@@HOBOTECH I'm looking for a small solar generator for running power tools like an oscillator, drill drivers and tire inflaters. Had a 5 in 1 from Harbor Freight for those purposes but it would not inflate tires more than 20lbs and the cigarette lighter outlet started to smoke and melted a bit after using another tire inflater. Need one to be able to charge up faster than the majority of other solar generators. Anyone got any good ideas?
I purchased this product and I am very satisfied. Went off grid camping no electricity. We kept our lanterns, walkie talkies (4) and rechargeable batteries all charged for 7 days and went we broke our camp down it was still at 30% capacity.
I found vornado tempa lowest heat setting @ 450W. Is there any power station that would last me 2 days of tent camping trips in the winter, under 500? It seems like i would need to spend more for the solar anyways for 2nd night. Is mr heater really the only answer? I have a toddler. 450W mayb only output i need. Most of the power stations max out at 300-330W.
@@wys0123 I use my BALDR 330 with a 12v car defroster/heater (with fan), and it puts out some good heat for a small room or tent. I also tested it with an AC 250watt ceramic heater (on Low, not High), and though it ate more power, it cranked out some heat and didn't die.
A heat gun is almost completely a resistivity load. It does have a small blower motor, and the heating coils might have a little inductance, but the bulk of the power is going into resistance.
I just purchased this product...for those starting to look for a good basic mini generator...its the baldr 330. This generator has two lights one on the handle and one on the side. A very rugged build...and well worth the money..
You do a great job at the end of your videos explaining the pros and cons of the Solar generators and solar panels that you review. I rely on your advice when I purchase solar generators. Thanks brother!!🙏🏾
I was waiting for you to yell "Shazam!" at some point. I love your reviews and the humour is mixed in at the just-right level. Thanks so much for keeping it real! 8:24 "Solar De-Generator Heat Gun" LOL
Is it wrong that I come here for the comedy as well as the reviews? Interesting product. It they had listened to your reviews of other products, they could have included the features that would blow the 240 out of the water. The answers were there for them; low hanging fruit, and they didn't listen. Sigh. Anyway....hugs and kissies for Odin. ODIN!!!!!
I just discovered your channel and enjoying the reviews. My favorite line so far - "it doesn't smell great, but it's not on fire". LOL. Great job and I'm learning a lot.
Thank you HOBOTECH, nice to have such an experienced view of products, I appreciate your time to help others and really enjoyed the humor. Have a great weekend!
Whilst it an apparently resistive load, the Heat Gun heating resistor element is probably using a triac dimmer type controller, which takes the load in a very non friendly way, especially if it is the majority of the load. I think a better load test setup would use multiple true resistive heating elements (e,g tube heaters, which come in multiple sizes) in parallel, possibly with a small percentage of the load using a triac dimmer. Also using a Variac transformer on a large resistive load would be a possibility, but thos would be inductive, though a reasonable test for a pure sinewave inverter.
Oh Wise One, why is the Baldr, Rockpals, and Paxcess all have identical 330s? What's what? I was really interested in this one but now I'm really confused? 🤔
Yep I have had one of these units since the beginning of June this year and the unregulated 12v output is its most major downfall for me, I am only able to use the DC output for some small tent lights and it fails to run virtually any other of my 12v appliances due to them all being sensitive to the voltage sag. The inverter isn't too shabby but it often cycles its cooling fan every few minutes even on lighter loads so there is some intermittent noise to deal with, and there does seem to be some kind of 24 hour timer aspect to it as well my inverter seems to shut off once a day if I am trying to leave it running. It is light and rugged but ultimately too small of capacity for my needs which I didn't realize when I bought it, and I am one of those people who hoped to use it for a 45 watt compressor fridge and am sad I can't use it for that. Great for running tent lights, charging phones, and running some small household appliances.
I ordered this yesterday after watching this, and numerous videos of yours. I think this is a perfect entry portable generator for camping. I bought on Walmart for $225, so I didn’t get the Amazon savings. Oh well. Still a great price for this little unit. I love your detailed examinations on things. I did end up buying a foldable Togo 60w solar panel for this, also as a entry level panel. Amazon did have a $25 off coupon for the panel, bringing it down to about $100, with free shipping! Thanks. I’ll let you know how my experience goes.
I wonder what the cost is of having a regulated 12v and why so many battery makers simply refuse to add it when having it or not is a major decision making point for many when deciding on a battery to purchase.
I don't understand, as long as you stay within the power limit, it shouldn't mater what you are running. I feel like these things should trip and shutdown instead of burning up. Anyways, loving the channel!
I bought one of these on Amazon a couple years ago but it's branded zoombros but it's exactly the same. Picked it up for $90. Have used the warrenty to replace it twice 1st only charged to 90% 2nd one only charged to 94% and latest 6 months befor it burned up. Current one actually charged to 100% and has lasted allmost 1.5 years. It will run a 200w heater it runs a 260w dremel powers my laptop with a 125w power supply. It can easily power a 100w portable oven and a immersion heater i made out of a glowplug that runs about 100w. Overall it's a pretty good unit but obviously you have at best a 1 in 3 chance at getting a good unit. I got to. Keep the 2nd unit so i tore it apart and it has generic 2600mah 18650 li-ion batteries in a 4s7p configuration which would put it at 269wh just like he says so 269 296 same thing in Chinese I think...
