BLUETTI AC300 - Expandable Home Backup OR Off-Grid LiFePO4 Power Solution! 2400 Watts Solar Charging
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- čas přidán 5. 07. 2024
- This video includes IN DEPTH testing of the Bluetti AC300 + B300 Battery. You can purchase up to FOUR B300 batteries to expand the total power beyond 12,00 watt hours! This is an actual "Solar Generator" due to it's 2400 watt solar input capability! I have been using the AC300 with a 6 circuit transfer switch and it's been AWESOME! No more worrying about power outages!
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View my POWER STATION GRADING sheet HERE:
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6 Circuit Transfer Switch used in the video HERE:
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XT90 Adapters used in the video HERE:
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Video Timestamps:
AC300 Overview: (0:00)
DC Output Testing: (3:16)
30 Amp DC Capacity Test: (7:46)
10 Amp DC Capacity Test: (9:42)
AC Inverter Testing: (12:00)
Inverter Noise Test: (16:00)
AC300 Powering Your House: (17:00)
AC Inverter Capacity Test: (19:16)
Parasitic Drain Results: (20:29)
How to Charge the AC300: (23:25)
Smart App Demo: (32:57)
AC300 Display Overview: (34:01)
Grading the AC300: (37:36)
Final Thoughts: (40:40)
#Jasonoid #Bluetti #SolarPower - Věda a technologie
This is hands down the most thorough review of the ac 300. I was getting so frustrated trying to find a video that explains how to use it, charge it and all its features. Thank you!
Hobotech also does a great demo.
i have been running the ac300 with 2 b300 batteries for about two months now. They run 24/7 power my fridge, toaster oven and microwave which i use thru the day and night, they also run my internet modem and router 24/7. When i watch tv it is powered by the bluetti system. I have extension cords with power strips. Yesterday i received 2 more batteries and have an electrician scheduled to install a multi circuit transfer switch soon. So far the system has exceeded my expectations with ease of use and ability to take in solar, i have 2k of panels connected and the 2 batt system was fully charged by 1pm each day. When money allows i will get a second ac300 and the adapters to set it up as 240 split phase. I love that the ac300 can be expanded with very little problem.
Thank you! This is the most extensive and complete review of the Bluetti AC300 I've been able to find. Much appreciated and keep up the good work!
Jason, your reviews are so well thought out and this review is one of the best. High praise on the discussion of parasitic loads.
This is a very complete review. Great job Jason 👍
What a long video! There was quite a bit of testing on this beast.
Awesome Review! One of the most complete reviews I have seen! Great information. Thank you
Glad it was helpful!
Easily the most thorough review of the AC300 on CZcams. Great review!! Another interesting test would be to check if you can use the dual PV charging on the AC300 and the single additional channel of charging on the BC300 at the same time, for a total of 2900 watts of solar using three different arrays.
I'll have to test that out. It seems that the B300 battery functions completely separate from the ac300 so you could probably do that just fine.
Thank you so much. This is the best video I could find and can’t wait to subscribe and learn more from you. Yes for me a lot of the terms used are confusing so I will need to learn more and watch it more than once because there is a lot of information. But you make me feel comfortable that learning all this is within reach for me. Thank you so much.
The more you watch the more you'll get comfortable with the jargon. This video may help teach some of the basic principles for you:
czcams.com/video/4JG8LvJznLY/video.html
Just found your channel. Really appreciate your selection of tests, including noise, efficiency, sine quality
Thanks! I am currently testing the AC500, so I'd hold on buying this one for now, the AC500 video will be out Sept 1st.
Thank you for mentioning the new AC500, this unit looks very promising!
I’m new to the field, I’m swiss, and we are forced here in Europe, to prepare ourselves for a difficult winter, thanks to Mr Putin…
Who told you, it was Putin's fault?
@ 20:30 I'm glad you are performing that test, most of the time the manufactures will not provide that info in the spec sheet.
Thanks Bud, so many tests on this power station!
Thank you so much for the incredible research and data collection. This was a huge help.
Thanks Mike! Appreciate the donation!
Thankyou for doing this testing very incitefull.
Absolutely excellent review. Thank you!
Excellent and very thorough review. You mentioned the cost of the unit at the beginning of the review but you did not mention the cost of the supplemental battery. Great job.
Hey William, I did forget about mentioning the cost of the expansion battery! Oops! They are around $2k
Jason... Love your use case re: gas generator. I do the same with my DIY setups during power outages. I make sure the gas genny will fully charge my batteries before nightfall so I can shut down and securely store my gas generator overnight when the family is sleeping. I can worry less about someone stealing it and still have the power!
You have a growatt or another system with a built in charger? What are you using for your setup?
@@Jasonoid MPP all in one inverters. One 24V 280Ah setup and a couple of 12V 280Ah setups. Next step is to do what you did and wire in a transfer switch just to a few key circuits. I'd actually love to keep a couple of circuits off grid full time like my chest freezer. I'd rather cyrcle all these power stations I built rather than keep them around for a rainy day.
Awesome setup, I've been debating about building a DIY 'all in one' setup with a server rack...I have so much going on, not sure if I can fit it in with two jobs.
