Hysolis MPS3K Solar Generator Review

Nearly no one has heard about the Hysolis MPS3K solar generator that has been on the market for quite a while. And even more, hardly anyone has had a solid review on the MPS3K. It is a direct competitor to what has been considered the reigning champion, the Titan. The other main competitors are the Bluetti AC300 and the EcoFlow Delta Pro solar generators.

How does the MPS3K compare to these other strong solar power stations? Does the Hysolis MPS3K have enough power and expandability to be able to run all essential equipment during a blackout or emergency? It definitely looks like it can, but let’s find out for sure.

It should be said upfront that this is definitely a very good unit and is extremely powerful. In many cases much more powerful than other solar generators. But that comes at a cost, and not a financial cost. It comes at a cost of convenience. Not only is it a heavy unit, but it is less user-friendly than other solar generators. For some people that is a good thing because they don’t like the bells and whistles of Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, wireless apps, and firmware updates.

Click Here for the Best Price on the Hysolis MPS3K

 

Comparison

So how does it compare directly to the other units on the market? It’s definitely top of the list. The MPS3K is up there with the Titan, Delta Pro, and AC300. Here is how they stack up against each other:

Inverter: MPS3K 3,000w | Titan 3,000w | Delta Pro 3,600w | AC300 3,000w

Base Battery Capacity: MPS3K 4,500wh | Titan 2,000wh | Delta Pro 3,600wh | AC300 3,072wh

Max Battery Expansion Capacity: MPS3K 27,000wh | Titan 270,000wh | Delta Pro 10,800wh | AC300 12,288wh

Base Solar Input: MPS3K 1,500w | Titan 2,000w | Delta Pro 1,600w | AC300 2,400w

Expanded Max Solar Input: MPS3K 3,900w | Titan 2,000w | Delta Pro 1,600w | AC300 3,000w

Customer Service: MPS3K, Very Good | Titan, Good | Delta Pro, Good | AC300, Very Poor

Base Price (Varies): MPS3K $3,595 | Titan $3,395 | Delta Pro $3,599 | AC300 $3,699

Price Per Unit Wattage: MPS3K $0.97 | Titan $1.51 | Delta Pro $1.42 | AC300 $1.84

The price of the MPS3K alone is amazing since you get nearly all the same main benefits of the other solar generators, but the MPS3K is below one dollar for the price per unit wattage. The price per unit wattage is a combination of comparing the inverter, battery, and solar input. Too often units are only measured against the battery, but that’s only one key feature of a solar generator which is why I compare them against those three features. For the features you get, it’s literally twice as good as the AC300.

In terms of how it compares to all of these other Heavycap units, it’s pretty much a winner in nearly every way. The 3,000w inverter is plenty strong. It doesn’t have the best maximum battery expandability but it’s extremely rare anyone ever has more than 10,000wh of battery. And it is unparalleled in solar input when expanded with extra batteries. And for that price, it’s basically unbeatable.

Click Here to View Our Live Comparison Chart

Power Output

The Hysolis MPS3K has a powerful 3,000 pure sine wave inverter. It has been found by nearly all solar generator users that 3,000 watts of output power is plenty for most people’s needs. It will only do 120v power, it cannot connect to another MPS3K in order to make 240v power. That will be a feature of the Hysolis Apollo which will be the big brother to the MPS3K.

3,000w of output capacity is plenty to run fridges, freezers, portable/window A/C units, lights, fans, microwaves, toasters, coffee makers, TV, Wi-Fi, and much more. It has the same size inverter as the Titan solar generator which has proven to be a very powerful solar generator for years. The Bluetti AC300 also has the same inverter capacity. The only solar generator of the same class that has a larger inverter is the EcoFlow Delta Pro with an inverter output capacity of 3,600w. In my many years of using solar generators, 3,000w has always been enough for everything I need it to do, so it’s not a problem that it’s not the largest inverter in the industry for Heavycap power stations.

It can surge up to 6,000w for those large inductive loads that are often found with heavy-duty power tools such as chop saws, air compressors, and electric drills.

The Hysolis MPS3K has four 120v (Nema 5-15R) house-style outlets. It also has one RV plug (TT-30R) that is rated to output up to 25a continuously. It includes a 12v DC cigarette lighter plug as well as multiple USB charging ports.

Battery

The Hysolis MPS3K uses an extremely large battery pack made out of Lithium NMC batteries. It has a total internal battery capacity of 4,500wh which is the largest of any solar generator’s internal battery capacity currently on the market. Because it has a 4,500wh battery and the inverter is 3,000w it is literally impossible to drain this battery faster than a .67 C rate.

A .67 C rate means that even if the max output was being used on the Hysolis MPS3K it wouldn’t hurt the battery. It means the battery can never be drained really hard which greatly increases the life cycles to help it last longer. It easily has 2,000 life cycles even though it’s a Lithium NMC battery.

Typically, Lithium NMC batteries do not have great life cycles and that is one of their biggest drawbacks. But they are much lighter than LiFePo4 batteries which makes them more portable. LiFePo4 batteries are heavier than Lithium NMC but have many more life cycles. Since the MPS3Ks battery is so large, it can easily handle many years of non-stop use and not degrade as fast.

It is a 44v system which is basically the same as a 48v battery system which is considered to be the most efficient way to use batteries when converting to AC 120v power. It’s much easier to convert 44v power to 120v power than 12v power to 120v power. Most batteries on the market are made in 12v which means it takes a lot thicker cabling and much more work for the inverter to get 120v. Having a higher battery voltage means you have a higher inverter efficiency which leads to getting more power out of the battery than a lower voltage battery.

But that’s not even the best part! The MPS3K can easily add five more batteries of 4,500wh each. That means it can easily get up to 27,000wh of total battery capacity! That’s massive! In my experience, that is easily enough power to run emergency essential items such as a fridge, freezer, lights, fans, and other appliances/devices for 4+ days even without any solar panels connected.

To add the extra Hysolis MPS3K expansion batteries is as simple as making sure the batteries are within 3v of each other, turning off the breaker for the batteries, connecting the new batteries, connecting the communication wire, changing the connection toggles on each unit (as shown in the user manual), hold the reset buttons on each unit and then turn on the breakers. And just like that it’s easy to go from 4,500wh to 9,000wh or up to 27,000wh depending on how many batteries are added.

To put that into perspective, having 27,000wh of total battery capacity is nearly the same as having 13 additional Titan expansion batteries attached to a Titan ($18,135 in batteries). The Delta Pro can only expand up to 10,800wh of battery capacity ($5,398 in batteries) at its maximum for a single Delta Pro unit. Not even the Bluetti AC300 can expand as high as the Hysolis MPS3K. The AC300 can expand up to 12,288wh of maxed-out battery capacity ($6,297 in batteries) for a single AC300 unit. The MPS3K maxes out at 27,000wh whereas the Titan can expand to as many batteries as are needed. But from my experience, it is rare for most people to go above 10,000wh.