Hrllo Dr. Hotech. i bought this same exact power source right in the middle of pademic. i bought on Amazon.I did not signup for warranty(like everything I buy my bad). Being new to this whole litium battery adventure. While was waiting for my house to buildt in Las Vegas. I decided to live at the beach for 6 months on the SF pinnesula.(1 of the best things I ever did for myself!). So this battery worked great for the whole 6 months. no izsues. When I finally got to Vegas. I tried to power it up and it started making a buzzing noise. nothing was working. 🤪😓. I still try and ug-in from time to time thinking it might fix itself. no luck. it still buzzes when i ug in tp wall outlite. Advznce plezse? thanks for yr time and sorry for lenthy message.(its my add a whole different story!) lol
Tk u, you addressed exactly what the needed: 12 v Freg. I’m planning to purchase a12v compressor freezer w/ power supply for boon-docking. I was hoping to use current solar panel but it’s not 200 watt. So looks like I’ll need a gas inventor/gen . Love your videos & the camping cat. Excellent work!
People run 12v fridges on unregulated ports all the time. A lot of new fridges run on at or just under 11v even. But should you? A) you wont always know when the unit dies and fridge stops. B) it is hard on both the generator and the fridge to run at low voltage for long periods of time. You may save money on a cheaper generator but without the 12v regulated output you won't get the capacity out of it. So the savings will likely be a push.
Professor Hobo they must have watched your video because they now offer an upgraded version which basically addresses everything you mentioned. Maybe do a follow up video.
hahhahaha!!! Im with Ke Le, I come here for the humor as much as the info-- i do appreciate your product reviews! LOVE Odin!! and ummmm, do you always eat the product?? :-D
LOL! You're such a dork! (does that word even exist anymore? -Someone who has odd interests, and is often silly at times. A dork is also someone who can be themselves and not care what anyone thinks.) Either way, I love your 'dry' sense of humor, (taste taste the BALDR) but LOVE your videos! Keep doing what you do! Cheers dude, got yourself a SUB!
for all you CPAP users watching this................... i just got the rockpals version of this, (exact same design and specs but red and black). im on my 6th night of using strictly with CPAP. my setting is at 8.5, and im NOT using heater or humidifier. the modem and bluetooth are set to ON. ALSO.....i AM using a DC cord (cigarette lighter plug) for this. i think the numbers would reflect MUCH differently using the standard adapter. 1st night - 9hrs 10 mins use. battery from 100% down to 85% 2nd night - 9hrs 51 mins use. battery from 85% down to 73% 3rd night - 9hrs 22 mins use. battery from 73% down to 61% 4th night - 9hrs 27 mins use. battery from 61% down to 49% 5th night - 8hrs 20 mins use. battery from 49% down to 40% 6th night - 8hrs 45mins use. battery from 40% down to 32% im pretty confident that with modem off, heater off, humidifier off, and heated tube off that i can get 8 nights use, on 1 full charge. which makes this a VERY cheap alternative to the pricier 500 watt size models.
At first I’m like , wow this is a great review . then all the technical information was mine blowing 👍🏻 then towards the end , where you get attacked by ants, holy shit ! The desert ! I realize that this was edited out , then edited in hehe. Awesome sauce .. thank you so much I’m a new subscriber now .
Sure wish the 240/300 Jackery would add the wireless charging. Would nice to set your phone on it (if equipped) run your other stuff and not take up a port or have to unplug it to use it each time, etc.
I mean like the Jackery 500 for $399 kind of deals. A side note, have you considered doing videos explaining off grid internet options? I for one, am struggling to find reasonably priced equipment for data. My phones won’t work with Weboost because I have MVNO that doesn’t support Weboost type technology (I called and asked them). I have been looking for phones with external antenna ports but apparently these are no longer made. I’d like a hotspot device that works off all cell bands from AT&T, Verizon, TMobile, so just like my phone, I have the option to jump around to different providers based on who has the best data deal. Anyway, thanks for responding,
@@stuartstuart866 That's funny because my WeBoost 4G works just fine on Ting MVNO. What you are looking for is a MOFI 4500. It works with all carriers and is what I use with my Verizon hotspot plan. I have it on hobotech.tv/amazon under Internet.
HOBOTECH My MVNO’s are Redpocket and Puretalk USA. Apparently FCC requires approval and registration of signal boosters from the carrier. I just looked into the MOFI 4500, per your suggestion. Since it says router, I thought you might need a modem too, but apparently it’s built in. So I just need a SIM card, then easily configure it on a computer and it’s ready to use? At least according to a video I watched lol. It’s not cheap but if it works in remote areas that might be the solution I’m looking for
The motor on the heat gun is inductive, it's likely a small portion of the load. The rest is resistive. They are partly lieing. If you have an electric radiator, it's is 100% resistive and the inverter should be able to run it just fine.
Honestly, why review any of these units without a regulated 12V output? This unit has some promise all the way up to the discovery of no 12V regulation.
I use these mainly for camping. To pump up air mattresses... Run a cpap... charge up phones and iPads... charge up fans... etc. I don’t use the 12v output.
Les Fernandez I’ve had mine for a little over year and maybe charged it up 50 times. This includes two camping trips. We had a problem with an outlet at home... and were using it to charge an iPhone every night so it didn’t need to be charge more than once a week. Camping we charged it up every day. At Max for our usage we will have 10 years no problem assuming nothing breaks. We actually bought a Rockpals 500 and 100w solar panel mainly for camping as well. We have 5 kids who all use devices...
I've had two of these now and neither one could run a 12v car headlight bulb from the cig. port, nor a air mattress pump or any other 12v device requiring more than 25-30 watts. Bulb I tested with measured at about 3 amp draw with a lead acid test battery (standard H4 bulb), so I don't understand how you were able to get 12 amps did you ramp it up super slowly over a period of time? If so that is unrealistic test most real-world loads are instantaneous with a startup spike.
Very good on reporting what you can't use. I hope you can do a video on what generators can run a fridge and is there a better choice like a battery, if you haven't yet spoken about it.
just bought one on amazon for $249. Came with 54% charge. Checked with 50wt solar panel in low light and it charged, checked on 110ac and it charged. Still need to do a capacity test but all USB ports and 12 volt ports work out of the box. So I think at least as good as a Jackery 240 for $50 less.
