electrical outlet or to my solar panel. We also don't bring along anything that needs electricity.
Yeah. Your setup is the most bang for the buck. I have same, but with solar panels.
However, the versatility and portability of these solar generators has put one on my list, probability small one first. I’m in no rush. My setup fits 90%+ of all my needs.
@@mikemead2315 Yes, we've gone 5 days without having to recharge the battery. I'm having a Foxwing added along with a changing room added this fall. I can't wait to try it out next Spring.
@@david-marynoll5699Yeah. I like your additions!
I was out for a month in the desert SW in the winter, and the first two things I bought when I got back was a refrigerator and a quick setup shower tent. Too much food rotted, forced drives to town or unhealthy canned stuff. I sleep in back of my truck, so I needed a place to stand for “privacy”. An awning was next. I am using more and more electricity, thus the solar panels.
Tired of the back of my truck, so looking to the next evolution of my camping (tent to popup to tent to car to truck to ? ) and this channel is helping me.
Which teardrop do you have?
@@mikemead2315 TC Teardrops from Wausau, Wisc. I have the 5x9.
@@david-marynoll5699 , Thanks! Nice looking! Just down the road (in midwest miles)!
The low-grief-factor, no setup, and versatility is the selling point of a Solar Generator.
A solar setup with solar panels, charge controller, battery, inverter produces more power cheaper, but goofing around installing it, setting it up to set some panels remotely in the sun, and not being able to move it all easily to another camper or use it in a vehicle really limits its use.
The type of camping could be a decider too. Always in the sun desert camping has different needs than forest camping.
Solar generator has a lot of things to like.
FYI: I have 500+ watts attached to my camper. I now need a solar generator and portable panels.
Just got in the 100w rockpal now I need s genny. Im gonna be fulltime for awhile
@@markpascoe7845, Yeah, I have been into the more long-term and almost no weekend camping. Has a bit different requirements.
Good luck!
How fun! We would love to make the shift to fulltime one day. Awesome to hear you are making it happen Mark.
Can those generators be stored in extreme temps? For example in the truck bed under a taneau cover? Desert or cold climates? Or will this affect performance or damage the units? Thanks for another great video.
Good question. Unfortunately I do not know the answer to this. I know it is harmful for these lithium batteries to be charged at extreme temps. As for storage or using them that is where I am currently unsure. We are going to put it through some harsh Alaska tests this winter hoping to find out. Hopefully we don't hurt it too bad, because we really like this beast of a unit. The great thing about Bluetti is they have systems in place to stop you or me from hurting these batteries. For instance when you charge in cold weather it either completely turns off or slows down the charging rate. May be frustrating at the time, but a great way to save you $1,000. Glad you enjoyed the video Frank.
I have the Rockpals set up that you showed. Weighs next to nothing.
Right? When we first got it we couldn't believe how light it was. And the fact that it can power our fridge all week out here with the solar panels is incredible!
Thank you and pUMP for this info!!!!
Good to see you on here Frank! Great to see you were able to watch this between sets! Stay pumped Frank 😀
Any update since you've been using this for some time now? How has the ion batteries held up? I'm on the fence about buying the 150, but I really want to stick with lifepo4's, but the 150 is a power house at a reasonable price so it's tough.
You’re asking the wrong guy on this one. Because I always say go with the cheaper one. My Theory is that battery technology changes so fast whatever technology you buy today three years from now the life of the new ones will be double. And not just double life but new technology that makes you want to get a rid of your old technology and buy the newer version. Basically I’m trying to say my guess is most of us will get bored with our power stations before we ever get even close to going through all the charge re-charge cycles that they are guaranteed to have. I tell folks unless you’re full-time RVing I don’t think that charge recharge cycles mean that much. If you do the math that would be an insane amount of camping to get your moneys worth. As for how it’s holding up? Just like you’ve probably heard from everyone else on the Internet the thing is built like a workhorse so it’s just like the day we got it. It’s a bit bulky not the best looking power station but it gets the job done. I also have not had any issues with the lithium using it in cold weather. The cabin of our teardrop is pretty warm but it was one of the things I was worried about and now those worries are gone.
@@PlayingwithSticks I appreciate the response. I'm...a step in the direction you mentioned with having two. I already bought the Bluetti EB3A for small things and I've been surprised how good it is, but it is only 268 wH, but charges at a whopping 300 watts plugged in and no brick in about an hour. I already have a 100 watt panel specifically for that unit.
We're not out and about daily, Camping 3 times a year and looking for a backup for home; so that 150 on a week long camping trip each time seems fantastic, but I genuinely love the direction LifePO4 has gone, especially a safer battery. I love a high watt inverter, but I would take a lower watt inverter and larger wH. So many options.
Anywho, thank you for the video and advice. Good to know it's still like new for you. That helps a lot. We camp during summer months, so we manage to avoid the colder temp issues. Still so damn tough making a decision one these things when it comes to the bigger investments. Not a disposable income, but we look at these as emergency items that will get cycled maybe 20 times a year.
