Titan Solar Generator vs Delta Pro Power Station

For many years the Titan has been unrivaled as the best solar generator available. It is in the homes of thousands of people helping to back up their emergency essentials with ease. But is there a new “kit” on the block with the Delta Pro power station? It has very similar features to the Titan with some minor and some major differences. In this review we’ll see exactly what those small and big differences are so it’s easy for you to know if either of these units is the one you want.

In the end, both systems are very good and anyone who has one or the other will be pretty well set when it comes to backup power for running fridges, freezers, medical equipment, lights, fans, kitchen appliances, tools, and more. But for some people, they may need that one little difference that one unit has and the other one doesn’t.

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Specs Comparison

Inverter: Titan 3,000w | Delta Pro 3,600w

Main Battery: Titan 2,000wh | Delta Pro 3,600wh

Max Battery Expandability: Titan 270,000wh | Delta Pro 21,600wh

Standard Solar Input: Titan 2,000w | Delta Pro 1,600w

Max Solar Input: Titan 2,000w | Delta Pro 3,200w

Lifecycles: Titan 2,000 | Delta Pro 3,500

Weight: Titan 66lbs | Delta Pro 100lbs

Over-panel Capability: Titan Easy | Delta Pro Semi-hard

Base Price: Titan $3,395 | Delta Pro $3,599

What Can They Power?

There are multiple things to consider when it comes to the output capacity of solar generators. Both the Titan and the Delta Pro have pure sine wave inverters that are very powerful. Before the Titan was launched in August of 2019 there was basically no other solar generator that had a powerful inverter, and the Titan fixed that. But when the Delta Pro launched in the winter of 2021, it surpassed the Titans inverter by just a little bit.

The Titan’s inverter is 3,000w output and a 6,000w peak. The Delta Pros inverter is 3,600w output and 7,200w peak. The real question is, will 3,000w be enough for everything you need to run and if it is, then wouldn’t 3,600w output be overkill and unnecessary?

Having been in the solar generator industry since its inception and having talked with literally tens of thousands of people about solar generators, I have never once met anyone that said that 3,000w of continuous output was not enough for their needs.

But what are people’s most common needs? Typically to run one or two fridges, one or two freezers, TV, Wi-Fi, a few lights, a fan or two, chargers for mobile devices, and often times medical equipment. More than 90% of people are running those types of items. So in that case, the Titan would be enough, and so would the Delta Pro since they both can run all of that with no problem.How long does a well pump last? | CroppMetcalfe

But the one item that is often mentioned and is a very important item, is the well pump. Many people are looking to run water into their houses with ease when the power is out. This is where the Titan is not capable of running because the vast majority of well pumps are 240v power and the Titan can only do 120v power. Whereas the Delta Pro is capable of running 240v power as long as you have two Delta Pros and the 240v connection hub.

As long as the well pump doesn’t use more than 240v and 30a to run continuously, then the Delta Pro can easily run it. Most well pumps use 240v and 5a to 10a to run continuously depending on their size. The next big issue is how do you connect the Delta Pros to your well pump since it’s hard-wired into the house? In that case, you either need the EcoFlow Smart Home Panel, or your own transfer switch and adapters to connect to the 240v connection hub. But if you do that, then you can run your well pump.

Which solar generator is better, the Titan or the Delta Pro? The answer is “it depends.” Do you absolutely need 240v power? Then you need the Delta Pro. If you don’t need 240v power, then likely the Titan is a better option since it can expand to higher battery capacity and has a better solar input. But let’s define those parameters as well.

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Battery Capacity

To be very clear, the battery capacity that you need is specific to you. Everyone’s needs differ from each other. One person may only need 2,000wh to get through a night of just running their fridge and charging their phone. Someone else may need 10,000wh because they have a medical condition and have to run a window unit A/C all night and all day non-stop. Either way, both systems have large battery expansion capabilities but that also comes at a price.

Battery 3D Illustrations Designs, Images, Vectors, HD GraphicsThe Titan is really two pieces put together into one unit. The top section, referred to as the “power module,” contains an inverter, two charge controllers, step up and step down voltage devices, safety measures, fans, and so on. The power module is the brain of the whole system. In order for it to operate appropriately, it needs a heart, which is the battery. A Titan is one power module combined with at least one Titan battery. Technically speaking the Titan is capable of having up to 135 Titan batteries attached to it, but obviously, no one would do that.

But one unique feature of the Titan, that no other solar generator anywhere has, is the ability to use non-Titan branded batteries. The external batteries must be 24v and it is only recommended to use lithium-type batteries, but even still, that’s a very unique feature. Also, the Titan was the first solar generator to incorporate stackable batteries that link together to share their energy. The Titan batteries are Lithium NMC with 2,000 cycles (plenty for anyone).

The Delta Pro, on the other hand, must use EcoFlow proprietary expansion batteries, and each Delta Pro can have a maximum of two expansion batteries. Each battery is 3,600wh which is plenty of energy storage. At a maximum, there can be two Delta Pros linked together, and have a total of four batteries between the two units, for a max battery capacity of 21,600wh.

Which solar generator is better? Well again, it depends. Do you need or want the ability to use non-brand-specific batteries to add to your system in an emergency? Or do you love the stacking ability of the batteries to seamlessly join together? Then the Titan is the best option. Or do you want longer lifecycles on the Delta Pro batteries but be limited to how many batteries can be joined together and have all of the modern technology for monitoring them and auto-balancing them? Then the Delta Pro is the best. Once again, it depends on your preferences and needs for what you want to do with the power stations.

Recharging

In the end, a solar generator, just like a gas generator, is only good if it has enough fuel to run all of your equipment. This includes charging from solar panels as well as recharging from the wall at home or from a gas generator when the grid is down, and the weather is bad.

The Titan comes with a standard wall charging brick that is capable of charging at about 350w. With that standard charger alone, it takes about 6 hours to recharge a single Titan battery from 0% up to 100%. But it is also easy to upgrade that wall charging brick to a fast charger that charges at about 650w which brings down the charge time for a single battery to about 3 hours. And the Titan can use up to two wall chargers at the same time, so the fastest charge speed is about 1,300w which can charge a single battery in less than 2 hours. But to get those fast wall chargers do cost extra.The History and Definition of Solar Cells

The Delta Pro has a very simple wall charging cable that does not have a large power adapter brick on it. This keeps the charging cables light, small, and easy to store because it’s just a cable, nothing else. On the back of the Delta Pro where the charging ports are, there is a small toggle that allows the user to switch between slow charging and fast charging. Slow charging speed is about 300w and fast charging is about 1800w. That means on slow it will take about 12 hours to charge and on fast only about 2 hours to charge from a wall outlet. And the charge speed can be customized within the phone app for both settings. There is no extra fee for fast charging, it is free and built into the Delta Pro.

