Because of this video, I bought this Inergy Kodiak... I still have it and still use it whenever I am out traveling... 5/12/2021 I have other lithium batteries, but I still use the Kodiak a lot...
Thank you! I just love hearing you talk. I am learning so very much. Love your style and information that you provide. Don't stop. I hope you are monetizing this. You deserve it.
I’m watching this a year and a half later and am blown away by your review! I’ve watched pretty much every other review on the Kodak, But... Yours is so much more in depth and very, very complete. I have the new one on order and bought a refurb Kodiak because I needed it a lot sooner. Thank you Will for your videos and this review in particular... Much Respect... 😃
Will, you definitely are the go-to guy for solar info in the vehicle dwelling community, and I hope all the manufacturers are listening closely to you also. When I'm ready to buy, I'll get your most current recommended one through your link. Thanks!
Watching this many years later. I have this device and never knew the fact about the 12v outlets always being active. Duh! I have used it wrong this whole time. Thank you for this video!
This post is dated may 23 , 2024. It is absolutely amazing all the changes and where we have come since this video.!!!!! I had a Kodiak first I sold it and bought a Inergy flex , i also have a bluetti ac200p in my most recent purchase is the ecoFlo delta pro3600 And now it just became outdated! Looking forward to see what the next seven years brings!!! Thanks for your diy channel, will….. you were so young !!! Ps. There’s something about the size and not having cables that I just love my Inergy flex! I also love how the flex will wake up in the morning and start recharging with solar panels hooked up.
Thank you so much. This was a wonderful review. So informative. I came here from a link on the FB Vandwellers group by Sandra Gann. Thanks Sandra. I think this might work very well for me. I love your videos. You speak so clearly and coherently. When you are focused, you are intent on giving forth the specifics without a lot of celebration. Thank you.
we have the Kodiak for 8 years now still works great. Use it on road trips & emergencies. Charge it twice a year min. Have another knock-off power station that's 5 years newer & supposedly more capacity. The Kodiak kicks it's ass every time. Love my Kodiak!
Will, a brilliant presentation, totally beyond my expectations. Your thorough understanding of all the aspects of the Kodiak - both good and bad, comes across as a totally unbiased and hence fully believable review. So much effort you put into this guide shows so much about you and your dedication to educating your viewers. Thank you so very much, Will. When the time comes, I shall purchase my own unit from you.
Thank you so much!! I appreciate it a ton and I'm glad I can help! I also just updated the "plug-n-play solar" section on my website and it now covers how to attach multiple/off-brand solar panels to the Kodiak. I hope it helps. Thanks for the kind comment :)
I have been looking at the Inergy Kodiak for over a year and was waiting for your review. You answered all my questions and now I know it is perfect for my van. I plan to cover a lot of miles and will charge with the cigarette lighter plug wired with a continuous solenoid from the alternator. Thanks for helping me understand what I need.
Thank you for being the most informative person on this subject I’ve seen. The information I’ve received from listing and watching you is awesome once again thank you.
Great video Will. I actually watched this a year ago before I purchased my Kodiak. I bought a Kodiak about 10 months ago to be used during power outages/emergencies. I tested everything and it worked great. I then tucked it away in my emergency preparedness closet for safe keeping. Every few months I would take it out and make sure it was stiull fully charged. So far, so good. Last night I got my first extended power outage so I excitedly pulled out my handy kodiak so I could plug in my refrigerator and freezer. Shit! the 110 outlets are not working. wtf? The LED base camp lights work. The USB ports work. But, I was getting nothing from the 110 outlets. So, I unplugged everything, turned it off and tried again with just a simple table lamp. Nothing. All 6 110 outlets are dead. This morning I took the kodiak in to work and plugged the charger in to a wall outlet on a whim. After about 10 seconds, I unplugged it and then tested the outlets on the Kodiak and they are now all working. bizarre! Looks like I can't rely on this thing for emergencies if I have to plug it in to a working power outlet in order to get it to work during a power outage. See the problem here? Needless to say, it's a very expensive disappointment. Next time, I will try plugging the charger in to my truck to see if that will "reset" it.
Huge mistake!! The manual states that the Inergy Kodiak can only handle 1000 watts continuous ac load. It has a 1500 watt inverter, so thats what I thought it was rated for. I was wrong! Battery discharge rate is less than the inverter. More information about solar generators that I like and dislike can be found here: www.mobile-solarpower.com/plug-n-play-systems.html My latest book: "Mobile Solar Power -Made Easy!" is still a best seller on amazon!! Check it out here: amzn.to/2qdzaGJ
Hi ..I went to your page ..I'm really cofided ..I'm just want to by something simple .. lol .... can you help me pick something .. I'm looking for grid down backup ... and I know absolutely nothing about inverters ..or wires lol.. or generators ... who do I call to help me .....w such things .. I can get a K for 1500$ rt now is that good ? ..lots of questions ...can we talk ..ll🙃
Wow.... The best breakdown I have heard. I put off watching your vid as you are just a kid,I'm 76. Guess you showed me a thing or two. Been considering the Yeti, but I can see the Kodiac has some major advantages. Thanks
Yes, and not only information on solar energy related matters but he helped me with a problem with my Achilles tendon. This guy is amazingly smart. He reads and digests complicated information on various topics and presents it in an understandable way.
I did not understand half of what you said, but it looks like it is a good product. I need to learn more about solar. Thank you for doing these kinds of reviews!
Power to the Prowse, good review and suggestions. That is what I like about you Will, you are honest and you are not fake, like so many people who try to put on a show, you keep it real. Also good camera work as well. More power to you Will.
I have a friend, who 1) Needs a home of some kind and 2) Needs transportation. I am not rich, but an willing to help her. We have been discussing a tiny home in a small box truck. I want things to be simple for her as far as power goes. This unit (and other similar ones) seems to be about as simple as it can get, as far as power goes. She isn't comfortable with propane/butane, so she could run an electric cook top or even a small microwave, which would suit her needs, as well as power a TV, laptop, some lights, hair dryer, curler, etc and charge her phone. So, this unit looks attractive for our application. Thanks for the review.
You have given us as usual a lot of information. This must be you secret trick to keep us watching and re-watching your videos! Ha! Seriously, thanks, I'm slowly learning and haven't installed a system yet in my small 21' TT but as the first step always am assessing my needs amp wise. Thanks
Will is the battery nerd I strive to be haha. In all seriousness though, he's super smart, honest and grounded. Think abt how good he is with this stuff... It's not even his main hobby. His iq and energy are way up there. He just does this channel to educate all of us out here. Solid guy, solid channel. I've learned so much in the week I've known abt it! Also check out Jehu Garcia and David Poz for a rounded out education
Jehu is a bit of a scumbag in my book. I asked him why he didn't like lead-acid and he started ranting and calling me an idiot. Hey, just a question. I think the guy's nuts.