Top class review. Subscribed! 🙂
I went the 2 smaller ones Rickpals 300 and Rockpals 500
Great choice, you sound a lot like us. We love our Little Rockpals. And we have put a beating on ours and it’s still ticking!
Yeah, I have been looking at both the 300 and 500. I like the faster charging.
@@mikemead2315 The thing that really bums me, after confirming this yesterday with Rockpals is that they discontinued making their 300 watt model. Now when touting the power of Rockpals I am a bit unsure if the other models have the same ability. For example their 330 watt model can only take in 60 watts vs the 100 watts of solar the 300 watt model can take in. To get another generator from them to test I would have to do a review, which I don't think the community particularly needs from us. We may have to start a separate channel just for unboxings and reviews so we can test all this gear and feel confident sharing about it on the main channel.
@@PlayingwithSticks, Good points. I am finding lots of valued product characteristics no longer transfer to other products or even to the same “new and improved” product. Each one needs to be evaluated independently. I liked finding a company or product line I like and blindly buying more of their stuff. No more. (sigh). Thanks for the heads up.
@@PlayingwithSticks Wow. I am just getting started with RV camping and it sounds like I made it just under the wire. I bought the 300w Rockpals from Amazon in August, and it worked great. I mainly needed it to run my cpap all night while boondocking for a couple days, and to recharge my phones. That worked fine. Now I'm considering adding a 2nd one and some portable solar panels for more extensive boondocking. Your vid was great!
Can someone please help me understand why they call these devices generators? A machine that generates electricity is usually powered by an engine? These aren't generators, they're overpriced battery packs with a 110 inverter inside, why not build your own battery pack and inverter for much less cost?
And why call it a generator when it's not even capable of generating electricity, but only capable of storing and sending electricity? I mean solar panels are closer to the truth of what a generator is than these things. It makes no sense? I guess that means it was a product marketing decision?
We have all said the same thing in this community from time to time about this subject. We see your frustration. The answer I was told that jived with me best was that gas generators also do not create energy. The energy comes from the fuel and the generator converts it into useable energy. A solar generator also does not product electricity. However it uses the energy from the sun and converts that into useable energy for us. As for price you are absolutely right as well. Go on Will Prowse's channel and he will help you create a nice little DIY version for a lower price. However, you probably have noticed these generators are not expensive as they used to be per watt. For example this Bluetti may even be cheaper right now than a battle born which has no inverter at all. With all the coupons and discounts this week the 1,500 watt generator from Bluettie comes out to .736 per watt. Yes you can do a much cheaper setup using AGM batteries and a DIY solution. But, if you were to use lithium I would be interested to see how much you could save. It may not be as much as we all think. If anybody sees this and wants to crunch the numbers please do and let us know! I would love to figure out the comparison, I just don't have time right now with work and family. And to your last statement, yes a marketing choice. Just like many squardrops are called teardrops, sometimes I think the general population are just more comfortable or morn drawn to certain titles. Thanks for your thoughts Deane. Again, you aren't alone in this one.
Because they figure it's the same thing and don't know what else to call it? lol
You're correct though; they're just lithium batteries with an inverter.
You have some popular complaints. Drew hit it on the head on the conversion of one form of energy to another is what technically makes it a generator, but yeah, they could have come up with a better name.
As far as building your own, bit harder to compete with companies buying components in quantity and without cases than you think. A non-portable system is easy with a heavy battery, but those silly lite lithiums start the price high. Add a solar charge controller (MPPT is not cheap), sine wave inverter (also not cheap), 120v battery charger, various ports, converters, case (mine would be free plywood), and it adds up fast. Bit shocked when I added it up. The battery, charge controller, and inverter are most of the cost, so any tradeoff there geared to your needs can really pay off. If you have the ability, it would be fun to build, and you get what you want, and any issues you could fix! Sounds good to me!
@@mikemead2315 Well, I ran a camper van conversion shop in California in the early 1990's so it's utter non-sense to me that these overpriced "portable" power supplies are even a thing.
If you're going to build a camper try to do it as professionally as possible by sourcing the best price for the best equipment and build all of it directly into the vehicle's walls to save space. And yes, sometimes you'll need a way to pull out a battery and solar panels and hike them to a sunny spot, but the whole notion that you need to buy this totally separate system is a waste of money and a waste of space. There's such cheaper options when it comes to building a camper that has all the electrical fully integrated...
Great review! I've been looking at the jacker 240 for a while but I'm unsure if I can use certain appliances (small heater, small shop vac, etc). On another note, where did you get that awesome hoodie?
Good question on the larger items Dustin. The Jackery 240 can put out 400 watts, which is pretty impressive for how small it is. With our smaller rockpals that puts out 300 watts we are able to power the small 200 watt heater, cannot power the shop vac/toaster/blender/etc. But honestly we really don't need any of those things over 400 watts, they are more just novelty items for us. As for the hoodie we still have it up for sale at this link www.bonfire.com/teardrop-life/ Glad you like it!
