These days we are so reliant on our technical devices and electrical appliances that few of us would know how to survive without them. In the event of a sudden power black out, hurricane, storm or other emergency, the situation would be made so much worse by the absence of energy.
This is why so many people who live in storm and hurricane prone areas are deciding to invest in high power, high capacity power stations, which can provide a backup source of energy when the grid goes down.
The Bluetti AC200P 2000Wh / 2000W portable power station is one of the most high power, high capacity options on the market. It boasts 17 power outlets, huge energy storage, efficient power delivery, and solar charging capabilities which set it apart from the competition.
In the event of a disaster or emergency you could keep your fridge running, your cooker cooking and your fan spinning with the help of this unit. But how does it perform under stressed conditions?
And how functional is it really? We put the Bluetti AC200P to the test in order to scrutinize its power delivery, compatibility, durability, charging speed, ease of use and portability. Read on to find out if this power station is just the kind of backup energy storage you are after.
BLUETTI AC200P 2000W 2000Wh Portable Power Station
What You Get
Surely, wherever you are purchasing any kind of survival equipment it is vitally important to know exactly what you are going to get in the box.
The last thing you want is to discover that you don’t have the right cable when the storm is about to hit! The Bluetti AC200P is pretty well equipped.
However, there are some important accessories that don’t come with the power station and these need to be purchased separately.
The unit comes with one AC adapter and cable, one PV solar charging cable (MC4 to XT90), one car charging cable (car to XT90), and one XT90 to Aviation plug input. It does not come with solar panels, and this is crucial as solar panels are one of the key methods of charging this power station.
The AC200P also comes with a user manual, and a 2 year warranty card and certificate. Be sure to hang onto your warranty certificate so that you are covered in the case of any breakages or malfunctions.
Technical Specs:
- Peak Power; 2000W
- Surge Power: 4800W
- Maximum Capacity: 2000Wh
- Battery Cell Type: LiFePO4
- 17 Output Ports : 6 x AC110V, 1 x DC12V/25A, 1 x DC12V/10A, 2 x DC 12V/3A, 4 x USB-A 5V/3A, 1 x USB-C 60W, 2 x wireless 15W charging pad
- 5 Charging Options: AC Adapter (500W), Car Charger (12V / 24V), Solar Panel (35-150v / Max 700W, Max 12A), Generator (gas, propane or diesel), Lead Acid Battery (Max 8.2A)
- Dual Charging Option: PV and AC adapter charge simultaneously (Max 1200W)
- Net Weight: 60 lbs
- Dimensions: 16.5 inches x 11 inches x 15.2 inches (length x width x height)
- Operating Temperature: 32 degrees Fahrenheit – 104 degrees Fahrenheit
- Warranty: 24 Months
Bluetti AC200P 2000W / 2000Wh Portable Power Station Buying Guide
First Impressions
On first taking the Bluetti AC200P out of its box, we were struck by the size of the thing. Seriously, this power station is a monster. It measures 16.5 inches by 11 inches by 15.2 inches, so is a fairly imposing bit of kit.
More to the point, it weighs 60 pounds which is pretty hefty. The second thing we noticed is that the AC wall adapter is absolutely huge. It really is a brick, but its size is justified when you consider that it is capable of supplying 500W of power.
The whole unit is sturdy, imposing and impressive and the LCD touch screen display is bright and clear. It would certainly provide peace of mind knowing that you had one of these stored in your garage.
Ease of Use
We got to work setting up the Bluettu AC200P immediately. It came with 50% battery charge so we could switch it one and check out the LCD touch screen display properly.
The screen is nice and big so you can read the input wattages and output wattages easily, even from across the room. However, the AC200P interactive display screen is almost too detailed for its own good.
It displays the real-time current, voltage, power, temperature, and charging status of the unit so that you can feel absolutely up to date with what is happening, however, there are so many settings and touchable dials on this thing that it becomes confusing.
Tech heads and electroheads will probably love how you can control and monitor the settings of every output and input port separately, however we found the winding maze of display pages overwhelming and preferred to stay on the homepage mainly.
We liked the large power button position on the top corner of the unit, and the clearly labelled DC on/off and AC on/off buttons on the LCD home screen are very convenient too. There is a clearly marked Faults page that has a quick access button on the home screen too.
This is very handy for helping you diagnose problems quickly. Overall, the functionality of the AC200P control panel is impressive (though intimidating for beginners).
Compatibility
The Bluetti AC200P has 17 different output ports. That’s right, 17! This is an incredibly large number and means that, should you need to, you could charge 17 different devices from this one unit at once. The variety of power outlets is key to the power station’s versatility, and we found that it scored extremely highly in this area.
There are a total of 6 AC110V outlets, providing smooth and continuous pure sine wave electricity. This means you can charge medium duty appliances like coffee makers, rice cookers and slow cookers easily and simultaneously, as long as their combined wattage is below 2000W.
