Today I’ve got something I’m really excited to share with you…
A Hands-On Review (& Field Test) Of the Bluetti AC200P Power Station
Because portable solar power is AMAZING for making camping and travel BETTER.
And it serves as a wide backup in case the power goes out…
In the video below, I put the Bluetti AC200P Power Station through its paces as:
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NOTE: Watch the detailed review and final thoughts in the video below; otherwise continue to for a full transcript below:
↓ Bluetti AC200P Power Station Review
My Overall Thoughts On The Bluetti AC200P
First off, I was blown away by the capabilities of this power station.
It gave me a surprising amount of clean, quiet power and captured solar power anytime the sun was out.
Its combinations of features (clean, quiet, solar, and power storage amounts) are real game-changers for survival and camping!
Yes, it is a serious investment – but so is ANY fuel generator you could buy.
So if you’re looking to purchase either a fuel generator OR this Bluetti Power Station, you have to look at the INCREMENTAL costs and compare as close to apples to apples on the power capabilities.
But then you must factor in the clean, quiet, solar aspects.
So while you give up some pure power production, I feel it more than offsets the costs with all the positive aspects.
But ultimately, it comes down to your personal choice and priorities.
So, let me expound upon those pros and cons in more detail…
Bluetti AC200P Advantages and Disadvantages
Major Advantages
Safe, Clean Power
I believe the biggest advantage of the Bluetti AC200P is how clean it is.
It’s not even close when you compare it to a fuel generator.
You can run this unit safely INSIDE your home. You can’t say that for any fuel generators.
People who don’t know any better run their fuel generators inside every year and die.
Seriously, it’s a major risk if you make this mistake.
For example:
According to consumerreports.org:
Generator misuse leads to deaths from carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, injuries from close calls, and burns—all of which happen too often during power outages and storms. The biggest problem, according to reports from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, is CO poisoning. Portable generators can produce deadly levels of carbon monoxide, a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas.
Carbon monoxide can kill you in as little as 5 minutes if the levels are high enough, according to safety guidelines from the National Institutes of Health. And data from the CPSC shows that from 2005 to 2017 more than 900 people died of carbon monoxide poisoning while using portable generators.
However, with the Bluetti, there are NO toxic, deadly fumes to worry about.
It’s Whisper Quiet
This is the second biggest advantage the Bluetti Power Station provides.
Walk around any neighborhood after a power outage, and you’ll hear the loud and constant hum of fuel generators EVERYWHERE.
They are quite loud and annoying, and it’s always been a necessary evil.
But with the Bluetti, you can capture and use power in a mere whisper.
If you’re a prepper, you’ll want a stealthy solution to your backup power system – the Bluetti Power Station IS your answer.
And this no-noise feature is even more useful during camping.
I could run all my electronics and recharge my deep-cycle battery without generating campground NOISE!
Fuel generators are loud – that’s why most campgrounds and restrictions on when you can run them.
If you want to avoid these restrictions, get the Bluetti.
“Free” Fuel Via Solar
You can’t beat solar when it comes to survival and preparedness.
And the Bluetti AC200P is the ideal portable power station to capture that free energy.
In a grid-down scenario, the Bluetti (paired with solar panels) will never leave you without some power.
This is a HUGE advantage in a dire power outage emergency.
For example, if you depend on a C-PAP machine for health reasons – you need a reliable backup power system.
This Bluetti Power Station does just that with its solar capabilities.
Lots of Output Options
The Bluetti AC200P has a ton of power outlets.
This beast has 6 typical AC outlets, DC outlets, USB outlets, etc.
The bottom line is there’s essentially no typical electronic device you can’t power using the Bluetti.
Major Disadvantages
For A “Portable” Unit, It’s Fairly Heavy
The Bluetti AC200P is quite heavy and has no built-in cart system (like many fuel-based house generators do).
This can lead to a real struggle when loading it into a vehicle trunk or moving it around your home.
At 60 lbs., it IS PORTABLE.
But you also want to station it in a central location and leave it there when in use.
So you want to avoid moving it more than necessary.