Great video, the first video which I see that explains all this in "simple" terms, many thanks! I've been really lousy at electronics at school but I guess that this is part of the teacher, you can explain all this very good.
Hi Will. I am completely new to solar generators, and found your video because I am interested in the Inergy Kodiak and am researching before purchasing. I really appreciate the time and energy you put into this video review. If I was the owner of Inergy, I would hire you and have you help design the next, improved model! Seriously though, fantastic job. I wish you all the best, and much success in the future.
Quick note - we rate the Kodiak for 1,100 Wh of battery capacity which IS available, if you read the user's guide or technical spec section we rate it at 550 Watts of output (combined AC & DC) for 2 hours to get the full 1,100 Wh capacity. Voltage drop under heavy loads (approaching 1C and above) will cut any battery short that is spec'd accurately, especially if you want the life expectancy that is possible. With that high of a discharge rate you're also creating a lot of heat, so depending on ambient air temps the system may shut down early to protect itself, also affecting run time. As for the inverter - we have a video we're posting tomorrow of it running a welder at a nearly 2,000 Watt load, well beyond the 1,500 Watt rating. The inverter can output continuously 1,500 Watts all at once, but that doesn't mean it can do it for the entire 1,100 Wh of battery capacity. If it couldn't turn on with those loads attached, then our 1,500 Watt claim would be false. Take home - consider Voltage drop, ambient temperature, and state of charge when trying to project run times! - Jared
The more I research this the harder the choice becomes... Kodiak 1 year warranty, can output over 1000 watts. and everything in one small package. Battle Borne 100ah battery (9 more ah, and 10 year warranty ) 100 amp output max (about 1000 watts) I'm on the fence about building my own system, unless I am concerned about space. It is insane to think that the Kodiak is so small and has all the features. I just wonder how they can pull more amps out. great video, keep up the good work! Roger
OMG you have absolutely the best and honest reviews I have seen on YT! I could see you at a research and development center at a major solar generator company some day, or better yet build your own bad ass generator.
Greetings from Victoria Canada Will! Enormously grateful for your thorough review...SUPER helpful as I am am venturing out of my comfort zone and planning to pack up my newly acquired vintage VW Karmann Gipsy motorhome and head with my canine male companion/caregiver south somewhere off the grid away from our cold and rainy winters. After watching your review I decided to invest in the Kodiak. After getting my malfunctioning charger replaced by Inergy (wonderful prompt service by the way) I am up and running (I think).The problem I having is that the car charging cable I bought blows the fuse in my cigarette lighter socket which is 10 amps. Talked to Inergy and found out I need 20 amp socket. Your review suggests to wire a socket directly to the battery. I did manage to find a 20 amp rated socket on Amazon and also bought a 12 guage wiring harness kit with a relay, an on/off switch and inline blade fuse rated for 600w and 52 amps. Also got a 20 amp male dc plug. Will this work? I want to be able to charge it as quick as possible while driving. The other challenge I am having is trying to figure out how to use the Kodiak to charge my coach batteries (two 6 volt AGM deep cycling batteries) when I am off the grid. The charging system that is in the vehicle is still original European 220v..fortunately everything runs off battery so no shore power is needed. I have a 15 amp Noco Genius battery charger/maintainer. Can I just plug this in to the Kodiak and use this? I have been told this is a very inefficient way but no one seems to be able to provide an alternate solution. I am having two 100 watt solar panel installed on my roof and hope to get a couple of Inergy 50 watt Predator panels if they ever get them back in stock! When I brought the Kodiak to the RV shop here I think I blew their circuits ... they didn’t seem to have a clue how to integrate this into my setup!!!! Told me I would need to leave the vehicle at their shop for a week for the to figure it all out. 🤑The Marine guys were marginally more helpful. I walked away with a $80 “battery connector” that I am not exactly sure how to use and what it does (and an offer to “discuss further” over “coffee” after work hours 😏 Any advice you can provide is very much appreciated Will.
Wow, great video!! Love the continuous test. That’s disappointing but still a great product. It’s on our RV wishlist. Your wrap up was phenomenal and loved all your suggestions to inergy. Will be subscribing. Thanks again. Great video!!!
Great video very informative, I’ll have to watch again just to pick up, again, all the knowledge you provided!! Keep up the hard work and thank you!!✌🏻✌🏻😎😎
I knew I recognized the blue lcd in the last video. I too was disappointed to find that the usbs were not live but the unit had to be turned on to use them. So with that is the light and noise of the fan. One thing to note regarding adding batteries. First off, the guys at Innergy use the Costco agm batteries with the Kodiak. One customer added 6 batteries to the unit. Thing is, the Kodiak never will fully charge the extra batteries as it maxes out at 12.3 to 12.6 volts when it's fully charged. So the add on batteries are only 3/4 charged. I don't know how that plays out with the 30% discharge ratio of fully charged batteries vs only 3/4 charged batteries. Have to say I am happy to hear of your endorsement as I felt the same way in that it seemed like the best option out there, even though one takes the risk of it being a new product. Another issue is that when you are charging the unit and using it at the same time the incoming power still has to go to the battery first and power drawn from it as well. Not a biggie but does use up charge cycles. Good news is that a replacement battery costs 300.00 today. I understand in 3 years that the price should drop on these types of batteries. Bad news is you have to ship the unit back to have them replace it. Cheers.
Great points. and good to know about the charging. could use a dc to dc battery charger to fix that problem. inefficient though. will be hooking up a lead acid this week to test it. thank you for letting me know. that is unfortunate.
Cool. Just be glad you did not have to pay an extra 35% as I did bringing it up to Canada. But your day is coming. Use that paper to buy real things while it still has value. Can a person mix and match different sized panels, such as adding 100 watt flexible panels to a 265 watt panel?
You should work for Consumer Reports. That said, maybe put these reviews on a separate channel dedicated to reviews/ recommendationa, just so people looking for review channels might find them more easily. Your reviews are also so thorough and I think there has to be a print or internet outlet which would publish them
You impressed me with this review. When I started watching I wondered why the hell I should listen to you. You look about sixteen and you need a haircut. But your arguments were solid and your balanced review was a pleasant change of pace from the rave reviews of this product on other channels. Well done. I’m off to look at some of your other videos.
How you truly did not sale our for access , the best review I have seen of this s unit. I did read the clarification by the company in the comments , by the way.
very interesting run down and demo.........another point is the kodiak is mobile so if you have a tent, cabin, boat it can be used anywhere instantly, and if like me you change vehicles regular another plus.
I've been looking at the Goal Zero Lithium 1400 generator, but the fact the Inergy generator can recharge so quickly, and that it can run some of my appliances (forget the microwave), and that it can handle so many watts of solar panels, I'm now planning on purchasing the Inergy generator. Thank you for this review.
