I totally love your honesty, I know I am replicating what others have said but since I am stepping into this self-sufficient power options it is worth having you on side. I am running a 100w solar panel to charge a 100 amp battery and using a 1000w inverter to charge my small appliances such as tablets, phones and powerbanks. It may not save a lot, but it is a start.
I have the same unit. I live in northern alberta. Also bought 200w allpowers solar panel. No clouds, zero. 30-33c out last week. Took 23 hours (over 3 days no clouds to charge) from 13%to 100%. The allpowers did not come with t160 connecter. Had to amazon one in. Thx for your very good review. Cheers
An interesting question. Most panels that I use are higher voltage but 12V panels exist & MPPT charge controllers can manage discrepancies. I honestly don't know - I've never tried!
Thanks for letting me know about this when you replied to my comment on your "Simple Solar - Part 3" RUclips video. Thanks for doing such a detailed review of this product. I was surprised with the issues that you came across. Looks like this product in its current state is not completely suitable for the UK market. The manufacturer needs to do additional work to make this product suitable for the UK market. It was good that the solar panels did what they were supposed to, although someone somewhere is going to have to remove "light weight" from descriptions of those solar panels.
Thanks for that. I have no issue with overseas suppliers making products for the global marketplace but this is a great example of where things can go wrong. Suppliers need to lift their game and move away from the short term 'fast buck' mindset. Equally, customers need to understand that 'economy' products may not be the right solution. You get what you pay for.
My thoughts as a guy that works in the electronics industry (I'm no expert but here's my £0.02 worth)... (9:50) The reason that your chainsaw wouldn't start - and the fan heater did start - is that are very different types of load. The fan heater is a highly resistive load, whereas the chainsaw is a highly inductive load. This means that the heater has a more linear power draw curve (uses roughly the same instantaneous power at startup as it does when it's been on for a while). So the heater starts up just fine. The chainsaw on the otherhand will draw a very large amount of current the moment you press the trigger because a motor typically draws most current when it is not spinning. Once the chain is free-spinning, the power draw of the chainsaw will be a lot lower. The transition from off to on is likely drawing a spike of current that the power station objects to and sensibly cuts off the output to avoid damage. This spike will be brief (a hundred milliseconds maybe), but long enough for the power station's internal protection to kick in. See the chainsaw's behaviour at 9:30? It jerks periodically -- this is the power station providing power, hitting its power limit and turning off again, then waiting a second or so and trying again. Classic current limiting behaviour. This is good actually, because it's protecting itself. Power specs for chainsaws and similar appliances generally ignore the startup spikes because they are rather insignificant compared to the average power draw while using the appliance for long periods. The specs are focused at allowing people to calculate the economy value of the equipment. A 2 kW chainsaw is a harsh test for a power bank like this! The mislabelled RV power outlet is ABSOLUTELY UNFORGIVABLE. They are using that connector beyond it's manufacturer's ratings and is in itself a potential fire hazard. Allpowers MUST recall this product for that fact alone. Thank you for this detailed and honest review. 👍⚡🔥
@@CasualInventor . Thanks, I'm sure you are right on the chainsaw. I was disappointed because the P210 describes itself as having a high surge capability (4,000W) and the same saw operates very well on other units with lower rated outputs.
@@EnglishCountryLife My suspicion would fall on the way Allpower have implemented the current safety limiting circuitry. There are many ways to do it and perhaps they've chosen a particularly sensitive method. Start-up surge current for inductive loads can be truly MASSIVE for a few milliseconds, but often subside fast enough that they don't cause unwanted heating in power supply hardware. It may even be a problem that could be fixed with a firmware update, but I don't know enough about the unit to judge.
Were you having a bad day lol. Great review didn't agree with the issue of wifi access vs bluetooth but anyway. One question I had but might have missed it was what type of battery tech was it and how many cycles is it rated for? Great review, take care and appreciated from Aus.