Won’t Completely Replace A Large Fuel-Based Generator
While this is one of the biggest power stations available today, it’s still not ready to replace your home generator.
There’s not enough power to keep your systems up and running simultaneously for a long time.
However, if you’re willing to reduce your energy significantly in a crisis, you CAN get by pretty well with the Bluetti.
So for some families, it may be just enough; it’ll come up just short for most.
And for the price, a fuel-based home generator provides more power per dollar (when this review was written).
Price
The Bluetti AC200P is a bit of an upfront investment.
And the total price goes up when you add solar panels (which you SHOULD do!).
However, using it regularly can offset this initial cost over time.
If you use it to charge your cell phones and run a C-PAP machine nightly, gradually, month by month, you save some on your electric bill.
This is assuming you’re using solar power to recharge the unit.
And you have to factor in the INCREMENTAL cost vs. a traditional fuel-based generator that can provide a similar amount of power.
The price is worth it once you look at it as a whole.
Bluetti AC200P Charge Time Estimates
Below are approximate estimates of how long you can power a common device.
This may help you decide whether the Bluetti AC200P is the right power station for you.
Note: The following estimates assume you’re only powering THAT single electrical device at a time.
If you run several devices simultaneously, the charge time estimates drop.
CHARGE TIME ESTIMATES
- Refrigerator(800w) 2.1Hrs+CPAP(60w) 28+ Hrs
- Laptop(60w) 28+ Hrs
- Fan(12w) 140+ Hrs
- Smartphone 180+ Hrs
- Led Lantern Light(10w) 170+ Hrs
- LCD TV(100w) 17+ Hrs
Final Thoughts
For the right person, the Bluetti AC200P Power Station is the ideal solution to your emergency backup and camping power needs.
It’s best for those who understand its limitations and are fine strictly managing their power needs during a power outage.
It’s also best for those who live where the sun is reliably abundant.
Or anyone who prioritizes producing power with no noise or dangerous toxic fumes.
If these features are important to you, then I bet you’ll be completely satisfied with the Bluetti AC200P.
If not, then you should continue searching for other options..
Today, I will show you this impressive piece of gear from Bluetti.
It’s their 2000-watt power station. And I will also show you the solar panel kit that goes with it.
Now, before we jump into the power station specifics and whether it’s good for preparing, you might be asking, what the heck is a power station anyway?
Because these units are still relatively new, many people are confused about what they do and how they work.
In simple terms, a power station is a large portable battery with an intuitive user interface.
Basically, it’s a large battery with a lot of inputs and outputs.
All these power inputs and outputs make it sort of a smart battery, which can power many household items or camping appliances.
For example, it can power a refrigerator, a small freezer, entertainment systems, microwaves, small ovens, computers, heated blankets, C-PAP machines, et cetera. You get the idea.
Yes, this unit can run a full-size refrigerator for several hours or even longer if you’ve got hooked up to solar panels.
I did it. I tested It. It works.
So now that you have a better idea of what a power station is and its potential let’s go over the main functions and features of this Bluetti AC200P Power Station.
This unit has five different charging methods.
The first and most straightforward method is to use a three-pronged electrical cord and the power supply to go from your wall straight to this unit.
The second way to charge this unit is to use a series of solar panels out in the sun.
You hook the solar panels up in a series, feed that into this smart battery, and turn it into a solar generator.
So yes, if possible, you’ll want to pair solar panels with this.
Another way to power your Bluetti Power Station is through a running vehicle.
This is done via the 12-volt outlet, or what some people call your cigarette lighter in your car.
The next method to charge this power station is using a fuel-based generator.
Basically, it’s similar to the wall plug hookup.
Only, instead of plugging into the wall, you’re plugging into your generator while it’s running.
And finally, you can hook up the power station off a lead-acid battery.
You connect the positive and negative poles of the battery to feed that energy into your power station.
So as you can see, there are many ways to keep your Bluetti AC200P Power Station ready for an emergency or a quick escape outdoors for camping.
Okay, let’s move on to the power-out options.
First of all, this power station has one 12-volt, 10-amp DC out.