Good review, just fyi Vmax batteries have more than 500 charge cycles, at 50% depth of discharge they are rated for about 1000 cycles. Thank you for all your informative videos, keep it up!
whoo one of the things that was discouraging me from getting a rv or van was not having the know how of all the electrical stuff id have to do to have power. this makes it feel alot simpler. now i just need to find a simple easy to plug in solar panel for this :D
Great information, I think you should be the person to make all the corrections needed to be made on this machine and your newer modle will be the best one on the market, hands down.
Hi Will, I have an Inergy Kodiak and a Jackery 500. The Jackery 500 seems to work so much better than the Kodiak. It charges much faster with my solar panel and from my car cigarette lighter. It uses less % power to run my appliances like a waffle iron and an instant pot. Could it be that my Kodiak has never worked correctly? I got it on Amazon and it was supposed to be brand new but I am wondering.
I don't understand somethings. When it cut off using the microwave was that the battery going completely dead? Also, if the sun is shining are the panels making usable electricity or does the power have to be stored in the battery first? Also, can ten lead car batteries be linked or only one battery?
Valerie Cason the new K2 only uses the proprietary panels. They said most of their warranty submissions were from improperly connected or faulty issued panels.
great review I know absolutly nothing about solar power, however I need to power my Cpap machine and was wondering if this solar generator would do the trick I also have a blender like yours and I was wondering the same.
Bought Kodiak instead of Goal Zero due to this review. You did a very professional job and I like how you stay on subject and kept the review relatively succinct and followed up important information with text in a clear font making it easy to go back and find what is important. A question about temperature rating for use. I noticed that the generator is rated down to -17 deg F. How is that possible with Lithium batteries?
Just found out that the Kodiak does not limit the voltage discharge on the lead acid battery and will run it down until the Kodiak battery dies (Low voltage). That's well below the lead acid max discharge of 50%. According to Inergy: "The External battery will stay in the ranges of the Kodiaks battery which is 12.3-12.6V full charged and 9.0-9.5V 20% charge left. AGM manufactures state not to let the battery go below 50% this is if using the battery for its intended function I.E starting a motor ECT. However since the Kodiak is only using the battery as a power cell, and not needing to draw high cranking AMPS this will only shorten the AGM's life by a few charge cycles. This does mean however that the external battery will only be good to be used with the Kodiak." That last sentence says it all........
Great video. Please correct me if I am wrong, but with the solar hooked up and generating reserves to the lithium in excess of 500 watts, could I run a small 5 amp 6,000BTU unit Walmart A/C continuously which would be like 450 watts maybe a bit more and still charge my lithium kodiak with the reserves as long as I run nothing else. I mean maybe run my 4.5 cu in refrigerator which is only about 1 or two amps once it kicks in, on a timer for 15 minutes/hr to keep my food cold, but run nothing else? I think it would work. Please let me know as I live in a cargo trailer conversion permanently year round. Thanks.
If I hook up with lithium ion battery will it also be charge by the solar panels? If I add 2 or more lithium ion do I need to add more solar panels (more than 600w ) so that it full charge faster?
Use this for my RV. Plug my 30A Cable right into the front and I can go all night without firing up my generator. To Bad the new Flex model decided to remove it...
Thank you so much Will! New sub here. I am buying a class C RV in the Spring as this should be a great addition to the mobile for me and my daughter, who both will need lots of power. I was waiting for someone to logically put some of these component together :).
I have a Honda portable inverter generator is instant power 54db noise very economical i can run anything any time..! over 3 yrs. never. had any issue with it. great generator..!..
Hello .if i hook this device to 30 of 12 watts LED bulbs (back yard lighting)from dusk to dawn will it power all of them ,and for how many days when its fully charged ,and how often should the device be charged since i am not planning to install solar panel .and for 12 hour wall charging how much electricity usage .and when its full charged will it shut down by itself .
Hi Will. I want to charge my new Kodiak Apex ( name changed from K2) with the Kodiak car charger but my Toyota has a 120 watt 12 volt outlet. If I use this outlet what happens ? Does it just charge at this rate or not at all or damage my car's charger? what should I expect? Should I buy the K2 car charger or not?
William -- They used to say it weighed 20 pounds. So it couldn't be LiFePo. It might be 3s with 18650. Need about 100 cells, give/take, maybe 11 pounds. LiFePo is safer in marine or RV use, but much heavier. Wish I knew what cells they use. Ebike packs tend to last 200 or 300 cycles. You can get more with a charge cutoff at 4.1 or less, with 4.2 being 'standard'. When I was looking for the cheap and dirty way to run a microwave in my TT I figures a 48v and 20 AH ebike LiFePo (Chinese) plus a (48v) PSW inverter. The inverter I found weighed (drum roll) 47 pounds. I'm not saying Kodi has a pretty skimpy inverter, but you know. So the whole thing was 65 pounds and $1k. I'm more skeptical now. To use RV 'safe' cells you need to add a lot of weight. To get a performance inverter, ditto. Thanks, because I know a lot more than I did before. Surely the bear embossed on the fan is a Kodiak?
+George Sears wow!!! That was fun to read. And yes, I am a skeptic too. I am really curious to see what's inside this thing. I might ask them for pictures of it's internals. Ohh is a Kodiak a type of bear? I honestly have no idea what that word means haha!
William -- I'd like to know what the configuration is. You seem to focus on the input from solar. They could probably do 500 watts. Apparently K told you they just use a switching regulator, so they set constant voltage. That's what lith data sheets call for. Here's an interesting discussion of switching versus MPPT. www.eevblog.com/forum/beginners/mppt-vs-regular-smps-for-solar-charge-controller/ Here's a switching power module that can be programmed for CC and CV. i can't get more than 200 watts. www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01GFVI6R6/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I charge a 45v pack I made with Titan flight RC packs with this module. Titan build with 18650 cells from Panny. Here's an article I wrote on lith and charging. www.electricbike.com/introduction-lithium-18650-batteries/
Cool. Btw, I need to learn about ebike setups. I'm thinking of ordering direct from China! But to buy just one, the price isn't much better than what you can buy in the U.S. (indirect from China). Now if I could find 999 people to buy with me, we could get a good price on a lot of 1000!
Hi. That's kind of what they do on Indiegogo and Kickstarter with ebikes. They get the money and then go buy bikes. It's a chore buying from China because they don't always deliver what they say. Several guys are building bikes in China from Chinese parts, Rad Power, Volt Bike, Luna, Juiced Bikes, and Biktrix, come to mind. These are all pretty good guys who have built a rep over the years. I've built three bikes into ebikes with a Mac, a Golden, and a Bafang motor. You can get something like a Trek 820. Have fun with it. I've been riding for 3 years and it's still fun.
what a review, you forgot to mention the serial number on your kodiak besides that, i think you covered everything and then some. about charging, why not hook up your solar and your car alternator power to the same cable with some other junk to regulate the voltage and then charge the kodiak threw that one port?