In terms of charging from a wall outlet, the Delta Pro definitely wins. But is it the best option for off-grid charging from solar panels?

The Titan has the largest solar input capability among these two units. It has two MPPT charge controllers and each one will let in 1,000w at a time. This gives the Titan 2,000w of solar input which is very impressive. One of the best features of the Titan is it can easily be over-paneled, meaning it can have more than 2,000w of solar panels connected. The charge parameter is 35-145v and 30a per charge controller.

Why is over-paneling such a good thing? In the USA there are an average of five solar peak hours per day. That means for five hours a day the solar panels will make their max solar output. Usually from about 10am to 3pm. If you have 2,000w of solar panels connected, you can make about 10,000wh of energy in those five hours. But if you are over-paneled, then you will begin making the max solar input earlier in the morning and later into the afternoon. This allows you to have anywhere from 6 to 10 solar peak hours per day depending on the time of the year and how many solar panels you connect.

A single Delta Pro can input up to 1,600w from solar through its single MPPT charge controller. The charge parameter is 11-150v and 15a. Because the amps are much lower than the 30a on the Titan it is much harder to over-panel the Delta Pro. It is still possible, but the best-case scenario with our 200w solar panels we have seen that the Delta Pro can over-panel up to 2,400w per unit. You can get twice the solar input with another Delta Pro, but then you have twice as much battery to recharge, so it doesn’t really increase the recharge speed.

In terms of having a single solar generator, Titan definitely wins the solar charging portion of this comparison. But if you have two Delta Pros, you can technically exceed the Titan’s recharge rate but also can’t over-panel as much as you can with the Titan.

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Final Thoughts

Which unit is best? I think they are pretty much equal. The only big advantage the Delta Pro has over the Titan is the ability to put two units together and make 240v power. The Delta Pro’s more powerful inverter is a very small win over the Titan since the vast majority of people never go over 3,000w of continuous draw off of their inverter. The Titan has better battery expandability than the Delta Pro and doesn’t even require proprietary batteries which is a massive win over the Delta Pro. As far as solar goes, they’re nearly the same solar input with the Titan beating the Delta Pro when compared to a single Delta Pro unit.

As far as customer service goes, they’re pretty much equal. If you purchase either unit from Powered Portable Solar then you’re given extra customer service and support by Americans located here in the USA who know the ins and outs of these systems and what will work best for your situation. If you need additional help deciding which unit is best for your situation, contact us and we’ll be happy to help.

Personally, I have two Titans, and I have two Delta Pros, I like both models a lot. One Titan runs my off-grid cabin 100% of the time year-round, the other runs my RV on long trips with my family, and even runs our A/C unit with no problem. My two Delta Pros are set up in a 240v configuration at home for when the grid power goes out, and I run my whole house with no problem. They each serve their purpose and I have been very pleased with purchasing both of them.

In the end, only you can truly decide what is best for you, but we’re always here to help too.

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The 5 Best Solar Generators Ranked and Reviewed

 

fountain pen lying on ” Emergency Preparedness Checklist ” form

Emergency preparedness is a tough business to get into, and it can be a tricky ordeal trying to figure out which preparedness supplies are the best choice for you. Thankfully, we’ve got the expertise and experience to help guide you through the decision! In this article, we’ll be taking a look at 5 of the best portable solar generators on the market. We’ll review and rank each one in an effort to try and figure out which solar generator provides customers with the absolute best value for their hard-earned dollar!

What Are Portable Solar Generators?

Portable solar generators are pieces of equipment that can generate electricity from the sunlight. They have become increasingly popular for a number of reasons. They can help you in a natural disaster, such as a hurricane, flood, tornado, or harsh storm. As well, they can aid in power outages and EMP attacks that might knock out the traditional power grid.

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What Should You Look for in a Solar Generator?

There are numerous things you’ll want to keep an eye out for when determining the best portable solar generator for your needs. These include:

Battery Capacity

The capacity of the battery dictates how much power the generator can hold. It is generally measured in “kWh“, or watt-hours. The bigger the battery is, the more energy that the solar generator will be able to hold. However, how much energy you are able to utilize at a time is going to be determined by the inverter size, and how long it takes to fill the battery will be determined by the generator’s charging speed. Because of this, battery capacity is only one single determining factor in the overall power of a solarBattery Capacity generator.

Portability

People generally want their solar generators to be as portable as possible. The best generators strive to offer a balance between portability and power. The more powerful a generator is, the heavier it typically is. Because of this, the generator on this list that we consider the best also weighs a lot but can be split apart to still be portable.

Inverter Size

The inverter size determines how much energy can be drawn from the battery of the solar generator. As established, a large battery capacity requires a large inverter size if you wish to get the most out of your solar generator. The inverter size is measured in watts, determining the wattage of the solar generator.

Number and Style of Plugs

The number of plugs featured on the generator may seem straightforward, but the style of plugs can be incredibly important, as well. These can include traditional wall outlets, as well as other types of plugs, such as USB outlets.

Expandability

Solar generators may often feature the ability to be expanded in terms of their solar reception and their battery capacity. Increased solar input can improve how fast a generator’s battery may be charged until it’s full, while increased battery capacity can determine how much of a charge the generator can hold before it’s full.

Life Cycle

Battery LIfecyclesThe life cycle that a solar generator has determines how many times a battery can be charged and ran through its entire capacity. In other words, it’s how many full charges a battery can hold before it reaches 80% efficiency.

Charging Speed

Charging speed determines how fast the battery of a solar generator can be charged, which is pretty important when it comes to solar generators. Since the sun is only shining at its optimal capacity for around 5 hours on an average day, you’re typically only going to have around 5 hours of optimal charge time to charge your solar generator’s battery. Because of this, you’ll want your generator’s battery to be able to charge fully in well under 5 hours. Typically, you’ll want to find a generator that can reach a full charge in around 2 to 3 hours.

Other Features

There are numerous other features that a generator may have, including the ability to charge through a carport or a 30amp cable to plug into an RV. These other features may not be important to everyone but will make a crucial difference to some when making the decision about which solar generator is right for them.

The 5 Best Solar Generators

Now that we know a little bit more about what to look for in a solar generator, let’s start comparing some of the many options available. There is a wide range of generators available from a variety of manufacturers, but some stand well above others when it comes to their quality and lifespan. Thankfully, we’ve gone over 5 of the most revered solar generators on the market to determine which one we think is the absolute best.

#1 Point Zero Titan

  • Capacity (Wh): 2,000
  • Life Cycle: 2,000
  • Continuous (W): 3,000
  • Fastest Solar Charge: 1 hour
  • Weight (lbs.): 66

titan expansion batteryThe Titan is made by Point Zero and supported by Powered Portable Solar, which is an incredibly reputable company when it comes to preparedness and survival supplies. They’ve made plenty of solar generators in the past, but the Titan blows all previous models out of the water. The Titan utilizes all of Point Zero’s knowledge of portable power in one impressive package.