I am on the same thought process, I don't want these to sit around when I could at least be dropping my power bill a $20 to $30 a month in a best case scenario. So best of both worlds, battery back in a power outage and dropping my power bill. Also, battery tech is changing VERY QUICKLY right now with EVs picking up popularity, it's going to get exciting with new stuff on the horizon. Use these batteries now so you can feel you can purchase something better in the future haha
Your review was really helpful. A lot of the other reviews I've watched talked about using this type of setup for "RV"-life. I'm interested in using it as a backup power system for at least some of my home. As of late, we have been having more frequent power outages.
The transfer switch, using solar cells, etc makes a lot of sense. I was contemplating getting a gas powered generator so I could power a freezer/refrigerator, but would need to use extension cables and have cables all over the place. The transfer switch would solve that. Now, combine that with something like the Bluetti, now we are talking.
Next on my research is to compare this device to other power wall systems. I also need to do a lot of research into solar - like you are doing, I would like to be able to have solar offset my grid usage.
Really great review, so much detailed information. I'v been wanting to give this one a look.
Have they reached out to you about the new AC500?
@@Jasonoid the AC500 or EP500? I’m intrigued…
The AC300/B300 system is exceptional. The most impressive quality is the smooth operation, the way everything works together, and your ability to monitor and control settings from the app. The batteries can be charged separately, and/or with the main AC300 unit, 700w and 3000w. This is lightning fast. You do have to watch the total wattage and not go over the 3000w, so I do not have all the home circuits on when off grid, specifically the drier, hot tub, and 30amp RV outlet. With an additional 21k battery bank I can keep the AC300 system charged and not go below 50% if I can supply solar from one day out of three. I highly recommend it, and the information presented here was accurate and professional. Great review!
dc in Depoe Bay, Oregon.
So good looking too. Love how the expansion batteries stack with it and each other.
I'm in Oregon too, I'm wondering if I can get a charge during our overcast days, which are most days during fall and winter and some spring. How long does it take to charge it on overcast days? I'd like a power outage backup
A couple days!
Excellent video man. This thing is legendary for that solar input and pv priority. Sheesh. Hashtag goals.
Thanks Ive, let's get you one! I'm all in to help haha
Going for either this or the 200max on prime day. Great review.
This was a very thorough review! Thank you for sharing :D
Thanks M J! It was quite the video project haha
@@Jasonoid Definitely worth watching :D
I have this unit with two B300 batteries. I’ve been very happy with it so far. The warning on the 24V outlet is new, as my unit doesn’t have it but I have seen earlier reviews suggesting that Bluetti should add a warning. Apparently they did!
As another data point, when I ran the AC capacity test (with a 1200 watt space heater or about a 0.2C discharge rate), I got 5309 Wh out of 6144, or 86.4%.
I like the added warning on 24v output. I've debated about getting a second B300 battery, that would allow me to power more items overnight. Excellent results with the capacity test, slightly better than mine. Thanks for sharing your results!
@@Jasonoid Also -- it looks like you have a different version of firmware than me, one that allows you to change the AC/wall power charging rate (up to 15A) without a password. I still require a password, but the app tells me I have the latest firmware...
Thanks! I took your suggestion and bought the AC 300 with b300 expansion batteries. I had an electrician install the Reliance transfer switch and everything is working perfectly.
I hope you do a follow up on your transfer switch setup. Thanks again!!
It's been great so far! I love the ability to run circuits during a power outage...or even off solar during the day when the power is running!
Morning! Have a good weekend!
Thanks Schteve! 😊👍 You do the same!
Great review mate!
This guy is a beast! Lots of potential.
Excellent review! Subscribed.
Welcome to the clan!
Great job in this review. Clear, concise and well deleivered. I have a ac300 and 4 b300's and am very happy with it. We are powering all of our 120v applications, computers, fridge, etc. We have 2400 watt's of solar panels and here in Phx Az charging is not a problem. Down the road we may go for another ac300 to power some our 220v items, dryer, stove, hot water heater. Again thanks for the great video. Looking forward to exploring your channel.
Sounds like you have an awesome setup! Thanks for checking out the channel
Bluetti does sell a stand alone AC300 with no B300.
What kind of solar panels are you using
@@N2UPROD I use the Renology 200 watt panels. Finally had a cloudy day here in Phoenix that kept the temperature down. Sun came out and they were pulling 207-210 watts ea h.
@@edkendall6522 oh ok 12v 200 watt panels ?
So you have a total of 12 panels 2 strings consisting of 6 panels each ?
Great review. Love the addition of the parasitic drain info. Hard to believe how much power you can lose. Knowing this changes my strategy for powering my gear. For example, I am going to power my Iceco with my River Pro or GoLabs 300 during the day while camping, then charge this station up with my bigger AC200P in the evening while I am doing all my cooking. Thanks.