I want to put 4 150w Renogy panels on my transit, charge it also with a solenoid isolator. I plan to add batteries to the Kodiac. 1) if I have 600w from solar and 240amp alternator charging could I damage it? Could I add 400 ah of Lifepo4 battery instead of AGMs?
Since the Inergy failed the max output test I would have liked to see another test, say drawing 300 & 600 watts to see the outcome. I would say this would be a great unit for portability but not for installation in a vehicle. Anyways, very good, quality review. Last, some youtuber named Van and solar adventures reviewed this unit and said he ran an a/c unit. I gotta watch it later.
+ross kelly no way!! Air conditioner? Wow. I think I may make some videos of me simply load testing it. I run 300 watts on it for hours with no problem. But yes I am curious how it will do as well. Will have to make some videos on this soon.
My question is .if I add 2 more batteries from them the ones you stock up..I know ill go longer with power. But with 6000w solar panels how long is going to take before they fully charge?
Great Video thank you. One question...I am a part-time van dweller and want to run a dometic 35 fridge while I am boondocking. I also will be charging my phone and laptop once a day. If I am camping for a week will 200 watt solar panel be enough to charge it back up enough to have the fridge on 24/7 ? I believe the dometic is 6.5 amps. I like the portability of the Inergy. oh yes my solar panels will be portable also.
AWESOME video! I had no idea this product was out there! I have been seriously considering the new 1400 Lithium yeti but this video gives me pause. Would be great to know side-by-side what the major differences are. I see your comment below about charge efficiency being worse on the Yeti. Any other notable points?...BTW, I think your narrative style is fantastic - quick, pointed, clear and concise. Also appreciate the clean edits and avoidance of superfluous commentary. Kudos!
Hello and thanks for your video. Quick question, you mentioned that this would not be able to handle A/C. How about a 5,000 btu window a/c in the 420 to 460 watt range? This could be enough for a very large van or a small RV. Obviously you could not run anything else as during a clear day you will most likely get 500 w on the average from the solar panels.
Will, I'm going to get a Yeti 1400 and connect it to a BattleBorn 12v 100Ahr using the DC adapter to charge the Yeti 1400 from the BattleBorn using Noco 12v cigarette adapter and a battery meter, and charge the BattleBorn from the Yeti 1400 plugged into the wall, using my Noco battery charger. I'll have the 200 Watt panels but won't be able to use them much due to my apartment. Do you see any problem with that? I'm just starting.
@@WillProwse Coincidentally, I just changed my order with them through e-mail from a 1400 to a 3000. I wouldn't need the other battery. It was just a learning tool that could be used for a real situation later. In order to learn one must do.
Looks like they addressed most of your concerns with the just announced new K2 model in pre-sell now, out in May 2019. Alas, still no smaller 500w version.
I am doing a cargo conversion starting this week. With this system can I just wire everything for 120 volt and not use 12 volt at all systems at all. Just connect to 30 amp plug when available on shore with adapter and wire everything inside to a extension cord plugged in to this box? I guess my question is if you are starting from scratch blank canvas why do I need a 12 volt system with this?
I wonder if I can use this device for things like a 34” ultrawide monitor, Xbox, laptop, charging stuff, then have a multi battery set up for things like led lights, roof fan, and other 12v things I’ll need? You mentioned paring batteries with the device but only get 3/4th the battery. I wonder if getting two of these so you can run all of your appliances like you tried? Or maybe keeping one charged so you can have continuous power while you charge. If so, how would you connect 2 of these devices to your solar system.
I looked up some sites in 2020 and now these units sell for less than an iPhone 11 ($1200). There must be a way to buy these with a full set of cables with a monthly rate on a 2 year contract? I miss an European model with 230v outlets. That might explain the 1300 Watt cut-off at 5 minute load. With a 230v converter you generate less heat because the amperage is a lot lower and possibly 2000 Watt load is possible.
Good video. Been seriously considering this generator, because of the versatility, and the light weight. I think the bear is supposed to be a Kodiak (like the generator). Close to a Grizzly, but not a Grizzly.
Wish you would encourage Kodiak to build a connection for wind energy in their unit along with a bird friendly wind turbine that comes with the unit. During the summer heat or winter cold while solar energy is decreased there will likely be a good wind source as fronts move through. Solar has limits that could be overcome by selling a wind option that easily connects.
Will I like the all in one cleanliness of this product, but have a question about powering 12v with the generator. My Rv has a very small 12v system, a few LED lights and a Maxxfan, rigged to a fuse blade box. WhenI asked Kodiak how to hook this up to the generator that said it wasn't recommended. What is your take?
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Because of this video, I bought this Inergy Kodiak... I still have it and still use it whenever I am out traveling... 5/12/2021 I have other lithium batteries, but I still use the Kodiak a lot...
Thank you! I just love hearing you talk. I am learning so very much. Love your style and information that you provide. Don't stop. I hope you are monetizing this. You deserve it.
I’m watching this a year and a half later and am blown away by your review! I’ve watched pretty much every other review on the Kodak, But... Yours is so much more in depth and very, very complete. I have the new one on order and bought a refurb Kodiak because I needed it a lot sooner.
Thank you Will for your videos and this review in particular... Much Respect... 😃
Will, you definitely are the go-to guy for solar info in the vehicle dwelling community, and I hope all the manufacturers are listening closely to you also. When I'm ready to buy, I'll get your most current recommended one through your link. Thanks!
You need to start your own company dude, smartest RUclips channel by far!!!
Watching this many years later. I have this device and never knew the fact about the 12v outlets always being active. Duh! I have used it wrong this whole time. Thank you for this video!
This post is dated may 23 , 2024. It is absolutely amazing all the changes and where we have come since this video.!!!!! I had a Kodiak first I sold it and bought a Inergy flex , i also have a bluetti ac200p in my most recent purchase is the ecoFlo delta pro3600 And now it just became outdated! Looking forward to see what the next seven years brings!!! Thanks for your diy channel, will….. you were so young !!!
Ps. There’s something about the size and not having cables that I just love my Inergy flex! I also love how the flex will wake up in the morning and start recharging with solar panels hooked up.
Thank you so much. This was a wonderful review. So informative. I came here from a link on the FB Vandwellers group by Sandra Gann. Thanks Sandra. I think this might work very well for me. I love your videos. You speak so clearly and coherently. When you are focused, you are intent on giving forth the specifics without a lot of celebration. Thank you.
we have the Kodiak for 8 years now still works great. Use it on road trips & emergencies. Charge it twice a year min. Have another knock-off power station that's 5 years newer & supposedly more capacity. The Kodiak kicks it's ass every time. Love my Kodiak!
Will, a brilliant presentation, totally beyond my expectations. Your thorough understanding of all the aspects of the Kodiak - both good and bad, comes across as a totally unbiased and hence fully believable review. So much effort you put into this guide shows so much about you and your dedication to educating your viewers. Thank you so very much, Will. When the time comes, I shall purchase my own unit from you.