Calling these units "generators" is wrong. They are batteries. It would be more accurate to call them power storage units or power stations. But they are not generators. They can only store power, not generate it. You have to plug them into a wall socket or attach solar panels to them to recharge just like any other battery.
Agreed. We have changed our terminology quite a while back. We called them power stations. Thanks for sharing.
Great information Drew, as always .
Thanks guys! We really need to catch up on your fishing videos. East and I didn't get enough fishing in this fall so we are craving some content!
Thanks Drew, I just posted my last Kayak fishing trip of the season, but don’t get too excited, I got skunked and had problems with the Kayak, but the beautiful foliage along the river more than made up for the lack of fish. Have a great day.
Do I win anything for being the 1k “like”? j/k I win with the great wisdom you share. I wasn’t going to post from saving you one less comment you have to read but I feel obligated to comment again because you hit all the right topics with yet another thorough and informative review. You inspire me. Thanks and keep doing what you’re doing!
You really should win something! At the moment we don't have anything fun to award you with. Haha. Please feel free to post anytime. We get a number of rude comments on here from time to time. So it is always to get a comment like this.
I don't care if it is fuel , power or food. Minimum is double what you think you need. I triple, gives me excuse to stay out longer. lol
Love this. So true. But what I really love is the excuse to stay out longer😀
Yeah! No one says “It was too much power” for ANYTHING!
@@mikemead2315 Too true. You can always reduce power consumption, you cannot increase supply. Unless you get more.
Is the Jackery 1000 big or worth it to jump to 1500? I have an off grid camp. 12v refrigerator, lights, laptop, recharging are main uses. Maybe an electric blanket. I have a small 200w now which would become my 2nd.
Your setup sounds very similar to us. For us it is either stay small 500 or below or go BIG. Meaning if we were to go up to 1000 in size we would just go all the way if the budget, weight, and space allow it. Meaning Yes we love the idea of the 1000 watt from Jackery, also a great model. But if you have the space and money it wouldn't hurt to go 1,500 or 2,400. If you read all the comments just from the last hour many say you can never have too much. A great example is a heater. A little 200 watt heater can only go 7-8 hours on this 1500 watt generator. Plenty of time if you have good insulation in your trailer. But wouldn't more time be nice? I guess that is really the question. Do you forsee yourself in the future ever using items that hog power. Ours is the heater, the projector, and the fridge. With those three combined on a week trip we wouldn't shy away from a larger generator. Now if you were in the desert and you had 325 sunny days a year, the 1000 would probably be just right for your needs. Hope this helps. Big fans of the electric blanket by the way!
@@PlayingwithSticks thanks. It seems like I should go bigger. 1500+
@@earthlytable Or, if you travel in sunny areas you may just need more solar.
Any small heater recommendations?
OK silly question, but why are you still using the lead acid 12 volt battery, if you have this? I presume the 1500wh solar generator has about 50% more power and lighter. That would free up some space also.
Not a silly question at all Kevin. Unfortunately Lithium has one major flaw. And that is that it doesn't like cold. It performs moderately well in the cold, but it actually hurts the battery to charge it once it gets below a certain temp. So what we do is use the 12 volt battery to keep the cabin of the trailer warm during transport and when we first arrive to site. This keeps the ambient temp up for the lithium to perform at it's optimal ability. Hope that makes sense. This winter as we get to use these lithiums a lot more out here we are really excited to see if this method I am using carries over well into the typical Alaskan temperatures we run into when winter camping. You are absolutely right in that swapping out our AGM battery for some more space would be ideal if the temperatures were milder.
Another thing we could do in the future is run the teardrop off of the vehicle's battery. We just converted our 4 plug wiring harness to a 7 pin to allow for a break controller. But I could attach one more wire and now have the ability to run that electric blanket off the vehicles power to keep the lithium batteries up to temp.
@@PlayingwithSticks Well, while the vehicle is running, using the vehicle battery is just fine. Good idea. But, parked without the vehicle running, using the vehicle starter battery is a really really bad idea that will leave you unable to start your vehicle and on the road to buying a new starter battery sooner than expected. Before I knew anything about batteries, I permanently wrecked a starter battery by powering a fridge in a week camping from MN until it died on a ferry boat on Vancouver Island.
Starter batteries have the ability to do a blast of energy to start the vehicle then need to be charged IMMEDIATELY, so the chemicals created by the blast conversion of chemical to electrical dont precipitate and coat the plates making them insulated from the chemicals that make electricity. Not charging a starter battery immediately just once does great damage.
Using a deep cycle battery in the vehicle is a possibility, but deep cycles make poor starter batteries especially in the cold.
Basically, I need something to run my A/C and laptop. I've used a standard generator before, but more and more campgrounds seem to be banning those because of noise. So, I'm at the mercy of finding a campsite with hookups (and noisy neighbors). What would you suggest to use for boondocking but having power for A/C and laptop?
The laptop is easy to power with just about any solar generator. Recharging it is easy with a small solar panel, car, or plugged into an hookup outlet.
