Good afternoon all, I'm looking at buying a generator for my motorhome. While surfing the net I came across the Bluetti AC200P solar generator. I was just wondering if anybody has had a good look at this system. I found two reviews on Youtube about this unit.
Any assistance will be appreciated. Cheers from Sooty
Mike Harding said
08:30 AM Feb 21, 2022
This device is not a generator but rather a 40Ah lithium battery in a box with built-in charger and 240V output inverter and it costs $2500!
You still need charge it from somewhere and keep in mind the maximum solar current it accepts is 12A and as I cannot tell what sort of solar charger it has then I assume this is 12A at 12V.
It's a very expensive way to assemble a charger, battery and inverter. I would not purchase one.
Jaahn said
09:17 AM Feb 21, 2022
Hi Sotty
I agree with Mike, that device is a con and mis-described as a generator. Just a smallish battery in a box with a charger and inverter included for a very large price. It might be convenient to have them all in one package but the limitations will soon be evident when you want to use it much.
I suggest you look elsewhere. If you have not done any camping or off grid stopping then read the threads here and ask questions. We will try to give sensible answers(most of us ?) based on experience.
I had a motor home with a 24V system and fitted two AGM house batteries to match that. Then the truck system can charge the house batteries as you drive. Then some solar panels on the top and you have house power almost any time. No generator required. My current MH is set up the same way.
I have looked further for a review and found this one by Will Prouse in the USA. He does good work and real tests. So I would believe what he says. BUT the AC power outlets looked to be 110V US style.
Another review.
Hmm it might be better that I originally thought. You should consider what you want it to do and read here before you decide to spend that money !
Jaahn
-- Edited by Jaahn on Monday 21st of February 2022 12:14:14 PM
dorian said
10:53 AM Feb 21, 2022
Page 14 of the user manual identifies the battery as having a rated capacity of 2000Wh / 40Ah and a voltage of 41.5 - 58.4V. Net weight of the product is 27.5kg.
-- Edited by dorian on Monday 21st of February 2022 10:56:59 AM
Bicyclecamper said
12:56 PM Feb 21, 2022
For that $2500, you can get a lot of solar panels, and at least one 100ah lithium battery, maybe even two, that will do a much better job.
Whenarewethere said
01:41 PM Feb 21, 2022
& replace parts easily when needed, or add an additional battery.
dorian said
02:37 PM Feb 21, 2022
Bicyclecamper wrote:
For that $2500, you can get a lot of solar panels, and at least one 100ah lithium battery, maybe even two, that will do a much better job.
Do you understand what is inside the box? It's a 40Ah battery, but the voltage is 48V (nominal), not 12V. Therefore it has the same capacity as a 160Ah 12V battery.
If you're a Victron fan, then their 160Ah 12.8V LiFePO4 battery will cost you AU$2700. You will probably find the same stated specs in competitor batteries for AU$1300, but who knows whether they are the real deal. Remember that you then need to add a 2000W inverter, plus MPPT charging circuitry. Moreover, since the device is charging a 48V battery from a 12V source, this introduces additional complexities, ie an additional inverter.
Edit: This device wants 3 solar panels connected in series. Its minimum open circuit voltage is 35V. Also, it claims to be able to supply 60W from the USB-C outlet ???
-- Edited by dorian on Monday 21st of February 2022 03:32:35 PM
Whenarewethere said
03:57 PM Feb 21, 2022
Looking at a teardown its using 650 cells, not sure what diameter.
dorian said
04:16 PM Feb 21, 2022
Whenarewethere wrote:
Looking at a teardown its using 650 cells, not sure what diameter.
3.2V x 1Ah x 650 = 2080Wh width = 18.2mm height = 50mm weight = 0.03kg
-- Edited by dorian on Monday 21st of February 2022 04:19:17 PM
Hi
When I saw the first review from Cardigan I was put off by the BS but after watching Will i realised it was much better than the average con job BS "generator" you see advertised.