New subscriber. Thoroughly enjoyed this informative article/video. I'm into science of different field. Astro physical. It's advantageous to broaden our horizons. Learning is or should be a continuous process. Again, thanks for the info. I'll watch previous ane new vids as often as I procure time.
Me as well. I need about 300-500wh on a typical weekend campout. I figure if I get the higher capacity unit I always have plenty left and it will be easier long term on the equipment.
Just purchased on amazon using your promocode. Also got their 60W solar panel. It fits my needs very well and it truly is the best option by a landslide at its price point. Thanks for the review!
@@betsybarnicle8016 I ended up buying this same exact solar generator with a 100W solar panel, but from a different brand name on amazon called Zoombros. I got the solar generator for $190 on prime day and the solar panel was still like $170. That was insane!
@@betsybarnicle8016 look into one on Amazon called milin 622wh. I got it for $275! I saw that price somewhere online but it wasn’t that price anymore, so I messaged them on Amazon asking for that price. They said to buy it at current price and they will refund the difference. They did. The current price when I purchased was $400 so they gave me a $137 refund ($125 plus the difference of tax). Then when you do an Amazon review for it, they will give you a $50 gift card! Absolutely nuts! It’s by far the greatest value. That’s $0.36/wh! That’s unfathomable.
I bought the BALDR but then returned and got the Jackery 240 instead as it has 1000 discharge cycles and a regulated DC, also on sale for $250 on Amazon now.
@@HOBOTECH your comments here are very informative. Things move so fast in this market it’s hard to keep up. I don’t have an urgent need and am holding off for awhile. Subbed and will keep watching your vids.
So can someone tell me my people are turned off by unregulated 12v What exactly does that mean? Bc im torn between this and the J Nevermind just saw your explanation
You should try another test, charging a tiny USB device with only a load of 120mAh. Some fitness watches only draw 100-120mAh to charge, my generator switches off at that low level. Unusable for me with these low loads. That's a bummer.
Maybe you should have depleted the battery and then checked the input. A lot of things now days have a quick charger feature for the first 50 to 60% battery charge them it slows down the input wattage
No regulated 12V output = shucks, cannot use for my CPAP = not going to replace my Jackery 500. Appreciate the reviews Professor Hobo. Surprisingly, even the Bluetti AC50 500W does not have a regulated 12V output, keeping the Jackery 500 in the lead for CPAP UPS backup.
This is the second video I've watched and they still don't know how to plug in the solar panels you've explained everything but how to plug in the solar panels I'm a rookie.....I you just throw up the chords of what to charge it up with and that's it just throw him in the air then have us guess..... well excuse me I didn't wait for the end of the video thank you sir it was taking so long to charge in the sun I thought I had a plugged in the wrong port but you also told us it takes all day in the sun 2 days
just want to say thanks for all these reviews and knowledge. very glad I found your channel. the fact im in Tucson makes these reviews all the more relatable to my needs here in the desert.
This could have been a minimalist mini van RV solution, along with using a gas stove & gas heater solution for cooking & heat. However, I believe you need at least 1000W if not more for the 'usual suspect' devices that most people use. Read on, I will state my upcoming situation as an example: The Bad: 1) Blows up with 'inductive' loads.....Motors and heat you say? How about higher loads that are not inductive? NO BUENO. 2) Unregulated 12 Volt - Too bad, my ICECO JP50 fridge would have loved it. 3) 52 Watt Solar charge rate? This is very poor in this day and age. It should be at least 100 W for this size so that you may be able to effectively run some loads while you charge. 4) If you have a minivan RV you need enough to run continuously, 24 hour round the clock: a) A small rooftop vent fan (low vent speed about 12 watts). Keeps van 'fresh', musty odors go out, exhausts hot air. b) Quality 12V Fridge (Danfoss-type-like) - 35W in eco mode average. The 2 items above almost equals the 53 watts/hour charge rate. You want to charge at a higher rate, probably double that, so that you can keep the battery fully charged when the night comes and the Sun goes down. Not only that, depending where you live and the time of year, you need enough reserves to run this, which in the lower 48 could be anywhere between 8 - 16 hours of daylight. So at worst you need 16 hours nighttime battery x 47 W = 752 Watts/night 5) And then you have the intermittent, every day: a) Phone Charging (About 15 Watts total for my iPhone 6 using 5W adapter at 3 hours from 0 to 100%) - Say 15W / Day b) Laptop Charging (Chromebook using AC power - 40 W for 1 hour) x 2 hours (more if off work) - 80 W of AC, add the AC to DC loss and you are about 95 W c) String LED Lights for nighttime use before bedtime (Say about 20 ft all around in ceiling at 1.5W / ft = 30 W) - Say 3 hours every night = 90 watts d) Sleep time / off-work time usb fan - 12 hours/nighttime at 5 W = 60 W. ( I would need to add back the hrs/days I am off) So the one time use every night is = 260 Watts/day - Many times, people charge this at night! 6) Add the occasional: a) Shaver - 7.5 W charge in 1 hour for the whole week. b) Earfun SP200 bluetooth speaker - 10W / hour , charges in 4 hours, playtime 8 hours mid volume, use 1 hr/day avg = 40W So the use weekly is 47.5 W, divided by 7 = 7 Watts/day. Realistically, this could work for the items in 5 & 6 above, the intermittent and occasional kind of use. Forget it for continuous use as in items in 4. You can't even run a cpap machine all night since they average 40W / hour (AC, meaning if you convert it over to DC due to loss, the effective use is about 48W) not to mention the 200W startup requirement. The total for worst situation is 1019 Watts in my case so yeap, I need more . In addition, you may use other low-power, rechargeable items like a flashlight, headlight, bluetooth headset, security cameras, etc. that need daily/continuous power. Look for any of the Bluettis (1500, 2400 or the new one, the AC200 with 1700 battery and 2000 W inverter which is AWESOME) or a Goal Zero Yeti (1000, 1400 W), If you want to use, in combination with the loads above, a low power (600 - 800 W) microwave for up to 10 minutes a day (about 150-200 W total for breakfast + dinner, including microwave overhead) go for the Bluetti AC200 (charges at 700 W solar max, for which a minivan roof doesn't have enough Real Estate space) or the Goalzero 1400 (charges at 350 W hour) and, as in my case, it will satisfy my user needs. The one MAIN thing you need to consider is your worst, LOWEST power battery time. That is, when you wake up, the battery is low since it was running the fridge/fan all night (at least). Now you want to make breakfast using the micro for 3 - 5 minutes before going to work? You may not have enough juice left.