The AC200P is also capable of powering higher demand items like fridge freezers, air conditioning systems, microwaves, heaters, and even electric power tools thanks to its DC 12V/25A outlet port. It also has a DC 12V/10A outlet and 2 DC12V/3A outlet, meaning that the breadth of appliances it can cater to is very vast.
The 4 USB-A 5V/3A ports are great for slow charging and running electrical devices like laptops, smartphones, cameras and drones, and the 2 15W wireless charging pads on top of the unit are excellent for slow charging 2 phones simultaneously, without the need for any fiddly connections or wires.
The AC200P has one USB-C PD 60W port which is capable of fast charging smartphones and devices when you need juice in a hurry. This is a great function on the unit and is one that you would perhaps most need in the case of an emergency.
Power Performance
There is no doubt that the Bluetti AC200P is a seriously powerful unit with huge energy storage capacity. It offers 2000Wh of storage, which is absolutely huge and affords you great peace of mind when you know that you have that much backup energy available.
It has a surge power of 4800 Watts, and delivers the energy efficiently to your devices, with minimal wastage.
The last 10 % of the power station’s energy is used as a buffer to protect the battery from damage. And the top 10% is leaked during the process of operating and supplying.
However, the AC200P has a real delivery rate of around 80% of its peak power, and this is very impressive indeed. Few other power stations deliver more.
In real terms, the AC200P can power an 800W refrigerator for 2.1 hours, 60W CPAP devices for 28 hours and over, a 60W laptop for 28 hours, a 12W fan for 140 hours, a smartphone for 180 hours, a 10W LED lantern light for 170 hours and a 100W LCD TV for 17 hours.
Not bad for a free standing, solar powered portable power station. As you can see, it would be more than capable of keeping you and your loved ones warm, fed and powered up in the event of a storm or hurricane. It would also keep all your appliances and mod-cons running on long weekends away, long journeys and camping trips.
Charging
The AC200P can be charged in 5 different ways, and the post eco-friendly and cost effective of these is by solar panel. Although the unit does not come with solar panels, they can be bought separately from Bluetti and the power station is compatible with most models thanks to the MC4 to XT90 connector cable.
Bluetti recommends that at least 3 solar panels are used to charge the AC200P effectively. With 3 SP200 solar panels connected, the AC200P can charge in 5-6 hours, with 4 SP200 200W panels it can charge in 4-5 hours, and with 5 panels it charges in 3-4 hours. Of course, the exact charging time will depend on the weather conditions and exposure to direct sunlight.
Thanks to the in-built MPPT technology, the AC200P can charge 40% faster from solar energy than it would be able to without. This really makes a huge difference, as solar energy may be the only energy you would have access to in the case of an emergency.
Of course, this unit also offers other charging methods as it can be charged via a 12V or 24V car port in 20 hours and 10 hours respectively. This is obviously a far slower method of charging but is useful if you are able to leave the unit overnight.
It can also be charged using the 500W AC wall socket adapter in 4.5 hours, and it supports dual adapter charging which reduces the charging time to 2.5 hours. However, you would have to purchase a second AC adapter and plug for this.
The Bluetti AC200P can be powered by generator and by battery at the same rate that it can be charged by car port. So there are many options available with this unit and it is a very versatile bit of kit.
One of the best options is to dual charge the power station using the 700W solar panel and 500W AC adapter outlets simultaneously. In this instance this huge beast of a machine will recharge from 0% to 100% in just 2.5 hours. That is awesome!
Battery
The Bluetti AC200P has a LiFePO4 battery cell that is highly efficient and durable. This battery is capable of performing over 3500 life cycles without showing any signs of wear! You can literally keep it for decades, meaning that this power station is very much a long term investment.
The battery has a shelf life of 3-6 months, meaning that it will retain energy for a very long time when not being used without needing to be recharged. This is a great advantage because it means that you will always be prepared for an emergency even if it springs up on you unexpectedly and you have not had a chance to top up the battery in a while.
The MPPT technology in-built into the LiFePO4 battery cell means that it is highly efficient and is able to harness 40% more energy from solar panels than other battery cells. And the Bluetti ECO mode prevents 50% less wasted electricity.
Durability
The Bluetti AC200P is built to last, and we love all the innovative protections and safety features that have been built into its design to ensure that it has longevity.
The most notable safety feature is the intelligent BMS battery management system which monitors the battery behavior and protects against overcurrent, over voltage, over heating, overloading, short circuiting and other potential risks.
With this system in place there is very little risk of the Ac200P sparking or blowing out, and your devices are protected from damage too.
The AC200p also has a clever temperature activated fan system, which only engages after the unit reaches 113 degrees Fahrenheit or over. This means that the unit is pretty quiet on the whole, but also that it cools itself down before damage is incurred.
Final Verdict
The Bluetti AC200P 2000W / 2000Wh portable power station is the perfect backup energy supply to have on your side. It is great for camping trips, parties and outdoor use, but it is also excellent in the case of emergencies.
Your storm bunker will be all the more safe and comfortable with one of these inside. You will even be able to survive the apocalypse!
