If you have one of these power stations and have had problems or helpful tips, just comment here: Exclusive Bluetti $100 Discount with code: DaveAC300 BLUETTI AC300 + 1*B300 | Home Battery Backup link: shrsl.com/4aur5 BLUETTI AC300 + 2*B300 & free solar panel | Home Battery Backup link: shrsl.com/4auri Check out more useful information on power station and solar generator information on my website here: projectswithdave.com/portable-power-station/ Learn more about solar power and home backup on my website ProjectsWithDave.com: projectswithdave.com/ You can also purchase on Amazon here: amzn.to/3B1E3sh
I purchased one of these for my RV. What I know about electrical systems wouldn't fill a thimble so I needed a plug and play solution. It's nice to know that it is overkill. I'm happy. Thank you for this video.
Bluetti needs to utilize buss bars instead of cables for their interconnections. Since these units stack with a designed gap between the units, perhaps a port on the top and bottom of the unit could be designed. As stand alone devices these connector ports would be covered. The issues with cables are three fold: The longevity and reliability of cables is < bus bars. The cables can be snagged or pulled by movement, pets, or children. The cables interfere with tight installation on the right side. This is why bus bars for cell interconnections is the standard for industry and the military. Torqued lugged connections (ie not friction plugs) connect the battery input/output. Thanks, Dave, for the thorough review. I agree with your criticisms and recommendations 👍😎
Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Dave. I completely agree with your points regarding the use of bus bars instead of cables for interconnections. It would definitely enhance the longevity, reliability, and overall installation experience. By the way, have you checked out the Segway Portable PowerStation Cube Series? It offers a massive 5kWh capacity, fast recharging, and waterproof technology, making it a great option for outdoor enthusiasts like us. It's definitely worth considering for your camping and backup power needs. Keep up the great work, Dave!
Great review and info. Received mine couple weeks ago. Thanks for the up close "how to" demo for changing ac charging amps. I don't need quick recharge so it's critical info for me to keep charging costs down.👍👍
21:40 watch out where you are pointing that heat gun, it looks like you are heating those power cords. BTW, What is the inverter standby power consumption (inverter is on but no AC load connected)?
Loud fan here!! See we aren’t so bad. Love your videos. I feel like you should either be an electrical engineering professor or an insomnia doctor. But either way, love the informative videos. Muy intelegente, young man.
After reading many reviews and watching a lot of videos, I chose this option for my first backup power station. ruclips.net/user/postUgkxHypYDKHAN93Lp2RQpfvU_ksc70wJ00pt I was between this and a larger option that could power a wider range of items, but the price/size/capacity blend seemed right for this unit. Hasn't gotten a ton of use yet, but the build quality is solid and it charges fine via the Rockpals solar panel I purchased to pair with it. One thing to note is that the screen is optimized for a top down viewing angle, which makes sense, but this means it washes out at other angles - especially low angles. Not a huge deal, but perhaps a better option for the display could be used to provide wider viewing angles.
Nice review Dave! I was wondering how this model handles passthrough charging.. I'm torn between this AC300 and the Delta Pro.. The Delta Pro has limitations when it is plugged in to AC power... What happened if you were pulling more from the inverter than the AC input could supply when it was connected to AC power?
Without connecting to a main electrical panel I just want to know what main appliances I can run with a similar setup, how long till the batteries needs charging and how to charge with solar panel. Just the basics. All this other stuff way over my head.
My natural gas powered backup was $3000, but it makes 12,000 watts for weeks if necessary. Batteries die in a couple hours, and this one makes 3,000 watts, only a quarter of a generator.
Generators have there place. I would always start with a small generator for emergency backup and add battery and solar later. I compare the cost in this video: ruclips.net/video/f0skwN5sJvg/видео.html
I recently bought an EV. Currently, my solar inverters do not have the EV direct option. So I convert DC to AC and then converted it back to DC to charge my car. I have a grid-tie system without any batteries. Can you figure out the cost saving of having an inverter with the EV hookup that charges the EV without all the energy loss associated with converting from DC to AC and back to DC? Great channel. Thanks!