Disagree. The Rockpals 300 costs more, has a smaller inverter, fewer QC ports, no USB-C, no wireless, rated much lower current for 12v, and definitely doesn't charge as fast via car. Oh, let's not forget the lantern on this is much better too.
Dear professor hobo - I have a electric challenge for you. What would it cost and how hard would it be to take an ebike battery and turn that power source into a Jackery like Solar Generator? BTW - love the content and reviews.
Just found your channel and learning a lot. You mentioned CPAP a few times, do you use one? If so what would you recommend at a minimum to use a CPAP all night for day to day use while camping.
You seem very knowledgeable. I am disabled and ride a mobility scooter. I also live upstairs without an elevator and the battery weighs about 50lbs. Needless to say, I don't want to continue carrying them upstairs every night. I am looking for a battery charger that can charge my scooter downstairs instead of having to carry them upstairs. Can you help with any suggestions? Do you know of any charger that will be able to do the job? I have 2 scooters they are the Pride Raptor and the Pride Revo 2.0.
Really enjoy everything you do. Because of you I bought the Jackery 500 and the Balder 330 for power management for my RVS. My question is could I hook up or daisey chain a lithium battery to my Jackery for a longer running time?
Looking for one that can charge via solar. run the ac inverter while charging, and handle at least 1500w for a inductive load for a portable hotplate. Looks like the Jackery 1500W is about the only one.. pretty pricy though.
I'm watching this after being out of electricity for nearly 9 days after Hurricane Laura. I have 2 Jackerys, both of which I lost the charging cords before the storm so I charged them using a cigarette plug it came with. When you say I doubt you be running a fridge....you have no idea how I wish I could have!!
Wow! That's a looooong time. I'm guessing you didn't have a solar panel either? Sounds like you may want to consider a 12v fridge and a big Bluetti for next time.
BALDR 330 amzn.to/3ec1tNX use code IYY3X4UP for 10% off! (until 9/30/20)
Awesome review and thanks for promo code. Too bad BALDR decided to up their price on Amazon after this video.
Out of stock 😢
@@nomadeenvr2233
$259.99
FREE delivery: Wednesday, Dec 30
In Stock.
@@HOBOTECH I'm looking for a small solar generator for running power tools like an oscillator, drill drivers and tire inflaters. Had a 5 in 1 from Harbor Freight for those purposes but it would not inflate tires more than 20lbs and the cigarette lighter outlet started to smoke and melted a bit after using another tire inflater. Need one to be able to charge up faster than the majority of other solar generators. Anyone got any good ideas?
Would something like this work to charge my ebike with a solar panel
I purchased this product and I am very satisfied. Went off grid camping no electricity. We kept our lanterns, walkie talkies (4) and rechargeable batteries all charged for 7 days and went we broke our camp down it was still at 30% capacity.
when* we
How is it holding up?
@@Jimmy_The_Goat
Still working great holds a charge for a real long time to my surprise.
Please do more of these cheapy power stations. They're pretty fascinating to see how cheap they are and what they can offer.
Dr. Destructo.
I found vornado tempa lowest heat setting @ 450W. Is there any power station that would last me 2 days of tent camping trips in the winter, under 500? It seems like i would need to spend more for the solar anyways for 2nd night.
Is mr heater really the only answer? I have a toddler.
450W mayb only output i need. Most of the power stations max out at 300-330W.
@@wys0123 copy and paste your question to the main comments and see if he'll reply.
@@wys0123 I use my BALDR 330 with a 12v car defroster/heater (with fan), and it puts out some good heat for a small room or tent. I also tested it with an AC 250watt ceramic heater (on Low, not High), and though it ate more power, it cranked out some heat and didn't die.
So refreshing to see someone that knows how to actually do their job. 👍
A heat gun is almost completely a resistivity load. It does have a small blower motor, and the heating coils might have a little inductance, but the bulk of the power is going into resistance.
I just purchased this product...for those starting to look for a good basic mini generator...its the baldr 330.
This generator has two lights one on the handle and one on the side. A very rugged build...and well worth the money..
Unregulated 12v plugs? I'm out. Lol. Thanks for the thorough review, Tom.
You do a great job at the end of your videos explaining the pros and cons of the Solar generators and solar panels that you review. I rely on your advice when I purchase solar generators. Thanks brother!!🙏🏾
I was waiting for you to yell "Shazam!" at some point. I love your reviews and the humour is mixed in at the just-right level. Thanks so much for keeping it real! 8:24 "Solar De-Generator Heat Gun" LOL
I’ll stick the nuclear power station I saw on a kickstarter.....should be here any day😀
Bluetti AC200
I elected for the matter/anti-matter station. Nuclear was so June 2020.
Lol
Is it wrong that I come here for the comedy as well as the reviews? Interesting product. It they had listened to your reviews of other products, they could have included the features that would blow the 240 out of the water. The answers were there for them; low hanging fruit, and they didn't listen. Sigh. Anyway....hugs and kissies for Odin. ODIN!!!!!
I just discovered your channel and enjoying the reviews. My favorite line so far - "it doesn't smell great, but it's not on fire". LOL. Great job and I'm learning a lot.