The AC is much harder and requires a more analysis. A lot of the large solar generators could run a small non-RV AC for a short time. However, to run it longer would require a solar generator with optional additional battery add-ons, solar generator units that connect together, or more common a stand-alone built-in battery power system.
Various people have posted on youtube running AC off of a solar system usually with a very efficient AC (not RV AC), big batteries, and lots of solar to charge the big batteries.
Remember that whatever battery or solar generator system you get needs to be recharged during the day with solar, hookups, car, or generator, so the batteries or solar generator is only half the system.
I suggest you watch the youtube videos on running AC on solar power and running AC from a solar generator to get a better feeling of the possibilities. I think their setup and their stated limitations would help you focus on a path that would fit your requirements.
Mike Mead nailed it with that answer Michael. I have noticed in some of Hobo Tech's videos he does a few AC tests from time to time. In the past everyone said this couldn't be done. But I am seeing more and more people on here finding a way. Now is it sustainable, probably not with poor weather. But can it take the edge off on a hot day? If you have a nice insulated trailer I think it definitely would help. Even if you can only get 15 minutes out of it.
More and more I am seeing these advertised as “power stations.” Makes me happy. Although generator is technically correct, it still bugs me. Yup. Power station. I like it.
Sometimes I try to train myself to say Power Station. But then it gets confusing, because to many a power station is a battery bank. Here is my new term I just learned, let me know what you think Mike. "Portable Solar Power Station" No confusion there right? Or is it?
@@PlayingwithSticks I think your term is more descriptive of the usage and expected parameters. I always knew them as solar generators - until today. The only reason I mentioned power station was what I found doing Amazon searches. All three names (solar generator, power station, portable solar power station) found most of the same units, and the same units were listed with different names. I don’t know what the industry will settle on. They may use all of them - each found by different users. I think it is the term “generator” that confused and really irritated some people, and the manufacturers are looking for terms that sell more units. Describing what it does and how to use it is the real key, and you have done that.
Funny I getting 2 small power batteries. Charge one while using the other. Then swap it out. It small to store anywhere in my FJ. I do hate that some come with hard handles. I rather fold them flat.
Yes, charging one while using the other makes 2 make the most sense. Like you we also don't like the handles. Real pain in tight spaces.
Good vid👍
Thanks as usual Patrick! Appreciate the kind words.
did you end up buying the thermostat for your heater that i sent you a link for? good vid, thumbs up
Yes I did Dave and we actually have a video of it coming out in the next couple months. Thank you so much for that!
@@PlayingwithSticks great to hear! glad you enjoy it. you have a nice family, be blessed
I'm a newbie and just listened to a review of a predator 2000 and wow that was noisy! I am assuming these generators are quiet? Thanks!
Awesome advice !
Glad you were able to watch this one. I thought it would be perfect for you as you are making this decision. Always a big decision buying a solar power station because they are a bit costly. But, if you look through the comments, it is a decision I have never seen anyone in the community regret.
@@PlayingwithSticks what do you think of the new BLUETTI AC200P ?
The specs are insanely amazing. Basically can power any household item. Which most power stations can’t do. Recharges in 2 1/2 hours with the dual charger. And then the ability to charge more than 15 items at a time. It really would be the perfect emergency home back up power station. I’m a little bummed that we don’t have time to test it out. We are so backed up on content at the moment we had to pass on the opportunity.
@@PlayingwithSticks thanks a lot for the reply it's been 7 mounths since my last question haha.
Also the new 500 w eb55 look great as a portable solution. (Maybe combine the 2) left the big one in the car. Small in tent. I'm pretty sure that thing can top off my Chevy Volt hahaha
I have an ego power station you can replace old batteries because they are power packs used for saws clippers and blowers its kinda future proof when bateries die just replace not buy a whole new unit.
Thanks for sharing this Mathew. This is new to us. Very interesting.
Love your channel.
I will be a full time nomad soon living out of my car. I was windering... What kind of little blue heater was that? What is it called? How long does it run on a 1000watt solar generator? Thank u 😃
Hi Cat! Is that your name? Congratulations on the transition to becoming a full time nomad! How exciting! The little purple heater in the video is the basic Lasko 200 watt heater www.amazon.com/dp/B078839Q86/?ref=exp_playingwithsticks_dp_vv_d On the 1,500 watt generator in this video it ran for about 7-8 hours. Sounds short. But if you have a high r value (insulation) in your camper you don't have to run these long to get the temps up. Your trailer should hold the temp for a couple hours and then you turn it on again. This would be the safest way to do it in a small space. However, in a future video we will be sharing how to attach a thermostat to this so it fires up by itself while you are sleeping.
@@PlayingwithSticks Thank you sooo much; and yes my nick name is Cat. I will be living out of my CAR lol a 1997 ford Taurus... I will be purchasing a jackery 1000 for power. I will move up to a van when I can afford one one day. Thank you for replying
EcoFlow Delta Max is plenty. Check it out
Yes it’s a great little power station. Well big little power station.
Thanks 🙏🏻new subscriber 👊🏻
Welcome aboard! It is neat to see people going down the rabbit hole of our less viewed videos.