Battery Capacity

The battery the Titan comes equipped with is a 2,000wh lithium-ion battery that is both incredibly powerful and relatively light when its capacity is taken into consideration. One thing that sets this battery apart from other 2,000wh batteries on the market is that it can truly utilize all 2,000wh. This is because the usable capacity of the Titan’s battery is closer to 97%, as compared to the traditional 90-80% that is found in comparable batteries.

Portability

The Titan is a fantastic and incredibly powerful solar generator, but it’s also heavy. At 65lb when one battery is attached, the Titan certainly lives up to its name. It is the heaviest generator on this list, but this fact is abated when you realize that it can come apart in two pieces. Yes, the Titan is, in fact, two separate pieces, with each piece only weighing 33lb.

Inverter Size

The Titan certainly exceeds expectations when it comes to the size of its inverter. Whereas traditional portable solar generators will feature inverter capacities of around 1,500W, the Titan features an inverter with a capacity of 3,000W. While 1,500W is fine for basic needs, it prevents the use of heavy equipment. Thankfully, the 3,000W inverter found in the battery of the Titan doesn’t have this problem. If you’re looking to get maximum power out of your solar generator, the Titan is an excellent choice.

Amount and Style of Plugs

All the power in the world means nothing without the means to use it, which makes the number of plugs another incredibly important feature to look out for in a solar generator. Thankfully, the Titan doesn’t skimp when it comes to plugs. It features 6 wall outlets, 4 DC plugs, and various USB options, including USB-C. It also includes a 30amp style RV plug that puts out more power than any other unit that has an RV plug. The Titan can push a full 25amps through the RV plug continuously.

Expandability

The Titan can be expanded in terms of both battery capacity and solar reception with added batteries and solar panels respectively. It’s battery capacity can be expanded upon with additional lithium-ion batteries, and there is no limit to the amount you can add on with this method. As the battery power is expanded, additional solar panels can be added to ensure that the generator isn’t taking too long to charge

Life Cycle

The Titan’s lithium-ion battery has a life of 2,000 full cycles, which is incredibly impressive.

Charging Speed

The charging speed of the Titan is determined by the amount of panels that have been attached. The Titan can have anywhere from 500w to 4,000w attached. With 500w it will recharge in about 4 hours, and with 4,000w it will charge in 1 hour. The charge controllers max out at 2,000w max solar input. However, an additional 500W from the smaller Titan 500 Kit can be added via additional panels, decreasing that time to only 2 hours. Whether your Titan is charging with additional solar panels or not, it will be able to charge well within the 5-hour time traditionally allotted for optimal sunlight.

The Titan can also be charged via a carport, but a full charge with this method will generally take around 17 hours due to the decreased power of the average carport. Car charging can be used in tandem with solar charging to maximize the efficiency of a charge, which is a pretty unique feature amongst solar generators.

Other Features

The Titan is the only solar generator on this list that comes with a 30amp RV plug. This means that you can run your RV off of your Titan without any extra hook-ups.

Conclusion

The Titan is arguably the preeminent solar generator on the market. This is an incredible portable solar generator that is certainly the best choice on the market when it comes to solar generators available today. The only caveats to the Titan are its hefty weight and size.

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#2 Maxoak Bluetti AC200P

  • Capacity (Wh): 2,000
  • Life Cycle: 2,500
  • Continuous (W): 2,000
  • Fastest Solar Charge: 2.4 hours
  • Weight (lbs.): 57

MAXOAK Bluetti AC200 Stock ImageThe Bluetti AC200P is another solar generator, this time from Maxoak. While Maxoak may not carry the same prestige as Point Zero, they put together an admirable product with the Bluetti AC200P. For those who can’t spring for the Titan, or who simply have more modest needs, the Bluetti should serve you greatly.

Battery Capacity

The Bluetti’s battery has a 2,000Wh capacity, the same as the Titan. As mentioned before, however, the Titan has a slightly higher usable capacity.

Portability

The Bluetti weighs a little bit less than the Titan overall, but it can’t be separated into two parts for increased portability. That means that although the Bluetti may weigh only 63lbs, it still weighs a good deal more than each individual 33lb part of the Titan. So the Titan, despite its increased size and power, is still a better portable option than the Bluetti AC200P.

Inverter Size

A pure sine wave inverter is used on the Bluetti, and it can crank out 2,000W of continuous power and 2,500W for a period of up to 2 minutes. While this isn’t quite as impressive as the Titan’s 3,000W, it’s still admirable in its own right.

Amount and Style of Plugs

Six wall outlet plugs are featured on the Bluetti, as well as 4 USB-A ports and 1 USB-C port. It also features a standard DC port, as well as two 5521-barrel ports that are rated at 3a. An additional feature included on the Bluetti is a couple of 15w wireless charging pads that will allow you to charge your phone without even having to plug it in, so long as your phone feature wireless compatibility.

Expandability

In terms of expansion, the solar input of the Bluetti AC200P cannot be expanded, and the battery capacity can’t. The nonexistent expansion capabilities of the battery make solar expansion less useful than on the Titan, but it can still allow you to get maximum charging power from whatever sunlight you can manage to get in the day.

Life Cycle

The Bluetti has a life of 2,500 cycles, which is fantastic.

Charging Speed

The Bluetti features a standard 700W in solar input. It can be over-paneled up to 1,400w but won’t let more than 700w at a time. This allows the battery to be charged in a little under three hours in most situations. As with the Titan, the Bluetti can charge from multiple places at once. You can charge the Bluetti from the wall and through the solar panels simultaneously, decreasing the amount of time it takes for the machine to reach a full charge. However, be sure to keep in mind that the battery takes 20 hours to reach a full charge when it’s being charged through a carport.

Conclusion

The Bluetti is a solar generator with a lot of pros, but it doesn’t quite live up to the Titan. If you can’t afford the Titan, the Bluetti is a great runner-up that provides an incredible amount of power in relation to its price and size.

#3 Jackery Explorer 2000

  • Capacity (Wh): 2,060
  • Life Cycle: 500
  • Continuous (W): 2,200
  • Fastest Solar Charge: 3.9 hours
  • Weight (lb): 43

The Explorer 2000 comes from Jackery, and it is the most impressive solar generator that the company has made thus far. Still, it is no match for the Titan or even the Bluetti. Despite this, it has a slight advantage in being lightweight and more inexpensive.

Battery Capacity

The Explorer 2000 has a battery with a capacity of 2,060Wh. Once again, remember that the Titan’s battery has a slightly increased usable capacity when compared to the completion, meaning the Explorer 2000’s battery still doesn’t quite match it in terms of pure usable capacity.

Portability

Jackery’s Explorer 2000 weighs 43lb, making it less heavy than the Bluetti, but still heavier than each separate piece of the Titan.