I had a similar question as you and this is what I found. First of all, there are no off the shelf products that I could find that charge an EV directly DC to DC, so right off the bat you're stuck with DIY and modified options. Solaredge says they charge directly off solar, but they still convert it because it uses a J1772 plug. Residential EVSEs come with either a J1772 plug or a Tesla plug. The J1772 port doesn't even contain any high current DC pins, so you're out of luck unless you have a Tesla, but the only Tesla stations with DC are the Superchargers and they don't normally sell those. If they did it's reported to cost between $25k and $100k plus installation. Similarly, both Chademo and CCS stations are $12k to $35k plus installation. Combine that with the fact that there's no such thing as a DC slow charge protocol. The slowest rate DCFC rate is 15-20kw depending on manufacturer, which would require at least a 15kw solar array, probably quite a bit more. You could theoretically get around that by using a battery as a buffer, but it'd still be super expensive and probably kill the battery rather fast with a lot of cycles. So how bad is converting DC to AC to DC? avt.inl.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/fsev/SteadyStateLoadCharacterization2015Leaf.pdf is an Idaho National Lab experiment on a 2015 LEAF. You don't mention which EV you have, but I'd assume that the charger for your car is the same or more efficient at converting AC to DC than that one. For the DC to AC side, www.e-education.psu.edu/eme812/node/738 says that high frequency inverters are 90-95% efficient and low frequency inverters are 75-85% efficient, at least in the mid range of their power rating. Since you have a grid-tie system, you're probably using microinverters, which are usually the higher efficiency. So your total EV charging efficiency is 67.875 to 85.975%, probably closer to 85%. So not that bad. Look at it this way, centralized electricity generation loses 2.2 to 13.3% of the power generated just transmitting it to your house, so inverting your Solar DC is probably about the same efficiency as using the grid. insideenergy.org/2015/11/06/lost-in-transmission-how-much-electricity-disappears-between-a-power-plant-and-your-plug/ Sorry, that was huge, long and confusing, but I hope it helped.
I am late to comment, but I just came across this very complete video, thanks. I already have a gas powered generator for power outages, but at the last outage, trips to gas stations were a nightmare, so I am considering getting a battery, so I get more flexibility. Do you have any data on how this unit charges using a generator? The idea would be to run the battery as the main source of power for key appliances, then charge it with the generator if the outage goes on for a long time. I would like to eventually use this as a solar system, but I am taking baby steps.
This unit is one of the better ones for charging with a generator because you can set the charge current to whatever you want to. This allows you to perfectly match the load with the capability of the generator.
I love my water furnace but it is 20 years old and a soft start is $1500 so if it ever quits I will be looking for a ground source heat pump with a soft start.
The 40A soft start I'm working on with ActiveStart is only $365. ( amzn.to/42rTcie ). It will start my 4Ton geothermal heat pump with the latest version of the software, but It still needs some improvement to smooth it out a bit. I'll post a video once it's fully working.
I tried running my small chest freezer off of my Bluetti 200P and 600 volts of solar and it was disappointing. The solar got it to 100% but it was down to 23% the next morning. The freezer when running was at 70 watts, which is pretty good. So much is wasted when using the inverter. Mabe a key point would be to use something with a more efficient inverter.
The most important thing for minimal emergency support is getting through the night. You can get a simple, inexpensive watt meter and measure the consumption of your freezer for a few days. That will allow you to calculate the efficiency of the inverter for intermittent loads. Only about 90% of the rated battery capacity is actually usable, so about 1,800Wh in your case. Also I have found for an intermittent load like a fridge you can expect to get about 80% of the available battery capacity due to idle losses of the inverter when the fridge isn't running. 1,800*0.8= 1,400Wh available for the freezer. So at 70W when running, you should be able to get at least 20hr of run time. Meter link: amzn.to/3XwchOF Hope that helps.
Thanks for the video Dave, a question, is there a way to have my 350w solar panels And the Alternator charger together? On the 300 model or on the 240 model?
The extension cord you used to bridge both phases in your transfer switch is that something you use all of the time are something for the video and should be used long term?
Bridging the phases is something you should only do if you know your system well. For my emergency panel I only have one 240V load, so I could turn off that breaker and know I would not have any issues.
Great detailed video! Very helpful. I notice you have some ge appliances, I repair appliances for ge and if you ever have anything I can help you with please let me know
There is an included cable with MC4 connectors. Make sure the voltage of your solar panel is within the allowable range. There are two sets of connectors, one for each MPPT input. Connect to one of the pair of connectors 1+ and 1- for instance.
Do you or anyone reading this have a way to set a timer so it turns off and on at certain times? The machine can only be manually turned off either 1. When it's entirely dark or 2. Pulling the pv cables then off. Why I ask this is because unlike the other solar machines I have, it drains like 1% or so per hour? So that's like 10-12% when I wake up and attend to the machine. I hate that it drains so much just on standby mode. And you can't turn the damn thing off if there is even a spec of light, got to pull the entire pv cable. Thanks in advance.
Hey, I'm looking to buy a Bluetti power station with a B300 battery. Although I don't have a solar panel, I'm interested in installing a transfer switch. I have a question regarding its functionality. If I connect the Bluetti power station to the transfer switch, can I also keep it connected to charge with the grid? I intend to use it as a backup power source, similar to a UPS. Is it possible for the Bluetti power station to automatically provide power to my condo if the grid power goes out, just like a UPS does?
The cheap, high frequency, transformerless inverter technology that Bluetti is using was never meant for powering inductive loads like the planer in this video. Without an iron core, copper wound output transformer to absorb the high startup surges, It won't be long before the MOSFETs in the H-Bridge circuit in this unit fail from repeated exposures to high surge loads. And when that happens, you had better hope that you don't have any expensive appliances plugged in to it because you'll likely set those appliances on fire if those MOSFETs have shorted to ground and this unit starts passing high voltage, high amperage DC current into your appliances. Better have a bunch of fire extinguishers handy if you've wired one of these into your home's electrical system.