Ok- so they gave you this to make a video/ review of it ... Free but a long video we are now watching
Not quite sure what this comment means. But yes used the free 1500 W generator to talk about quite a few thoughts we all share in the community about size of generators, types of solar panels, usability,...if you watch the video you’ll see it’s got some good useful information. Truly no filler in this one.
For "comfort power" - like electric blankets or a ceramic heater, where do you physically keep the larger generator overnight that is powering it? Do you keep it in the galley and run a power cable to the cabin, or bring the large generator into the cabin? I purchased the jackery 1000 but havent taken it out yet for cold weather camping. I need some help visualizing where best to keep it for this use.
Great question Mitch. In the best world scenario we would have a pass through galley. This would allow us to keep the generator in the back and run a cord to the cabin. In our setup, with no pass through, we either plug in the shore power from the galley when running lights or keep the generator with us if we are running 12 volt items. Not ideal, but still plenty of space. We just started the cold camping season here and have had to take the 1,500 watt inside with us. If I was able to take the handle off it would fit perfect in our open cabinet space. However, with the handle on it ends up at my feet. For winter camping I am usually solo, so no big deal. But, if I had the family this would be a pain. I think I would have to create some sort of shelf or netting for it to rest on above the bed. You may be surprised to find how well the Jackery 1000 fits in or above your cabinets. Our teardrop is small and ours has plenty of space to breathe.
Hi. I just received my Bluetti 1000. I was trying to connect solar panel to cord to attach to power station. One connection went together Easily. The other one Will not. Is that Normal? Or is there a trick to get it connected?
My guess is that your power station and solar panel cords are not compatible. A quick google search of your power station will tell you the cord it uses. Than you can buy a really cheap cord off of Amazon to match the Bluetti.
I, like others, cringe when these appliances are called generators. Its a battery, a solar panel controller and an inverter. Power station works.
I think Power Station is what we will try to use going forward. Great suggestion. Hard to retrain the brain.
Does fast charging diminish lithium battery life or cycles?
That is a really great question. I can almost 99% guarantee you if you watch one of will Prowse’s videos about the echo flow 1300 he will touch on that. But my assumption would be that you’re right it probably would decrease it. And I think that’s one reason why the Bluettis don’t go to faster recharging because they’re all about being a solar portable generator that is just as efficient and long lasting as a battle born lithium battery and even at less cost.
I'm deducing yes. Because the ecoflow goes down to 60 percent after so many cycles vs 80 percent which is the industry standard.
@@AskIveSolar Someone once said something to me that if I am honest with myself I think I agree with as well. And that is that unless you are doing this full time and depleting your battery consistently day in and day out, people are paying for a future return that they may never see. The argument is that we all pay more for lithium because we see it as a high cost up front, but with savings in the long run due to the many charge cycles. But his point was that because technology is increasing at such a fast rate, especially within the lithium and solar generator industries, that most of us will probably end up buying a new/better/more efficient/faster charing/etc battery before we ever reap the benefits of the high up front cost of the first battery we bought. And that first battery after 5 years is considered a dinosaur in terms of what it can do. Hope this makes sense. Good example is the EcoFlow. A few years ago nobody would have predicted you could charge an entire 1300 watt generator in less than 2 hours. How many people out there ended up buying the Ecoflow because they couldn't wait 8-10 hours for that recharge on their original purchase.
@@PlayingwithSticks Yeah I can see that logic. Kinda like the case for leasing a vehicle if you change cars every three years.
I'm not that guy tho. Lol. I want my money's worth. And am not as much of an upgrade junkie as I use to be. Even then I was calculated or broke. Lol.
That eco certainly fits a certain niche. But I got a lifepo4 PPS because I knew I was gonna hammer it and charge cycles matter a lot to me because of that.
I got that rockpals renewed for 165 vs 250 or so. That made it a good purchase for me.
Longevity is best if a lithium battery is not charged to its max, and not depleted all the way. Better battery and power station manufacturers are taking that into account to greatly increase their longevity.
The ability to “over panel” (200 watt panels on a 100 watt input) is getting more popular to take advantage of overcast days - power station just uses what it needs.
More expensive power stations have really fast charging, although, they may be using different lithium chemistries too - at the moment out of my price range.
While I agree with your premise of two sources of portable power (other than a gas generator), you MIGHT buy a small SG/power supply that also has a regulated output just like the larger.. Uh, oh, now I've done it.. LOL! It's the RE-generation/RE-charging of these battery packs, while in the field (your words: "run around chasing the sun", my words: if there is any), that needs proper attention or they become expensive boat anchors..
Great point on the boat anchors. And yes I would love for both generators to be regulated. However, What I have found through my own tests and you can see from tests from others online the smaller generators that have regulated power do not charge near as quickly off the sun as the rock pals does, and the difference even gets greater in low light situations. However, I’ve heard some of these newer smaller generators that are coming out this season are catching up to the RockPals on utilizing the sun faster.
Oh and you remind me I completely forgot to mention in the video the number one reason why it’s great to have a larger generator. And that is like you said for the days there are no sun.