It’s got a 12-volt, 25 amp DC out and two 12-volt, 3 amp outputs.
It’s got two type C 60-watt outs and four 5-volt, 10-amp USB ports.
And it’s got six typical AC out, either 100 or 120 volts. Six of those. That’s your typical plugin for most appliances right there.
So I primarily use the typical AC output plugs. And there’s six of those.
They provide six because that’s the output you’ll often use for small electronic devices or appliances.
We’re talking refrigerators, smartphones, computers, C-PAP machines, Et cetera.
The power station’s also able to provide 12-volt output power.
This is a great option for charging your pop-up or RVs deep-cycle marine battery.
I had to buy a special adapter that went from this DC port, and then it comes out into two alligator clips that you then plug onto the ends of the deep cycle marine batteries posts.
And you plug in, turn the power station on, and it’s that easy.
It starts charging the deep cycle marine battery backup.
You can also use that same method to charge a dead car battery as well.
Now that you have a good overview of this power station, here’s the real question.
Should You Get One?
So there are two main reasons to get the Bluetti Power Station.
First of all, it could be used as an emergency backup when the grid power is down.
Or it can be a very nice camping accessory.
Let’s go over the Bluetti as a home emergency backup system first.
And then, we’ll go over its use as an off-grid camping system.
As an emergency back-to-power supply, the Bluetti will help you get through shorter-term emergencies with some extra luxuries.
However, it won’t be enough for most people to replace your full-blown home generator fully.
To give you an idea of what this power station you can do, here’s a chart I found.
It provides some estimates of typical run times for different devices.
My own test results for some of these devices were right in line with the numbers on this chart.
So I feel like they’re fairly good approximations for all the devices listed.
Now, before you get too excited, remember these approximate run times are if you’re running that single device only.
If you start powering multiple devices at once, let’s say your refrigerator, your television, your laptop, and a microwave, all at the same time, that’s really poor power management in a crisis.
So shame on you.
But you’re also going to run through all the available battery power fast.
And with that said, this unit is perfect for providing power for smaller electronic devices with ease, such as smartphones, tablets, computers, video-game consoles, and TVs for quite some time.
And since you can recharge the power station with solar panels, you’re never fully out of options for long.
If you use all of your power up, sure, you’re now at the mercy of the sun, but that’s better than nothing.
And if you’re smart with your energy use, there could be enough power to support several smaller electronic devices perpetually.
So while the Bluetti AC200P Power Station is a very nice addition to the whole-house power backup system, it’s not ready to replace the traditional whole-house generator unless you have very low power needs.
But in a real crisis, if you forget everything except a refrigerator and one smartphone during critical emergencies and to keep your solar panels out and pointed to the sun whenever available, you can probably keep your food from spoiling and your phone operational for an extended period of time.
So again, with wise power management, this unit can really help provide some much-needed power during a multi-day power outage.
Now, before we move on, there’s one aspect of this power station that’s worth noting for preparedness.
A power station provides clean, quiet power.
I want to let that sink in for just one moment.
With a fuel-based generator, there’s no way to run it without everyone in the neighborhood hearing it.
There’s always a way to muffle a camping generator, or there’s a way to try to run it quieter.
But in my opinion, this power station’s superpower is that it almost produces zero noise.
Now, to be honest, it’s not completely silent.
It does have a cooling fan that kicks on from time to time.
But it’s not really louder than a laptop cooling fan.
So compared to a fuel-based generator, it’s pretty much silent.
It also doesn’t produce any toxic fumes.
So you can keep this unit inside your home when you’re using it.
This ability allows you to power your critical appliance without nosy neighbors even knowing about it.
So if you’re at all concerned about your neighbors trying to mooch or steal off you during a crisis.
Because hey, you have the luxury of power, and they don’t.
Then this unit provides that sort of stealth.
Off Grid Camping – Boondocking
Let’s now take a look At where the Bluetti really shines; Off-grid camping.
I recently took this unit with me on a camping trip to the Sand Dunes National Parks near Alamosa, Colorado.