I'm interested in the cord you are using to take the 30 amp 120 volts and power both legs of your panel. Can you tell me where you purchased it and the make/model #/description. Thanks. Great video
Have you had a chance to test the Bluetti EP900? I think I need IN-LINE 240V Through the unit between shore-power and my Tiny Home /RV for full-time on-call backup if/when utility power goes down. I need UPS and EMI as well.
My fridge ran for 21hr and 44min on one B300 battery. If you plan to purchase that one, take advantage of the Black Friday sale. You can use an Amazon $400 off coupon and by using my link and code on my website you can get an additional 3% off that price: projectswithdave.com/portable-power-station/
I've got a single AC300 too, and like you, I keep my 240V breakers (water heater and well pump) off when I power my transfer switch with the AC300 instead of my generator. But wouldn't it be fine to leave them turned on when using the AC300? Both sides of the circuit would be at the same potential and no current would flow. Or am I showing my ignorance?
Hi Dave, so interested in your video! Watch other videos off Bluetti of people testing, have asked how do you you charge the units off a vechile that has 12 volts from car batteries to the AC 300 and BC 300. I tried but the power lowered, is there something I'm not doing right? Plugged into my 12 volt outlet in vechile while running the car l was not sure what to put the inlet to solar or other while doing this was not sure.! I did hear and see use an inverter to help while your camping is that what l am doing wrong having to get an inverter from car 12 volt to charge the AC 300Bc 300. I might sound stupid but l am not a tech person in all off this hope you can hope John
Did you connect the car output to the AC300 DC input? Same port for solar charging. See page 19 in the manual: cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0536/3390/8911/files/BLUETTI_AC300.pdf?v=1672305785
@@ProjectsWithDave Hi Dave thankyou for replying back. l did connect it that way ,was uncertain if to put it on PV or others? Maybe l have another look to see if l had the connections correct having dual solar connection on the 12 volt plug. Regards John
Hi Dave l actually worked it out l used the wrong solar leads into the unit it turned out to be 240v l am in Australia. Till you told me DC that's when l looked at what l done wrong. I never knew l had a connection for that till l seen what l had in leads. Thankyou for input l looked at the book but it still not made any sense untill you mentioned the solar input for DC. That was the difference Thankyou John
Apartment dwellers could use these solar generators but where do you put the solar pannel? Three days of backup is a reasonable goal so do the math. If you want to backup your house, don't waste your money on these toys. Install a full solar system or get a gasoline inverter generator. Most home owners can get by with a 2000 watt generator and some long 10 or 12 gauge extension cords. If you need a small window AC &/or maby a big Freezer then get the 4500 watt inverter generator. Solar is great but cloudy days can ruin everything and you will wish you had a gas generator.
The first step in preparing for emergencies for most people is to have a small low cost generator. Adding solar later gives you some additional flexibility, but as you said the sun isn't always shining.
Question: Since you have 3 units stacked together, does that equal around 9kWh of useable power? You just are limited to the inverter at around 3,500W? So you could run most appliances in your house with the 3,000Watts of power but with 9kWh, they would run for like a day or two? Am I getting this right? Thank you. I've been considering getting these massive 10kWh batteries for whole home backup, but I have a Bluetti for camping and it does well. If I can just expand this system and implement it into whole house power backup, that would be awesome. Thank you for any help.
This system is different than other products in that the top module "AC300" does not have an integrated battery. It is just the inverter and other electronics. The lower two modules in the stack are battery modules "B300," each one has a capacity of 3,072kWh. So, as tested, my system had a capacity of 6,155kWh. You can connect a maximum of 4 batteries to each inverter for a maximum capacity of 12,288kWh.
@@ProjectsWithDave thank you. I started gathering that last night and that helped clear it up. Cheers. I’m considering another solar kit it includes panels and all accessories and is cheaper than the bluetti b300x4 without panels. Is there a reason I should choose bluetti?
Hey Dave. I'm trying to get the smallest footprint panel with the highest wattage at the lowest cost. Maybe a unicorn but wondered what your thoughts are. I have a limited space rooftop . Hip roof with dormer on south facing side. so that's why.
Start with the highest wattage panel you can find, then sort by price/watt to find your happy medium. Signature solar has some of the best pricing. Here is a good option: signaturesolar.com/bluesun-460w-half-cell-bifacial-solar-panel-silver/?ref=SALE It is a BlueSun 460W Half-Cell Bifacial Solar Panel. It's only $0.57/watt. Bifacial won't help you much in your case, but it's a high power panel at a good price/watt. If you mount them with sufficient clearance off the roof you might see some benefit from the back side.