No regulated DC.... deal killer. Nice handle though!
Would suck too much juice and kill the battery... I can see why they did it.
Thank you HOBOTECH, nice to have such an experienced view of products, I appreciate your time to help others and really enjoyed the humor. Have a great weekend!
Whilst it an apparently resistive load, the Heat Gun heating resistor element is probably using a triac dimmer type controller, which takes the load in a very non friendly way, especially if it is the majority of the load.
I think a better load test setup would use multiple true resistive heating elements (e,g tube heaters, which come in multiple sizes) in parallel, possibly with a small percentage of the load using a triac dimmer. Also using a Variac transformer on a large resistive load would be a possibility, but thos would be inductive, though a reasonable test for a pure sinewave inverter.
I think you do these reviews extremely well. Thanks!
Oh Wise One, why is the Baldr, Rockpals, and Paxcess all have identical 330s? What's what? I was really interested in this one but now I'm really confused? 🤔
Yep I have had one of these units since the beginning of June this year and the unregulated 12v output is its most major downfall for me, I am only able to use the DC output for some small tent lights and it fails to run virtually any other of my 12v appliances due to them all being sensitive to the voltage sag. The inverter isn't too shabby but it often cycles its cooling fan every few minutes even on lighter loads so there is some intermittent noise to deal with, and there does seem to be some kind of 24 hour timer aspect to it as well my inverter seems to shut off once a day if I am trying to leave it running. It is light and rugged but ultimately too small of capacity for my needs which I didn't realize when I bought it, and I am one of those people who hoped to use it for a 45 watt compressor fridge and am sad I can't use it for that. Great for running tent lights, charging phones, and running some small household appliances.
I find your shows very informative and enjoyable. Thanks also for your responses to my questions.
Great review of the Baldr330! (CRAAAAACKCK!)
My family’s comfort is on the line. Got a Jackery.
I love your product reviews especially when there’s a comedy of errors! your killing me man😂☮️
Your reviews are outstanding. Keep up the great work!
how do you charge a laptop from
the cigarette lighter dc port? it’s a 3 prong cabel - so do i need an adapter for the DC cigarette lighter port?
@@rainlei9324 cable*
I ordered this yesterday after watching this, and numerous videos of yours. I think this is a perfect entry portable generator for camping.
I bought on Walmart for $225, so I didn’t get the Amazon savings. Oh well. Still a great price for this little unit.
I love your detailed examinations on things.
I did end up buying a foldable Togo 60w solar panel for this, also as a entry level panel.
Amazon did have a $25 off coupon for the panel, bringing it down to about $100, with free shipping!
Thanks. I’ll let you know how my experience goes.
How is it holding up?
No hair dryers, duly noted! What do you think about a very small space heater?
I own this and it is very sturdy and reliable.
At this point I vote u make an adapter that will make the 12v a regulated one. These manufacturers r not listening to u.
I wonder what the cost is of having a regulated 12v and why so many battery makers simply refuse to add it when having it or not is a major decision making point for many when deciding on a battery to purchase.
@Jacob Dawson
Just drop the phone charger & fit a12v regulated output .
The a/c inverter need work it should be ID 1OT proof .
Thanks HT! Oden has some competition!
I don't understand, as long as you stay within the power limit, it shouldn't mater what you are running. I feel like these things should trip and shutdown instead of burning up. Anyways, loving the channel!
The name Jackery just sounds like a slang word you would use... Like if you got ripped off, you just got Jackery'd.
The battery drains fast. Thanks to you I figured out why. Will be returning mine. 😬
You had me chuckling with your lightning bolt, nuclear reactor statement, still chuckling. 😁
Isn't the heat gun a resistive load? The fan motor is inductance but element is the main load.
Excellent Review! He even busted out an Oscope
ILLUDIUM Q-36 explosive solar DEgenerator modulator
I bought one of these on Amazon a couple years ago but it's branded zoombros but it's exactly the same. Picked it up for $90. Have used the warrenty to replace it twice 1st only charged to 90% 2nd one only charged to 94% and latest 6 months befor it burned up. Current one actually charged to 100% and has lasted allmost 1.5 years.
It will run a 200w heater it runs a 260w dremel powers my laptop with a 125w power supply. It can easily power a 100w portable oven and a immersion heater i made out of a glowplug that runs about 100w. Overall it's a pretty good unit but obviously you have at best a 1 in 3 chance at getting a good unit. I got to. Keep the 2nd unit so i tore it apart and it has generic 2600mah 18650 li-ion batteries in a 4s7p configuration which would put it at 269wh just like he says so 269 296 same thing in Chinese I think...
Hrllo Dr. Hotech. i bought this same exact power source right in the middle of pademic. i bought on Amazon.I did not signup for warranty(like everything I buy my bad). Being new to this whole litium battery adventure. While was waiting for my house to buildt in Las Vegas. I decided to live at the beach for 6 months on the SF pinnesula.(1 of the best things I ever did for myself!). So this battery worked great for the whole 6 months. no izsues. When I finally got to Vegas. I tried to power it up and it started making a buzzing noise. nothing was working. 🤪😓. I still try and ug-in from time to time thinking it might fix itself. no luck. it still buzzes when i ug in tp wall outlite. Advznce plezse? thanks for yr time and sorry for lenthy message.(its my add a whole different story!) lol
Shame about the unregulated 12v. Jackery gets my money because of that. Thanks for the review! Also love the Solar Degenerator :D
Tk u, you addressed exactly what the needed: 12 v Freg. I’m planning to purchase a12v compressor freezer w/ power supply for boon-docking. I was hoping to use current solar panel but it’s not 200 watt. So looks like I’ll need a gas inventor/gen .
Love your videos & the camping cat. Excellent work!