@@davidcollier185 Hi David, I could understand the Bluetooth app if it offered anything functionally that the screen doesn't provide. The battery is Lithium-Ion but I can't find which sub type. I don't believe it's LiFePO4
Hi I have had an S2000 for over 2 years mine hasn't got the RV socket so no problem there. I think the main problem with Allpowers is their quality control I had a problem, that every now and again you had to unplug then plug the XT60 socket back in to start it charging again. Their product description is also a bit random, they seem to do a number of units with the same model number, but they are all slightly different. However this company does have excellent customer service. My just over 2 years old S2000 failed, the battery pack had stopped holding a full charge. I contacted Allpowers and they replaced the item, even tho it was just out of warranty. I only have a problem with a noisy fan when the unit is charging or discharging at over 100 Watts, any thing under this and the fan doesn't run
Must agree with you there. Sadly I think it applies to a lot of Chinese manufacturers of this kind of product, I have just sent back a power station from another manufacturer as the AC outlets didn't work on that one.
Thanks for your detailed honest review I think I'll stick to my trusty Victron inverter, 8 AWG cables and 12V LFP battery which is RF/EMI quiet. From experience some of these units can cause touchpads to misbehave and for touch screens to not respond and completely wipe out large chunks of radio spectrum for a couple of hundred metres in all directions.
Hi sorry for the late reply for some reason I wasn't getting new notifications. I'm using a Victron Phoenix 12/250 so the smallest model mainly to run a laptop and Surface Pro 9 and other smaller items. Victrons are rock solid and don't produce much RF at all so work well with radio gear. I wish they used standard 6 or 8mm ring terminals rather than having to stuff bare wire into the terminals which can be tricky as there is literally no space between the + and - inputs. I'm using 8 gage 8mm2 cable fitted with a grey SB50 so easy to hook up to batteries without sparks. I'm mainly using a 12V 12AH and 10AH LFP battery so have flown with this setup with no issues. I'm using a Powerwerx MPPT 12/150W LFP charge controller with a Powerpole 30A mini connector on the output with a 60W Ecoflow panel which uses 8 gage cables terminated in MC4's so I can move the whole system in a couple of minutes but I am looking at getting a 200W solar blanket from the US to speed up charging.@@EnglishCountryLife
@@EnglishCountryLifeAFERIY kit is pretty good from the mainly US reviews I've watched so hopefully that 400W panel performs. I do want to get a foldable glass 200W 12V panel soon to keep in the garden but just running my laptop and 22 inch screen from batteries over the summer months makes a noticeable difference with the bills but I'm not a huge fan of the all in one solar generater power stations because of all the RFI they spew out. The best inverter brands I've found are Victron, Cotek and Samlex in that order but the only negative for myself is the choice of DC terminals on Victron kit for static/mobile installs those terminals are fine but for ultraportable use you can't go wrong with ring terminals. I've learned so much over the past few years messing about with batteries, solar and inverters. I've finally got my optimum air transportable system put together I just need to sort out getting an ultra portable solar blanket. With the cheapy branded inverters 99% of them aren't truly earthed so you do get a nice tingle if using a metallic device.
I was looking at Allpower power stations, not anymore after this review. I have a small Bluetti power station, it’s great, works a treat and I charge it up in my car sometimes too.😊
@@EnglishCountryLife thank you, yes I’ve looked at Aferiy power stations, have a similar look to Bluetti, also LifeP04 battery too. At the moment Aferiy and Bluetti have big price reductions too! Thank you!
@@anitachisnell8412 No problem! We are testing a good few different units from panels and charge controllers to power stations (not all published so far) so if you have any questions on brands or models do feel free to reach out
I have a lower powered station from the same company and I've noticed the noisy fan a number of times. It does detract from uses such as trying to watch a film on a stand-alone DVD player and trying to read under a lamp powered with the same station.
I have 3 of these, one had to be substituted after a short time as it just died, but the Allpowers customer service is very good. Also had other temporary glitches. BTW it can be used as a UPS. For the budget price, it is hard to beat value for money compared to the big name brands, maybe you could have made a price comparison if it might have worked better for you.