Looking again it does seem to offer a complete package that might be good for some people, who have particular needs, and are not technically adept. All in one box and the meters and read-out all included. Just add solar panels and possibly a vehicle 12v charging cable and usable as it sits there. That has a lot going for it, and if it does what you want, and the money is OK, then worth considering IMHO.
I have been helping a person who has been setting up their van for permanent living. What a f**k up it has been for them. Incompetent installers, cheap sh*t gear from the camping shops, bad advice from them on what to get and how to link it together etc etc etc. They might have been 'happy' to spend that amount and get most of a good setup at one go. I have sorted theirs out to a working system but not optimum that is for sure. I think there might be quite a few around that have similar tales and did not get me or someone competent to sort it in the end.
Jaahn
-- Edited by Jaahn on Monday 21st of February 2022 05:44:01 PM
Whenarewethere said
07:39 PM Feb 21, 2022
Personally I hate everything in one box.
My choice is to have components. If a component fails plug in a new one, easy.
Even better, if you designed it properly you will have redundancy.
A cost effective way for a battery pack which can be scaled to any size required. Simple, cheap, upgradable, replaceable component.
I have 4 batteries, 2 MPPT controllers, 6 solar panels, 2 DC-DC chargers & too many cables. But it is a lot of peace of mind. If any one particular item fails & my redundancy fails as well, I can replace it cheaply with anything off the shelf in a country town.
If a $2.5k box fails, that is painful in a remote area.
Jaahn said
09:13 PM Feb 21, 2022
Whenarewethere wrote:
Personally I hate everything in one box.
My choice is to have components. If a component fails plug in a new one, easy.
Even better, if you designed it properly you will have redundancy.
I have 4 batteries, 2 MPPT controllers, 6 solar panels, 2 DC-DC chargers & too many cables. But it is a lot of peace of mind. If any one particular item fails & my redundancy fails as well, I can replace it cheaply with anything off the shelf in a country town.
If a $2.5k box fails, that is painful in a remote area.
Hi
While I appreciate your diligence in building your bespoke mini system and it seems great success getting it to do all you wish. I think by now we all have a good idea of it and how it works But not everyone is like you and not everyone is capable of putting a system together and getting your results. On top of that some people are happy with simpler travel plans and less challenging destinations.
Also the idea of spending their last years building and tinkering with a technical challenge is not their idea of a relaxing retirement. A higher cost might be considered worth while. I think you possibly could make some allowances for these people in discussions about a new idea so alternative systems can get a word in. IMHO
Jaahn
-- Edited by Jaahn on Monday 21st of February 2022 09:18:21 PM
Whenarewethere said
10:13 PM Feb 21, 2022
Solar panels one end, controller in the middle, battery the other end, charger off to the side.
Even the solar panels came with instructions instructions, for parallel, series, series/parallel, & diodes if extra keen.
If all else fails read the instructions, it's all plug & play.
Mamil said
12:52 AM Feb 22, 2022
dorian wrote:
Also, it claims to be able to supply 60W from the USB-C outlet ???
Not unusual these days. The USB-C PD (power delivery) spec allows for up to 100W (5A at 20V) to be delivered through a USB socket, which is a far cry from the original 2.5W (0.5A at 5V) where it started!
While USB started out as a data transfer method, these days it's more often used as a power supply, and with devices demanding more and more power the standard had to evolve accordingly. It's still backward compatible though, the socket and device go through a 'negotiation' process to decide what voltage and current to charge at, and phones will usually top out at about 10W, but tablets and laptops can go much higher.
dorian said
03:48 AM Feb 22, 2022
Jaahn wrote:
When I saw the first review from Cardigan I was put off by the BS ...
Cadogan's "review" was a waste of bandwidth. Just an interminable load of self indulgent tripe.
Edit: I'm wondering how many caravan or RV setups have 3 solar panels cabled in series?