A Hysolis MPS3K expansion battery is only $2,860 per battery. For a total of $14,300 for five extra batteries, the system will have more storage capacity than any other competitor. This is incredible, less cost per watt-hour, and more capacity, that’s a true win/win.

Click Here for the Best Price on the Hysolis MPS3K

Charging

But it still gets better. The Hysolis MPS3k reviews as one of the very top-recommended units for 120v power because of how fast it can recharge from solar and wall charging. The standard wall charging speed is 1,000w which is quite fast. The only unit that has a faster wall charger is the Delta Pro at a max of 1,800w. All of the other solar generators have slow-wall chargers.

The big benefit to having a really fast wall charger is being able to fully recharge the system quickly off of a gas generator. I personally use a propane/gasoline generator as a backup to my solar generators. In the event of really bad weather or other issues where I cannot get a good charge from solar panels, I can recharge the system in under 5 hours from 0% to 100% using the wall charger. And because the battery is 4,500wh it won’t charge it too fast which would reduce the life cycle.

When it comes to solar charging it has an impressive 1,500w solar input through an MPPT charge controller. The charge parameter is 60-150v and 30a. Very similar to the Titan’s solar input of 35-145v and 30a. That means it’s extremely easy to over-panel the Hysolis MPS3K solar generator. It’s easy to connect as much as 2,000w or more in solar panels to the unit so that it is making full power earlier in the morning and later into the afternoon. That is the power over-paneling, it increases the number of solar peak hours in a day to more than 5 hours. This makes it much easier to get a full charge even when weather conditions are not very good.

But wait, there is more! Not only does the MPS3K have a 1,500w MPPT charge controller which is great on its own. But it’s possible to add up to 2,400w of solar panels to each expansion battery! This is unheard of at this level. The Bluetti AC300 batteries are able to add 200w of solar to each battery, but that doesn’t even come close to the 2,400w that can go into the MPS3K Expansion batteries.

That means that with one expansion battery the MPS3K can have a total of 3,900w going into it from solar. You can only add one additional MPPT charge controller because when you add multiple batteries you use those ports to expand. So once more batteries are added there’s only one extra port for another charge controller. The only requirement is to get the Hysolis MPPT charge controller for each battery. The Titan has had the largest solar input of any system for many years at 2,000w of solar input. That has now been very excessively beaten with the MPS3K’s capability to add more solar to each battery.

The Hysolis MPS3K has a great solar input on its own, not to mention adding more power to each expansion battery is incredible.

It also does have the ability to charge from a 12v DC outlet such as a cigarette lighter port but since those can only put out up to 120w maximum it is unlikely that anyone would want to recharge their MPS3K using a 12v DC outlet.

 

Pros

The Hysolis MPS3K inverter is plenty strong for everything it needs to do. The battery capacity is good on its own, but then still has the ability to add quite a bit of battery capacity. The solar input is incredible. 1,500w of solar input is plenty for this system cause then it can be charged in just 3 hours but adding even more solar with the extra batteries is a massive advantage that no other system on the market has.

Click Here for the Best Price on the Hysolis MPS3K

Cons

The setup and user experience are definitely the hardest parts of the MPS3K. It looks very basic, doesn’t have a ton of info to give out, and putting it together with extra batteries takes a close look at the user manual. When it’s been done once it all makes sense. But doing it the first time to set it up takes a little patience for sure.

It’s also very heavy, at 121lbs, this is a tough one to move around with just one person. It is 100% recommended to get the moving cart option with this unit because it will make life much easier to move it around.

Conclusion

The Hysolis MPS3K beats all of the other Heavycap-sized solar generators in most ways. It has a very strong inverter, massive battery expandability, a massive solar input capability, and an amazing price.

I don’t know that at this time it can be beaten. For so long the Titan was the king, is that still the case? It’s debatable, but pretty much yes it beats it! The MPS3K absolutely gives it a serious run for the money.

What I know for sure is that should be taken very seriously when looking at backup power. And before a blackout, hurricane, flood, fire, or any other major issue arises, you want this unit in the garage ready to go for all of your backup power needs. I would not wait until it’s too late to get this because we never know what the supply chain issues will bring next.

Continue ReadingHysolis MPS3K Solar Generator Review

Whole House Solar Generator EcoFlow Delta Pro 240v Review

Newer and more powerful solar generators and power stations are constantly coming out. This is wonderful news! The industry is catching up to what people want in an emergency backup power option.

The EcoFlow Delta Pro is one of those systems that has brought to the market things that we’ve never had before. 240v capability, auto transfer switch, charging from EV stations super-fast, and much more. We’ll go over all of those things here in this full review of the Delta Pro in a 120v and 240v configuration.

Are you looking to run your well pump, keep all of the food in the fridge and freezer cold, and even run some air conditioning during the extreme heat of the summer? The EcoFlow Delta Pro is fully capable of accomplishing this. But is it the right system for you to go with? Does it perform better than the Bluetti AC300? Will it outpower anything that the Renogy Lycan Power Box 5000 can do? By the end of this review, we’ll know for sure.

Click Here for the Best Prices on Complete Delta Pro Kits

Output 120v

The Delta Pro launched in early 2022, and when it launched it officially became the most powerful system on the market in terms of how much power it can continuously output. Using a pure sine wave inverter and a full 120v and 30a of power output, the Delta Pro can push out 3,600w non-stop for as long as the batteries and solar can last.

It is full of all the necessary outlets to run without any issues. With 4 house-style outlets (Nema 5-15R) to run appliances like fridges, freezers, lights, fans, chargers, microwaves, toasters, coffee makers, TVs, Wi-Fi, security systems, and much more. It is easy to run a power strip off of those 4 outlets as well if there are a lot of things you need to run. Each outlet is rated to push out up to 20a but cannot do more than 30a total from all of the outlets combined which is normal. 20a out of a single outlet is impressive and is the highest rated output for any Heavycap or Ultracap solar generator on the market.

It has a 30a RV plug (TT-30R) that is rated to a true 30a output. The Titan, MPS3K, and AC300 all have the same plug but are only rated to 25a output. Do you need 30a of real output? Probably not, but if you need it, it’s good to have it. Having run my Titan solar generator in my RV for over 2 years now I’ve never had a problem with having a 3,000w inverter.

Some would say that the 3,600w inverter is overkill and not necessary since most people have been very happy with 3,000w of output from other solar generators. But if you can have more power potential, why not have it?

It has four USB-A charging ports and two 100w USB-C ports for extra fast power to compatible devices. The DC outlets are pretty standard with one 12v/10a DC cigarette lighter style port and two 12v/3a 5521 ports. But there is now a 12v/30a Anderson Powerpole port which will be very good for people who need a lot of DC power for running things like HAM radios.

