Last summer, I extensively reviewed a portable lithium power station from a company called Bluetti. The model AC200P boasted impressive power with a 2048-watt-hour LiFePO4 battery pack and a 2000W pure sine wave inverter.
The AC200P performed well in my off-grid camping tests. It was able to power any appliance in our RV and charged up pretty fast via solar or our gas generator.
Well, it’s nearly a year later, and Bluetti contacted me again and asked if I’d like to review their newer upgraded model, the AC200MAX. It has improved charging and output power performance specs, plus new features addressing some of my AC200P dislikes. So I decided to take them up on the offer.
I will again split my review into three videos: Introduction and Features, In-Depth Testing & Demos, and finally, a Real-World Usage Review. So first up, I will go through the AC200MAX features and specs and improvements versus the earlier AC200P model. By the way, the Bluetti folks sent out one of the model B230 portable 2048Wh battery expansion packs to check out!
*Fair Disclosure* I received the Bluetti AC200MAX and B230 Expansion Battery Pack free as a free review sample.
Bluetti AC200MAX Review (Pt 1) – Intro & Features
AC200MAX Feature & Specs List:
- Current Price: 1899 USD or 2499 CAD
- Size & Weight: 61.9 lbs (16.5 x 11.0 x 15.2in)
- Battery: 2048Wh 51.2V 40AH LiFEPO4
- Battery Life: 3500+ Charge Cycles to 80% Capacity Left
- 2200W Pure Sine Inverter Output 4800W Surge
- Solar Charging Specs: 900W 10-145 Volts 15A
- AC Adapter Charging: 500W or 1000W w/optional second AC adapter
- Combine Solar and AC for 1400W charging
- 12VDC Car Charging Max 8A
- Passthrough Charging
- Two 15W Phone Charging Pads
- Touch Screen Display
- Bluetooth App for Info/Control/Firmware Update
- 12VDC Power Outlets: 30A RV, 10A Automotive Socket, 2 – 10A Small Round
- USB Outlets: 100W USB-C 18W USB-A plus Standard USB-A
- 120V AC Outlets: 4 – 20 Amp AC Household Sockets + 30 Amp RV Style
- Two Expandable Battery Ports: Up to 8192Wh Capacity
Main Improvements over the AC200P Model:
- Added 30 Amp AC RV Socket
- Max DC Output 30A vs. 25A
- 900W Max Solar vs. 700W
- 2200W AC Inverter vs. 2000W
- Bluetooth App
- Dual Battery Expansion Ports
PT2 In-Depth Testing and Demos, Charging & Discharging
In Part 2 of my Bluetti AC200MAX review, I extensively tested its charging and discharging capabilities. Using the AC charger + 1000 watts of solar panels, I could input approximately 1200 watts of charging power even without a clear sky. Another test was to see if it would power my Coleman Mach 3 13.5K BTU RV air conditioner and for how long. Also, I tested out the 30 amp 12VDC power port.
Stay tuned for the Part 3 Video – Likes and Dislikes after a few weeks of real-world camping and final thought on this offering from Bluetti.
PT3 Real World Camping (Likes & Dislikes)
This video will give my likes and dislikes for the Bluetti AC200MAX portable power station. I used it for about a month, camping off the grid in the springtime on the west coast of Canada. So the conditions really put the unit to the test.
Overall, the system performs well in powering things, and hardware build quality is good. I feel this system would be excellent for home power backup or in places with plentiful solar power availability.
But if camping in cloudy or treed conditions, the slow AC recharge (500w max) can make things difficult. A person can buy an optional second AC charger and bump that up to 1000W max, but you’ll end up with quite a mess of power bricks and cords. And still doesn’t come close to the competitor EcoFlow Delta MAX with 1800W Max AC charging.
Likes:
- Excellent Inverter 2200W 4800W Surge
- LIFEPO4 Battery Pack
- 30A DC Outlet
- Bluetooth App
- 900W Solar Max
- Expandable to 8192 Watt Hours
- 30A RV AC Receptacle
Dislikes:
- Heavy at 62 lbs.
- Comparatively Slow AC Charging 500W
- AC Charger Not Built In
- Touch Screen is Dim in Bright Light
Product Links:
Bluetti Bug Test – Solar Charging Bug with Expandable Battery Pack
In this video, I test for a solar charging bug that was reported to me by several video commenters. When the Bluetti AC200MAX power station and B230 expandable battery pack are entirely run down to 0%, the expandable battery won’t wake via solar charging. I confirmed the problem with the review samples I was sent and with the latest firmware update installed.
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