@@PlayingwithSticks They are already here..... It depends greatly on the battery chemistry, such as Lithium iron phosphate and a proper mppt controller vs the inferior/outdated Lithium iron and pwm... Enjoy...!!!
That is great to hear! do you have any suggestions in terms of brands and models for people to look at?
@@PlayingwithSticks There 'ARE' new models, 'models' being a plural noun... There 'IS' no sun... 'Sun' being a singular noun, not plural.....
Great video! Have you ever tested the Anker PowerHouse 200
We have not. They have reached out to us a few times to test it, but we try to only do one portable solar power station video a year. We assume it is a great product as we love all our other Anker devices. They are built extremely well. We use Anker for our battery banks that can be taken on planes. We have a couple with an AC outlet which is really nice. Sorry we couldn't be more helpful Bryan.
@@PlayingwithSticks Great, I'll look into it! You are always helpful! Love your videos! Our family watches them together every other Saturday morning. :)
@@BryanLewis This was such a fun comment to receive. Had to tell May about it. One day we looked up at our analytics and realized, oh my goodness we were on 4.5 million screens around the world. So cool to know that this info has made it much further than we ever imagined. We had always said if our videos helped at least one person it was worth it.
Can you run a 5,000 btu air conditioner of this ?
Yes, the 1500 will run an AC for awhile. A lot longer than I thought. Maybe as long as 10 hours for best efficient Energy Star rated 5k AC (Calculation only - I think 10hours is a real stretch. Cut that in half for other less efficient ACs. Also depends on how hot it is. )
Here is the rub - After using it for the 5-10 hours how will the Power Station be recharged? The energy taken out of any Power Station needs to be put back in to use it again for AC or anything. If the entire 1500 is used up, it will take 250 watts useable-solar at least 6 hours of good sun to charge it (250x6=1500) or any other combination of watts of solar and hours of good sun that totals 1500.
Wow, I am surprised there are AC units that are that efficient. How neat is that. And yes, recharging would be the issue. Definitely not for full timers. However, I like the idea of just using the AC to get that temp down for those weekend warriors. Especially if you have a well insulated trailer. 30 minutes here, 30 minutes there would probably do the trick. We find when traveling in SE Asia when we get the luxury of AC in our bungalows we really don't run it full time. I think once you get your core temp back down, often times switching over to the fan does the trick for a half hour to an hour before cranking on again.
Expensive!!!
Good point! They are definitely not what we would consider budget solar. However, in terms of price per watts I think they are the lowest in the industry. Right now with all the coupons and specials I think it comes out to be about .736 cents per watt which is pretty incredible to see how much the price has went down on these the last year. Good to see you around.
@@PlayingwithSticks yes I love your vlogs I always👍🏼 very informative and I even bought a shower on the back of your vlogs. Please continue if you can. It’s very reassuring to me ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ to you and your family! Peter.
Yes I hate propane I'd go for eb240 for electric heater 150watts. 12 volt carport charging will take too long. 500watt solar is faster
I guess I have the Tim Allen Syndrome because I don't think there's any such thing as too much power LOL
I want one of those Teardrop Life Sweaters! Where can I get one plz?
Of course! www.bonfire.com/store/playing-with-sticks/
@@PlayingwithSticks do you ship to Australia? I'd love to rep it!!👍
I believe Bonfire does ship worldwide which is one reason we went with them. Will have to get down there sometime and make a video. I can’t imagine how much fun we could have in a small camper trailer in Australia!
@@PlayingwithSticks you would not believe the heat and the animals that also try to kill you here as well 😂😂
one can never have to much power....
Very true. I have never went home and said, man we have way too much power! Now maybe I wouldn't be saying this if I didn't have a gear addiction. But, I don't see the addiction slowing any time soon :)
@@PlayingwithSticks ... ive had goo d luck with a champion gas generator... bad storms were in northeast louisiana and i plugged in the gas generator via75foot extension power cord and set the unit outside on the porch and had it hooked up to a 110 house size refrigerator for 4.5hours untill power was restored...
i have full faith in this unit, but I realize technology is moving on ... but this is one of those things I will never get rid of bc its a crown jewel in my book that I wont get rid of......
I also have a power drive 300.... dc to ac power converter that hooks up to cigarette power and to a car or truck battery with gator clips
@@sixpapavictor So do we! It is a great backup to have if needed.
@@sixpapavictor Yes! As Alaskans we would never be without a gas generator. We pretty much only keep it at home. But it is also nice to have as a backup for winter camping in a pinch.
Looking for a 500 regulated unit.
I would say it is really hard to beat the 500 watt from Jackery. Price, quality, I even like the look of it. And for many of us small camper owners 500 to me is about the perfect ideal size. If it was me I think I would go one 500 and one 240. This way I could leave the 500 in the teardrop and use the 240 to chase the sun.
And yes having that regulated unit is a must for many of our items these days
@@PlayingwithSticks Thanks for your reply.