Inverter Size

In terms of inverter size, the Explorer 2000 offers 2,200W of output continuously. It utilizes a pure sine wave inverter, the same as the Bluetti. Still, it’s no match for the incredible power of the Titan. While you will get plenty of use with general appliances, you’ll have a harder time powering heavier equipment.

Life Cycle

Where the battery of the Explorer 2000 really fails in comparison to the batteries of the previous two entries is in terms of its life cycles. The battery of the Explorer 2000 has a life of only 500 cycles, meaning it ranks incredibly poorly when compared to the life cycles of the prior two. The battery only lasts ¼ as long as the Titan batteries.

Amount and Style of Plugs

In terms of plugs, the Explorer 2000 features four wall outlets, enough to run a modest amount of appliances. It also features a number of other plugs, including a 60W USB-C port, a 12W USB-A port, and an 18w USB-A port. In addition, there is a traditional DC port.

Charging Speed

The Explorer 2000 is advertised with a slightly deceptive solar reception rate, saying it can take in 800W of solar power. However, it’s taking in closer to 500W in practice. Because of this, the unit takes around 4 hours to charge until the battery is full.

Conclusion

Although the Explorer 2000 isn’t quite as impressive as the previous two entries on this list, it may serve some buyers nicely. If your energy requirements are going to be modest such as in a Van, it may be a nice buy. However, those looking for the absolute best choice should still go with the Titan, or the Bluetti if they can’t afford it.

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#4 Lion Safari ME

  • Capacity (Wh): 922
  • Life Cycle: 2,500
  • Continuous (W): 2,000
  • Fastest Solar Charge: 1.6 hours
  • Weight (lb): 45

The Safari ME comes from Lion Energy, which is a fairly new company when it comes to preparedness supplies. If the Safari ME is the best they have to offer, then the company still has a ways to go before they’re ranking alongside Titan. However, the Safari ME still has some tricks up its sleeves.

Battery Capacity

In terms of battery capacity, the Safari ME fails to excite with its 922Wh lithium iron battery. This is notably smaller than the capacities of the batteries feature in the three previous entries on this list. As such, the Safari ME is only going to good for incredibly modest energy needs.

Portability

Despite its decreased battery capacity, the Safari ME also fails to impress when it comes to portability. At least, in any significant terms when compared to its predecessors on this list. It weighs 45lb, meaning it’s not even the lightest entry without taking into account the 33-pound halves of the Titan.

Inverter Size

The Safari ME has a 2000W pure sine wave inverter, as well as a surge capacity that can reach 4000W. 2000W of continuous power is nothing to laugh at but remember that the battery’s smaller capacity means this kind of output can only be generated for a very small amount of time. In fact, a full charge without the battery expansion can only generate about 30 minutes worth of 2,000W power. Even with the battery expansion, it would only last for around 90 minutes. The Safari ME is worth looking at if you get the extra battery pack.

Amount and Style of Plugs

Sadly, the Safari ME only comes with two 120v wall outlets. However, it also includes 2 USB-A and USB-C ports, as well as a traditional DC port.

Expandability

The Safari ME does have an optional battery expansion that can be purchased separately. However, it weighs as much as the generator itself, and adds over 3 hours to the time it takes for the generator to charge. Given that the 600W solar input can’t be increased, this makes battery expansion for the Safari ME a bit of a tough sell.

Life Cycle

As previously stated, the Safari ME has a lithium iron battery, as compared to the previous generators’ lithium-ion batteries. Despite the decreased capacity of the battery, it has a slightly longer lifespan than some of the competition. The battery of the Safari ME has a life of 2,500 cycles, while its battery expansion is good for 3,500 cycles. So, although the Safari ME only offers modest power, its long lifespan makes it a good choice for those with minimal energy needs.

Charging Speed

The Safari ME has a maximum solar input power of 600W, meaning you aren’t going to be able to utilize a lot of the given sunlight in a day. However, the smaller capacity of the battery means that you’re still going to be able to charge your generator until the battery is full in less than two hours. The Safari ME can also be charged through a wall charger. Sadly, the Safari ME can’t be charged through the wall or the car.

Final Thoughts

Despite its interesting lithium iron battery, the Safari ME fails to impress in any significant terms in comparison to the previous three entries on the list. In fact, it can be considered a significant drop in value when compared to even the Jackery Explorer 2000.

#5 Inergy Flex 1500

  • Capacity (Wh): 1,069
  • Life Cycle: 2,000
  • Continuous (W): 1,500
  • Fastest Solar Charge: 1 hours
  • Weight (lb): 30

The Flex 1500 from Inergy is another model that doesn’t quite hold a candle to the Bluetti or the Titan.

Battery Capacity

The Flex 1500’s battery features a minuscule capacity of 1,069kWh. However, unlike on the Safari ME, this is just a traditional lithium-ion battery. The only benefit is that the Flex 1500’s battery can be removed and add more batteries if desired.

Portability

One benefit that the Flex 1500 has over a lot of the competition is its portability. The generator itself only weighs 30lb. Given that the battery can be detached, this means that the unit can be separated into two pieces, weighing only about 15lb each. Even the full Flex 1500 weighs less than each individual half of the Titan, meaning this is by far the most portable and lightweight option on this list. But that comes at a great cost.

Inverter Size

The Flex 1500 gets its name from its 1,500W inverter, which is fairly middle-of-the-road when compared to the generator’s competition on this list. While it isn’t quite as small as the 1,000W inverter on the Bluetti EB240, it is a far cry from the 3,000W inverter of the altogether superior Titan.

Expandability

The detachable battery makes it possible for more batteries to be added, expanding the generator’s overall capacity.

Amount and Style of Plugs

Although the Flex 1500 certainly isn’t the most impressive specimen, it has a fairly hefty amount of plugs to offer its users. It has 6 wall outlets, 2 DC ports, and 2 USB-A and USB-C ports.

Life Cycle

The Flex 1500’s battery is claimed to have about 2,000 cycles but also has been rumored to only have 500.

Charging Speed

The Flex 1500 can handle 400W of solar input, allowing its meager battery to be charged in just a little over 2 hours with just the base battery. One unique feature to the Flexx 1500 is you can add more charge controllers in order to charge even faster when more batteries are added.

Final Thoughts

While the Flex 1500 is certainly the most portable when it comes to solar generators on this list, it is nowhere near as impressive as the Titan or the Bluetti. In pretty much every way, it is the least powerful entry on this list and should only be purchased by those with the most minimal energy needs and budgets.

The Titan is the Ultimate Choice When It Comes to Portable Solar Generators

In pretty much every way, the Titan is the ultimate portable solar generator if what you’re looking for is pure power generation with an impressive battery capacity and a large inverter size. The Titan is also the best bang for the buck. With all its features it has the lowest cost for what you get.