It's difficult to know, in some places they say yes, in others they say no. You definitely can with the AFERIY ruclips.net/video/XwVPRcsUal4/видео.html
Oh hell no. I agree on all counts. To be fair to the sponsors a 400w panel is going to be on the heavy side. 400w of glass fronted panels would be a 2 man lift. HOWEVER...The 125v socket outputting 230 will destroy trades peoples tools and absolutely be a fire risk. A good review mate. Thanks, one to avoid. Why not put a blue socket on it. Unbelievable,
@@EnglishCountryLife I have no doubt, as you said Hugh. The big issues live with the RV socket. I pleased that your test included metering the socket, but then, I would not expect anything less from you mate, a full review on products is vital.
It's been a long time since I studied law but I'm pretty certain that labelling that rv socket incorrectly is an offence and as it runs the risk of creating a lethal hazard then it is a criminal offence. If Allpowers are marketing this product in the knowledge that it is wrongly labelled then they are being criminally negligent and liable to prosecution. You might want to point this out to them next time you contact them. And should someone get killed as a result then the Allpowers boss could face a charge of corporate manslaughter and as it is a known fault then he/she will have no defence.
@@EnglishCountryLife I just knew you were going to be ahead of me on this.👍 Unrelated, but I know that you and the fabulous Fiona are eager for news about chicken Isla. Well, after mentioning to you about trying to encourage her to walk the general consensus was to let her do things ar her own pace. This proved to be the best option as she very quickly got back on her feet and is now pretty much back to normal. She has even laid a few eggs and has started to scratch around for bugs, of which there are plenty. We seem to have the worlds supply of grasshoppers, many of whom hurl themselves into the swimming pool overnight. She is a fighter and a very resilient chicken. Apart from a bald patch halfway down her back you wouldn't know anything had happened to her. All being well, n a few weeks time she will get to meet the girl she is named after.👍🐔
@@robinguitar I do hope so. It still shows on their website uk.iallpowers.com/products/allpowers-2400w-1500wh-portable-power-station-s2000pro?_gl=1*1wxjobc*_up*MQ..&gclid=CjwKCAjwtNi0BhA1EiwAWZaANER7Jl5_tBRbhEhR4m2ObS-DCccnPMIYBz74tl3YKrNoubHQiWh2vRoCTXQQAvD_BwE
Really appreciate your honesty!
@@lindaoostmeyer4637 Thanks Linda. We don't like criticising products, but honesty comes first
Great point about the RV socket, I'm gobsmacked. I use an EcoFlow River Pro.
@@emersonmsd I have an Ecoflow & an Aferiy. Both are great. This - not so much
Best review i found so far on this unit. I spent hours trying to find an explanation for the mystery TD30 socket. Thanks
Thanks Heath 👍
Great review of what sounds to be a disappointing power station
Thanks. We wanted the power station to be great, but it wasn't and we are honest in our reviews
Thanks! I appreciate your honest review.
@@brightantwerp Cheers. We hate to be critical, but at times, we have to be
thank you for an honest review
@@KatBurnsKASHKA Cheers Kat, hopefully it helps people to know that if we praise something, it's real
Nice clear and honest review.
@@carlfletcher8441 Thanks Carl - we wish it wasn't critical but honesty matters
I totally love your honesty, I know I am replicating what others have said but since I am stepping into this self-sufficient power options it is worth having you on side. I am running a 100w solar panel to charge a 100 amp battery and using a 1000w inverter to charge my small appliances such as tablets, phones and powerbanks. It may not save a lot, but it is a start.
@@JohnRitson78 What you have is great John. We always suggest starting with a sensible sized setup to really understand the equipment
I have the same unit. I live in northern alberta. Also bought 200w allpowers solar panel. No clouds, zero. 30-33c out last week. Took 23 hours (over 3 days no clouds to charge) from 13%to 100%. The allpowers did not come with t160 connecter. Had to amazon one in. Thx for your very good review. Cheers
@@sunnyscotford Thanks - sorry you are having problems.
You do a very thorough assessment! I truly appreciate it! ❤
@@sgmarr Thank you. They are much nicer to do when the results are more positive!
Great review. One question though, couldn’t you connect a 12v battery to the solar input to add its power ?
An interesting question. Most panels that I use are higher voltage but 12V panels exist & MPPT charge controllers can manage discrepancies. I honestly don't know - I've never tried!
Thanks for letting me know about this when you replied to my comment on your "Simple Solar - Part 3" RUclips video.