The inverter will peak at 7,200w which makes it capable of running heavier equipment like air compressors, chop saws, and water pumps that have a really high starting wattage. Keep in mind that as a single Delta Pro unit, it cannot run a 240v well pump or any other 240v appliance. For that, two Delta Pros and a 240v Connection Hub are required.

It is possible to connect a single Delta Pro to an electrical panel but it will only supply power to one side of the electrical panel and only 120v power. Do not turn on any of the 240v breakers when only one Delta Pro is connected or it could cause damage to the device that uses 240v power and possibly the Delta Pro as well. I found for my electrical panel when I connect just one Delta Pro to my transfer switch that the right side of my panel has power and my left side does not.

My transfer switch is an SS2-50R connection, the connection types vary so be sure to identify which plug your transfer switch is.

Output 240v

This is hands down the best feature about the EcoFlow Delta Pro is that you can link two units together with the 240v Connection Hub and supply 240v power. Using the connection hub there is the option to use the L14-30R port and power something directly such as an electric dryer. Or it’s possible to take that and run it to a transfer switch and power an entire electrical panel up to 30a output at 240v.

When two Delta Pros are connected together, they can supply up to 7,200w of output power constantly through the large 4-prong plug on the 240v connection hub.

I personally chose to use my home transfer switch and use the proper cables to get my two Delta Pros connected to my household electrical panel. Keep in mind that it’s not possible to run any 240v equipment above 30a. Volts x Amps = Watts. 240v x 30a = 7,200w. Or it’s capable of still pushing out 120v and 30a from each unit which would total 120v and 60a for the 7,200w output.

I find it easiest to use the transfer switch, so I do not have to run extension cords anywhere around the house. This is how I run my well pump and have water throughout my entire house just like normal.

The way it works is that within an electrical panel there are two sides of breakers. Each side carries 120v of power. Where there are 240v breakers you’ll typically see two of the breakers joined together to make the 240v power. That’s because one breaker is touching the left side of the electrical panel and the second breaker is touching the right side of the electrical panel, therefore making 240v power.

By running 240v power to the electrical panel I am able to run everything in my house without any issues including my electric dryer. But since I have a propane dryer and an electric dryer, I don’t use the electric dryer when using the Delta Pros because it consumes 5,800w to run! That’s a ton of power. The best option is to use a clothesline.

I do not have central air conditioning and have found that most central air conditioners use at least 50a to run which means even a double Delta Pro setup in 240v will still not run central air conditioners. Window and portable air conditioners are definitely possible with either just one or two Delta Pros.

Click Here for the Best Prices on Complete Delta Pro Kits

Output X-Factor

One thing that nearly no one considers with solar generators is the “idle power consumption rate.” This is how much power is being used just to have the inverter (AC power) turned on while not running any equipment. The Delta Pro will automatically turn off after 12 hours of no AC power being drawn unless you change that setting within the app.

This is a big deal because if the unit is turned on but not running anything, it will steadily drain the battery. The EcoFlow Delta Pro has a phenomenally low idle power consumption rate of just 14w. This is similar to the Titan solar generator which varies but is around the same. For the Delta Pro, if it were turned on for 24 hours and not running anything, it would consume 336wh which is about 9% of the internal battery capacity.

But the big reason the Delta Pro is the preferred unit between it and the Bluetti AC300 is that the AC300 has an idle power consumption rate of 63 watts! The AC300’s battery, the B300, has a capacity of 3,072wh. And if put through the same condition of being left on for 24 hours while not running any equipment, it would consume 1,512wh total. That is 49% of the battery! The Delta Pro’s inverter is much more efficient and uses 5x less power than the Bluetti AC300. That is why it is the preferred choice between those two units.

Batteries and Expansion

The Delta Pro has a built-in battery of capacity of 3,600wh using LifePo4 cells. Using LiFePo4 cells greatly increases the weight of a Delta Pro to 100lbs. but it gives the solar generator a lot more life cycles. By using LiFePo4 instead of lighter Lithium NMC the Delta Pro will have at least 3,500 cycles before it reaches 80% efficiency. That’s basically 10 years of non-stop use before the battery reaches the 80% efficiency level.

The Delta Pro is capable of adding up to two Delta Pro Expansion Batteries. Each expansion battery also is 3,600wh of capacity. This gives a single Delta Pro with two batteries a grand total of 10,800wh of battery capacity! That is a lot of battery for anyone. To compare to the Titan solar generator, it would take 5 Titan expansion batteries to have a similar battery capacity.

When you have two Delta Pros you can have two batteries on each unit which means the grand total battery capacity maxes out at 21,600wh. For most people just running household essentials during power outages and emergencies will supply 3+ days of non-stop power just from the batteries without solar panels connected. If more equipment is run, then obviously that time goes down.

Each expansion battery uses the same LiFePo4 battery and connects directly to the back of the Delta Pro solar generator.

One of the greatest benefits of using the EcoFlow Delta Pro expansion batteries is that they do not need to be balanced or be at the same voltage as the main battery when connecting them together. Regardless of the state of charge of the main unit and external batteries, you simply connect them together, and the unit will auto-balance the entire system.

When there are two Delta Pros together for 240v power, the two Delta Pros will work independently of each other. If one has more battery than the other, it will not charge the one with less battery percentage.

Recharging

The EcoFlow Delta Pro can charge in multiple ways including wall charging, solar, car, and even electric vehicle charging stations.

When using the wall charger there is a switch on the back of the Delta Pro that allows you to select between slow charging and fast charging. The slow charger will charge the Delta Pro and any attached batteries at a rate of 400w total. When using the fast mode, it will charge up to 1,800w total. Some people prefer to slow charge because it is easier on the batteries and can help increase the life cycles. I personally prefer the fast mode.

If you want to go really fast, then use a 240v EV charger. On the front right side of the Delta Pro, there is a charging port called the Infinity port. You need the special EV Charging Adapter, but it will allow you to take the Delta Pro to an EV charging station and charge at a rate of 3,400w. This is called “level 2” charging and can be done at home with your own EV charger or at an EV charging station.

This makes it a very viable option to use the Delta Pro within a Van or an RV because it can be changed so quickly while on the road if the weather is bad or there are not enough solar panels to fully recharge the system each day.

When it comes to charging from solar, this is likely the weakest part of the Delta Pro. It has an MPPT charge controller that is very high quality and capable of inputting up to 1,600w of solar into the battery. But the charge parameter that is built into the MPPT charge controller is what makes it hard to reach having 1,600w of solar panels connected.

The charge parameter is 11-150v and 15a. It’s okay to have more than 15amps in solar panels connected but you never want to exceed 150v. In fact, it’s best to not exceed 130v it at all possible. If you exceed the recommended voltage, you will burn out the charge controller and have to send the unit it, and have a new one installed, and that’s not covered under the warranty.