Ranking the Rest

If the Titan is out of your price range, the Bluetti provides a package that is slightly more affordable, and only a bit less impressive. The other three all feature their own unique advantages, from the lithium-iron battery of the Safari ME to the incredibly manageable weight of the Flex 1500. No matter what your needs are, there’s going to be a portable solar generator out there that has exactly what you’re looking for! If you’re looking for the best of the best, go with the Titan.

Continue ReadingThe 5 Best Solar Generators Ranked and Reviewed

The 8 Best Portable Solar Generators and Kits Ranked & Reviewed

What makes a particular solar generator the best? How do we quantify a solar generator to know how it will work during emergencies, RVing, camping, or during blackouts? There has to be a variable that is comparable across all the best solar generator systems so they can be properly compared against each other.

3 Factors to a Good Solar Generator

There are three main factors when it comes to a solar generator: 1. Battery Capacity. 2. Inverter Size. 3. Solar Input.

Factor 1 – Basically, the battery has to be large enough to run everything necessary at a minimum through one night. Preferably, it needs to be a large enough battery to get through 24 hours or more of no sunlight to account for cloudy, rainy, and snowy days. Usually, this is a minimum of 2,000wh for very basic emergency items.

Factor 2 – The inverter needs to be large enough to run all the necessary equipment. Most common for emergencies that equipment is a fridge, freezer, small a/c, fan, phone chargers, laptop chargers, CPAP, HAM radio chargers, LED lights, sump pumps, microwave, toaster, coffee machine, washer machine, saws, tools, and so on. It does not have to be able to run all of those things at the same time, it just has to be able to run them when needed. Usually, this is about 1,500w, preferably 2,000w, all depending on what your needs are.

Factor 3 – The solar charge controller has to be large enough to accomplish two tasks. It has to be able to let in enough solar power to fully recharge the battery in a single day, which is 5 hours of sunlight. Secondly, it has to let in enough solar to run the necessary equipment during the day, while still fully recharging the battery. This generally means the system needs to be rechargeable in at least 3 hours or less in order to still run vital equipment like a fridge and freezer during the day and still get a full charge on the battery. Usually, the charge controller needs to be at least 1/3 of the capability of the battery capacity. For example, a 2,000wh battery should have about a 700w solar input. In 3 hours of sun, it would be fully charged.

I’ve also made up a fourth factor so that it’s easier to compare the price between all the units. Since this monetary measurement has never been created before, I invented it, I call it “Unit Wattage.” Basically, I take the 3 factors on the size of the battery, inverter, and charge controller, and see how many watts or watt-hours the unit will divide into the price of the unit. Then I take the average of those 3 numbers and it makes the average “Unit Wattage.” You’ll see as you go through each unit.

The Top 8 Best Portable Solar Generators

These solar generators compared here are based on specs that have been compiled into this comparison chart. There are some factors that are hard to account for and so positions in the chart can change.

#1 Best Solar Generator – Titan

titan solar generatorThe Titan has been out for quite a while now, long enough to know if there are any real issues with it, and there are not any issues.

The Titan, as a base unit, comes with 1 battery and 1 power module (inverter and charge controller). The battery is lithium-ion and has 2,000wh of capacity. The power module (top half) has a 3,000w pure sine wave inverter. The charge controller is 2,000w!

Of the top 8 best portable solar generators reviewed here, this has the largest inverter and largest solar input. But on top of that, has expandable batteries. This means I can use more Titan batteries to expand the Titan itself vertically, the Titan batteries stack on each other which is awesome, or I can use other batteries externally, such as the Lion Energy UT 1300s. The Titan batteries are rated to 2,000 cycles.

It is recommended to use lithium-based batteries. Lead-acid batteries are a thing of the past.

The solar charge controller is 35-145v and 30a at 1,000w. There are two of these solar charge controllers built into the power module which allows it to input up to 2,000w of solar.

It has the largest battery expandability, largest inverter, and largest solar input. But then doesn’t all of that come with heavyweight? Yes. But the Titan batteries can separate from the power module and other batteries to make it no more than 35lbs each piece which makes it one of the easiest to transport, especially for the power it has.

It is recommended to have at least 500w in solar panels on this unit because that can be charged in a day if you’re just running a fridge, fan, and a light. Really, it’s best to have at least 1,000w so that it can be charged in a few hours while still running lots of equipment. The Titan has a 2-hour charge speed with 1 battery and 1,000w of solar. Or if you have 1 battery, and 2,000w of solar, it can be charged in as little as 1 hour! The absolute fastest charge rate of any system, period.

The Titan has been running my off-grid cabin non-stop for about a year at the time of writing this. We have expanded it to have 4,000w of solar panels and 6,000wh of battery capacity. Since the charge controller is limited to 2,000w (which is almost 3x more than the next best unit) we can only input up to 2,000w per hour. But, since we have 4,000w of solar panels, this means we have 8 to 10 peak hours a day rather than just 5 hours.

Normally there are 5 solar peak hours a day depending on location and season. 5 hours x 2,000w in solar equals 10,000wh made in a day. But since we make 2,000w for more than 5 hours a day, we can actually make upwards of 16,000 to 20,000wh of power every sunny day. That is incredible!

Since upgrading our system to more batteries and more panels, we have never run out of power once. Not even during the darkest time of winter. The only time we ran out of power before was when we only had 500w of solar and we were running lots of equipment.

The Titan is customizable with however many batteries each person needs and up to 2,000w solar input. For some the Titan 500 Kit will work, others will want the Titan+ 2000 Kit because it includes an extra battery and more panels. The Titan allows you to find out what works for you. No other system really does that.

The Titan is at a fair price of $2,995 which means its Unit Wattage price is $1.33/unit wattage. This is the lowest of all 8 best solar generators. That means the Titan is literally the best bang for the buck, and it will actually cost you less to get this system over time than any other of the 8 best solar generators.

For complete Titan Solar Kits click here.

#2 Best Solar Generator – Bluetti AC200P

Maxoak Bluetti AC200PThe Bluetti AC200P is rather new but has had quite the following due to their successful launch on IndieGoGo. Originally, they started with the AC200 which had lithium nmc battery cells in it. Then they switched to the LiFePo4 batteries because they had more power, lasted longer, and were available.

The Bluetti AC200P is not expandable with batteries or more solar panels, so what you see is what you get. It has a good-sized battery at 2,000wh which meets the minimum recommended amount. Because the Bluetti AC200P solar generator uses LiFePo4 batteries, it has an incredible lifecycle rating of 3,500 cycles!

The pure sine wave inverter is also a very good size at 2,000w which means it’s capable of running all the things necessary during an emergency such as a fridge, freezer, coffee machine, microwave, toaster, small a/c unit, and so on.

The solar charge controller is rated to 700w solar input at a rate of 35-150v and 12a. This means that this system, like the Titan, can be over-paneled, allowing up to 1,400w of solar panels to be connected. It will still only let in 700w max input, but this allows nearly twice as much power to be made in a single day.