Thanks for doing such a detailed review of this product. I was surprised with the issues that you came across. Looks like this product in its current state is not completely suitable for the UK market. The manufacturer needs to do additional work to make this product suitable for the UK market.
It was good that the solar panels did what they were supposed to, although someone somewhere is going to have to remove "light weight" from descriptions of those solar panels.
@@dapperdynamicdavid Honestly we were surprised (and disappointed) too. It's so hard to know these things from a website description
Good honest review Hugh. I will stick with my Ecoflows.
They are a solid brand mate
Thanks for that. I have no issue with overseas suppliers making products for the global marketplace but this is a great example of where things can go wrong. Suppliers need to lift their game and move away from the short term 'fast buck' mindset. Equally, customers need to understand that 'economy' products may not be the right solution. You get what you pay for.
Exactly so Peter
great video, glad i found your channel.
@@jim-qy3kk Thanks Jim
My thoughts as a guy that works in the electronics industry (I'm no expert but here's my £0.02 worth)...
(9:50) The reason that your chainsaw wouldn't start - and the fan heater did start - is that are very different types of load. The fan heater is a highly resistive load, whereas the chainsaw is a highly inductive load. This means that the heater has a more linear power draw curve (uses roughly the same instantaneous power at startup as it does when it's been on for a while). So the heater starts up just fine.
The chainsaw on the otherhand will draw a very large amount of current the moment you press the trigger because a motor typically draws most current when it is not spinning. Once the chain is free-spinning, the power draw of the chainsaw will be a lot lower. The transition from off to on is likely drawing a spike of current that the power station objects to and sensibly cuts off the output to avoid damage. This spike will be brief (a hundred milliseconds maybe), but long enough for the power station's internal protection to kick in. See the chainsaw's behaviour at 9:30? It jerks periodically -- this is the power station providing power, hitting its power limit and turning off again, then waiting a second or so and trying again. Classic current limiting behaviour. This is good actually, because it's protecting itself.
Power specs for chainsaws and similar appliances generally ignore the startup spikes because they are rather insignificant compared to the average power draw while using the appliance for long periods. The specs are focused at allowing people to calculate the economy value of the equipment. A 2 kW chainsaw is a harsh test for a power bank like this!
The mislabelled RV power outlet is ABSOLUTELY UNFORGIVABLE. They are using that connector beyond it's manufacturer's ratings and is in itself a potential fire hazard. Allpowers MUST recall this product for that fact alone.
Thank you for this detailed and honest review. 👍⚡🔥
@@CasualInventor . Thanks, I'm sure you are right on the chainsaw. I was disappointed because the P210 describes itself as having a high surge capability (4,000W) and the same saw operates very well on other units with lower rated outputs.
@@EnglishCountryLife My suspicion would fall on the way Allpower have implemented the current safety limiting circuitry. There are many ways to do it and perhaps they've chosen a particularly sensitive method. Start-up surge current for inductive loads can be truly MASSIVE for a few milliseconds, but often subside fast enough that they don't cause unwanted heating in power supply hardware. It may even be a problem that could be fixed with a firmware update, but I don't know enough about the unit to judge.
@@CasualInventor I don't know either. I understand the issue but it's a shame as it limits usefulness
Were you having a bad day lol. Great review didn't agree with the issue of wifi access vs bluetooth but anyway. One question I had but might have missed it was what type of battery tech was it and how many cycles is it rated for? Great review, take care and appreciated from Aus.
@@davidcollier185 Hi David, I could understand the Bluetooth app if it offered anything functionally that the screen doesn't provide. The battery is Lithium-Ion but I can't find which sub type. I don't believe it's LiFePO4
Hi I have had an S2000 for over 2 years mine hasn't got the RV socket so no problem there.
I think the main problem with Allpowers is their quality control I had a problem, that every now and again you had to unplug then plug the XT60 socket back in to start it charging again. Their product description is also a bit random, they seem to do a number of units with the same model number, but they are all slightly different. However this company does have excellent customer service.