The reason this is the weakest point of the Delta Pro is it’s hard to attach 1,600w of panels and stay within the charge parameter. For example, the EcoFlow 400w folding solar panel should be a perfect fit because if you have four of those solar panels there’ll be 1,600w in solar connected. When connecting solar panels, the most important specs to pay attention to on the sticker is the VOC (open circuit voltage) and the ISC (short circuit current). The VOC is the most voltage the panel can make, and ISC is the most amperage the panel can make.

When solar panels are connected in series, the total voltage goes up with each panel connected, but the total amperage stays the same. On the EcoFlow 400w folding solar panel the VOC is 48v, and the ISC is 11a. If four of those panels are connected in series, the total voltage connected would be 192v which would absolutely burn out the charge controller and ruin it. At most, only 3 of those can be connected and they would be at a total of 144v which is still above the recommended 130v.

That means to use those solar panels the only option is to have two groups of two for a series/parallel combo. The total voltage with four of those solar panels would be 96v and the total amps would be 22a. But since the charge controller can’t use amps higher than 15a, each solar panel cannot produce a full 400w of power, which means it can’t push in 1,600w into the Delta Pro.

With the high-quality Rigid 100 solar panels, their VOC is 21.59v and the ISC is 5.48a, it’s possible to get 1,800w of solar panels connected. There would be three groups with six solar panels in each group. This would be a series/parallel combo connection but does give the ability to over-panel just a little bit. But it’s barely reaching the full 1,600w rated capacity.

The Rigid 200 solar panels have performed the best in all of my testing, and we have successfully connected up to 2,400w of solar panels to each Delta Pro so they are over-paneled as much as possible. This makes it possible to get more than the average 5 solar peak hours in a day.

Click Here for the Best Prices on Complete Delta Pro Kits

Comparison

How does the Delta Pro compare to other units like the Bluetti AC300, and Renogy Lycan Power Box 5000?

Well the AC300 we know is inferior to the Delta Pro simply for the fact that the AC300 will burn battery power just by being turned on. The AC300 can do 240v power as well and can add a little more battery capacity and even more solar capacity, but that is basically negated by the fact that the energy is just burned off due to the unit being on. It really is a big killer for the AC300 that it uses so much power just to be turned on. It’s almost not worth getting the AC300 unless the extra batteries and solar are added just to help offset that idle power consumption.

The Renogy Lycan Power Box 5000 is a similar system with a 3,500w inverter, 4,800wh battery, and a massive 4,400w of solar input capacity. But it cannot do 240v power. And after reviewing the Renogy Lycan Power Box 5000 it appears to be impossible to get more than about 2,000w of solar to really go into the power station. So there seems to be some misinformation being reviewed and spread with the Lycan. Not to mention that the Lycan weighs 264lbs before adding extra batteries. So in my opinion, I feel the Delta Pro has many factors that are better than the Renogy Lycan.

The Titan solar generator is a very similar system with a 3,000w inverter, 2,000wh batteries that can be expanded to any capacity, and 2,000w of solar input. If a single Titan and a single Delta Pro were compared side by side, they’re pretty similar. A Titan would need one extra battery to be close to the same amount of battery capacity as a single Delta Pro. I’d say the biggest advantage the Delta Pro has over the Titan is its ability to expand more than the Titan. The Titan cannot make 240v power and when two Delta Pros are put together, they can easily have over 3,600w of solar connected which beats the Titan’s 2,000w of solar input capacity. The other huge advantage is that the Titan is perpetually in a backorder of about 8 weeks on average whereas the Delta Pro is usually in stock and ready to ship.

Pros and X-Factors

What sets the Delta Pro apart from the other solar generators on the market is its ability to make 240v power and connect to a house through a transfer switch. It’s also possible to use the EcoFlow Home Smart Panel which is like a transfer switch but will automatically transfer power from the Delta Pros to the house when the power goes out.

The Delta Pro is one of the fastest charging power stations from a wall charger, and also from an EV charger. The batteries will hold a charge for up to a year.

The EcoFlow App is a wonderful bonus to use with the Delta Pro. Once the Delta Pro is powered on, it’s recommended to connect it to the local Wi-Fi and then update the firmware to make sure it performs at its best. But in addition to that, once it’s connected to Wi-Fi it can be monitored from your phone regardless of where you are. You do not have to be at home or close to the unit to monitor if it’s connected to Wi-Fi. Within the app, you can also see how much power is coming in from the solar panels, how much power is going out, turn on and off outlets, change charge settings, and much more. The app is very easy to use and a huge bonus for Delta Pro and all the EcoFlow solar generators.

The ability to add batteries is a big bonus since it’s a very large battery capacity when maxed out.

There’s a 2-year manufacturer warranty to make sure you’re covered if anything stops working randomly. As long as the firmware is updated, there shouldn’t be any issues.

Cons & Issues

Many people have an interest in keeping this in the back of their EV (electric vehicle) in order to recharge their EV battery to get a little further. The Delta Pro cannot recharge an EV. There is technically a way to do it, but it is not recommended, and it will void the warranty on the Delta Pro. Some people don’t need EV charging so it may not be an issue for you.

Customer service has been mentioned many times on forums and groups stating that it’s lacking in help. Many people have called in for what they felt was a simple issue that should have a simple solution and no solution could be found with help from customer service. That and it doesn’t appear that their customer service team is located in the USA which gives a lack of faith to many people. For example, the customer service team insists that it’s impossible to run 240v power to a house using a standard transfer switch. They insist the EcoFlow Smart Home Panel is required, but many others and I have powered our houses without the Smart Home Panel. Whether this is a push to sell those units or not is debatable.

The expansion batteries must be EcoFlow’s expansion batteries. You cannot use other branded batteries. This isn’t a huge deal breaker because they have many great features like auto-balancing but it would be nice to have the ability to use other batteries. The Titan solar generator is the only unit capable of using other brands of batteries with the Titan.

It’s heavy, each Delta Pro is 100lbs. and each battery is 84lbs. But they do have built-in telescoping handles and wheels which do make a big difference on flat surfaces.

Click Here for the Best Prices on Complete Delta Pro Kits

Conclusion

There are many pros and cons to the EcoFlow Delta Pro system that I have covered in this full review. Personally, I really love this system. Is it the “end-all-be-all” of all solar generators? Probably not. But the ability to have 240v power and run my house comfortably for many days on end is something that’s hard to put a price on. I have personally run my house for four days straight with just 2,520w of solar panels connected which wasn’t even the max solar I could connect.

Anyone looking to make themselves and their families very comfortable during power outages should seriously look at the EcoFlow Delta Pro. And if you’re truly interested in it, you should order it sooner than later because we never know what new supply chain issues may arise.

I love mine and am 100% sure you will love yours too.

Continue ReadingWhole House Solar Generator EcoFlow Delta Pro 240v Review

Is the Oukitel P2001 a Good Solar Power Station?