Having the extra panels means that it is easier to fully recharge the battery each day while still running essential equipment. The Bluetti AC200P will charge in just under 3 hours for its fastest charge time from 0% back to 100%. That means it meets the minimum recommend charge time and will still recharge in a single day while running essential pieces of equipment.

The biggest downside to the Bluetti AC200P solar generator is the weight. It comes in at 61lbs. It cannot separate the batteries from the inverter which means it has to be carried all at once which makes it very heavy. It is recommended that a furniture dolly or some form of wheels be used to move it around for those who wish not or cannot carry 61lbs easily.

The Bluetti AC200P is readily available on Amazon and is at a fair price of $1,998 which puts its Unit Wattage price at $1.63/unit wattage. 2nd place unit also has the 2nd place pricing.

Complete Bluetti AC200P Kit:

1x Bluetti AC200P

7-14x 100w Solar Panels

1x 100ft PV Connector Solar Cable

2x 15 PV Connector Solar Cable (only if you have more than 7 panels).

1x PV Connector Branch Connector (only if you have more than 7 panels).

#3 (Tied) Best Solar Generator – ElecHive 2200

Before you read too much about the ElecHive 2200 solar generator, you must know that as of the writing of this article, it still has not been released and so it is untested. The only prototype that has come out has been very buggy and had many issues. Zero Breeze said it was buggy and had many issues before they allowed the prototype to be tested so they are aware of the issues and said they will have them fixed when the production model solar generator is released.

That being said, if it does everything it says it will do, it is definitely #3 on the list of the best solar generators. Anything below #3 I have a hard time recommending. And as of right now, I cannot recommend the ElecHive 2200 solar generator because it hasn’t been released yet. But I digress.

The ElecHive 2200 solar generator has amazing specs, especially for how much it weighs. It has a 2,400wh Lithium battery. With a 2,200w pure sine wave inverter. And a solar charge controller built to let in 800w at 35-150v and 12a.

This means it has nearly the same charge controller as the Bluetti AC200P solar generator but allows an extra 100w of solar in. But because of the charge parameter, it too can allow for over-paneling and allow up to 1,400w of solar panels to be connected to allow for great solar input throughout the day. This makes it easier to get a full charge while running essential equipment.

But what sets the ElecHive 2200 apart is that for its capabilities it is only 42lbs. That is considered lightweight with these specs. And on top of that, it doesn’t use the standard 18650 lithium nmc battery cells that most solar generators have, which means it takes up less space and less weight on the battery. Very smart.

You may be asking, why isn’t this in second place then? The ElecHive 2200 has a larger inverter, larger battery, and more solar input than the #2 Bluetti AC200P. The reason is the lifecycles. It is only rated to 1,000 cycles on the battery which is too bad. If it had at least 2,000 cycles for the Lithium NMC battery it would definitely be #2. But effectively, the Bluetti AC200P will last 3x longer than the ElecHive 2200 solar generator, and for that reason, it is #3.

The ElecHive 2200 started on IndieGoGo at $1,099 for the unit. That is crazy cheap! But, it is still very untested and truly doesn’t exist yet, so it’s quite the gamble since the prototype unit didn’t do so well. It is said that the price will be about $2,500 for the ElecHive 2200 once it is being produced and shipped.

This means the ElecHive 2200 at $2,500 will be pretty fairly priced right at $1.77/unit wattage. Starting to get up there a little bit in price.

#3 (Tied) Best Solar Generator – Lion Energy Safari ME

The Safari ME solar generator, like the Titan, has been out for a little over a year now. It is a long-lasting and powerful unit.

It has a powerful LiFePo4 battery that is rated at 2,500 lifecycles. This is definitely going to be around for a while. But, the biggest issue with this solar generator is that only has a 922wh base battery built into it. That is quite small and will only run a fridge for about 12 hours and not much else.

It’s hard to recommend this unit without also getting the Safari XL battery expansion or also know as the Safari ME + Expansion. The extra Safari XL battery is 2,048wh which is plenty big just like the Titan batteries. Only 1 Safari XL battery can be added to the Safari ME solar generator, but it brings the total battery capacity up to about 3,000wh.

The Safari ME solar generator has a great pure sine wave inverter that is rated to 2,000w continuous output and 4,000w surge. It is fully capable of running all the essential emergency items or an RV/van.

It doesn’t have the largest solar charge controller, but it will allow up to 600w of solar power to go in it. Because it has a 30-60v and 10a charge controller, it doesn’t have the ability to over-panel. If I’m using my typical Rigid 100 solar panels, which are each rated to 100w output, I can connect them in a 3×3 series/parallel combo configuration and get 600w of solar attached to it. But with that, I am maxing the solar charge controller parameters and can’t add any more panels beyond that.

With 600w of solar input, it will recharge the base battery in just 1.6 hours which is incredibly fast. It’s only fast because the battery is so small but still, it’s fast. With the expanded Safari XL battery installed it will take about 5 hours to fully recharge the Lion Safari ME solar generator from 0% to 100%.

It does have a nifty 12v/25a DC output port so if you need lots of DC power for a Van, RV or HAM radio setup, then that is a really good option.

The base unit weighs 46lbs by itself and the additional battery weighs 44lbs, so in total it is 90lbs when put together. Luckily, it doesn’t all have to be carried at once.

It is priced right at $2,350 for the base unit without the expansion battery. With that it gives the Safari ME solar generator a high priced $2.55/unit wattage rating. That is nearly double what the Titan is.

Complete Lion Energy Safari ME Kit:

1x Safari ME

1x Safari XL Expansion Battery

6x 100w Solar Panels

1x 100ft PV Connector Panel Cable

2x 15 PV Connector Solar Cable

1x PV Connector Branch Connector

#4 Best Solar Generator – Inergy Flex 1500

The Inergy Flex 1500 solar generator is a very unique and cool unit. It is essentially a mini-Titan. It has half the inverter size, half the battery capacity, and one quarter the solar input and is about half the price.

The Flex solar generator battery is 1,069wh as well as each expandable battery. They are lithium nmc and are rated to 2,000 cycles just like the Titan batteries. However, the Flex solar generator batteries are only capable of running 1,500w continuously for 80% of their total capacity.

The Inergy Flex has a pure sine wave inverter that is rated to 1,500w continuous output and 3,000w surge. One of the biggest issues I’ve had with Inergy systems like the Apex and Kodiak has been the battery to inverter capacity. Essentially, the battery is not capable of running 1,500w for very long.

Inergy has said that with the Flex solar generator, it will not be limited like the Apex and Kodiak was in the past. The Apex, which was the model before the Flex, was only capable of running 1,500w for about 4 minutes before it would shut off. I hope that the Flex doesn’t have the same issue especially since they are claiming it can do more than the Apex and Kodiak.