Thank you so much!! I appreciate it a ton and I'm glad I can help! I also just updated the "plug-n-play solar" section on my website and it now covers how to attach multiple/off-brand solar panels to the Kodiak. I hope it helps. Thanks for the kind comment :)
Just wanted to say thank for explaining everything so well as I am a newbie on solar energy and generators. Keep up the good work!
I have been looking at the Inergy Kodiak for over a year and was waiting for your review. You answered all my questions and now I know it is perfect for my van. I plan to cover a lot of miles and will charge with the cigarette lighter plug wired with a continuous solenoid from the alternator. Thanks for helping me understand what I need.
very cool!! I will be making a couple more videos covering the kodiak. I am glad I can help! :)
Thank you for being the most informative person on this subject I’ve seen. The information I’ve received from listing and watching you is awesome once again thank you.
Great video Will. I actually watched this a year ago before I purchased my Kodiak. I bought a Kodiak about 10 months ago to be used during power outages/emergencies. I tested everything and it worked great. I then tucked it away in my emergency preparedness closet for safe keeping. Every few months I would take it out and make sure it was stiull fully charged. So far, so good. Last night I got my first extended power outage so I excitedly pulled out my handy kodiak so I could plug in my refrigerator and freezer. Shit! the 110 outlets are not working. wtf? The LED base camp lights work. The USB ports work. But, I was getting nothing from the 110 outlets. So, I unplugged everything, turned it off and tried again with just a simple table lamp. Nothing. All 6 110 outlets are dead.
This morning I took the kodiak in to work and plugged the charger in to a wall outlet on a whim. After about 10 seconds, I unplugged it and then tested the outlets on the Kodiak and they are now all working. bizarre! Looks like I can't rely on this thing for emergencies if I have to plug it in to a working power outlet in order to get it to work during a power outage. See the problem here? Needless to say, it's a very expensive disappointment. Next time, I will try plugging the charger in to my truck to see if that will "reset" it.
Just buy a jackery. They work great and are inexpensive. Connect a cheap 100w solar panel to it and you're good to go. That's what I do!
Huge mistake!! The manual states that the Inergy Kodiak can only handle 1000 watts continuous ac load. It has a 1500 watt inverter, so thats what I thought it was rated for. I was wrong! Battery discharge rate is less than the inverter.
More information about solar generators that I like and dislike can be found here: www.mobile-solarpower.com/plug-n-play-systems.html
My latest book: "Mobile Solar Power -Made Easy!" is still a best seller on amazon!! Check it out here: amzn.to/2qdzaGJ
Check your amazon link, it's a dud
funkydozer really? I just tried it again and it worked. Just now.
It was uBlock Origin stopping the window opening, my bad
Hi ..I went to your page ..I'm really cofided ..I'm just want to by something simple .. lol .... can you help me pick something .. I'm looking for grid down backup ... and I know absolutely nothing about inverters ..or wires lol.. or generators ... who do I call to help me .....w such things .. I can get a K for 1500$ rt now is that good ? ..lots of questions ...can we talk ..ll🙃
Will Prowse Can't you extend the units runtime by adding an external battery? Isn't that the use of the 12 input connections, or am I way off here?
Wow.... The best breakdown I have heard. I put off watching your vid as you are just a kid,I'm 76. Guess you showed me a thing or two. Been considering the Yeti, but I can see the Kodiac has some major advantages. Thanks
He is an adult. And some young people can teach us a thing or two, just as some old people like us can teach them a thing or two.
Dallas the Kodiak is good but does have some downfalls.
Yeah but on the introductory picture he wasn’t wearing shoes.
Yes, and not only information on solar energy related matters but he helped me with a problem with my Achilles tendon. This guy is amazingly smart. He reads and digests complicated information on various topics and presents it in an understandable way.
This "kid," has a higher IQ in this life so far than you would in a million full lifetimes!!
I did not understand half of what you said, but it looks like it is a good product. I need to learn more about solar. Thank you for doing these kinds of reviews!
GREAT WORK WILL.
I did not plan to watch the whole video (almost 30 minutes)
But you made it informative & educational, not a second was wasted.
Excellent review! You are a natural in front of the camera. Nice editing, too.
Power to the Prowse, good review and suggestions. That is what I like about you Will, you are honest and you are not fake, like so many people who try to put on a show, you keep it real. Also good camera work as well. More power to you Will.
Holy throwback! Watching in 2020
I have a friend, who 1) Needs a home of some kind and 2) Needs transportation. I am not rich, but an willing to help her. We have been discussing a tiny home in a small box truck. I want things to be simple for her as far as power goes. This unit (and other similar ones) seems to be about as simple as it can get, as far as power goes. She isn't comfortable with propane/butane, so she could run an electric cook top or even a small microwave, which would suit her needs, as well as power a TV, laptop, some lights, hair dryer, curler, etc and charge her phone. So, this unit looks attractive for our application. Thanks for the review.
You have given us as usual a lot of information. This must be you secret trick to keep us watching and re-watching your videos! Ha! Seriously, thanks, I'm slowly learning and haven't installed a system yet in my small 21' TT but as the first step always am assessing my needs amp wise. Thanks
Will is the battery nerd I strive to be haha. In all seriousness though, he's super smart, honest and grounded. Think abt how good he is with this stuff... It's not even his main hobby. His iq and energy are way up there. He just does this channel to educate all of us out here. Solid guy, solid channel. I've learned so much in the week I've known abt it! Also check out Jehu Garcia and David Poz for a rounded out education
Jehu is a bit of a scumbag in my book. I asked him why he didn't like lead-acid and he started ranting and calling me an idiot. Hey, just a question. I think the guy's nuts.
Great video, the first video which I see that explains all this in "simple" terms, many thanks! I've been really lousy at electronics at school but I guess that this is part of the teacher, you can explain all this very good.
Hi Will. I am completely new to solar generators, and found your video because I am interested in the Inergy Kodiak and am researching before purchasing. I really appreciate the time and energy you put into this video review. If I was the owner of Inergy, I would hire you and have you help design the next, improved model! Seriously though, fantastic job. I wish you all the best, and much success in the future.
This is the best review you show
The appliances connected others don't
Quick note - we rate the Kodiak for 1,100 Wh of battery capacity which IS available, if you read the user's guide or technical spec section we rate it at 550 Watts of output (combined AC & DC) for 2 hours to get the full 1,100 Wh capacity. Voltage drop under heavy loads (approaching 1C and above) will cut any battery short that is spec'd accurately, especially if you want the life expectancy that is possible. With that high of a discharge rate you're also creating a lot of heat, so depending on ambient air temps the system may shut down early to protect itself, also affecting run time. As for the inverter - we have a video we're posting tomorrow of it running a welder at a nearly 2,000 Watt load, well beyond the 1,500 Watt rating. The inverter can output continuously 1,500 Watts all at once, but that doesn't mean it can do it for the entire 1,100 Wh of battery capacity. If it couldn't turn on with those loads attached, then our 1,500 Watt claim would be false. Take home - consider Voltage drop, ambient temperature, and state of charge when trying to project run times! - Jared
+Inergy thank you for posting this!!