Overview

The Oukitel P2001 solar generator is a powerful tool that can run and charge multiple items at once, though it is not particularly convenient for on-the-go or outdoor use. If you’re looking for a moderately large amount of watt-hours, lots of cycles in the life of the generator, convenient cord storage, and good emergency preparedness, then this power station is a great option. However, if you’re looking for something light and simple just for camping or other light recreational use, this power station may not be for you.

Battery

The Oukitel P2001 power station has 48 LiFePo4 (Lithium Iron Phosphate) cells that contain enough energy to power most appliances, including a refrigerator for an entire day.

Recharge

When plugged into an AC power source (such as a typical wall outlet), the Oukitel P2001 can charge from 0% to 100% in 2 hours. This fast charge is impressive for a power station of this size. When plugged into solar panels, the Oukitel P2001 can charge in as little as 4 hours. Though when tested, we have found that it takes 4-5 hours minimum with full direct sunlight without running any equipment while charging.

Click Here for the Best Price on the Oukitel P2001

This is also true of the car charging speed of the Oukitel P2001, as both the car charger and the solar charging cords plug into the Anderson input outlet on the left side of the solar generator, which has a maximum input rate of 500 W. These are slower than AC charging because the AC input has a max of 110 V, allowing the power station to receive more energy faster.

General Info

The Oukitel P2001 solar generator weighs 49 pounds and measures 15.5” x 11” x 13”. With 2 metal handles, it is easier to carry than if there were only one, but it is pretty hefty, and therefore not good for frequent moving. This makes it not very convenient for camping, hiking, and on-the-go use, though it is very useful when frequent moving is not a concern.

When fully charged, the Oukitel P2001 is capable of storing 2,000-watt hours of energy and over its lifetime is rated for 2,000 full cycles, ensuring long life and lots of use. Another convenient feature of this power station is the shelf life – the Oukitel P2001 can sit charged for an entire year before the battery drains, making this solar generator a good choice for emergency preparedness.

The Oukitel P2001 has a 2-year warranty and sells for around $1,699 without solar panels. Though this is a good chunk of money, the warranty, life cycles, and watt-hours help offset the cost, ensuring that customers get the value of what they pay for.

The Oukitel P2001 comes with an AC charging cord, a solar charging cord, and a car charging cord that plugs into the ports in your car for charging while traveling. This solar generator is designed for use with all solar panels that aren’t specific to only one power station.

The LCD display panel of the Oukitel P2001 has a variety of information for the user’s convenience. The display panel shows the energy input into the power station, the energy output of the power station, the percentage of battery that is charged, the estimated time remaining based on the current load being run, which ports are currently running power, and the temperature warnings that appear when the power station is either too hot or too cold.

Ports

The Oukitel P2001 has one overall power button that turns on the display screen and four smaller power buttons that turn on different parts of the solar generator. Overall there are 16 outlet ports on the power station in a variety of different types. 

On the left side of the Oukitel P2001 is the input section. Here there is a rigid plastic flap that lifts up, revealing 2 ports for power input, one AC (to attach the cord that plugs into the wall) and one Anderson port (to charge from solar panels or from a vehicle). 

On the front left of the solar generator is a 12 V 10 A cigarette lighter plug that allows you to plug in any device that you would usually plug into a car, an XT60 12 V 10 A port, and two DC5521 12 V 3 A ports. Both the cigarette lighter port and the WXT60 port have covers, though none of the other ports on the front have covers.

The middle section on the front of the power station is the USB ports. There are 2 traditional USB A ports, 2 fast-charging USB A ports, and 2 USB C ports. The right section of the front of the power station holds the light. The light has three modes, solid, SOS, and flashing. To turn it on you have to hold the power button until the unit starts beeping, and the unit beeps every time the light is turned on or off.

On the right side of the unit are the AC output plugs. Just like their counterparts on the left side of the unit, the AC and Anderson input ports, the 6 AC output ports are covered by a large solid plastic flap that you lift to plug items into the power station. The AC output plugs have a continuous output capability of 2000 W (1,100 W in UPS mode) and a 4000 W peak. This is helpful because most appliances require more energy when they start up than when they’re running, so while the power station may only need to continuously run 2000 W, it may need up to 4000 W for a few seconds while any large energy-consuming appliance starts up.

The Oukitel P2001 is able to be plugged into a power source while running other devices, which is called UPS technology. This allows the Oukitel P2001 to constantly be charging and full of power, and then if the source of the power station’s energy stops feeding it, the power station will start powering the devices plugged into it within 10 milliseconds, an incredibly fast turnaround time that allows the user to keep using their devices without a hitch. Generally, this technology works best with appliances and devices that use 1800 W or less.

Strengths

The 2 metal handles of the Oukitel P2001 are a definite perk for transportation. Another useful feature is the storage compartment located between the two handles that is a convenient size for storing the AC charging cable, the Anderson solar charging cable, and the Anderson car charging cable, ensuring that your power station and its cables don’t get separated from each other.

Oukitel advertises the ability of the Oukitel P2001 by showing that you can charge or run anything from a microwave to an electric vehicle with the solar generator, and a refrigerator can be run off of it and last an entire day so long as the door isn’t opened with high frequency. This is good for emergency preparedness and being ready in case of disaster to help keep food cold and any essential items running.

The Oukitel P2001 has an extraordinary range of running temperatures. This power station can run in temperatures as low as 3° F and up to as high as 104° F and can be stored in even lower temperatures, even down to –4°  F.

Click Here for the Best Price on the Oukitel P2001

Weaknesses

A weakness of the Oukitel P2001 is that it has no option to attach expandable batteries, so the battery capacity is fixed at 2000 watt-hours. If there is ever a need for more energy storage, the Oukitel P2001 has no way to meet that demand. Instead, the user simply has to purchase a new power station. However, with the large amount of power that can be stored in the Oukitel P2001, most users will not find the need for more energy storage.

The time remaining feature on the LCD screen is not very accurate, though when there are larger energy-consuming loads running it is more accurate than when there are smaller energy-consuming loads. This, while slightly annoying, is more inconvenient than a deal-breaker. This can easily be worked around by seeing how much battery each device takes and calculating how long the rest of the battery lasts.

Another downfall of the Oukitel P2001 is the way that the solar generator is not really designed with outdoor use in mind. It is not waterproof or particularly water-resistant. Some ports are covered, some are left exposed, and even those that are covered are covered by rigid plastic flaps that have no place to retract when the station is in use, leaving them vulnerable to being bumped and broken off. In addition, the air intake grills on both sides of the Oukitel P2001 are not well protected from rain. 

This solar generator is powerful, but cannot be left outside unprotected from the elements. As an indoor unit, or protected from weather, this unit is quite powerful. The non-weatherproof aspect of the OUkitel P2001 makes it non-ideal for camping and outdoor living, as well as its weight.