My just over 2 years old S2000 failed, the battery pack had stopped holding a full charge. I contacted Allpowers and they replaced the item, even tho it was just out of warranty. I only have a problem with a noisy fan when the unit is charging or discharging at over 100 Watts, any thing under this and the fan doesn't run
@@jamier9627 My concern is certainly quality control. Two faulty units out of two didn't seem strange to them!
Must agree with you there. Sadly I think it applies to a lot of Chinese manufacturers of this kind of product, I have just sent back a power station from another manufacturer as the AC outlets didn't work on that one.
Thanks for your detailed honest review I think I'll stick to my trusty Victron inverter, 8 AWG cables and 12V LFP battery which is RF/EMI quiet. From experience some of these units can cause touchpads to misbehave and for touch screens to not respond and completely wipe out large chunks of radio spectrum for a couple of hundred metres in all directions.
@@anaspatel3625 I've got a Victron charge controller (very good) but never tried their inverters - what size do you have?
Hi sorry for the late reply for some reason I wasn't getting new notifications. I'm using a Victron Phoenix 12/250 so the smallest model mainly to run a laptop and Surface Pro 9 and other smaller items. Victrons are rock solid and don't produce much RF at all so work well with radio gear. I wish they used standard 6 or 8mm ring terminals rather than having to stuff bare wire into the terminals which can be tricky as there is literally no space between the + and - inputs. I'm using 8 gage 8mm2 cable fitted with a grey SB50 so easy to hook up to batteries without sparks. I'm mainly using a 12V 12AH and 10AH LFP battery so have flown with this setup with no issues. I'm using a Powerwerx MPPT 12/150W LFP charge controller with a Powerpole 30A mini connector on the output with a 60W Ecoflow panel which uses 8 gage cables terminated in MC4's so I can move the whole system in a couple of minutes but I am looking at getting a 200W solar blanket from the US to speed up charging.@@EnglishCountryLife
@@anaspatel3625 That sounds great. I'm currently experimenting with an AFERIY 400W panel. It's smaller & much lighter than the Allpowers model.
@@EnglishCountryLifeAFERIY kit is pretty good from the mainly US reviews I've watched so hopefully that 400W panel performs. I do want to get a foldable glass 200W 12V panel soon to keep in the garden but just running my laptop and 22 inch screen from batteries over the summer months makes a noticeable difference with the bills but I'm not a huge fan of the all in one solar generater power stations because of all the RFI they spew out. The best inverter brands I've found are Victron, Cotek and Samlex in that order but the only negative for myself is the choice of DC terminals on Victron kit for static/mobile installs those terminals are fine but for ultraportable use you can't go wrong with ring terminals. I've learned so much over the past few years messing about with batteries, solar and inverters. I've finally got my optimum air transportable system put together I just need to sort out getting an ultra portable solar blanket. With the cheapy branded inverters 99% of them aren't truly earthed so you do get a nice tingle if using a metallic device.
I was looking at Allpower power stations, not anymore after this review. I have a small Bluetti power station, it’s great, works a treat and I charge it up in my car sometimes too.😊
I looked at an AFERIY one recently Anita that was pretty good.
ruclips.net/video/XwVPRcsUal4/видео.html
@@EnglishCountryLife thank you, yes I’ve looked at Aferiy power stations, have a similar look to Bluetti, also LifeP04 battery too. At the moment Aferiy and Bluetti have big price reductions too! Thank you!
@@anitachisnell8412 No problem - there's an extra discount code in the description of that video if it helps 😉
@@EnglishCountryLife thank you for pointing that out!
@@anitachisnell8412 No problem! We are testing a good few different units from panels and charge controllers to power stations (not all published so far) so if you have any questions on brands or models do feel free to reach out
Great review ! 🇨🇦
Thanks Richard
Thank you great review really enjoyed it
@@MarkJones-ky5dl Thanks Mark, wish it had been more positive
@@EnglishCountryLife I know but you were honest and and that’s important am now subscribed and thank you again
@@MarkJones-ky5dl Cheers Mark & welcome!
I have a lower powered station from the same company and I've noticed the noisy fan a number of times. It does detract from uses such as trying to watch a film on a stand-alone DVD player and trying to read under a lamp powered with the same station.
@@cameronpeters9971 I am so glad that it isn't just me that find it noisy!
