With a huge 2000 Watt hour capacity, the Bluetti AC200P Portable Power Station is one of the most advanced electric generators you can buy and can charge from pretty much any power outlet.
The most common reason someone looks at generators like this one is because of their clean credentials, offering green ways to power your home in an emergency, level up your camping experience, or like us, make gardening and using power tools more efficient.
Solar generators offer free electricity to anyone who can harness the sun’s power. It’s that simple, and this Bluetti solar generator is, without a doubt, one of the best. To explain why, we’ve tested the latest model, and wanted to share our experience.
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Watch our video review of the AC200P
Nathan Schwartz from Aussie Green Thumb gives us a detailed video review of the Bluetti AC200P power station and how he uses it for gardening and power tools:
Bluetti AC200P Portable Power Station
The Bluetti AC200P Portable Power Station is a sine wave inverter, not a traditional generator. That means it stores its electricity in batteries, and converts that into usable AC power, ready to plug into any of your standard electrical devices using normal AC plugs and adapters.
The result is a clean, gas-free, eco-friendly alternative to petrol or diesel generators that is capable of charging from solar rays and powering even large appliances for several hours.
Smaller appliances and gadgets can be recharged for up to a year on a single charge of the power station too, as the battery storage is really pretty incredible.
About Bluetti
Bluetti is a pretty young brand, having only launched in 2019, but they’ve hit the ground running, using their profits to support charitable energy projects in Africa and around the world.
Their core vision is to create affordable, accessible, and simple green power for normal people, so you and I can make the most of the clean and renewable natural resources we have at hand.
Based in the US, Bluetti is leading the global market in renewable generators, and sells domestic power stations that are adapted to sockets here in Australia too, making the Bluetti AC200P Portable Power Station a great plug-and-play way to get started with renewable power.
Where to Buy the Bluetti AC200P Portable Power Station
You can buy the Bluetti AC200P Portable Power Station directly from Bluetti.
Bluetti AC200P Portable Power Station Review: Pros & Cons
This portable Power Station is not perfect, but it's pretty close, and it does what it promises. With that said, it’s still worth taking a look at some common pros and cons experiences when testing it, as well as a few of the specifications that might make it unsuitable for some users.
What we loved
Bluetti’s AC200P Portable Power Station is incredibly easy to use. It looks good, and it’s pretty quick to charge up, even from solar panels (compared to other similar units).
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From AC power, it will charge from flat to full (2000Wh) in under six hours, which is accurate on our testing. And from 2 x 350W (PV350 Bluetti solar panels =700w) solar panels, in bright conditions, it can charge in under four hours (more on charging times later).
It’s packed with charging ports for all sorts of devices, including a 60W USB-C port, four USB-A ports, a wireless charging pad, and two 220-240V AC outputs.
But, it’s not just about the basic specs. This brilliant solar generator from Bluetti is super simple to use. If you’ve already got a 700W solar panel then you just need to sit back and wait while it charges (350W panels work fine, but try not to go any lower as it will really slow down charging).
What we didn’t love…
When it comes to the downsides, there are a few problems, but they’re more about user comfort than any practical concerns.
For example, it’s a pretty heavy unit. It’s lighter than a diesel generator with a full tank, but it still weighs 27.5kg, which can be tricky to lug around.
Also, its interface screen is on the side of the power station, not the top, so you do need to get right down on the floor to read it. However, in several weeks of using this at home, and outdoors, the screen was barely used, so it’s a very infrequent problem.
Finally, and this is maybe the only practical concern we had – it doesn’t work at temperatures below freezing, and shouldn’t be stored under 0°C either, so for anyone in colder parts of the country where frosts are likely over winter, it will need to be stored in an insulated garage or heated space.
Key Features of the Bluetti AC200P Solar Generator
This is the fun bit, the specs. I know it’s technical, but it’s where this power station really stands out from the crowd, and what makes it both effective and affordable.
Its key features, which I’ll go into detail about in a second, are its LiFePO4 battery, 2000 Watt hour capacity, and rapid charging, but there’s also the simpler stuff, like it's simple but thorough interface and the well thought-out balance of AC, DC and USB sockets.
LiFePO4 Battery
LiFePO4 is a fancy abbreviation of Lithium Iron Phosphate. These batteries offer longer life, safer function, and a long cycle. They are more expensive than comparable lithium-ion batteries, but they last longer and are more efficient in average temperatures.
They do have some downsides, like being less efficient at extremely low or high temperatures, and as such, the Bluetti AC200P will simply not work at temperatures below freezing – at least not reliably.
Overall though, the LiFePO4 batteries in Bluetti’s power stations last up to five times longer than other electric generators with lithium-ion batteries, and that’s the key thing to remember.
Kilowatt Hours (kWh) or Watt Hours
2000 Watt hours (2kWh) is pretty impressive for an electric power station of this size. It could power an air conditioning unit for up to four hours, or a fridge freezer for about 12 hours (and a car fridge for 20 hours!).