-- Edited by dorian on Tuesday 22nd of February 2022 06:49:23 AM
Whenarewethere said
11:08 AM Feb 22, 2022
dorian wrote:
I'm wondering how many caravan or RV setups have 3 solar panels cabled in series?
I have set up my 6 panels as 3 in series for testing. It's not the way to go for small networks.
If you have a 1.5+kW network, ok. But then you wouldn't use a toy landfill system.
Jaahn said
01:21 PM Feb 22, 2022
re solar battery power packs (called generators ?) with inbuilt inverters and various handy outlets.
My disclaimer ! I do not endorse or recommend these units. But they seem to have become readily available in the united states and will spread here I guess. The description as a generator is misleading and fast talking BS seems to be the advertising style. BUT possibly they have a place for some people
These videos are obviously produced by 'influencers' looking for clicks and commissions, so bear that in mind IMHO. The fast talking style also grates on me for sure ! Plenty more similar offered when you play the first one ! No prices shown but note any will be US$
Jaahn
PS if you think they might be for you, do your homework well first, work out what you want it to do. Then work out if it can reasonably do that. They do imply that you can run a fridge, hair drier, microwave, charge phones, run the computer, lights and other things as well. NOT AT THE SAME TIME nor for very long if you do.The laws of AHrs and conversion system losses still applies, as they are just batteries, albiet very expensive ones and any solar is extra cost.
-- Edited by Jaahn on Tuesday 22nd of February 2022 01:35:39 PM
dorian said
02:00 PM Feb 22, 2022
Manufacturers such as Bluetti and EcoFlow refer to their boxes as "portable power stations", which seems to be what they are. However, when they are bundled with solar panels, the package then becomes a "solar generator", which seems reasonable.
"EcoFlow solar generator bundles combine industry-leading portable power stations with solar panels to give you clean energy and reduce your dependence on the grid."
Whenarewethere said
02:07 PM Feb 22, 2022
Marketing BS gives the impression that generators (what are they actually generating) will run a small country! Are they stuffed full of uranium? The only thing they are capable of, is burning a hole in your pocket.
No different to marketing BS that a solar panel can run the national grid (see attached photo for evidence!).
Whenarewethere said
02:20 PM Feb 22, 2022
Borrow your car's starter battery, maybe it has a bit less capacity than a "generator", but it is a good real world indicator of capacity, run everything for one battery cycle, you won't kill it, it has 300 fully discharged lives to 80% long-term reduced capacity, & see how long you you can last before you have to ask the neighbour to give you a jump start.
I just hope you are on very friendly terms, or your back side will pay dearly!
Good afternoon all, I'm looking at buying a generator for my motorhome. While surfing the net I came across the Bluetti AC200P solar generator. I was just wondering if anybody has had a good look at this system. I found two reviews on Youtube about this unit.
1 - Best in-car/4WD portable battery power bank? Bluetti AC200P review | Auto Expert John Cadogan - YouTube
2 - BLUETTI AC200P Portable Power Station Review | Solar Generator | 2000Wh | What can it power, Aircon? - YouTube
Any assistance will be appreciated. Cheers from Sooty
This device is not a generator but rather a 40Ah lithium battery in a box with built-in charger and 240V output inverter and it costs $2500!
You still need charge it from somewhere and keep in mind the maximum solar current it accepts is 12A and as I cannot tell what sort of solar charger it has then I assume this is 12A at 12V.
It's a very expensive way to assemble a charger, battery and inverter. I would not purchase one.
Hi Sotty
I agree with Mike, that device is a con and mis-described as a generator. Just a smallish battery in a box with a charger and inverter included for a very large price. It might be convenient to have them all in one package but the limitations will soon be evident when you want to use it much.
I suggest you look elsewhere. If you have not done any camping or off grid stopping then read the threads here and ask questions. We will try to give sensible answers(most of us ?) based on experience.