Hi I'm looking to buy a unit that can run 2 items - a pool pump for about 12hrs a day, at 1800w. and a water tank pump at 1100w that comes on and off everyday as taps are open. Is there a unit that can do this? Thank you Roger
That is a huge demand! Pool pump: 12hX1800W= 21,600 Wh Water Pump: 3hx1100W= 3,300Wh Daily Total Consumption= 24.9kWh That's about five LIFePO4 server rack batteries if you are running off grid and want to make sure it has power on a completely cloudy day . You can see a system that size I installed here: ruclips.net/video/ipLRNglTdhg/видео.html It would also take a good size solar array to meet that demand.
If your well can run on 110V it probably will have a significant inrush current. You could measure it, to see how much it is. You might be able to get it to work with one of the soft start devices.
The battery technology is still expensive. I suspect with all the investment in EV battery technology these days we will see the price improve some day in the not to distant future.
So I haven't seen that explained, since the AC300 can accept 2 x 1200watt solar connections, will it charge the B300 via solar faster than the 200w maximum.
Attach Bluetti D050S to a B300 battery. That allows 500w from panels array. Thus a B300 accepts 200w + 500w in panels. EACH of your B300's can do this!
@@boomer7638 The B300 expansion battery has its own MPPT solar charge controller on the solar input. It is limited to 200W. The B300 can also be charged through the DC link (big fat cable) which is not limited since it's connected straight to the battery. The B300 also has a second DC input (barrel jack) for an AC (wall) charger. You can use this with solar but there is no MPPT, so to be safe, DON'T.
@@larrywong7834 The 500W input is NOT MPPT and should only be used with the AC (wall) adapter. IF, and ONLY if, you use the charging enhancer (D050S) can you use this port for solar.
Usually with these kinds of videos, the manufacture will offer a discount code for my viewers so you get a discount. If you use my links, my channel gets a small commission so you get to support the channel at no cost to you.
I agree, for most people a dual fuel powered generator is the first step for emergency backup. These solar powered battery backup systems are a great addition later to add capability and flexibility. In some situations, a gas powered generator isn't practical, due to access to fuel, noise, or reliability.
In laymen’s terms your information is useless. You talk over what most people can retain at the speed you are talking. The only thing I got was that you got a free solar generator. Oorah!
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If you have one of these power stations and have had problems or helpful tips, just comment here:
Exclusive Bluetti $100 Discount with code: DaveAC300
BLUETTI AC300 + 1*B300 | Home Battery Backup link: shrsl.com/4aur5
BLUETTI AC300 + 2*B300 & free solar panel | Home Battery Backup link: shrsl.com/4auri
Check out more useful information on power station and solar generator information on my website here: projectswithdave.com/portable-power-station/
Learn more about solar power and home backup on my website ProjectsWithDave.com: projectswithdave.com/
You can also purchase on Amazon here: amzn.to/3B1E3sh
I purchased one of these for my RV. What I know about electrical systems wouldn't fill a thimble so I needed a plug and play solution. It's nice to know that it is overkill. I'm happy. Thank you for this video.
None of these systems show how to install the 2020 fec requirement for a AC shutdown. Suggestions.
Bluetti needs to utilize buss bars instead of cables for their interconnections. Since these units stack with a designed gap between the units, perhaps a port on the top and bottom of the unit could be designed. As stand alone devices these connector ports would be covered.
The issues with cables are three fold: The longevity and reliability of cables is < bus bars. The cables can be snagged or pulled by movement, pets, or children. The cables interfere with tight installation on the right side. This is why bus bars for cell interconnections is the standard for industry and the military. Torqued lugged connections (ie not friction plugs) connect the battery input/output.
Thanks, Dave, for the thorough review. I agree with your criticisms and recommendations 👍😎
Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Dave. I completely agree with your points regarding the use of bus bars instead of cables for interconnections. It would definitely enhance the longevity, reliability, and overall installation experience. By the way, have you checked out the Segway Portable PowerStation Cube Series? It offers a massive 5kWh capacity, fast recharging, and waterproof technology, making it a great option for outdoor enthusiasts like us. It's definitely worth considering for your camping and backup power needs. Keep up the great work, Dave!
Great review and info. Received mine couple weeks ago. Thanks for the up close "how to" demo for changing ac charging amps. I don't need quick recharge so it's critical info for me to keep charging costs down.👍👍
Glad it was helpful!
I didn’t know Liam Neeson did solar reviews, good job!
😂
@@ProjectsWithDave glad to see you have a sense of humor thought a laugh would be the only way to repay you for all the knowledge
Great post
The Bluetti big honker side cables are thankfully fast becoming obsolete.
Some of their newer models are much more compact with the connections. At least they are high quality even if they are a bit cumbersome.
21:40 watch out where you are pointing that heat gun, it looks like you are heating those power cords.
BTW, What is the inverter standby power consumption (inverter is on but no AC load connected)?
He took that system to the edge, where no mere mortal would ever endeavour to go.