It has a solar charge controller that Inergy says will allow 600 watts of solar power to go into it. The charge parameters are 14-90v at 30a. This means you can supposedly use either a series or parallel solar panel configuration to get the 600w, but is that true?

They claimed the same 600w limit on both the Apex and Kodiak too but it wasn’t possible. When we look at a typical 100w solar panel, it will make about 21v VOC (Open Circuit Voltage). Or in other words, the absolute max voltage it can make is 21v. It will often be closer to 18v in normal use, all depending on the sun and weather.

If we take six 100w solar panels and connect them in series which increases the voltage but not the amps, that would give us 6 panels x 21v = 126v. That is WAY more than the 90v limit. So that’s definitely not going to work.

If we look at it from the perspective of the amps, each 100w solar panel makes about 5.5 to 6 amps in full sun. Most of the time 6 amps is the max a 100w solar panel will make. If we connect the panels in parallel which increases the amps and not the volts, we get 6 panels x 6 amps = 36 amps. That too exceeds their charge parameter.

The only way to make this work is to do a series/parallel combo for connecting the solar panels. This means we will have three 100w solar panels connected in series (panel to panel to panel) in one group and then another three 100w panels connected in series in another group. There will be two groups of three panels. Then each of those groups of panels will connect together through an PV Connector Branch Connector (as long as the panels you are using have PV Connector connectors, not EC8 connectors). At which point you will have a 3×3 series/parallel panel configuration that makes about 63 volts and 12 amps.

Since Inergy doesn’t use common PV Connector connectors on their panels, I can only hope they make some sort of branch connector to make their panels work in that 3×3 configuration. They definitely are not going to get more than 500w in series or parallel on the Inergy Flexx 1500. After many years of being in business, you’d think they’d stop advertising 600w solar input when it is truly limited to 500w. The same goes for the inverter, don’t advertise a 1,500w inverter, if it can’t actually pull 1,500w constantly until the battery is empty.

It is said that it will have an MSRP of $1,500. It comes in right at $1.63/unit wattage. That is pretty low, but not the lowest price per unit wattage. But that will go up greatly once more MPPTs and batteries are added on.

 #5 Best Solar Generator – MAXOAK Bluetti EB240

Bluetti Solar GeneratorIn many ways, the MAXOAK Bluetti EB240 is also better than the Inergy Flex. The Bluetti EB240 doesn’t have the expandability that the Inergy Flex has and for that reason, it doesn’t beat the Inergy Flex.

But the Bluetti EB240 has a large battery at 2,400wh which is the largest so far, out of these top 8 systems, for a base sized battery. It is also different from the other units because it does not use Lithium NMC batteries which is the most common type of Lithium-Ion battery.

The Bluetti EB240 uses Lithium Polymer batteries. Most commonly lithium polymer batteries are what are used inside of cell phones. Instead of being the 18650 small cylinder cells, they are flat. One of the advantages is that it takes up less space inside the unit and therefore it doesn’t have to be as big.

One of the biggest differences with this battery is it is rated at 2,500 lifecycles. I am not sure how they got that number but according to their user manual, website, specs sheet, and so on, they claim that it has 2,500 cycles before it hits 80% efficiency which is great! 2,000 cycles is really the gold standard, so anything above that is phenomenal.

If you do the math, 2,500 cycles ÷ 365 days/year it will last just about 7 years (6.85yrs) before it reaches that 80% efficiency level. That is if you do that math based on using one full cycle per day.

The inverter is nothing to write home about. It is pure sine wave, which is great, but it is only rated to 1,000w of continuous output. This means you are absolutely not going to run anything big off of the Bluetti EB240.  The EB240 is seriously only going to be good for very basic preps such as running a fridge, freezer, lights, fan, CPAP, etc.… It is not going to run any corded power tools but could recharge cordless tool batteries.

The peak output of the inverter is only 1,200w which is really low. Typically, the standard is to have at least 2x the continuous output as the peak. In this case, it should be at least 2,000w.

I have had a few different people write to me and tell me that they were using their Bluetti EB240 solar generators and they stopped working suddenly. What had happened is they were running a fridge, and a freezer at the same time and both of those units happened to kick their compressors on at the same time, causing a large surge, and overloading the system.

The biggest issue with the surge is that it doesn’t notify you if anything happens as you can see in my video. There’s no loud beeping or noise to let you know that it needs to be reset. This is another time I recommend using outlet timers because then you can schedule the fridge to run for 30mins, and then the freezer to run for 30mins, alternating when they run. This will eliminate the worry about them surging at the same time and causing that overload.

It has an MPPT charge controller that will let in up to 400w of solar. It can be over-paneled up to 600w of panels. The charge parameter is 16-65v and 12a. FYI, their earlier models were labeled 10a max input but can actually input 12a.

The MAXOAK Bluetti EB240 beats the EcoFlow Delta 1300 because the Delta has the same solar input, but ½ the battery size. The Delta has a larger inverter but it’s almost pointless to have a large inverter with a battery that small. I explain this further down.

The Bluetti EB240 is usually about $1,700 but you can click here to see the current pricing. That brings it to a total price of $2.22/unit wattage which is a bit on the high side.

Complete MAXOAK Bluetti EB240 Kit:

1x Bluetti EB240

4 – 6x 100w Solar Panels

1x 100ft PV Connector Solar Cable

2x 15ft PV Connector Solar Cable (only if you get more than 4 panels)

1x PV Connector Branch Connector (only if you get more than 4 panels)

#6 Best Solar Generator – EcoFlow Delta 1300

EcoFlow Delta 1300 Solar GeneratorThe EcoFlow Delta 1300 had a lot of hype when it was first introduced. With a large inverter and lightweight size, it was boasting to be one of the best units available. As we can see, since it is in 6th place, it didn’t really accomplish that.

It has a rather small battery at 1,260wh total capacity. It uses lithium nmc cells like many units on the market. They are the 18650 cylindrical cells.

One of the amazing things it is capable of doing is it can run the 1,260wh battery at 1,800w output for the entire capacity of the battery. Most batteries will not push out more power than their total capacity. That means that a 1,260wh battery generally will not push out more than 1,260w of continuous power from the inverter. But the EcoFlow Delta 1300 can.

The inverter has a continuous output rating of 1,800w which is way better than the EB240 and the Flex. But, with such a small battery behind the inverter, it’s kind of hard to justify having such a big inverter. It will peak up to 3,300w off of the inverter which isn’t quite 2x the continuous rating but it’s definitely better than the Bluetti EB240’s.

The reason it is in sixth place is that it is not a big base battery. It is barely enough to run a single fridge for a whole night. This means, if it’s cloudy the next day, there’s no chance of it lasting more than a whole night which almost makes this unit useless. If it’s sunny every day then it will still be able to run the fridge all night, then continue to run it during the day, and get a full recharge.