People run 12v fridges on unregulated ports all the time. A lot of new fridges run on at or just under 11v even. But should you? A) you wont always know when the unit dies and fridge stops. B) it is hard on both the generator and the fridge to run at low voltage for long periods of time. You may save money on a cheaper generator but without the 12v regulated output you won't get the capacity out of it. So the savings will likely be a push.
Defiantly entry level, good starter power station.
Professor Hobo they must have watched your video because they now offer an upgraded version which basically addresses everything you mentioned. Maybe do a follow up video.
"Solar Degenerator" = APPROVED 👍
Do you personally recommend it over the jackery?
hahhahaha!!! Im with Ke Le, I come here for the humor as much as the info-- i do appreciate your product reviews! LOVE Odin!! and ummmm, do you always eat the product?? :-D
LOL! You're such a dork! (does that word even exist anymore? -Someone who has odd interests, and is often silly at times. A dork is also someone who can be themselves and not care what anyone thinks.) Either way, I love your 'dry' sense of humor, (taste taste the BALDR) but LOVE your videos! Keep doing what you do! Cheers dude, got yourself a SUB!
Baddasss review!! I love it when yah breakem. What is your #1 solar generator/ battery bank?
Mike for this class of solar generator the Rockpals 300w has the most bang for the buck in my opinion.
The AC200 is the best thing out right now.
The BALDR runs circles around the Rockpals 300. This features more for less.
@@bradcooke5383 I just got my rockpals 300 n I love it..next up? A 1000 something? Lol
Interesting. Very little so wouldnt be bad for the basic appartment prepper. Not bad for a basic kit
for all you CPAP users watching this...................
i just got the rockpals version of this, (exact same design and specs but red and black).
im on my 6th night of using strictly with CPAP. my setting is at 8.5, and im NOT using heater or humidifier. the modem and bluetooth are set to ON.
ALSO.....i AM using a DC cord (cigarette lighter plug) for this. i think the numbers would reflect MUCH differently using the standard adapter.
1st night - 9hrs 10 mins use. battery from 100% down to 85%
2nd night - 9hrs 51 mins use. battery from 85% down to 73%
3rd night - 9hrs 22 mins use. battery from 73% down to 61%
4th night - 9hrs 27 mins use. battery from 61% down to 49%
5th night - 8hrs 20 mins use. battery from 49% down to 40%
6th night - 8hrs 45mins use. battery from 40% down to 32%
im pretty confident that with modem off, heater off, humidifier off, and heated tube off that i can get 8 nights use, on 1 full charge.
which makes this a VERY cheap alternative to the pricier 500 watt size models.
At first I’m like , wow this is a great review . then all the technical information was mine blowing 👍🏻 then towards the end , where you get attacked by ants, holy shit ! The desert ! I realize that this was edited out , then edited in hehe. Awesome sauce .. thank you so much I’m a new subscriber now .
"It's doesn't smell great, but it's not on fire." lol
I was so disappointed i am wanting to be able to run a tiny crockpot. Thanks forr a great review
Sure wish the 240/300 Jackery would add the wireless charging. Would nice to set your phone on it (if equipped) run your other stuff and not take up a port or have to unplug it to use it each time, etc.
You are just too excited about blowing stuff up! Lol
"It is just a heat gun!" Lol
My Jackery 250 moans when I put my cell phone AC charger in.😜
You should do a video so we can hear it moan.
Tom, please keep us informed when Jackery or Bluetti has discounts.
See my post this morning?
I mean like the Jackery 500 for $399 kind of deals.
A side note, have you considered doing videos explaining off grid internet options? I for one, am struggling to find reasonably priced equipment for data. My phones won’t work with Weboost because I have MVNO that doesn’t support Weboost type technology (I called and asked them). I have been looking for phones with external antenna ports but apparently these are no longer made. I’d like a hotspot device that works off all cell bands from AT&T, Verizon, TMobile, so just like my phone, I have the option to jump around to different providers based on who has the best data deal. Anyway, thanks for responding,
@@stuartstuart866 That's funny because my WeBoost 4G works just fine on Ting MVNO. What you are looking for is a MOFI 4500. It works with all carriers and is what I use with my Verizon hotspot plan. I have it on hobotech.tv/amazon under Internet.
HOBOTECH
My MVNO’s are Redpocket and Puretalk USA. Apparently FCC requires approval and registration of signal boosters from the carrier.
I just looked into the MOFI 4500, per your suggestion. Since it says router, I thought you might need a modem too, but apparently it’s built in. So I just need a SIM card, then easily configure it on a computer and it’s ready to use? At least according to a video I watched lol. It’s not cheap but if it works in remote areas that might be the solution I’m looking for
The motor on the heat gun is inductive, it's likely a small portion of the load. The rest is resistive. They are partly lieing. If you have an electric radiator, it's is 100% resistive and the inverter should be able to run it just fine.
Honestly, why review any of these units without a regulated 12V output? This unit has some promise all the way up to the discovery of no 12V regulation.
Because many don't need or use regulated 12v.
I use these mainly for camping. To pump up air mattresses... Run a cpap... charge up phones and iPads... charge up fans... etc. I don’t use the 12v output.
Les Fernandez I’ve had mine for a little over year and maybe charged it up 50 times. This includes two camping trips. We had a problem with an outlet at home... and were using it to charge an iPhone every night so it didn’t need to be charge more than once a week. Camping we charged it up every day. At Max for our usage we will have 10 years no problem assuming nothing breaks. We actually bought a Rockpals 500 and 100w solar panel mainly for camping as well. We have 5 kids who all use devices...
I've had two of these now and neither one could run a 12v car headlight bulb from the cig. port, nor a air mattress pump or any other 12v device requiring more than 25-30 watts. Bulb I tested with measured at about 3 amp draw with a lead acid test battery (standard H4 bulb), so I don't understand how you were able to get 12 amps did you ramp it up super slowly over a period of time? If so that is unrealistic test most real-world loads are instantaneous with a startup spike.