+Inergy +Inergy just read the manual again. I was incorrect. I will have to add a note of this in the video.
No worries, you did a great video! Love it!
What about his suggestions? Will any of them make it to the next generation Kodiak?
Can you charge this unit from a 110 volt outlet?
The more I research this the harder the choice becomes...
Kodiak 1 year warranty, can output over 1000 watts. and everything in one small package.
Battle Borne 100ah battery (9 more ah, and 10 year warranty ) 100 amp output max (about 1000 watts) I'm on the fence about building my own system, unless I am concerned about space. It is insane to think that the Kodiak is so small and has all the features. I just wonder how they can pull more amps out.
great video, keep up the good work!
Roger
OMG you have absolutely the best and honest reviews I have seen on YT! I could see you at a research and development center at a major solar generator company some day, or better yet build your own bad ass generator.
+Wes thanks Wes!!!
I completely agree. great review!
Greetings from Victoria Canada Will! Enormously grateful for your thorough review...SUPER helpful as I am am venturing out of my comfort zone and planning to pack up my newly acquired vintage VW Karmann Gipsy motorhome and head with my canine male companion/caregiver south somewhere off the grid away from our cold and rainy winters.
After watching your review I decided to invest in the Kodiak. After getting my malfunctioning charger replaced by Inergy (wonderful prompt service by the way) I am up and running (I think).The problem I having is that the car charging cable I bought blows the fuse in my cigarette lighter socket which is 10 amps. Talked to Inergy and found out I need 20 amp socket. Your review suggests to wire a socket directly to the battery. I did manage to find a 20 amp rated socket on Amazon and also bought a 12 guage wiring harness kit with a relay, an on/off switch and inline blade fuse rated for 600w and 52 amps. Also got a 20 amp male dc plug. Will this work? I want to be able to charge it as quick as possible while driving. The other challenge I am having is trying to figure out how to use the Kodiak to charge my coach batteries (two 6 volt AGM deep cycling batteries) when I am off the grid. The charging system that is in the vehicle is still original European 220v..fortunately everything runs off battery so no shore power is needed. I have a 15 amp Noco Genius battery charger/maintainer. Can I just plug this in to the Kodiak and use this? I have been told this is a very inefficient way but no one seems to be able to provide an alternate solution. I am having two 100 watt solar panel installed on my roof and hope to get a couple of Inergy 50 watt Predator panels if they ever get them back in stock! When I brought the Kodiak to the RV shop here I think I blew their circuits ... they didn’t seem to have a clue how to integrate this into my setup!!!! Told me I would need to leave the vehicle at their shop for a week for the to figure it all out. 🤑The Marine guys were marginally more helpful. I walked away with a $80 “battery connector” that I am not exactly sure how to use and what it does (and an offer to “discuss further” over “coffee” after work hours 😏
Any advice you can provide is very much appreciated Will.
Probably one of the best reviews of the Kadiak I've ever seen Thank you!
Smart young man seems to really know his stuff on these things.
Wow, great video!! Love the continuous test. That’s disappointing but still a great product. It’s on our RV wishlist. Your wrap up was phenomenal and loved all your suggestions to inergy. Will be subscribing. Thanks again. Great video!!!
Can i daisy chain it with 2 or more kodiaks so I can run 24/7 rv appliances??
Great video very informative, I’ll have to watch again just to pick up, again, all the knowledge you provided!! Keep up the hard work and thank you!!✌🏻✌🏻😎😎
FROM THE FUTURE... Ohhhh look how cute he is.
I knew I recognized the blue lcd in the last video. I too was disappointed to find that the usbs were not live but the unit had to be turned on to use them. So with that is the light and noise of the fan.
One thing to note regarding adding batteries. First off, the guys at Innergy use the Costco agm batteries with the Kodiak. One customer added 6 batteries to the unit. Thing is, the Kodiak never will fully charge the extra batteries as it maxes out at 12.3 to 12.6 volts when it's fully charged. So the add on batteries are only 3/4 charged. I don't know how that plays out with the 30% discharge ratio of fully charged batteries vs only 3/4 charged batteries.
Have to say I am happy to hear of your endorsement as I felt the same way in that it seemed like the best option out there, even though one takes the risk of it being a new product.
Another issue is that when you are charging the unit and using it at the same time the incoming power still has to go to the battery first and power drawn from it as well. Not a biggie but does use up charge cycles.
Good news is that a replacement battery costs 300.00 today. I understand in 3 years that the price should drop on these types of batteries. Bad news is you have to ship the unit back to have them replace it. Cheers.
Great points. and good to know about the charging. could use a dc to dc battery charger to fix that problem. inefficient though. will be hooking up a lead acid this week to test it. thank you for letting me know. that is unfortunate.
Cool. Just be glad you did not have to pay an extra 35% as I did bringing it up to Canada. But your day is coming. Use that paper to buy real things while it still has value.
Can a person mix and match different sized panels, such as adding 100 watt flexible panels to a 265 watt panel?
+VanoRama RV haha great point. That scares me. And yes absolutely. Just parallel connect them with a mc4 branch connector
You should work for Consumer Reports.
That said, maybe put these reviews on a separate channel dedicated to reviews/ recommendationa, just so people looking for review channels might find them more easily. Your reviews are also so thorough and I think there has to be a print or internet outlet which would publish them
You impressed me with this review. When I started watching I wondered why the hell I should listen to you. You look about sixteen and you need a haircut. But your arguments were solid and your balanced review was a pleasant change of pace from the rave reviews of this product on other channels. Well done. I’m off to look at some of your other videos.
Great review. I almost gacked at the price, until you broke it down. Makes sense!
Great Job Will, Very professional
True excellent..will has it gone any better.?.since the mentions , you pointed out..im also curious whats the cost of the xantrek you mentioned..?
I have to say I AM IMPRESSED WITH YOUR KNOWLEDGE.
How you truly did not sale our for access , the best review I have seen of this s unit. I did read the clarification by the company in the comments , by the way.
very interesting run down and demo.........another point is the kodiak is mobile so if you have a tent, cabin, boat it can be used anywhere instantly, and if like me you change vehicles regular another plus.
Wow!! You know your stuff and so great to have it tested in a van 👏👏👏
Very useful info Will , thanks.
I've been looking at the Goal Zero Lithium 1400 generator, but the fact the Inergy generator can recharge so quickly, and that it can run some of my appliances (forget the microwave), and that it can handle so many watts of solar panels, I'm now planning on purchasing the Inergy generator.