Loud fan here!! See we aren’t so bad. Love your videos. I feel like you should either be an electrical engineering professor or an insomnia doctor. But either way, love the informative videos. Muy intelegente, young man.
After reading many reviews and watching a lot of videos, I chose this option for my first backup power station. ruclips.net/user/postUgkxHypYDKHAN93Lp2RQpfvU_ksc70wJ00pt I was between this and a larger option that could power a wider range of items, but the price/size/capacity blend seemed right for this unit. Hasn't gotten a ton of use yet, but the build quality is solid and it charges fine via the Rockpals solar panel I purchased to pair with it. One thing to note is that the screen is optimized for a top down viewing angle, which makes sense, but this means it washes out at other angles - especially low angles. Not a huge deal, but perhaps a better option for the display could be used to provide wider viewing angles.
That was interesting. I was looking for something big enough to run my well, though this would do a lot of other stuff.
You would likely need a 240V system to run your well. This system has 120V/240V in one unit: ruclips.net/video/5H-w63thZiE/видео.html
Nice review Dave! I was wondering how this model handles passthrough charging.. I'm torn between this AC300 and the Delta Pro.. The Delta Pro has limitations when it is plugged in to AC power... What happened if you were pulling more from the inverter than the AC input could supply when it was connected to AC power?
Without connecting to a main electrical panel I just want to know what main appliances I can run with a similar setup, how long till the batteries needs charging and how to charge with solar panel. Just the basics. All this other stuff way over my head.
My natural gas powered backup was $3000, but it makes 12,000 watts for weeks if necessary. Batteries die in a couple hours, and this one makes 3,000 watts, only a quarter of a generator.
Generators have there place. I would always start with a small generator for emergency backup and add battery and solar later. I compare the cost in this video: ruclips.net/video/f0skwN5sJvg/видео.html
K@@ProjectsWithDave
That is true, but it isn't portable and requires having natural gas and a service agreement.
5 year warranty is available with some brands, like Ecoflow. For this price Bluetti really should be 5.
Nothing like some good competition to push the industry toward better products and better warranties.
I think Bluetti should offer a 10 year warranty for there price. There so expensive.
Goal zero has 10 year, but the price is DISGUSTING COMPARED TO Bluetti! 4k for their new 4000w compared to bluetti you can get 4k for like 2.5k
@@ProjectsWithDaveand prices 😊
Appreciate the effort you put into this video - Thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
I recently bought an EV. Currently, my solar inverters do not have the EV direct option. So I convert DC to AC and then converted it back to DC to charge my car. I have a grid-tie system without any batteries. Can you figure out the cost saving of having an inverter with the EV hookup that charges the EV without all the energy loss associated with converting from DC to AC and back to DC? Great channel. Thanks!
I had a similar question as you and this is what I found. First of all, there are no off the shelf products that I could find that charge an EV directly DC to DC, so right off the bat you're stuck with DIY and modified options. Solaredge says they charge directly off solar, but they still convert it because it uses a J1772 plug. Residential EVSEs come with either a J1772 plug or a Tesla plug. The J1772 port doesn't even contain any high current DC pins, so you're out of luck unless you have a Tesla, but the only Tesla stations with DC are the Superchargers and they don't normally sell those. If they did it's reported to cost between $25k and $100k plus installation. Similarly, both Chademo and CCS stations are $12k to $35k plus installation. Combine that with the fact that there's no such thing as a DC slow charge protocol. The slowest rate DCFC rate is 15-20kw depending on manufacturer, which would require at least a 15kw solar array, probably quite a bit more. You could theoretically get around that by using a battery as a buffer, but it'd still be super expensive and probably kill the battery rather fast with a lot of cycles.
So how bad is converting DC to AC to DC? avt.inl.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/fsev/SteadyStateLoadCharacterization2015Leaf.pdf is an Idaho National Lab experiment on a 2015 LEAF. You don't mention which EV you have, but I'd assume that the charger for your car is the same or more efficient at converting AC to DC than that one.
For the DC to AC side, www.e-education.psu.edu/eme812/node/738 says that high frequency inverters are 90-95% efficient and low frequency inverters are 75-85% efficient, at least in the mid range of their power rating. Since you have a grid-tie system, you're probably using microinverters, which are usually the higher efficiency.
So your total EV charging efficiency is 67.875 to 85.975%, probably closer to 85%. So not that bad. Look at it this way, centralized electricity generation loses 2.2 to 13.3% of the power generated just transmitting it to your house, so inverting your Solar DC is probably about the same efficiency as using the grid. insideenergy.org/2015/11/06/lost-in-transmission-how-much-electricity-disappears-between-a-power-plant-and-your-plug/
Sorry, that was huge, long and confusing, but I hope it helped.
This was an awesome review I am readily to buy when i pick up this boat tomorrow
Thanks, I'm glad it was helpful.
It bullshit dont buy this thing.
I am late to comment, but I just came across this very complete video, thanks.
I already have a gas powered generator for power outages, but at the last outage, trips to gas stations were a nightmare, so I am considering getting a battery, so I get more flexibility.