Very good on reporting what you can't use. I hope you can do a video on what generators can run a fridge and is there a better choice like a battery, if you haven't yet spoken about it.
Any of them over 1000wh can.
just bought one on amazon for $249. Came with 54% charge. Checked with 50wt solar panel in low light and it charged, checked on 110ac and it charged. Still need to do a capacity test but all USB ports and 12 volt ports work out of the box. So I think at least as good as a Jackery 240 for $50 less.
So it died with minimal overload. I bet a teardown would show the night and day difference in quality components vs. the big players.
New subscriber. Thoroughly enjoyed this informative article/video. I'm into science of different field. Astro physical. It's advantageous to broaden our horizons. Learning is or should be a continuous process. Again, thanks for the info. I'll watch previous ane new vids as often as I procure time.
like it, hopefully they will upgrade per ur rec - Thanks for all U do
mmm pass. Im gonna keep saving for a bluetti.
Whats a bluetti ?
Susan4YH Bluetti is the Cadillac brand of solar generators.
Me as well. I need about 300-500wh on a typical weekend campout. I figure if I get the higher capacity unit I always have plenty left and it will be easier long term on the equipment.
Thank you for the review.
Just purchased on amazon using your promocode. Also got their 60W solar panel. It fits my needs very well and it truly is the best option by a landslide at its price point. Thanks for the review!
The users manual recommends a 100 watt solar panel. I bought the TOGO Power 120 watt panel because it had a great $30 discount code.
@@betsybarnicle8016 I ended up buying this same exact solar generator with a 100W solar panel, but from a different brand name on amazon called Zoombros. I got the solar generator for $190 on prime day and the solar panel was still like $170. That was insane!
@@aaronqueen55 Whoa! I think I got the BALDR 330 for $230, and that was after a $30 discount code. Great deal!
@@betsybarnicle8016 look into one on Amazon called milin 622wh. I got it for $275! I saw that price somewhere online but it wasn’t that price anymore, so I messaged them on Amazon asking for that price. They said to buy it at current price and they will refund the difference. They did. The current price when I purchased was $400 so they gave me a $137 refund ($125 plus the difference of tax). Then when you do an Amazon review for it, they will give you a $50 gift card! Absolutely nuts! It’s by far the greatest value. That’s $0.36/wh! That’s unfathomable.
Would you recommend it?
I bought the BALDR but then returned and got the Jackery 240 instead as it has 1000 discharge cycles and a regulated DC, also on sale for $250 on Amazon now.
All Jackery products have 500 cycles to 80%. The Jackery 240 is also a dinosaur in comparison.
@@HOBOTECH ok it says has a “circle life of 1000 times of recharging and discharging” when Jackery Inc responded to someone’s question on Amazon?
I have reviewed every Jackery product and none of them have over 500 cycle life. Who ever answered those questions don't know their own products.
@@HOBOTECH your comments here are very informative. Things move so fast in this market it’s hard to keep up. I don’t have an urgent need and am holding off for awhile. Subbed and will keep watching your vids.
So can someone tell me my people are turned off by unregulated 12v
What exactly does that mean?
Bc im torn between this and the J
Nevermind just saw your explanation
I have a Prymax R300 I am very happy with.
You should try another test, charging a tiny USB device with only a load of 120mAh. Some fitness watches only draw 100-120mAh to charge, my generator switches off at that low level. Unusable for me with these low loads. That's a bummer.
Maybe you should have depleted the battery and then checked the input. A lot of things now days have a quick charger feature for the first 50 to 60% battery charge them it slows down the input wattage
It doesn't.
Looks like a combination of rockpals and jackery
No regulated 12V output = shucks, cannot use for my CPAP = not going to replace my Jackery 500. Appreciate the reviews Professor Hobo. Surprisingly, even the Bluetti AC50 500W does not have a regulated 12V output, keeping the Jackery 500 in the lead for CPAP UPS backup.
The new Bluetti AC50s does have 12v regulated. You can get it for $349 through my link.
Probably the best feature is that the listing is coded weird, so amazon will ship this overseas.
This would run my foredoom flexshaft easily for my jewelry projects. It would use about 125 watts. :)
This is the second video I've watched and they still don't know how to plug in the solar panels you've explained everything but how to plug in the solar panels I'm a rookie.....I you just throw up the chords of what to charge it up with and that's it just throw him in the air then have us guess..... well excuse me I didn't wait for the end of the video thank you sir it was taking so long to charge in the sun I thought I had a plugged in the wrong port but you also told us it takes all day in the sun 2 days
“We’re here to break stuff.”😂
Heaters aren't inductive loads. They're resistive loads. Granted, the heat gun has a motor, but most of the load is probably the heating element.
Ok, so it tastes like a Jackery etc... You left out the truly important info,is it or is it not "low carb"?
Thanks, but looking for the regulated 12v.
just want to say thanks for all these reviews and knowledge. very glad I found your channel. the fact im in Tucson makes these reviews all the more relatable to my needs here in the desert.
This could have been a minimalist mini van RV solution, along with using a gas stove & gas heater solution for cooking & heat. However, I believe you need at least 1000W if not more for the 'usual suspect' devices that most people use. Read on, I will state my upcoming situation as an example:
The Bad:
1) Blows up with 'inductive' loads.....Motors and heat you say? How about higher loads that are not inductive? NO BUENO.
2) Unregulated 12 Volt - Too bad, my ICECO JP50 fridge would have loved it.
3) 52 Watt Solar charge rate? This is very poor in this day and age. It should be at least 100 W for this size so that you may be able to effectively run some loads while you charge.