@@joemomma3770 Good timing on this. Maxoak just reached out to us and said the same thing. Love hearing this! Thanks again for sharing this. I am betting Roy will appreciate this.
@@joemomma3770 They actually did. However, we try to only do one solar generator review a year, just to not wear out the topic. But, we have been toying with the idea of opening a second channel lately, just dedicated to gear reviews. This way we can test the gear, speak confidently with you all about what we feel works and doesn't work and the items we fall in love with we will bring over to the main channel. Just an idea.
So ecoflow don't have solar recharge?
It has solar recharge at a pretty standard rate. But what sets it apart is the charge rate off the wall.
When your talking size , I thought you were talking amp hours and what kind of loads you could run , wouldn't that be more important then actual size ?
I see your point. However, you may not be aware, but this channel is dedicated to small camper trailers. We’ve also done a lot of videos on here about amps and what things can power . The short portion in here about size is about does it literally fit in a small camper trailer. And not just physically in the trailer but in our lifestyle. Many folks including us were under the impression that these were just too large to carry around and to fit in small galleys and closets. And then all the runtime test results that show in the background of the video would give you an idea of how long these run items so we did include that as well for you. Sorry for the confusion there. Basic answer though is that this unit only runs up to 1000 W anything greater than that it’s not going to be able to power it. I think overload it’s able to run up to 1200 watts. It runs a continuous output of 9 Amps from the 12 V adapter, 3 A from the USB ports.
I just thought about your comment again. The only part about the physical size is just the very first segment of the video. The rest of the video is about The amount of watts/amps in terms of capacity and output and would you be better off with smaller batteries, multiple smaller batteries, etc.
I’m wondering why not just get a gas generator? I’ve never owned either
A number of things from smells, to maintenance, to noise, too messy transport.
@@PlayingwithSticks also, I’m guessing if you needed some appliances during the night like a heater for example to have a engine running in order to do that could be annoying versus the other option which is completely quiet, correct?
Mostly. I think the best heaters for most of us are propane, so they’re quiet regardless. But if we’re talking electric heaters, yes, they’re nice and quiet, but it’s hard to have enough power available to keep them going. A generator in this scenario may be a better choice for people if they’re staying out more than just a weekend.
Solar Storage Unit.
Sunny Unit.
So the sun generates Energy.
The panel collects/senses/accepts/detects/absorbs and converts. ?
The Battery stores Solar energy. Solar Battery, no, more like electric Battery, converted to electric.
Advertising crp.
You are definitely on to something there Dave.
Saw the price😳
Right! These power banks aren’t cheap by any means. Especially when you’re getting up in to the thousands of watts.
You should also check out the LightHarvest 1.8kWh All-In-One Portable Power Center (www.lightharvestsolar.com/catalog/item/9111485/10437933.htm)
It has an integrated MPPT Charge Controller that can take any DC input up to 60V and 10A, meaning it can handle the output of almost any solar panel, including residential. It also has a 1000W pure sine inverter, so can run an electric kettle or induction stove or other high draw items. They also have a 2.4kWh unit.
Thanks for sharing Kris. Based on everything I see physically it looks like it is coming out of the same plant as Maxoak, just with a different paint job. Interesting that it has different capabilities.
UA-cam Affiliate link. Do you still get the affiliate credit if I buy something other than the item in you link?
Great question Mike, yes we do. I never knew this until one day I ran into a page on our Amazon account that showed what people were purchasing. Not sure if I could find that page again. But, what was neat is that there was a ton of random items like household items, sanitary supplies, etc.
@@PlayingwithSticks, Great!
💗💐💗💐💗from a solo female
Looks like a black hoody to me. 😂
Definitely is. I am planning on going wild and actually wearing a different colored hoodie on the channel someday. I'm such a creature of habit, I may back out at the last minute :)
How many amp hours Is this ?
Good question Stephen. 125 amp-hours as referred to by the deep cycle battery descriptions. Remember that this is lithium so that you can use the full rated power - compared to agm or gel which can only be used to half the rated capacity. Always good to mention this as the amp hours sound low when comparing to a deep cycle battery.
Power stations are rated in watt-hours which is then valid across all voltage outputs.
A battery’s amp-hours only applies to the battery itself and must include the voltage. Maxoak uses a battery rated “101,351mAh/14.8V.” which is 1500 watt-hours. If a person uses nominal voltage of 12volts with the 1500 watt-hours, the calculated amp-hours would be 125. Still 1500 watt-hours.
This feels a lot like an infomercial. Is that just me?
Love it Damon. It kind of is in that we try out a lot of products out here and then when we find ones we like we really like to showcase them. The only thing that strongly separates us from an informercial is that we highlight similar products from competing brands. And not to mention there are no kickbacks from all three brands (unless you count Amazon affiliate links). If you may have noticed we like the Rockpals, Jackery, and the Bluetti. They all have different strengths and weaknesses. But, are good fits for different camping lifestyles and needs. Man, even my comment sounds like an informercial 😂
Battery, it is a Battery with put ins and out puts. BATTERY. It is not a GENERATOR. BATTERY.