Do you have any data on how this unit charges using a generator? The idea would be to run the battery as the main source of power for key appliances, then charge it with the generator if the outage goes on for a long time.
I would like to eventually use this as a solar system, but I am taking baby steps.
This unit is one of the better ones for charging with a generator because you can set the charge current to whatever you want to. This allows you to perfectly match the load with the capability of the generator.
I love my water furnace but it is 20 years old and a soft start is $1500 so if it ever quits I will be looking for a ground source heat pump with a soft start.
The 40A soft start I'm working on with ActiveStart is only $365. ( amzn.to/42rTcie ). It will start my 4Ton geothermal heat pump with the latest version of the software, but It still needs some improvement to smooth it out a bit. I'll post a video once it's fully working.
Are there adapters for charging at EV stations? For Vans/RV purpose. The manual mentions it, but doesn't tell you how to do it??
I tried running my small chest freezer off of my Bluetti 200P and 600 volts of solar and it was disappointing. The solar got it to 100% but it was down to 23% the next morning. The freezer when running was at 70 watts, which is pretty good. So much is wasted when using the inverter. Mabe a key point would be to use something with a more efficient inverter.
The most important thing for minimal emergency support is getting through the night. You can get a simple, inexpensive watt meter and measure the consumption of your freezer for a few days. That will allow you to calculate the efficiency of the inverter for intermittent loads. Only about 90% of the rated battery capacity is actually usable, so about 1,800Wh in your case. Also I have found for an intermittent load like a fridge you can expect to get about 80% of the available battery capacity due to idle losses of the inverter when the fridge isn't running. 1,800*0.8= 1,400Wh available for the freezer. So at 70W when running, you should be able to get at least 20hr of run time. Meter link: amzn.to/3XwchOF
Hope that helps.
Thanks for the video Dave, a question, is there a way to have my 350w solar panels And the Alternator charger together? On the 300 model or on the 240 model?
If you have a B300 battery for your AC300, it has an independent 12V input you could use.
The extension cord you used to bridge both phases in your transfer switch is that something you use all of the time are something for the video and should be used long term?
Bridging the phases is something you should only do if you know your system well. For my emergency panel I only have one 240V load, so I could turn off that breaker and know I would not have any issues.
Great detailed video! Very helpful. I notice you have some ge appliances, I repair appliances for ge and if you ever have anything I can help you with please let me know
We do not understand how to connect solar to main contol unit. Can you giveinfo on specific cable required for AC300 and Bluetti solar panel.
There is an included cable with MC4 connectors. Make sure the voltage of your solar panel is within the allowable range. There are two sets of connectors, one for each MPPT input. Connect to one of the pair of connectors 1+ and 1- for instance.
Made me anxious watching you point the heat gun at the batteries! Good video though.
How long would it take to charge the BLUETTI AC300 with one B300 solar panel?
yes , would be fun to know the power factor % during the testing . Because to low is not good for modern equipment. :)
Do you or anyone reading this have a way to set a timer so it turns off and on at certain times? The machine can only be manually turned off either 1. When it's entirely dark or 2. Pulling the pv cables then off.
Why I ask this is because unlike the other solar machines I have, it drains like 1% or so per hour? So that's like 10-12% when I wake up and attend to the machine. I hate that it drains so much just on standby mode. And you can't turn the damn thing off if there is even a spec of light, got to pull the entire pv cable.
Thanks in advance.
Hey, I'm looking to buy a Bluetti power station with a B300 battery. Although I don't have a solar panel, I'm interested in installing a transfer switch. I have a question regarding its functionality. If I connect the Bluetti power station to the transfer switch, can I also keep it connected to charge with the grid? I intend to use it as a backup power source, similar to a UPS. Is it possible for the Bluetti power station to automatically provide power to my condo if the grid power goes out, just like a UPS does?
If the power source is separate from the emergency circuits it should work.
The cheap, high frequency, transformerless inverter technology that Bluetti is using was never meant for powering inductive loads like the planer in this video. Without an iron core, copper wound output transformer to absorb the high startup surges, It won't be long before the MOSFETs in the H-Bridge circuit in this unit fail from repeated exposures to high surge loads. And when that happens, you had better hope that you don't have any expensive appliances plugged in to it because you'll likely set those appliances on fire if those MOSFETs have shorted to ground and this unit starts passing high voltage, high amperage DC current into your appliances. Better have a bunch of fire extinguishers handy if you've wired one of these into your home's electrical system.
I'm interested in the cord you are using to take the 30 amp 120 volts and power both legs of your panel. Can you tell me where you purchased it and the make/model #/description. Thanks. Great video
Sure! You can find it on my power station page on my website: projectswithdave.com/portable-power-station/
Thumbs up 👍 thanks for the run through on this 😊
Have you had a chance to test the Bluetti EP900? I think I need IN-LINE 240V Through the unit between shore-power and my Tiny Home /RV for full-time on-call backup if/when utility power goes down. I need UPS and EMI as well.