Comparable Units

The Ouktiel P2001 has a very high voltage when compared to similar solar power stations. Whereas other comparable power stations such as the Jackery Explorer 1500 is rated at 24 V, the Oukitel P2001 is rated at 51 V, allowing the user to power more devices at once than most of the competition. While the Allpowers Monster X Pro and the Pecron T600 have a capacity of 51 V, they both have Lithium NMC batteries, which means that they aren’t designed to last as long as the Oukitel P2001’s LiPo4 batteries.

While the non-increasable battery seems annoying, for this size solar generator it’s not uncommon. Only a few other power stations have the ability for the user to add batteries, including the Inergy Flex 1500 and the Lion Energy Safari ME. The downside to both of those is that they both have a small individual capacity than the Oukitel P2001. The Oukitel P2001 may not be able to add battery capacity, however, it has far more battery capacity than the Inergy Flex 1500 or the Lion Energy Safari ME do without purchasing battery-extending capabilities.

The 4-5 hour minimum charge time of the Oukitel P2001 isn’t the fastest of all the competition, but it’s pretty mid-range, with other comparable solar generators taking anywhere from the Lion Safari Energy ME taking 1.6 hours to charge up to 922 watt-hours of capacity, to the Pecron T600 take a full 14.1 hours to charge 5,657-watt hours of energy. For the amount of energy it stores, the Oukitel P2001 charges at a decently fast rate.

Click Here for the Best Price on the Oukitel P2001

Conclusion

Overall the Oukitel P2001 is a useful power station with a lot of great features. It is convenient for emergency preparedness and indoor/covered use but is not designed for light use and frequent transportation. 

Continue ReadingIs the Oukitel P2001 a Good Solar Power Station?

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.

Click Here for Best Prices on the #1 Solar Generator

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.

Click Here for Best Prices on the #1 Solar Generator

#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.

Click Here for Best Prices on the #1 Solar Generator

#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

Jackery Explorer 2000 Review

The Jackery Explorer 2000 launched and was sold out within hours of the launch beginning. Many people have been anticipating their new solar generator launch because every year on March 18th they launch their new products. They launched a Jackery Explorer 2000 and a Jackery Explorer 1500. The Jackery Explorer 2000 has some incredible specs and features that will make many people want to take a look at this unit.

The Jackery Explorer 2000 is their largest unit that they’ve released so far. The largest before was the popular Jackery Explorer 1000. There were a few things that didn’t go so well with the Jackery 1000 but it was lightweight and easy to use.

The Jackery 2000 has many new features such as an upgraded display screen, an upgraded fast wall charger, and is extremely compact for its capabilities. With a max solar input of 800w, this unit should charge up extremely fast. But the solar charge rate may actually be the #1 reason you don’t want to buy this unit. We’ll address that shortly.

The Jackery 2000 is very similar to the Bluetti AC200 and the Elechive 2200 solar generators. The Jackery Explorer 2000 will be slightly more in price than the Bluetti AC200 and a little less in price than the Elechive 2200.

Battery

Jackery has proven itself to be a major company in the power station and solar generator world. They are tried and true and have become a very reliable company for customers to work with.

The Jackery Explorer 2000 has a 2,060wh lithium nmc (lithium-ion) battery that helps keep it lighter for its size. This is what gives most of the weight to the unit at a total weight of 43lbs. That’s definitely on the heavier side but not totally unmanageable. By comparison, the Bluetti EB240 weighs 48lbs, has a 2,400wh battery, but only a 1,000w inverter, and only 400w of solar input.

The Jackery 2000 has a similar-sized battery to the EB240 but has twice the inverter size and twice the solar input and it weighs less than the EB240.

What’s new with the Jackery 2000 is that it uses a 36v battery instead of the traditional 12v battery. Having a higher voltage battery makes it more efficient so you get more power out of the battery through the inverter.

Sadly, the Jackery E2000 is only rated to 500 cycles of battery life. Many different companies rate their batteries in different ways, but it would be nice to see more than 500 cycles out of this unit since it is a powerful unit. It is rated to last 500 cycles or 8 years before the battery is at 80% efficiency.

Inverter

One confusing feature of the Jackery 2000 is that the name doesn’t exactly refer to the size of the battery or the inverter. Since the inverter has a 2,200w continuous output capacity and the battery is 2,060wh, it can get confusing why they put “2000” in the name.

But this unit uses a pure sine wave 2,200w inverter that is very powerful for its size. What’s nice about having a 2,200w pure sine wave inverter is that the Jackery Explorer 2000 is capable of powering anything that you’d plug into a normal wall outlet at home. Whether it’s a microwave, toaster, coffee maker, fridge, tv, chop saw, room-sized/window a/c unit, e-bike, you name it and it can run it.

Now it will only run as long as it has enough battery power or solar power but still, the inverter is very strong. It can be running a fridge and a microwave at the same time which is a nice feature since we don’t want to unplug the fridge just to heat up a burrito.

One neat feature or what some may consider an annoying feature is the auto-off setting in the Jackery Explorer 2000. If there is less than a 25w draw for more than 12 hours, it will automatically shut off. This could be problematic for some if they are just charging a phone since a phone won’t draw more than 25w. But they are also unlikely to be charging for more than 12 hours. This will most likely be appreciated by most people in case they forget to turn it off it won’t drain itself to empty.

Another nice feature is if you overload the unit and it’s not working properly you can reset the battery and the whole system completely. Normally if you use too much power, the Jackery 2000 will simply cut power to all outlets. Then you can turn it off, turn it back on and it will work again. But if for some reason it doesn’t do that, you can hold the USB and Display button for 13 seconds and it will completely reset the system. This is the same idea as other solar generators but other solar generators usually have a breaker button that can be used.

The inverter is actually capable of running 20amp equipment if needed as well.

Charging

This may be the one reason you may want to reconsider getting a Jackery Explorer 2000 or any Jackery solar generator. The Jackery 2000 says it can handle up to 800w of solar input which is incredible for a unit of this size. With a battery size of 2,060wh and a solar charge rate of 800w this system can be recharged in as little as 2.6 hours.

That’s a very fast charge rate which means it’s easy to use the Jackery 2000 all day long to run something like a fridge and then still be able to recharge it fully by the end of the day while still running equipment all day long.

With those kinds of charge speeds, this would be the first Jackery solar generator that could be recommended to have for emergency preparedness and longer blackouts. But, can it really input the full 800w it’s rated to?

With every Jackery Explorer solar generator that has ever been released, none of them have had the ability to reach their full solar input rating. For example, on the Jackery Explorer 1000 video, the maximum solar input we could get was 130w even though it has a 200w MPPT charge controller. That’s only 65% of what the rated amount is. That’s not very good at all.

The Jackery Explorer 2000 is rated to 800w solar input between two MPPT charge controllers (400w each) but Jackery specifically explains that the fastest time that the E2000 can be charged in is 3.9 hours. If we take 2,060wh and divide it by 3.9 hours that tells us the max solar input of (2,060wh ÷ 3.9hrs) 528 watts. Then if we take the actual solar input of 528w and divide that by the rated input wattage of 800w we get (528w ÷ 800w) 66%. That means that Jackery has stayed on par with their previous units of only being able to input about 66% of the total rated solar input. That’s not great.