I had a motor home with a 24V system and fitted two AGM house batteries to match that. Then the truck system can charge the house batteries as you drive. Then some solar panels on the top and you have house power almost any time. No generator required. My current MH is set up the same way.
I have looked further for a review and found this one by Will Prouse in the USA. He does good work and real tests. So I would believe what he says. BUT the AC power outlets looked to be 110V US style.
Another review.
Hmm it might be better that I originally thought. You should consider what you want it to do and read here before you decide to spend that money !
Jaahn
-- Edited by Jaahn on Monday 21st of February 2022 12:14:14 PM
Page 14 of the user manual identifies the battery as having a rated capacity of 2000Wh / 40Ah and a voltage of 41.5 - 58.4V. Net weight of the product is 27.5kg.
https://cdn.shopifycdn.net/s/files/1/0370/4986/0229/files/User_Manual-AC200P.pdf?v=1606794630
So it seems to me that it may be the equivalent of 4 x 14.6V batteries.
Here is a 12.8V 160Ah LiFePO4 battery weighing 21kg:
https://www.ev-power.com.au/evpower/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/1-EVPowerPak-List-191106.pdf
-- Edited by dorian on Monday 21st of February 2022 10:56:59 AM
& replace parts easily when needed, or add an additional battery.
Do you understand what is inside the box? It's a 40Ah battery, but the voltage is 48V (nominal), not 12V. Therefore it has the same capacity as a 160Ah 12V battery.
If you're a Victron fan, then their 160Ah 12.8V LiFePO4 battery will cost you AU$2700. You will probably find the same stated specs in competitor batteries for AU$1300, but who knows whether they are the real deal. Remember that you then need to add a 2000W inverter, plus MPPT charging circuitry. Moreover, since the device is charging a 48V battery from a 12V source, this introduces additional complexities, ie an additional inverter.
Edit: This device wants 3 solar panels connected in series. Its minimum open circuit voltage is 35V. Also, it claims to be able to supply 60W from the USB-C outlet ???
-- Edited by dorian on Monday 21st of February 2022 03:32:35 PM
Looking at a teardown its using 650 cells, not sure what diameter.
Here is a 3.2V 1Ah LiFePO4 cell:
https://drypower.com.au/power/product/25959/rechargeable-lithium-lifepo4-cells--3.2v-1000mah-single-cell-rechargeable-lithium-lifepo4-battery.html
3.2V x 1Ah x 650 = 2080Wh
width = 18.2mm
height = 50mm
weight = 0.03kg
-- Edited by dorian on Monday 21st of February 2022 04:19:17 PM
Hi
When I saw the first review from Cardigan I was put off by the BS but after watching Will i realised it was much better than the average con job BS "generator" you see advertised.
Looking again it does seem to offer a complete package that might be good for some people, who have particular needs, and are not technically adept. All in one box and the meters and read-out all included. Just add solar panels and possibly a vehicle 12v charging cable and usable as it sits there. That has a lot going for it, and if it does what you want, and the money is OK, then worth considering IMHO.
I have been helping a person who has been setting up their van for permanent living. What a f**k up it has been for them. Incompetent installers, cheap sh*t gear from the camping shops, bad advice from them on what to get and how to link it together etc etc etc. They might have been 'happy' to spend that amount and get most of a good setup at one go. I have sorted theirs out to a working system but not optimum that is for sure. I think there might be quite a few around that have similar tales and did not get me or someone competent to sort it in the end.
Jaahn
-- Edited by Jaahn on Monday 21st of February 2022 05:44:01 PM
Personally I hate everything in one box.
My choice is to have components. If a component fails plug in a new one, easy.
Even better, if you designed it properly you will have redundancy.
A cost effective way for a battery pack which can be scaled to any size required. Simple, cheap, upgradable, replaceable component.
I have 4 batteries, 2 MPPT controllers, 6 solar panels, 2 DC-DC chargers & too many cables. But it is a lot of peace of mind. If any one particular item fails & my redundancy fails as well, I can replace it cheaply with anything off the shelf in a country town.