4) If you have a minivan RV you need enough to run continuously, 24 hour round the clock:
a) A small rooftop vent fan (low vent speed about 12 watts). Keeps van 'fresh', musty odors go out, exhausts hot air.
b) Quality 12V Fridge (Danfoss-type-like) - 35W in eco mode average.
The 2 items above almost equals the 53 watts/hour charge rate. You want to charge at a higher rate, probably double that, so that you can keep the battery fully charged when the night comes and the Sun goes down. Not only that, depending where you live and the time of year, you need enough reserves to run this, which in the lower 48 could be anywhere between 8 - 16 hours of daylight. So at worst you need 16 hours nighttime battery x 47 W = 752 Watts/night
5) And then you have the intermittent, every day:
a) Phone Charging (About 15 Watts total for my iPhone 6 using 5W adapter at 3 hours from 0 to 100%) - Say 15W / Day
b) Laptop Charging (Chromebook using AC power - 40 W for 1 hour) x 2 hours (more if off work) - 80 W of AC, add the AC to DC loss and you are about 95 W
c) String LED Lights for nighttime use before bedtime (Say about 20 ft all around in ceiling at 1.5W / ft = 30 W) - Say 3 hours every night = 90 watts
d) Sleep time / off-work time usb fan - 12 hours/nighttime at 5 W = 60 W. ( I would need to add back the hrs/days I am off)
So the one time use every night is = 260 Watts/day - Many times, people charge this at night!
6) Add the occasional:
a) Shaver - 7.5 W charge in 1 hour for the whole week.
b) Earfun SP200 bluetooth speaker - 10W / hour , charges in 4 hours, playtime 8 hours mid volume, use 1 hr/day avg = 40W
So the use weekly is 47.5 W, divided by 7 = 7 Watts/day.
Realistically, this could work for the items in 5 & 6 above, the intermittent and occasional kind of use. Forget it for continuous use as in items in 4.
You can't even run a cpap machine all night since they average 40W / hour (AC, meaning if you convert it over to DC due to loss, the effective use is about 48W) not to mention the 200W startup requirement.
The total for worst situation is 1019 Watts in my case so yeap, I need more . In addition, you may use other low-power, rechargeable items like a flashlight, headlight, bluetooth headset, security cameras, etc. that need daily/continuous power.
Look for any of the Bluettis (1500, 2400 or the new one, the AC200 with 1700 battery and 2000 W inverter which is AWESOME) or a Goal Zero Yeti (1000, 1400 W),
If you want to use, in combination with the loads above, a low power (600 - 800 W) microwave for up to 10 minutes a day (about 150-200 W total for breakfast + dinner, including microwave overhead) go for the Bluetti AC200 (charges at 700 W solar max, for which a minivan roof doesn't have enough Real Estate space) or the Goalzero 1400 (charges at 350 W hour) and, as in my case, it will satisfy my user needs.
The one MAIN thing you need to consider is your worst, LOWEST power battery time. That is, when you wake up, the battery is low since it was running the fridge/fan all night (at least). Now you want to make breakfast using the micro for 3 - 5 minutes before going to work? You may not have enough juice left.
Well that pretty much covered everything I needed to consider.
You forgot "smells like a Jackery"
Just picked it up for $194 on Amazon
Good review Professor! The Rockpals 300w blows this BaldrR away.
Disagree. The Rockpals 300 costs more, has a smaller inverter, fewer QC ports, no USB-C, no wireless, rated much lower current for 12v, and definitely doesn't charge as fast via car. Oh, let's not forget the lantern on this is much better too.
@@HOBOTECH True professor. I should have specified the solar charging speed. I'm over paneling with two 100w panels and get 75-80w input.
Thanks, I am learning so much!
Dear professor hobo - I have a electric challenge for you. What would it cost and how hard would it be to take an ebike battery and turn that power source into a Jackery like Solar Generator? BTW - love the content and reviews.
I planned to do that but it was going to be a lot of work. E-bike batteries run a high voltage so you need to covert that down.
Thx, good info video and love the sense of humor, subbed . . .
The cat is slacking off. The first Jackery box didn't appear until 9:32 into the review.
Thank you.
Just found your channel and learning a lot. You mentioned CPAP a few times, do you use one? If so what would you recommend at a minimum to use a CPAP all night for day to day use while camping.
Test out the how easy 330w power station its super cheap and I have been having a good experience with it. I bought it on Amazon
You seem very knowledgeable. I am disabled and ride a mobility scooter. I also live upstairs without an elevator and the battery weighs about 50lbs. Needless to say, I don't want to continue carrying them upstairs every night. I am looking for a battery charger that can charge my scooter downstairs instead of having to carry them upstairs. Can you help with any suggestions? Do you know of any charger that will be able to do the job? I have 2 scooters they are the Pride Raptor and the Pride Revo 2.0.
Really enjoy everything you do. Because of you I bought the Jackery 500 and the Balder 330 for power management for my RVS. My question is could I hook up or daisey chain a lithium battery to my Jackery for a longer running time?
Great video very informative !! Great job!!
Great video usual. So after you use the 500 cycles is the unit garbage or can you just replace. The batteriesl?
They don’t become garbage. They stick around 80% usage for a lot longer.
So what you’re saying is this will not power a small coffee pot because it has a heat converter?
The Progeny version is on amazon now with a 50.00 off coupon.. 175.00
Looking for one that can charge via solar. run the ac inverter while charging, and handle at least 1500w for a inductive load for a portable hotplate. Looks like the Jackery 1500W is about the only one.. pretty pricy though.
I'm watching this after being out of electricity for nearly 9 days after Hurricane Laura. I have 2 Jackerys, both of which I lost the charging cords before the storm so I charged them using a cigarette plug it came with. When you say I doubt you be running a fridge....you have no idea how I wish I could have!!
Wow! That's a looooong time. I'm guessing you didn't have a solar panel either? Sounds like you may want to consider a 12v fridge and a big Bluetti for next time.