Losing the ability to charge nearly 300w more per hour is huge! An 800w solar charge rate is extremely fast for a unit of this size. Really they need to advertise to people that it has a 500w solar charge rate and then when people get above 500w they are happy. Rather than saying it’s an 800w solar charge rate and people can’t get above 528w and be upset. This is something that everyone needs to know about this unit.

Everyone who’s interested in this unit needs to be aware that they are looking at around 4 hours to charge it up instead of about 2.5hrs. This is really unfair to do to customers. It’s all about letting people know upfront what they’re actually getting.

Does that make the Jackery Explorer 2000 a bad unit to buy? No, not necessarily. There are 5 solar peak hours every day. Meaning for 5 hours every day, on average, you can make the maximum wattage your solar panels are rated to. If you’re using the Jackery SolarSaga 200 solar panel it is capable of making 200w for up to 5 hours each day. It will still make power when the sun is out outside of that 5-hour window but you can count on the 5 solar peak hours to be the average solar production each day.

With a 4 hour charge time, it’s still potentially possible to get a fully charged unit while still running vital equipment such as a fridge and freezer all day long. Especially if you use an outlet timer to control when the fridge and freezers are running during the day and night. This is best used when there is a power outage to help conserve energy off of the unit.

It may not charge in 2.6 hours, but it still may be a good unit for you if you don’t need it to charge in less than 4 hours. At a minimum, because it still can be fully charged in a day in under 5 hours, it’s still a solar generator that can be recommended for small power outages.

On a happier note, it does use a very fast and simple wall charger that will charge the entire system from 0% to 100% in 2.6 hours from a wall outlet. And it does include a car charger that will recharge the whole system in 18 hours which is a typical charge rate for any solar generator.

Outlets

It has four AC 110v outlets which are the most Jackery has ever put on any of their units. Four outlets are usually enough to run all the essentials during a blackout or while traveling. Running a fridge, freezer, laundry machine, and microwave is all possible on the Jackery 2000. Of course, it’s easy to grab a power strip and add more outlets too but you just can’t exceed the 2,200w output of the solar generator.

There is one USB-C 60w port, one USB-A 12w port, and one USB-A QUAL COMM 3.0 multi-voltage port that can go up to about 18w output.

There is the standard regulated 12v and 10a DC cigarette lighter port that is typical with all Jackery solar generators.

For having an inverter and battery this large in the Explorer 2000 it would have been nice for them to include an RV plug since it is capable of running small RVs. It is also possible to simply purchase a 15a to 30a dog bone adapter as well and run an RV that way. Keep in mind, it is not going to run the A/C very long at all but will run pretty much everything else quite well.

Pricing

For everything that is included in the Jackery Explorer 2000, it is a very fair price. I have developed a way of comparing all solar generators’ prices based on their battery size, inverter size, and solar charge controller size. Those are the three most important features in reviewing any solar generator.

I take the total price of the unit and divide that into the rated limits of those three items in the solar generator. The Jackery Explorer 2000 costs right about $2,099. With a 2,060wh battery, 2,200w inverter, and 800w solar charge controller, the “Unit Wattage”, as I call it encompassing the biggest features, comes out to be only $1.53/unit wattage. That is considered to be a very good price for all the features you get.

However, after reviewing the Jackery 2000 and knowing that we can only get 528w of solar input, if we substitute that true number for the rated number for solar input and redo the math it comes out to be $1.98/unit wattage which is only okay.

The best solar generator that has the lowest “unit wattage” is the Titan solar generator. The Titan has a 3,000w inverter, 2,000wh batteries that are expandable, and has 2,000w of solar input. The Titan’s unit wattage price comes out to be only $1.33/unit wattage which means it is a better “bang for the buck.” For everything included in the Titan, it is the absolute most affordable system to go with when factoring in all its features.

There are other features to the Titan such as its ability to split into multiple pieces so it never weighs more than 35lbs which makes it lighter/easier to move than the Jackery 2000. It is also rated to 2,000 cycles per battery and includes a 30amp RV plug on it. The Titan is considered the #1 best solar generator currently. But maybe you don’t need the strongest solar generator available.

Conclusion

After investigating different reviews of the Jackery Explorer 2000 and comparing it to other solar generators, it is safe to say that the Explorer 2000 is truly the best solar generator that Jackery has made so far.

It is fully capable of running bare essentials for long-term power outages or running a small RV. For outdoor activities and camping, it is a great resource and will help many people in times of need.

It may not be the #1 solar generator of all the different solar generators currently available, but it is definitely within the top 5. A unit that anyone would be proud to own.

Continue ReadingJackery Explorer 2000 Review

Titan Solar Generator 1 Year Review

It’s no secret that I helped design the Titan solar generator. I worked with the owners of Point Zero Energy to bring to market the absolute best solar generator that has ever been made.

You may say that I have a biased opinion. But truly I don’t. If something else comes out that’s better, then that is what I will recommend to people. The fact is, the Titan has been out for well over a year, and even the largest solar generator companies such as Goal Zero, MAXOAK, Ecoflow, Inergy, Renogy, and so on have not produced anything better.

In fact, most of those companies have all come out with new solar generator models in the last 6 to 12 months, well after the Titan had been released, and still, they haven’t beaten the Titan.

Take a look at this video and article that shows an apples-to-apples comparison between the Top 8 Solar Generators:

Keep in mind, that even though I helped design the Titan with the owners of Point Zero and have known them for many years, I own 0% of the company, am not on the payroll in any way, shape, or form, and even had to purchase my two Titan solar generators for myself. I have received ZERO compensation from Point Zero for my consultation, designs, or input. And I am perfectly okay with that.

To be clear, I am not complaining. I wanted to help bring to market the best system ever, and I am proud that I was able to be a part of that. What I am saying is that I do not have a biased opinion since I have had to pay thousands upon thousands of dollars for my own Titan equipment.

Click Here for the Best Titan Kits

Off-Grid Cabin

How has the Titan solar generator been over a full year? I literally had the first unit and have been using it for well over a year. Shortly after receiving my first Titan, I bought our off-grid family cabin that needed a little bit of work in regard to electricity.

When I bought the cabin it actually had an old Inergy Kodiak as the “off-grid” setup. It came with solar panels to charge the Kodiak and the extra batteries but to no surprise, the Kodiak and extra batteries were long dead. I like the Kodiak, but the batteries actually impede the capability of the Kodiak. Not to mention that the cables from the solar panels had fried because Inergy was a little misleading in how to set up solar panels on the Kodiak and other systems they have made. That’s one reason I don’t recommend or use their equipment anymore.

I needed a serious power solution that could replace the existing solar equipment. Obviously, the Titan was my choice because it has a 3,000w inverter which is powerful enough to run everything in that cabin all at the same time. Also, since the Titan has very easy-to-use expandable batteries I knew I wouldn’t have any complicated wiring setups with external batteries.