With its same sized MPPT charge controller as the Bluetti EB240, it will let in up to 400w of solar. The charge parameter is 14v-60v and 10a. I have been able to get it up to 12a without any issues, which means it’s fully capable of running a 3×3 series/parallel configuration and having 600w of solar panels attached.

In fact, it’s impossible to attach up to 400w of solar to the EcoFlow Delta 1300 without using a series/parallel combo for the solar panels. I definitely recommend having at least 600w of solar panels on this unit so that it can be putting in the max 400w for as much time it can per day. If my fridge uses about 80wh and I’m making 400w, then I get a total input of 320wh into my battery each hour that the solar panels are making full power.

With a 1,260wh battery, it will take about 4 hours to fully recharge each day while still running a fridge. (1,260wh ÷ 320w = 3.93hrs to charge).

One very unique feature of the EcoFlow Delta 1300 is that it is able to chain together up to 6 other Delta 1300 units. Sadly, each unit will not allow you to add more solar panels, use 240v power, or increase the inverter output. But, you do get the added battery capacity. It’s a very bitter, and sort of sweet configuration. I can add more batteries which makes it expandable, but I have to pay for an entirely new unit to get that expandability.

I think they could’ve very easily made an expansion battery option that would allow solar panels to be connected to the battery itself which would double the solar input and double the battery capacity.

The biggest issue I have with the EcoFlow Delta 1300 is that when it’s used hard running lots of equipment, it tends to get very warm. When it gets that warm, it stops charging. When I did that test in my video, it wouldn’t charge again for a couple of hours. Those are very precious hours that would be lost recharging the unit, which could mean that it won’t get a full charge before sundown.

All in all, it will only cost about $1,400 which is a fair price but will end up costing $1.88/unit wattage which is not on the high side, but not on the cheap side either.

Complete EcoFlow Delta 1300 Kit:

1x EcoFlow Delta 1300

4 – 6x 100w Solar Panels

1x 100ft PV Connector Solar Cable

2x 15ft PV Connector Solar Cable (only if you get more than 4 panels)

1x PV Connector Branch Connector (only if you get more than 4 panels)

#7 Best Solar Generator – Goal Zero Yeti 6000X

Goal Zero was really the first company to make solar generators a big deal. They launched their Yeti 1250 Lead Acid system many years ago and have developed a few new generations since then. Unfortunately, and surprisingly, they have not kept up with customers’ demands since they are still selling systems that are not as good as I would’ve expected. Since they’ve been around the longest, you’d think they’d have the best systems.

The Goal Zero Yeti 6000X takes the last place in this top 8 best solar generator review because even though it has a very large battery, it is very limited in other ways.

The Goal Zero Yeti 6000X has the largest base battery size of any of these systems. It has a 6,071wh battery capacity that is supplied from the Lithium NMC battery cells. This thing is a monster. I thought the Bluetti AC200P was heavy at 61lbs, but the Yeti 6000X weighs in at 104lbs! That is a lot of weight to be moving around.

Of course, you can’t have a larger capacity without the weight, so that’s to be expected for such a large battery. But, it only has 500 cycles on the battery. That’s basically 1 year and 4 months of continuous daily use of one cycle per day before it reaches 80% efficiency. Not a very long time if you’re someone preparing for an EMP or long-term grid down situation. For camping, probably not a big deal.

The inverter is a 2,000w pure sine wave inverter that has a surge output of 3,500w. The surge/peak output is not twice as big as the continuous output which is okay, but I still would’ve liked to have seen a 4,000w peak. Overall, the inverter size isn’t necessarily bad, 2,000w is a pretty decent inverter just like the Bluetti AC200P and the Lion Safari ME.

The solar input on the Goal Zero Yeti 6000X is quite lacking. With only a max solar input of 600w, the Yeti 6000X will take over 10 hours to charge from the sun.

The Goal Zero Yeti 6000X has a charge parameter of 14-50v and 50a. The 50amp input is quite impressive, none of the other systems will allow up to 50 amps. This means the system is capable of over-paneling, but it’s not as easy as the other systems.

The average 100w solar panel will make about 21v. When panels are connected in series, the voltage is multiplied by however many panels are in that series. For example, two 100w panels in series have a total voltage of 42v (21v x 2 = 42v). When panels are connected in series the amperage stays the same. The average amperage per 100w solar panel is about 6 amps.

That means in order to just get 600w of solar panels connected to the Yeti 6000X I have to make three sets of two panels (2 x 2 x 2) making a series/parallel combo. Doing that will give me 42v at 18a. Technically, I can have up to eight sets of panels where there are two panels in each set (2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2). Which means I can over-panel the Yeti 6000X up to 1,600w of panels and still be within the 14-50v and 50a charge parameter. The only issue with that is companies don’t make PV Connector branch connectors larger than 6 to 1. So really, it can over-panel up to 1,200w. This is good, but for every set of panels, I will need a 15ft to 20ft panel cable just to reach the branch connector.

All in all, it’s a lot of work and extra accessories to get the Goal Zero Yeti 6000X to put in all of its power from the panels. Not my cup of tea. Even the Titan+ 2000 Kit has 20 panels to set up, and it’s easier to set up those 20 panels on the Titan than it is to set up the 12 panels on the Goal Zero Yeti 6000X.

With how complicated this system is, the low cycles, long charge time, and weight, it’s really taking the very bottom of the Top 8 Solar Generator list.

The Goal Zero Yeti 6000X is the most expensive of these units at $4,999.95. That gives it the highest price per unit wattage of the top 8 best solar generators at $3.89/unit wattage. Yikes!

Complete Yeti 6000X Kit:

1x Yeti 6000X

6-12x 100w Solar Panels

1x 100ft Heavy Gauge PV Connector Solar panel Cable

1x  15ft PV Connector Panel Cable (every two panels)

1x Branch Connector (up to 6 to 1 combiner)

Conclusion

There is no doubt that the Titan solar generator is the best one available. It beats every system in every way. It has the best battery expandability, best solar input, best inverter, best portability for its size, and it is also the cheapest per unit wattage price. It seriously wins in every aspect.

If you look back to the video comparing all of these units or the picture, you will see that it is simply the best system to go with, bar none.  The Bluetti AC200P is in second place, but truly, only good for basic emergency power needs. The same goes for the ElecHive 2200 and the Lion Safari ME.

The Titan sells out very quickly. The best thing to do is get one ordered as soon as possible so that you have the absolute best system around. Think about it, the Titan has been out for quite some time now, and the other top solar generator companies such as Goal Zero, MAXOAK, Lion Energy, Inergy, etc. still have not made a better unit even though they have released new units since the Titan launched.

The Titan is going to be around for a very, very long time. Get one now before the power goes out.

Continue ReadingThe 8 Best Portable Solar Generators and Kits Ranked & Reviewed