If a $2.5k box fails, that is painful in a remote area.
Hi
While I appreciate your diligence in building your bespoke mini system and it seems great success getting it to do all you wish. I think by now we all have a good idea of it and how it works
But not everyone is like you and not everyone is capable of putting a system together and getting your results. On top of that some people are happy with simpler travel plans and less challenging destinations. 
Also the idea of spending their last years building and tinkering with a technical challenge is not their idea of a relaxing retirement. A higher cost might be considered worth while. I think you possibly could make some allowances for these people in discussions about a new idea so alternative systems can get a word in.
IMHO
Jaahn
-- Edited by Jaahn on Monday 21st of February 2022 09:18:21 PM
Solar panels one end, controller in the middle, battery the other end, charger off to the side.
Even the solar panels came with instructions instructions, for parallel, series, series/parallel, & diodes if extra keen.
If all else fails read the instructions, it's all plug & play.
Not unusual these days. The USB-C PD (power delivery) spec allows for up to 100W (5A at 20V) to be delivered through a USB socket, which is a far cry from the original 2.5W (0.5A at 5V) where it started!
While USB started out as a data transfer method, these days it's more often used as a power supply, and with devices demanding more and more power the standard had to evolve accordingly. It's still backward compatible though, the socket and device go through a 'negotiation' process to decide what voltage and current to charge at, and phones will usually top out at about 10W, but tablets and laptops can go much higher.
Cadogan's "review" was a waste of bandwidth. Just an interminable load of self indulgent tripe.
Edit: I'm wondering how many caravan or RV setups have 3 solar panels cabled in series?
-- Edited by dorian on Tuesday 22nd of February 2022 06:49:23 AM
I have set up my 6 panels as 3 in series for testing. It's not the way to go for small networks.
If you have a 1.5+kW network, ok. But then you wouldn't use a toy landfill system.
re solar battery power packs (called generators ?) with inbuilt inverters and various handy outlets.
My disclaimer ! I do not endorse or recommend these units. But they seem to have become readily available in the united states and will spread here I guess. The description as a generator is misleading and fast talking BS seems to be the advertising style. BUT possibly they have a place for some people
These videos are obviously produced by 'influencers'
looking for clicks and commissions, so bear that in mind IMHO. The fast talking style also grates on me for sure !
Plenty more similar offered when you play the first one ! No prices shown but note any will be US$
Jaahn
PS if you think they might be for you, do your homework well first, work out what you want it to do. Then work out if it can reasonably do that. They do imply that you can run a fridge, hair drier, microwave, charge phones, run the computer, lights and other things as well. NOT AT THE SAME TIME nor for very long if you do.The laws of AHrs and conversion system losses still applies, as they are just batteries, albiet very expensive ones
and any solar is extra cost.
-- Edited by Jaahn on Tuesday 22nd of February 2022 01:35:39 PM
Manufacturers such as Bluetti and EcoFlow refer to their boxes as "portable power stations", which seems to be what they are. However, when they are bundled with solar panels, the package then becomes a "solar generator", which seems reasonable.
https://ecoflow.com/pages/solar-generators
"EcoFlow solar generator bundles combine industry-leading portable power stations with solar panels to give you clean energy and reduce your dependence on the grid."
Marketing BS gives the impression that generators (what are they actually generating) will run a small country! Are they stuffed full of uranium? The only thing they are capable of, is burning a hole in your pocket.
No different to marketing BS that a solar panel can run the national grid (see attached photo for evidence!).
Borrow your car's starter battery, maybe it has a bit less capacity than a "generator", but it is a good real world indicator of capacity, run everything for one battery cycle, you won't kill it, it has 300 fully discharged lives to 80% long-term reduced capacity, & see how long you you can last before you have to ask the neighbour to give you a jump start.
I just hope you are on very friendly terms, or your back side will pay dearly!