Thank you for this review.
+Cathryn Wagner you are welcome! And yes way better than the goal zero lithium 1400. :) Glad I can help
Good review, just fyi Vmax batteries have more than 500 charge cycles, at 50% depth of discharge they are rated for about 1000 cycles. Thank you for all your informative videos, keep it up!
Most informative video on this subject I have seen thus far. Cheers sir
Now how cute is this generator at the beginning ;)
Ok great! Also I took the plunge and purchased your solar book. Keep up the good work!
Thanks Shelly Marie
whoo one of the things that was discouraging me from getting a rv or van was not having the know how of all the electrical stuff id have to do to have power. this makes it feel alot simpler. now i just need to find a simple easy to plug in solar panel for this :D
When the battery is dead...you can replace it or you have to buy a new Kodiak???, thanks.
Inergy will replace it
What is the RV port used for?
Wow things are getting smaller and better.
Great information, I think you should be the person to make all the corrections needed to be made on this machine and your newer modle will be the best one on the market, hands down.
Smartest Guy on Utube! Thanks Will
PS: we want Bluetooth monitoring please
Hi Will, I have an Inergy Kodiak and a Jackery 500. The Jackery 500 seems to work so much better than the Kodiak. It charges much faster with my solar panel and from my car cigarette lighter. It uses less % power to run my appliances like a waffle iron and an instant pot. Could it be that my Kodiak has never worked correctly? I got it on Amazon and it was supposed to be brand new but I am wondering.
I don't understand somethings. When it cut off using the microwave was that the battery going completely dead? Also, if the sun is shining are the panels making usable electricity or does the power have to be stored in the battery first? Also, can ten lead car batteries be linked or only one battery?
Quick question...could I use a single 24V Renogy 270 or 300 panel with the Kodiak? Just thinking about using a single panel instead.
Yes. As long as voltage isn't over 30 volts
Will Prowse Many thanks!
Valerie Cason the new K2 only uses the proprietary panels. They said most of their warranty submissions were from improperly connected or faulty issued panels.
great review I know absolutly nothing about solar power, however I need to power my Cpap machine and was wondering if this solar generator would do the trick I also have a blender like yours and I was wondering the same.
Bought Kodiak instead of Goal Zero due to this review. You did a very professional job and I like how you stay on subject and kept the review relatively succinct and followed up important information with text in a clear font making it easy to go back and find what is important.
A question about temperature rating for use. I noticed that the generator is rated down to -17 deg F. How is that possible with Lithium batteries?
Do you like your Kodiak?
Is there any newer solar generators that have external battery hookups like this one? That can also be charged by solar through generator
One of the best videos I have seen , thanks !
I wonder, if you parellel led acid batteries, does the unit cut them off once they reach 12.1v or does it keep draining them till they are dead?
Good question. I was wondering the same thing
Just found out that the Kodiak does not limit the voltage discharge on the lead acid battery and will run it down until the Kodiak battery dies (Low voltage). That's well below the lead acid max discharge of 50%.
According to Inergy:
"The External battery will stay in the ranges of the Kodiaks battery which is 12.3-12.6V full charged and 9.0-9.5V 20% charge left. AGM manufactures state not to let the battery go below 50% this is if using the battery for its intended function I.E starting a motor ECT. However since the Kodiak is only using the battery as a power cell, and not needing to draw high cranking AMPS this will only shorten the AGM's life by a few charge cycles. This does mean however that the external battery will only be good to be used with the Kodiak."
That last sentence says it all........
Arley Clark thanks for digging in. Bumper thou...This means i have to keep a close eye on the agm
Very informative video... the absolute best I have seen! Looking forward to more...Thank You!
Great video. Please correct me if I am wrong, but with the solar hooked up and generating reserves to the lithium in excess of 500 watts, could I run a small 5 amp 6,000BTU unit Walmart A/C continuously which would be like 450 watts maybe a bit more and still charge my lithium kodiak with the reserves as long as I run nothing else. I mean maybe run my 4.5 cu in refrigerator which is only about 1 or two amps once it kicks in, on a timer for 15 minutes/hr to keep my food cold, but run nothing else? I think it would work. Please let me know as I live in a cargo trailer conversion permanently year round. Thanks.
If I hook up with lithium ion battery will it also be charge by the solar panels? If I add 2 or more lithium ion do I need to add more solar panels (more than 600w ) so that it full charge faster?
Use this for my RV. Plug my 30A Cable right into the front and I can go all night without firing up my generator.
To Bad the new Flex model decided to remove it...
Thank you so much Will! New sub here. I am buying a class C RV in the Spring as this should be a great addition to the mobile for me and my daughter, who both will need lots of power. I was waiting for someone to logically put some of these component together :).
NERD, I wish Tesla was still alive, I would love to listen to a conversation between you two. LOL
I have a Honda portable inverter generator is instant power 54db noise very economical i can run anything any time..! over 3 yrs. never. had any issue with it. great generator..!..
Hello .if i hook this device to 30 of 12 watts LED bulbs (back yard lighting)from dusk to dawn will it power all of them ,and for how many days when its fully charged ,and how often should the device be charged since i am not planning to install solar panel .and for 12 hour wall charging how much electricity usage .and when its full charged will it shut down by itself .
Great video about this unit. Just what I was looking for. Thanks for making the videos.
Hi Will. I want to charge my new Kodiak Apex ( name changed from K2) with the Kodiak car charger but my Toyota has a 120 watt 12 volt outlet. If I use this outlet what happens ? Does it just charge at this rate or not at all or damage my car's charger? what should I expect? Should I buy the K2 car charger or not?
William -- They used to say it weighed 20 pounds. So it couldn't be LiFePo. It might be 3s with 18650. Need about 100 cells, give/take, maybe 11 pounds. LiFePo is safer in marine or RV use, but much heavier. Wish I knew what cells they use. Ebike packs tend to last 200 or 300 cycles. You can get more with a charge cutoff at 4.1 or less, with 4.2 being 'standard'.
When I was looking for the cheap and dirty way to run a microwave in my TT I figures a 48v and 20 AH ebike LiFePo (Chinese) plus a (48v) PSW inverter. The inverter I found weighed (drum roll) 47 pounds. I'm not saying Kodi has a pretty skimpy inverter, but you know. So the whole thing was 65 pounds and $1k.
I'm more skeptical now. To use RV 'safe' cells you need to add a lot of weight. To get a performance inverter, ditto. Thanks, because I know a lot more than I did before.
Surely the bear embossed on the fan is a Kodiak?
+George Sears wow!!! That was fun to read. And yes, I am a skeptic too. I am really curious to see what's inside this thing. I might ask them for pictures of it's internals.
Ohh is a Kodiak a type of bear? I honestly have no idea what that word means haha!