I have 3 of these, one had to be substituted after a short time as it just died, but the Allpowers customer service is very good. Also had other temporary glitches. BTW it can be used as a UPS. For the budget price, it is hard to beat value for money compared to the big name brands, maybe you could have made a price comparison if it might have worked better for you.
@@rickyx5896 I did consider it against other mid range brands such as AFERIY. Honestly, they are better made.
Electric chainsaw is probably a surge load cause, the no no for me is the 110 having 240v attached! Thats a trading standards issue.
@@tomjcarty Almost definitely surge Tom but it works fine on other power stations with lower surge rating. I have a Trading Standards case number 😉
Thanks for sharing,
Thanks for watching!
Can you use the allpowers power station when it's plugged in to the solar panels? Thank you.
It's difficult to know, in some places they say yes, in others they say no. You definitely can with the AFERIY ruclips.net/video/XwVPRcsUal4/видео.html
@@EnglishCountryLife thank you.
Yes you can
@@rickyx5896 Thank you
Oh hell no. I agree on all counts. To be fair to the sponsors a 400w panel is going to be on the heavy side. 400w of glass fronted panels would be a 2 man lift. HOWEVER...The 125v socket outputting 230 will destroy trades peoples tools and absolutely be a fire risk. A good review mate. Thanks, one to avoid. Why not put a blue socket on it. Unbelievable,
@@pauldymott8991 Hi Paul, I agree the 400W are all heavy but other brands are nearer 10kg rather than 20kg
@@EnglishCountryLife I have no doubt, as you said Hugh. The big issues live with the RV socket. I pleased that your test included metering the socket, but then, I would not expect anything less from you mate, a full review on products is vital.
@@pauldymott8991 Cheers Paul 👍
What was the feed back from allpower?
@@johnhefford137 They replaced the unit that was faulty &advised just to not use the mislabelled port!
It's been a long time since I studied law but I'm pretty certain that labelling that rv socket incorrectly is an offence and as it runs the risk of creating a lethal hazard then it is a criminal offence. If Allpowers are marketing this product in the knowledge that it is wrongly labelled then they are being criminally negligent and liable to prosecution. You might want to point this out to them next time you contact them. And should someone get killed as a result then the Allpowers boss could face a charge of corporate manslaughter and as it is a known fault then he/she will have no defence.
@@chrishamilton-wearing3232 I have pointed the issue out to them Chris (and reported it to the relevant standards team)
@@EnglishCountryLife I just knew you were going to be ahead of me on this.👍 Unrelated, but I know that you and the fabulous Fiona are eager for news about chicken Isla. Well, after mentioning to you about trying to encourage her to walk the general consensus was to let her do things ar her own pace. This proved to be the best option as she very quickly got back on her feet and is now pretty much back to normal. She has even laid a few eggs and has started to scratch around for bugs, of which there are plenty. We seem to have the worlds supply of grasshoppers, many of whom hurl themselves into the swimming pool overnight. She is a fighter and a very resilient chicken. Apart from a bald patch halfway down her back you wouldn't know anything had happened to her. All being well, n a few weeks time she will get to meet the girl she is named after.👍🐔
@@chrishamilton-wearing3232 That's fantastic news!
BT app can change the Hz 50/60 where there isn’t any way to change it on the machine scares me to think how long I ran it on 50 Hz 😡
UK power is 50hz?
that plug with wrong voltage is illeagle in this country.
The issue has been reported to Trading Standards
@@EnglishCountryLifeapparently they have removed that socket from the latest version altogether.
@@robinguitar I do hope so. It still shows on their website
uk.iallpowers.com/products/allpowers-2400w-1500wh-portable-power-station-s2000pro?_gl=1*1wxjobc*_up*MQ..&gclid=CjwKCAjwtNi0BhA1EiwAWZaANER7Jl5_tBRbhEhR4m2ObS-DCccnPMIYBz74tl3YKrNoubHQiWh2vRoCTXQQAvD_BwE
Do not buy this product mine also blew out my breakers the first time I tried to recharge it And now it is just a big chunk of plastic.
@@DanielPollock-jj1po Did you call trading standards?