Side note, if you ever get a chance to go there, do it.
It’s incredible. Stunning.
And we went the first week of April.
So I was banking on the power station to keep my family and me warm and comfortable in the chili overnight temps.
For example, on the first night, the temperatures briefly dropped down into the twenties. Fortunately, our rented pop-up camper has a small propane heater and heated mattresses.
But the location we camped at, Zapata Falls Campground, has no power whatsoever.
So in order to run the furnace and the heated mattress, we had to rely on the deep cycle marine battery and this Bluetti Power Station.
One thing to note is that running the heated mattress off the marine battery is not possible.
It’s just the way the pop-up campers’ electrical system is set up.
In order to take advantage of the heated mattresses, the power station was our only option.
The great news is the Bluetti Power Station was perfect for such a task.
All three nights, I was able to run both heated mattresses, the one my wife and I slept on and the one the kids slept on.
And it helped keep everyone nice and toasty, even though the outside temperatures were frigid.
And after this experience with cold-weather camping, I’m confident we could have enjoyed camping in temperatures that dip down into the teens.
This is a big deal to me because I hate crowded campgrounds.
So to me, the Bluetti Power Station significantly opens up shoulder season camping, which is much less crowded.
So with this power station, I can go camping nearly any time of the year, as long as we avoid blizzards or deep-freeze winter temperatures.
Now, the Bluetti AC200P Power Station was not only up to the challenge of running heated mattresses.
But as long as I took advantage of running charging every day, I could also keep our small electronic devices powered up.
And we were able to cook some delicious cinnamon rolls on our small toaster.
And even, one morning, we made pizza pockets one evening.
So I want to go over some specific setups and uses and what I figured out while I was on my camping trip.
I showed up at the campsite with the power station at 100%, which equates to 2000 watt-hours.
The first time I set solar panels up for camping, I set them out in an open area and tipped the angle to capture as much sun as possible.
While this did an all-right job of recharging the power station.
I was also slightly disappointed at how much progress it made over two hours.
For example:
When I hooked up the power station to the solar panels for the first time, it was down to about 33% capacity or 660 watts.
Obviously, heading in towards the evening, I was concerned I might not have enough power to get through the chili night with the heated mattresses. By the end of the two hours, it only charged up to about 57% or 1400 watts.
At this rate, about 240 watts per hour, I’d need to have the solar panels set up for nearly five and a half hours in order to get packed to a hundred percent.
And like I said, the sun was going down. So my rate was getting less and less every moment.
The other downside of this setup is that it took several minutes of work to set up the solar panels.
While it’s not hard work, per se.
It is a bit of a hassle after a long day of hiking.
Plus, we had to get the fire started and get dinner ready and keep the dog and the kids happy, and on and on.
So the setup and tear down onto the solar panels quickly became a bit of a pain point.
Not to mention having to lug the 60-pound power station between the camper and the solar panels each time I wanted to charge.
Again, it’s not that big of a deal.
But it could be for someone older or not as strong.
I’d much prefer to leave the power station in the camper itself. But my cords were not quite long enough to do that and get full sun.
Another issue with this solar panel setup is it did attract quite a bit of attention.
Everyone who drove by saw them. And two people decided to stop by and ask a bunch of questions.
Now, if you’re looking to meet people at your campground, this is a great way to do that.
However, most folks also understand that a solar setup like this isn’t cheap.
So now you’ve got to worry about an opportunistic thief snagging your gear when you’re away from your campground.
So after two days of these minor problems, I got smart and made some strategic adjustments to my recharging setup.
I decided to try putting my solar panels flat on top of the pop-up trailer and ran the charging cable from the roof through the Velcro side of the camper and down into the power station.
This setup helped me avoid moving the cumbersome 60-pound power station unit any more than necessary.
And it also kept the power station out of the sun, which is recommended to keep the unit cool.
As with all electronics, overheating can result in premature failure and longevity issues.
I was obviously interested in the security of such a setup because if I put the solar panels on the roof, it’d become even more of a hassle to put them up and take them down each time I wanted to recharge the power station.