I haven't tested the EP900.
How long would each battery last if u ran it for 24hrs straight using 3000 watts per hour ? Could anyone give a real answer please ?
A 3,000W continuous load is very large.
You can expect to be able to use 80% of the 12.288kWh capacity.
0.8*12.288kWh=9.83kWh
9.83kWh/3.0kW=3.27hr
@ProjectsWithDave Thankyou, I sort of understand your math and each battery should last approximately 3 hours at %80 efficiency
Yes, I think that would be a reasonable expectation.
Why use AC300 vs getting the AC200L or other AC200 units?
Can the B300 stand alone and run my refrigerator overnight?
I'm looking at the Bluetti AC300 or the EcoFlow DELTA 2 Max?
Your thoughts, please.
Thanks
My fridge ran for 21hr and 44min on one B300 battery. If you plan to purchase that one, take advantage of the Black Friday sale. You can use an Amazon $400 off coupon and by using my link and code on my website you can get an additional 3% off that price: projectswithdave.com/portable-power-station/
The orange adapter, that puts 120 on both legs where did you get it from? I do know it’s not 240
I link to it on my website on the portable power station page: projectswithdave.com/portable-power-station/
I've got a single AC300 too, and like you, I keep my 240V breakers (water heater and well pump) off when I power my transfer switch with the AC300 instead of my generator. But wouldn't it be fine to leave them turned on when using the AC300? Both sides of the circuit would be at the same potential and no current would flow. Or am I showing my ignorance?
Leaving your water heater breaker on should not hurt anything.
Hi Dave, so interested in your video!
Watch other videos off Bluetti of people testing, have asked how do you you charge the units off a vechile that has 12 volts from car batteries to the AC 300 and BC 300.
I tried but the power lowered, is there something I'm not doing right?
Plugged into my 12 volt outlet in vechile while running the car l was not sure what to put the inlet to solar or other while doing this was not sure.!
I did hear and see use an inverter to help while your camping is that what l am doing wrong having to get an inverter from car 12 volt to charge the AC 300Bc 300.
I might sound stupid but l am not a tech person in all off this hope you can hope
John
Did you connect the car output to the AC300 DC input? Same port for solar charging. See page 19 in the manual: cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0536/3390/8911/files/BLUETTI_AC300.pdf?v=1672305785
@@ProjectsWithDave
Hi Dave thankyou for replying back. l did connect it that way ,was uncertain if to put it on PV or others?
Maybe l have another look to see if l had the connections correct having dual solar connection on the 12 volt plug.
Regards
John
Hi Dave l actually worked it out l used the wrong solar leads into the unit it turned out to be 240v l am in Australia.
Till you told me DC that's when l looked at what l done wrong. I never knew l had a connection for that till l seen what l had in leads.
Thankyou for input l looked at the book but it still not made any sense untill you mentioned the solar input for DC. That was the difference Thankyou
John
Apartment dwellers could use these solar generators but where do you put the solar pannel? Three days of backup is a reasonable goal so do the math. If you want to backup your house, don't waste your money on these toys. Install a full solar system or get a gasoline inverter generator. Most home owners can get by with a 2000 watt generator and some long 10 or 12 gauge extension cords. If you need a small window AC &/or maby a big Freezer then get the 4500 watt inverter generator. Solar is great but cloudy days can ruin everything and you will wish you had a gas generator.
The first step in preparing for emergencies for most people is to have a small low cost generator. Adding solar later gives you some additional flexibility, but as you said the sun isn't always shining.
Would you be converting to a heat pump water heater in the future?
I'm considering it. Do you have a recommendation?
@@ProjectsWithDaveI have an AO Smith Heat Pump hot water heater. Uses about 2kWh/day. For 2 Adults. Highly recommend.
Battery is able to take 200 watts. Explains the difference you're getting.
goalzero yeti pro 4000 + goalzero 4 tank pro 4000 extra lithium phosphate battery 20 ,1 KWH test it out on RUclips videos
Question: Since you have 3 units stacked together, does that equal around 9kWh of useable power? You just are limited to the inverter at around 3,500W? So you could run most appliances in your house with the 3,000Watts of power but with 9kWh, they would run for like a day or two? Am I getting this right? Thank you. I've been considering getting these massive 10kWh batteries for whole home backup, but I have a Bluetti for camping and it does well. If I can just expand this system and implement it into whole house power backup, that would be awesome. Thank you for any help.
This system is different than other products in that the top module "AC300" does not have an integrated battery. It is just the inverter and other electronics. The lower two modules in the stack are battery modules "B300," each one has a capacity of 3,072kWh. So, as tested, my system had a capacity of 6,155kWh. You can connect a maximum of 4 batteries to each inverter for a maximum capacity of 12,288kWh.
