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Bluetti AC200P hands-on: The portable power station that keeps you going
Bluetti AC200P portable power station
pros and cons
- Five input and 17 output options
- Easy-to-use LCD control screen
- 2000W output
- Heavy at 60 pounds
- No optional trolley
I think that the Bluetti AC200P portable power station might be my favourite review item so far. It certainly is the largest -- and the heaviest item I have ever received to review.
The AC200P itself is about the size of a cat carrier -- 16.5 x 15.2 x 11 inches - and it is heavy at 60.6 pounds in weight. But this weighty cube is packed full of features.
Weighing over four times the weight of the Bluetti AC50S portable power station, the Bluetti AC200P has scaled its power delivery too from the 500Wh AC50S to the 2,000Wh AC200P. The 2000W inverter can cope with a starting surge up to 4800W.
The power station can easily keep appliances such as a fridge running, and will even power a decent wattage hairdryer like this Revlon 1875W.
Bluetti says that the lithium iron phosphate battery (LiFePO4 battery) inside the AC200P is capable of being recharged over 3,500 times and the power station should last you about 10 years. When fully charged, the AC200P will need to be recharged only once every 3-6 months.
Inside the large heavy box, in addition to the power station, there is an AC power adapter and cable to connect it to the AC200P. There is also a power plug and cable which connects to the power adapter.
When the AC200P is charging the tiny LED on top of the power adapter glows red, switching to green when the power station is fully charged. This AC power adapter has its own onboard fan to cool the adapter down.
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The fan is fairly noisy, but it makes sure that the power adaptor does not even get warm and the LED is a really useful indicator showing when the AC200P is fully charged.
There is also an SA201 aviation plug that connects using an XT90 connector to your car charging cable. Bluetti also supplies a drawstring bag to store all of the extra hardware and cables needed.
It is a bit of a struggle to get all the cables in when the power adapter is in the bag -- but the carry bag is a welcome addition to the package.
Bluetti also offers optional extras such as a 12V/25A XT60 to spc45 output, a 12V/25A aviation plug to XT60, a connector for dual AC adaptors (7909 to XT90) and a carry bag. The user guide also says that there is a trolley available as an optional extra.
However, I could not find any reference to the trolley on either the US or the UK PowerOak site (the company uses both brand names interchangeably for the power station).
The lack of a trolley option is a shame as it takes quite an effort to lug this 60lb pack any distance. A wheeled trolley would be number one on my optional extras list.
Bluetti AC200P input charging options
On the side of the Bluetti AC200P there are two input ports with five ways of charging. There is a 58.8V/500W rated AC adapter, and a 12-30V/8.2A to XT90 car charging port.
This port will also accept PV (photovoltaic/solar charging) input at 35-150V at a maximum of 12A via its MC4 to XT90 solar charging cable.
You could even charge the power station using gas, propane or diesel generator, or use a Lead Acid battery (up to 8.2Amps) to charge the AC200P. You can charge the AC200P using both input ports at the same time for both AC and DC charging.
You can also charge the Bluetti AC200P using your house electricity supply, and keep it fully charged ready for any power outage you may encounter.
Alternatively, you can take it on the road with you for an extended period of time, and use solar panels, or your car battery to charge the power station.
Bluetti AC200P power output options
The AC200P has a lot of output ports -- 17 in total - which will suit all of your AC and DC charging requirements. There are:
- Six AC 110V power outlet ports
- One DC 12V/25A
- One DC 12V/10A
- Two DC 12V/3A
- Four 5V/3A USB type-A
- One PD 60W faster charge port accepting 5V/3A, 9V/3A, 12V/3A, 15V/3A or 20V/3A charging
- Two wireless charging areas on the top of the power station that will deliver a single output charge up to 15W
Bluetti AC200P battery management
The touch control screen on the AC200P is impressive. It displays in real-time the input voltage for solar or car charging power and AC input. It also shows the current, power, temperature, and state of charge.
You can adjust the output voltage, frequency, charging mode, and power consumption. Other settings allow you to change the date and time which is displayed on the screen along with the current level of charge. The battery management system will also display information at the top of the screen.
You can see more detailed battery management information by touching the data icon, and see current fault information if the icon is orange.
To use the Bluetti AC200P to power your appliances, click the DC or AC icon on the LCD control screen. The AC200P will click and start delivering a charge to the device connected to it. The display screen will show how much charge is being delivered to which device.
The AC200P will power a lot of devices for a long time. A 35 inch TV at 75WH can be powered for 20-22 hours, a 90WH fridge will be powered for 17-19 hours and a 200WH electric cooker will run for 8-9 hours from the AC200P.
You could charge 25 smartphones for about 7-8 hours. As I mentioned -- the Bluetti AC200P will keep you connected for a long time. It is certainly a worthy contender for the best home battery list -- even though its power output is lower than the others on the list.
The Bluetti AC200P is a superb power station that has a range of input charging options and a lot of output options to charge a range of devices. It is expensive at just under $1700, and you will need to buy solar panels too if you want that charging option.
However this portable power station will stay charged for months, and power all the equipment you need when you are away for an extended stay.
I would definitely get a trolley for this beast as I would really struggle to carry it around by hand. Please Bluetti, a wheeled trolley should definitely be an option for sale on your website – to save us getting too tired when moving it from place to place.
However, all in all, the Bluetti AC200P portable power station is a perfect addition to your home or office to keep your appliances and tech going if the power goes out.