William -- I'd like to know what the configuration is. You seem to focus on the input from solar. They could probably do 500 watts. Apparently K told you they just use a switching regulator, so they set constant voltage. That's what lith data sheets call for. Here's an interesting discussion of switching versus MPPT.
www.eevblog.com/forum/beginners/mppt-vs-regular-smps-for-solar-charge-controller/
Here's a switching power module that can be programmed for CC and CV. i can't get more than 200 watts.
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01GFVI6R6/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I charge a 45v pack I made with Titan flight RC packs with this module. Titan build with 18650 cells from Panny.
Here's an article I wrote on lith and charging.
www.electricbike.com/introduction-lithium-18650-batteries/
Cool. Btw, I need to learn about ebike setups. I'm thinking of ordering direct from China! But to buy just one, the price isn't much better than what you can buy in the U.S. (indirect from China). Now if I could find 999 people to buy with me, we could get a good price on a lot of 1000!
Hi. That's kind of what they do on Indiegogo and Kickstarter with ebikes. They get the money and then go buy bikes. It's a chore buying from China because they don't always deliver what they say. Several guys are building bikes in China from Chinese parts, Rad Power, Volt Bike, Luna, Juiced Bikes, and Biktrix, come to mind. These are all pretty good guys who have built a rep over the years. I've built three bikes into ebikes with a Mac, a Golden, and a Bafang motor. You can get something like a Trek 820. Have fun with it. I've been riding for 3 years and it's still fun.
what a review, you forgot to mention the serial number on your kodiak besides that, i think you covered everything and then some. about charging, why not hook up your solar and your car alternator power to the same cable with some other junk to regulate the voltage and then charge the kodiak threw that one port?
Great discussion on costs
I want to put 4 150w Renogy panels on my transit, charge it also with a solenoid isolator. I plan to add batteries to the Kodiac. 1) if I have 600w from solar and 240amp alternator charging could I damage it? Could I add 400 ah of Lifepo4 battery instead of AGMs?
Since the Inergy failed the max output test I would have liked to see another test, say drawing 300 & 600 watts to see the outcome. I would say this would be a great unit for portability but not for installation in a vehicle. Anyways, very good, quality review. Last, some youtuber named Van and solar adventures reviewed this unit and said he ran an a/c unit. I gotta watch it later.
+ross kelly no way!! Air conditioner? Wow.
I think I may make some videos of me simply load testing it. I run 300 watts on it for hours with no problem. But yes I am curious how it will do as well. Will have to make some videos on this soon.
Thank you for input ports whether or not you need to unplug one to operate the other. Good video!
My question is .if I add 2 more batteries from them the ones you stock up..I know ill go longer with power. But with 6000w solar panels how long is going to take before they fully charge?
Great Video thank you. One question...I am a part-time van dweller and want to run a dometic 35 fridge while I am boondocking. I also will be charging my phone and laptop once a day. If I am camping for a week will 200 watt solar panel be enough to charge it back up enough to have the fridge on 24/7 ? I believe the dometic is 6.5 amps. I like the portability of the Inergy. oh yes my solar panels will be portable also.
Awesome review I was just on there website last week and was hoping you would done one them. Thank you!
Great job with the review William. I put it on my list.
You rock solar and RV living.
AWESOME video! I had no idea this product was out there! I have been seriously considering the new 1400 Lithium yeti but this video gives me pause. Would be great to know side-by-side what the major differences are. I see your comment below about charge efficiency being worse on the Yeti. Any other notable points?...BTW, I think your narrative style is fantastic - quick, pointed, clear and concise. Also appreciate the clean edits and avoidance of superfluous commentary. Kudos!
Hello and thanks for your video. Quick question, you mentioned that this would not be able to handle A/C. How about a 5,000 btu window a/c in the 420 to 460 watt range? This could be enough for a very large van or a small RV. Obviously you could not run anything else as during a clear day you will most likely get 500 w on the average from the solar panels.
Will, I'm going to get a Yeti 1400 and connect it to a BattleBorn 12v 100Ahr using the DC adapter to charge the Yeti 1400 from the BattleBorn using Noco 12v cigarette adapter and a battery meter, and charge the BattleBorn from the Yeti 1400 plugged into the wall, using my Noco battery charger. I'll have the 200 Watt panels but won't be able to use them much due to my apartment. Do you see any problem with that? I'm just starting.
Why do that? Battleborn expensive. Just buy a Goalzero 3000. Way easier
@@WillProwse Coincidentally, I just changed my order with them through e-mail from a 1400 to a 3000.
I wouldn't need the other battery. It was just a learning tool that could be used for a real situation later.
In order to learn one must do.
Looks like they addressed most of your concerns with the just announced new K2 model in pre-sell now, out in May 2019. Alas, still no smaller 500w version.
True but I'm unsure of if the new plugs are good. Mc4 connectors are UV resistant and waterproof
Can you make a video or project making your own version Thule or Yakima tool box with solar panels connected with this power generator
Can you connect 2 of these together?
Can you recharge via cigarette lighter adapter?
I am doing a cargo conversion starting this week. With this system can I just wire everything for 120 volt and not use 12 volt at all systems at all. Just connect to 30 amp plug when available on shore with adapter and wire everything inside to a extension cord plugged in to this box? I guess my question is if you are starting from scratch blank canvas why do I need a 12 volt system with this?
I coulf be wrong here, but I think you'd be using the inverter all the time that way and it would cost you more energy.
I wonder if I can use this device for things like a 34” ultrawide monitor, Xbox, laptop, charging stuff, then have a multi battery set up for things like led lights, roof fan, and other 12v things I’ll need? You mentioned paring batteries with the device but only get 3/4th the battery. I wonder if getting two of these so you can run all of your appliances like you tried? Or maybe keeping one charged so you can have continuous power while you charge. If so, how would you connect 2 of these devices to your solar system.
Hi Will do you a tutorial on the Patriot solar generator
I looked up some sites in 2020 and now these units sell for less than an iPhone 11 ($1200). There must be a way to buy these with a full set of cables with a monthly rate on a 2 year contract? I miss an European model with 230v outlets. That might explain the 1300 Watt cut-off at 5 minute load. With a 230v converter you generate less heat because the amperage is a lot lower and possibly 2000 Watt load is possible.
Good video. Been seriously considering this generator, because of the versatility, and the light weight. I think the bear is supposed to be a Kodiak (like the generator). Close to a Grizzly, but not a Grizzly.
Wish you would encourage Kodiak to build a connection for wind energy in their unit along with a bird friendly wind turbine that comes with the unit. During the summer heat or winter cold while solar energy is decreased there will likely be a good wind source as fronts move through. Solar has limits that could be overcome by selling a wind option that easily connects.
Will I like the all in one cleanliness of this product, but have a question about powering 12v with the generator. My Rv has a very small 12v system, a few LED lights and a Maxxfan, rigged to a fuse blade box. WhenI asked Kodiak how to hook this up to the generator that said it wasn't recommended. What is your take?