@@ProjectsWithDave thank you. I started gathering that last night and that helped clear it up. Cheers. I’m considering another solar kit it includes panels and all accessories and is cheaper than the bluetti b300x4 without panels. Is there a reason I should choose bluetti?
Which one are you considering?
Hey Dave. I'm trying to get the smallest footprint panel with the highest wattage at the lowest cost. Maybe a unicorn but wondered what your thoughts are. I have a limited space rooftop . Hip roof with dormer on south facing side. so that's why.
Start with the highest wattage panel you can find, then sort by price/watt to find your happy medium. Signature solar has some of the best pricing. Here is a good option: signaturesolar.com/bluesun-460w-half-cell-bifacial-solar-panel-silver/?ref=SALE
It is a BlueSun 460W Half-Cell Bifacial Solar Panel. It's only $0.57/watt. Bifacial won't help you much in your case, but it's a high power panel at a good price/watt. If you mount them with sufficient clearance off the roof you might see some benefit from the back side.
Best way to use dc output of ac300 or ac500 (up to 30a) in your view?
It depends on what your are trying to power with it.
@@ProjectsWithDave actually trying to find a smart use in a wood lab
Hi I'm looking to buy a unit that can run 2 items - a pool pump for about 12hrs a day, at 1800w. and a water tank pump at 1100w that comes on and off everyday as taps are open.
Is there a unit that can do this?
Thank you
Roger
That is a huge demand!
Pool pump: 12hX1800W= 21,600 Wh
Water Pump: 3hx1100W= 3,300Wh
Daily Total Consumption= 24.9kWh
That's about five LIFePO4 server rack batteries if you are running off grid and want to make sure it has power on a completely cloudy day . You can see a system that size I installed here: ruclips.net/video/ipLRNglTdhg/видео.html
It would also take a good size solar array to meet that demand.
VERY well done and thank you.
I can't aford those big ones I'm poor so i'm stuck with lead acid batteries for the moment.
Lead acid batteries have their advantages. Still better than nothing. : )
Can I run my well if it is on the 110 mode using the Bluetti AC300.
If your well can run on 110V it probably will have a significant inrush current. You could measure it, to see how much it is. You might be able to get it to work with one of the soft start devices.
I wouldn't recommend taking a dump in your water heater.
Their prices are 😳 BUT IF YOU WANT quality you pay rite ? But their still a bit pricey
The battery technology is still expensive. I suspect with all the investment in EV battery technology these days we will see the price improve some day in the not to distant future.
The discount code is coming up invalid
Sorry, I contacted Bluetti, I'll let you know when it's fixed.
Discount code fixed. Sorry for the delay. For a limited time, use This Additional Discount Code: David10
And this affiliate link: shrsl.com/420ta
@@ProjectsWithDave Thanks
The B300 is limited to 200W solar charging, no way around that. ;)
So I haven't seen that explained, since the AC300 can accept 2 x 1200watt solar connections, will it charge the B300 via solar faster than the 200w maximum.
Attach Bluetti D050S to a B300 battery. That allows 500w from panels array. Thus a B300 accepts 200w + 500w in panels.
EACH of your B300's can do this!
If you have one AC300 and 3 x B300 battery____THEN your system can take feed from 2400w + 2100w from panels. Thats 4500w
@@boomer7638 The B300 expansion battery has its own MPPT solar charge controller on the solar input. It is limited to 200W.
The B300 can also be charged through the DC link (big fat cable) which is not limited since it's connected straight to the battery.
The B300 also has a second DC input (barrel jack) for an AC (wall) charger. You can use this with solar but there is no MPPT, so to be safe, DON'T.
@@larrywong7834 The 500W input is NOT MPPT and should only be used with the AC (wall) adapter.
IF, and ONLY if, you use the charging enhancer (D050S) can you use this port for solar.
You are..."receiving a commission on at no cost to you".....what kind of comment is that?
Usually with these kinds of videos, the manufacture will offer a discount code for my viewers so you get a discount. If you use my links, my channel gets a small commission so you get to support the channel at no cost to you.
20:44 any fireworks 🎇 no nothing
Lights flickered... You can't see it in the video.
@@ProjectsWithDave just kidding. Commented to trick RUclips algorithm
😂
Dear blogger, we are promoting a set of a kind of module perfect for newbies DIY, very hot, are you interested in knowing?
yup...within 2 mins you ARE a salesperson. PASS
Buy a gas powered generator. It’s cheaper and more reliable!
I agree, for most people a dual fuel powered generator is the first step for emergency backup. These solar powered battery backup systems are a great addition later to add capability and flexibility. In some situations, a gas powered generator isn't practical, due to access to fuel, noise, or reliability.
Sorry but BlueT software is junk. The worse I've seen in a while.
They're not even close to same level as EcoFlow.
In laymen’s terms your information is useless. You talk over what most people can retain at the speed you are talking. The only thing I got was that you got a free solar generator. Oorah!
Sorry, I'm allows trying to be as efficient with your time as possible. You can always go to the RUclips settings and reduce the speed of the video.