CPAP machines use about 40W, which means in an emergency, you could power your essential medical kit for up to 40 hours too, so one of these power stations could literally save a life in an emergency.
Charging speeds
Charging speeds of the Bluetti AC200P Portable Power Station vary greatly depending on the input. For example, it has a maximum solar input of 700W from two PV350 Bluetti panels, or users can use a 700W solar panel from a third party, but it's crucial that the solar panel matches AC200P with OCV 35-150V to ensure compatibility.
You can speed things up by using half AC power from mains electricity, in conjunction with one 700W solar panel or two x 350w panels, which could fully charge the generator in approximately 2.1 to 2.6 hours.
The average charge time from solar, even on an overcast day, is about 3.5 hours, and if there’s literally no sun and you’re out and about, it can be charged from a car socket, but as the input will be around 100W, it can take up to 20 hours for a full charge.
Sockets
There are thirteen output sockets, offering a mix of AC and DC power, made possible by pure sine wave inversion. The most useful sockets are the two 220-240V AC sockets, and the four USB-A ports offering 5V, ideal for charging smaller devices like phones and cameras.
As well as common sockets, there is also a 60W USB-C port, two 12V/3A DC outlets, one 12V/25A RV outlet, and a 12V/10A car outlet, so whatever cables you’ve got, and whatever tools, gadgets or appliances need power, you’ll be able to run them from the Bluetti AC200P power station.
For those of you with more advanced smartphones, there are also two bonus 15W wireless charging pads included, which are incredibly handy, and as far as I can tell, unique to Bluetti (though I’m sure other brands will copy that innovation in upcoming models).
What is included with the Bluetti AC200P Portable Power Station?
When you buy a Bluetti AC200P Portable Power Station, you’ll get the unit itself, along with a whole host of extra cables to make sure you can connect to whatever power source you’ve got available for charging.
The cables included are:
- AC adapter
- MC4 Solar Charging Cable (MC4 to XT90)
- Car charging cable (car to XT90)
- XT90 to aviation plug
If you intend to use a solar panel to charge up your power station, you can buy the PV350 direct from Bluetti, or buy a bundle including two solar panels and the AC200P Power Station.
How to Use the Bluetti AC200P Portable Power Station
There’s not really a right or wrong way to use the Bluetti AC200P Portable Power Station, but you can extend its life by charging and discharging separately. Charging, either from AC or Solar power while powering your devices can shorten the overall lifecycle of the power station.
To set up, just plug in the charging cables to the appropriate power source. If using Solar panels, place them somewhere bright, and in as much sun as possible, then leave them to charge for around four hours.
Once fully charged, plug in, switch on, and use your devices.
What appliances can the Bluetti solar generator run?
There is no limit to the devices you can charge or use with the Bluetti AC200P Portable power station, and its surge limit is 4800W, meaning it can handle input power surges or output power faults within safe limits.
The real headache comes when trying to calculate the battery life versus the appliances you’re using. A standard reference though would be something like a fridge freezer, simply because that’s the most common appliance you’ll need to keep on during a power outage at home.
An average fridge freezer uses 0.5kWh of energy per day. The Bluetti AC200P offers a 2kWh battery life, meaning that a fully charged unit can, in theory, keep your freezer running for four days.
Obviously, this depends on the age, style, and size of your appliances, and the age of the power station too, but it’s the most useful reference for most homeowners.
Bluetti Portable Power Station Frequently Asked Questions
Is a Bluetti power generator worth the money?
Bluetti is a brilliant brand, dedicated to making our world a greener place. If you’re a regular camper, or you just like the security of having energy on demand, then the Bluetti AC200P is a hundred percent worth the money.
Can the Bluetti AC200P portable power station power a house?
The Bluetti AC200P portable power station can power your house in a power cut, and with 2kWh (2000Wh) it should last for around 20-24 hours if you’re using appliances and devices in moderation.
Can I leave my Bluetti portable generator plugged in all the time?
It’s safe to leave your Bluetti portable power station plugged in all the time, but it’s not wise. Like any battery, the longer you leave it plugged in, and the less often you use it, the shorter its overall charge will last.
For more product reviews for portable generators, check out our detailed buying guides below:
Wrapping Up Our Bluetti AC200P Portable Power Station Review
Technical specs on any electrical generator can be confusing to anyone without an engineering degree, myself included, but by calculating the kWh of your most commonly used tools and appliances, you can get a good idea of what portable power station or solar generator is going to be best for you.
You can buy the Bluetti AC200P Portable Power Station directly from Bluetti.
So, if you’re looking for a greener way to power your life, or a carbon-friendly way to keep your home powered during an emergency power outage, the Bluetti AC200P Portable Power Station is a great choice.
It’s perhaps not the most portable power station at 27kg, but it’s still small enough to fit in the boot of your car, and it’s so simple to use that you’ll wonder how you ever got by without it.
Published on July 19, 2023 by Nathan Schwartz
Last Updated on October 10, 2024