I live in Wisconsin and Almond Milk is not milk and people know that but it's just the way it is.
Wait, what is it again Dave? Yes, that term is a tough one for many of us. The new one I learned and have been throwing around is portable solar power station. How about that? Better?
@@PlayingwithSticks Battery. It is a Battery. plug it in and it gets charged. Plug it in a home before camping = No solar.
BATTERY. please think, do not blindly buy into Advertising, marketing. BATTERY.
@@dafrasier1 It turns out the terms used in electrical engineering and power engineering when converting from one form of electricity to another (AC-DC, DC-AC, DC-DC, AC-AC) besides converter and regulator is generator. Bit different than the mechanical to electrical conversion generators most of us are familiar.
As you suggest, for some the same item can be used without solar making the solar part of the name redundant - now. The solar name comes from its origin. The self contained unit was originally designed for solar. People working in solar wanted a portable version of their fixed system - a solar charged self-contained battery, charger, and inverter was its original design and intent. However, it has evolved to much more uses, and because of that, even though the industry started with the solar generator name, the name is also changing to better reflect its use. Amazon now also has the same devices listed under a variety of non-solar-generator descriptions.
The jury is still out on the final name(s).
@@mikemead2315 Solar panel is the Generator. that big box is a Battery. advertising hype. crp.
I f el like they are too big for a teardrop
For us the toughest sell was fitting it inside. The handle that everybody loves was actually difficult because it made it so we couldn’t fit it up in the cabinet. There are some caps on the handle that looks like they can be removed to take out the screws to remove that handle but we had trouble getting the caps off. However even in our small teardrop we did find a place to fit it inside below the cabinets. I’m glad to hear your opinion on here because that’s what we were wondering after people see the videos and see us hauling around this larger generator it may help some people decide that it’s not for them. We were kind of the opposite and that we thought we didn’t want a larger generator but after hauling it around for a couple months it’s definitely going to stay in our teardrop for many of our short and long trips.
Also, I should add. If we didn’t have the 12 V refrigerator I don’t think we would have a need for this much power.
Playing with Sticks ya definitely
Don’t give great reviews for tests at 70 degrees, come on !
I can’t choose my geographical location. But since that video we’ve used that all over the states in hundred plus degree temperature and are having great results. You can watch other UA-cam channels that thing is efficient. Same goes for the JP 40 which we currently use.
I was interested in the Jackery but was told they don’t ship to Alaska?
That is correct Christine. There are ways to get it here, but they haven’t quite figured it out. Maxoak went through the process to actually get their generators to Canada. I think a couple months ago maybe three months ago was the first time they got them across the Canadian border. Through that they understand the method to get it to Alaska. You may want to look at their new 500 W generator based on what I’ve been reading the last two days it seems to charge really quickly on solar and has many other great features. I always tell my wife if somebody wants to make a good side income they need to make a run to the lower 48 to get some lithium and beer distributor up here. If goal zero can figure out how to get up here I think all the other ones can to. Don’t even get me started on camera batteries. I’ve been using the same two batteries since 2017 and they barely have any life left!
@@PlayingwithSticks Interesting!
Canada issue or Alaska issue?
Could I bring my own problem items to Alaska through Canada?
This is what I found so far. The same lithium (class 9?) shipping rules apply to the lower 48, so in theory, it should be just as hard to get lithium here.
The key seems to be lithium must be shipped ground transport - not air nor vessel. Apparently, less shipping to Alaska is done by ground through Canada. I dont know yet if not shipping ground through Canada is due to ground shipping cost in general or shipping through-Canada rules.
@@mikemead2315 So strange isn't it? I also can't figure out how places like Best Buy and REI get those Goal Zero Yetis up here. At first I thought this was all an air cargo issue. Now I am starting to think it is a getting through Canada issue. May and I often say if somebody wants to make some quick money up here bring up a truckload of lithium batteries.
@@PlayingwithSticks Once past the Lithium safety ground-shipping rules, there is customs with duty payments on value for just a guy in a pickup truck with fifty $1000 boxes. A real shipping co probably has some kind of Canada-to-Alaska reduced-duty agreement rules too. Couple of boxes no problem. Wait, how did you get your Rockpals and Bluetti?
tooo large.. yeah right that thing is way over priced and too SMALL!
You only have 5 minutes of content, no need to pad it out to 14 min and trigger the short attention span
I’m not sure what video you watched. This was basically me talking to you the entire time no filler here. I didn’t talk about my day, or how the wind felt blowing through my hair, I talked about power stations. I love this stuff.
I like your videos I’m new to your channel. I feel that you go into too much explaining. You can slow down and have more fun and say less. Thanks
This is really good feedback. I appreciate that. I also know this is one of my issues. I’m always trying to cram everything into one video. Thanks again for the feedback
@@PlayingwithSticks I think the explaining is spot on. You tend to answer most of my questions and even lead me to ask some of my own.
Thanks Brad. I am one of those people that loves hearing the details but I know that’s not everyone. I’m still trying to find that right balance.