The great news is, once I laid the panels on the flat roof, I couldn’t even tell they were up there.
I looked from all angles of the campground, anywhere our camper was visible, to see how obvious it was to anybody passing by that I had expensive solar panels up on top.
So once everything was set up, the only thing that was visible was the tiny cord coming off the roof and into the side of the pop-up.
This cord was facing away from the road.
So with this new setup, I was confident enough in the security to leave the solar panels and power station in a charging setup while my family and I went on a short hike up to Zapata Falls.
It was about a half-mile each way.
I was gone for about an hour and a half total.
So I was able to charge pretty much all day with this setup.
And the solar panels pointed straight up, helping maximize charging during the bright lunch hour.
So how did this setup do?
When I left for our hike, the Bluetti Power Station was down to about 34% or 480 watts.
And when I got back an hour and a half later, it was roughly 55% or 1100 watts. But that was when things got really interesting.
We were entering the best part of the day regarding solar panel production.
And from 11:30 to about 02:30 PM, the power station went from 55% up to a hundred percent, or 900 watts, in about three hours.
Now that’s an impressive 300 watts per hour.
I was pleasantly surprised by this rate and was glad to have the power station back up to a hundred percent well before the evening.
This felt way better than limping into the evening with only a half-full power station.
Now I was charging all my devices and appliances and recharging the power station without moving the unit or the solar panels around.
It was in a permanent location that was hidden away from prying eyes and creating no noise or toxic fumes.
If these features are important to you, clean, quiet, hidden power, and you love camping, then this Bluetti Power Station is a big winner.
Now I also tested charging the power station using our Jeep Cherokees battery while driving to and from the sand dunes.
I was excited to test this out as I felt like this could be a significant win and the main way to keep the power station battery full on an extended trip.
Plus, I liked the idea of taking the expensive power station with me on our adventures away from the campground for security purposes.
However, I was slightly disappointed at how much power I could generate this way.
During my test, I was only driving for a total of an hour or so. But it also gave me about a 10% bump in power. That’s about 200 watts per hour, meaning it would take about 10 hours of driving to go from zero back up to a hundred. I like that it’s another way to keep the power station charged up during long travel days.
So, after all my uses and testing, where are my overall thoughts on the Bluetti AC200P Power Station and the solar panel kit?
I was pretty impressed.
I didn’t expect to be able to power my large refrigerator, yet it did. And it did so for eight or 10 hours.
Now, I live in Colorado. So we get a lot of sunny days here.
So I’d rarely be 100% out of power at any given time during a power outage.
And when the sun is shining, I could probably power the refrigerator and several smaller devices here and there as well.
Plus, this device significantly extends my camping season and keeps me warm and toasty even in bitter overnight temps.
And I feel like that’s where a power station like this separates itself from a camping generator.
- You get most of the pros of a fuel-based generator without all the cons.
- You get ample amounts of quiet, clean, hidden, flexible power distribution for emergencies and camping.
- And as a prepared survivalist who loves outdoor adventures, the Bluetti Power Station not only provides some peace of mind for a power outage. It also provides a better camping experience.
And I love prepping gear that functions as a wise backup and a helpful tool I use regularly.
So instead of an investment just sitting around in my basement, just in case, I’m actually putting it to good use often, and I own it just in case as well.
So if you want to make your camping life even better and want a bit of peace of mind should the power grid go down, then this Bluetti Power Station is a great investment for you.
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The post Bluetti AC200P Review: Putting It To The Ultimate Test appeared first on Skilled Survival.
Are the financial markets headed for trouble? There was quite a bit of panic on Wall Street on Thursday after more bad economic numbers were released. But honestly I simply do not understand why the financial markets responded with such surprise. By now it should be apparent to everyone that we have a “Weekend at Bernie’s economy” that is being propped up by unprecedented levels of government spending. If we actually tried to live within our means, we would immediately plunge into a depression. Our politicians definitely do not want that, and so about every one hundred days they are adding another trillion dollars to the national debt, and the vast majority of that borrowed money goes directly into the veins of the corpse that we call the U.S. economy.
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