I was able to take the existing solar panels that were up at the off-grid cabin and connect them with some other salvaged solar panels to make more power for the Titan and the cabin. It worked very well for our basic needs. Running lights, fan, full-sized fridge, TV, electronics, chargers, and so on.

The thing that surprised me the most was how much electricity our propane gas oven used. What never occurred to me is that the oven didn’t have a pilot light as a gas stove would. It uses an electric igniter that gets glowing red hot in order to ignite the propane to heat the oven. The igniter is not always on when the oven is baking/heating but it turns on and off periodically. The igniter alone uses about 700 or more watts to run. That’s quite a high amount of power to run a little igniter.

I wanted the off-grid cabin to not only be a fun and enjoyable place for my family but also a potential bugout location in case of a severe emergency. That means it needed to be ready for long-term living.

That is why I upgraded the solar panel array and added more batteries to my Titan solar generator. I had a total of 3 Titan batteries and 4,000w of solar panels.

We have let many people stay at the cabin in an effort to figure out all the different issues that we didn’t know about so we could work on them and get them fixed for long-term living.

We found we had septic issues, water line issues, propane issues (nothing dangerous), and other small quirks. But one issue that never came up, was the Titan. With 6,000wh of battery, it is equivalent to 2-4 days of stored power depending on what is being used and how the power is rationed. Essentially, if the sun didn’t shine for 3 days and we rationed the power, we could last all the 3 days running the bare essentials.

But, because I installed 4,000w of solar panels I increased our solar peak hours from about 5 hours a day to about 8 to 10 hours a day depending on the time of year. That means, rather than being able to only make up to 10,000wh of power per day, I can make upwards of 16,000 – 20,000wh of power by having the Titan “over-paneled.”

Over-paneling just means having more panel wattage connected to a system than what that system can let it. The Titan can only let in 2,000w of power, but because I have 4,000w connected it is over-paneled.

Click Here for the Best Titan Kits

If I had 2,000w of panels connected, at 9 am I could be making about 1,000w since the sun isn’t very high up in the sky yet. But with 4,000w of panels connected, at 9 am I’m making twice as much power as I would with only 2,000w in panels connected. That means by 9 am, I’m making 2,000w and don’t have to wait until 11 am to make 2,000w like I would if I only had 2,000w in panels.

This is why I have the Titan++ 4,000 Rigid Kit available for people to get because I have run this setup for a very long time. I know firsthand that this is truly an extremely powerful kit for long-term power outages.

It doesn’t matter if it’s a blackout in California from high winds, a hurricane in Florida, a winter storm in Texas, a blizzard in Idaho, a tornado in Missouri, flooding in Louisiana, or any other natural disaster or emergency. The Titan is truly the absolute best solar generator option. These disasters are not going away. Every year these disasters repeat themselves in different ways in different locations. If anything, they are getting more common and worse.

Since installing the Titan++ 4000 kit at my off-grid cabin, I have never lost power. The Titan has been running my family off-grid cabin without stopping. That is an amazing track record.

Our First Power Outage

I did mention I have two Titan solar generators. One is permanently installed at my family’s off-grid cabin. The second, which I also paid for, I keep at my house in case of a power outage.

You may be asking why I don’t have solar on my house if I am so into solar generators and solar panels. To be blunt, my electric bill is an average of $50 per month. Going off-grid at my house costs tens of thousands of dollars and so my cost savings would take decades to recuperate.

The last solar big I got was about $32,000 and that did not include a ton of extra batteries to account for multiple days of bad weather. $32,000 ÷ $50 = 640 months before I break even. That’s 53 years! I’ll be 84 by then!

If my electricity bill were $400 a month then it would make a lot of sense to go off-grid or supplement my bill because that would be made back in 6 or 7 years.

I don’t have to worry about going off-grid though because I have my Titan at home. I have over 3,000w of panels at home as well as 2 batteries on my Titan. I have found that for my at-home power needs that’s enough to run my essentials for a couple of days even if there is bad weather. Typically, because I have so many solar panels, even on semi-cloudy days I can make a little bit of power and help keep my batteries at the same percentage all day or even get a small charge.

If it’s a clear sunny day after a power outage then the entire system is recharged within a few hours tops.

The first power outage we had after getting the Titan was very interesting. When the power went out we had no idea how long it was going to last, as with most blackouts. I waited about 1 hour before getting my Titan out because I didn’t want to set it up and run extension cords everywhere if I didn’t have to.

After 1 hour of no power, I set up the Titan. I ran the extension cords. I connected the fridge, freezer, multiple lights, TV, chargers, and so on. It was spring so it wasn’t hot or cold out so we didn’t have to worry about A/C or heat.

Click Here for the Best Titan Kits

It also happened after the sun had gone down, which meant I couldn’t set up my solar panels to help supplement my power needs. This is why I stress getting a second battery or more for people. Having more batteries makes it much easier to get through the night without running out of power.

My family and I went to bed comfortably knowing that we had plenty of power to run our essentials for however long we needed during the blackout. Luckily, the next morning the power came back on. But we ran all that we needed, plus watched a movie that night as a family, and didn’t drain the battery.

It was comforting knowing that if the power wasn’t back on in the morning I could simply set up the solar panels and we’d be fully charged within a few hours while still running the fridge, freezer, and other essentials.

Since then, I have had a transfer switch installed so that I can simply plug my Titan into the transfer switch and run certain parts of my house without needing extension cords. This must be done by a licensed electrician and you need a 30amp 3 prong plug installed that you connect to from the Titan to power a sub-panel that runs certain circuits in the house.

1 Year Review

Since getting my Titans, I have gone through multiple power outages. I have run my off-grid cabin non-stop. I have been able to help others run essential equipment as well including CPAPs, oxygenators, and other medical equipment that helped people during blackouts. That would not have been possible without the power, expandability, and portability of the Titan.

Click Here for the Best Titan Kits

Not only that, but I also enjoy being able to grab my Titan, take it out to my RV, plug the shoreline power cord into the Titan and run my entire RV as if I was at a campsite. I have 2,100w of solar panels installed on the roof of my RV. It is very easy to boondock with my Titan and RV because the Titan is strong enough to run everything, has enough panels to recharge quickly, and a large enough battery to run all of my evening and nighttime equipment without any issues. We can stay in locations for as long as we want and have the power we need.

The Titan is truly the most powerful solar generator that has ever come out so far. It is incredible to be a part of a legacy of redefining the solar generator world.

If you want to have the same protection as I do when it comes to preparing for emergencies, disasters, and long-term power outages then I highly recommend you take a look at the Titan solar generator. It truly is unmatched and has been unmatched for quite some time. My yearlong testing and reviewing have come to prove that it can do whatever I need during those hard times.

Continue ReadingTitan Solar Generator 1 Year Review