Thats a great plan Lit! Use the lower power devices on smaller power stations with less parasitic drain, then use the large power station to bring in big solar charging and heavy lifting when needed, turn off the large power station outputs whenever possible :)
Yep, that works. My primary use is home backup for emergencies, and I've decided that I need a mixture of large, medium and small units for a combination of portability, overall capacity and so I'm not using a behemoth like the AC300 to power light loads where the parasitic drain of a 3000 watt inverter would be unacceptable. For example, if I'm just charging phones and tablets, or my MacBook Air, I'm going to my EB55, not the AC300!
I also have an ICECO refrigerator in my DIY van build. It has been running on a Jackery 500 using the regulated DC output. But I’m upgrading my whole electrical system now due to “battery anxiety”. I bought the SOK 12V 206Ah LiFePo battery for 5x increase and great price per Watt-hour. The ICECO will power from this directly (through the fuse panel). Lots of reviews recommend that all these battery generators should have a regulated DC output. Well, I’m an electrical engineer that specializes in DC-DC power conversion, and if you regulate a higher voltage battery to a 13.5V output, you are losing power (wasting some battery capacity). As in this video, the efficiency was only 77%. Even the B300 12V output was in the 83% range, if I remember correctly. But if your loads are pretty low and you connect directly to a 12V battery, the efficiency is very nearly 100%. The only losses are in the cable/connector/fuse resistances and battery’s internal BMS protection MOSFETs. I think the ICECO runs down to plenty low enough voltage for unregulated voltage. My other loads are LED lights and MaxxAir fan, so they are low power. I think this is the way to go. I also bought a Renogy AC inverter for very occasional use, so I’ll see if that can cause enough voltage droop to be a problem. But I don’t think it will unless the battery is close to empty. For my camping needs, I expect unregulated will be great. Can’t wait to try it all out. I guess I should do that before I install everything into the van.
Karl Volk This is so interesting. Thank you for the reply. I agree that with LiFePO4, you do not need regulation, in fact it seems to really cost you in efficiency. I thought about doing what you are doing with the same battery, but then I got nervous. Too many fuses everywhere that don’t seem to make sense to me. Maybe some day as I get smarter at this. I hope it works well for you.
I've found that the load on the B300 12v dc is about 15w per hour and acceptable in a pinch. Just make sure it's disconnected from the AC300.
Very excellent video! I just installed AC300 + 2x B300 + Transfer Switch (10 circuit) in my house. It’s working now for 2 days. No solar yet; that’s next. I noticed two interesting things: 1) My two B300 battery fuel gauges don’t always track. They can differ by even 15% at times during the middle of a discharge cycle. It is interesting that the AC300 uses the two batteries in a managed way. They are not simply in parallel. I think it is similar to the two PV MPPT inputs in philosophy. 2) I did a full discharge test to simulate an extended power outage, such as there isn’t enough sun and you are on vacation and can’t connect your gas generator. Anyway, after the AC inverter turns off at 0%, the display is still on. So the system does reserve a little battery capacity for itself. I didn’t test how long that works. Instead, I just plugged back into the grid. The batteries begin to charge, but the AC inverter did not turn back on. I tried to turn it on manually at 1% and again at 3% battery capacity (using the WiFi connected app and also using the touch screen), but it wouldn’t allow this until the battery was over 5% (or maybe 6%, where I actually tried and had success). I would like the AC output to automatically restart. Since the AC300 never lost its brains, it should have known the AC was on when it finally discharged to 0%; therefore, it could have automatically restarted the inverter at 5% when charging back up. Perhaps it would have if I had waited longer such as to 10% - so I might have to retest this. But if not, I think they could fix it with a firmware upgrade. Another comment: I live in California, and I might be able to get most or all of this expense reimbursed via the state’s Self Generation Incentive Program. 😎 Finally, now I’m shopping for 6x 400W solar panels for my roof. It is hard to find wholesalers that will sell them in low quantities. A1SolarStore does on some panels and you can pick them up to save on shipping. But their closest location is 2.5hr drive away for me. Shipping costs a lot and negates much of their good prices. So now I’m leaning towards the new Renogy 450W 10BB panels, which they sell in pairs for under $1/W with free shipping. BTW, my roof gets blotchy shade, so over-paneling is my plan. Any other suggestions for solar that you may have will be appreciated.
Hey Karl, great comments. As for the AC300 hitting 0 percent, you are correct about the power station 'saving reserve power' so it doesn't fully die. The manual states 10% of the battery is saved for safety. The AC inverter will only turn back on @ 5% so that if you have a large load running it doesn't instantly turn back off.
Tips for solar: Trying to find a good shade free area in your yard is super important as shade kills like 80% of your power. Do you have space for a ground mount system in your yard? Those are pretty easy to setup.
@@Jasonoid I’m in a forested area on a slope. The roof is the most sun. I want to achieve more solar power than the lost efficiency in the AC300. Over that, any reduction in my electric bill is certainly a big plus. For blotchy partial shade reasons, I’m looking at the 1/2 cell panels to cope slightly better. Regarding turning back on at 5%, I understand the heavy load reason and agree. I just want it to turn on by itself in case I’m away and don’t notice by checking the app. Since it still has brains, it can make smart decisions. It could remember the load before it fell to 0% and turned off. It could know it only discharged that low because AC was off and PV was off or was insufficient. Then it would know that heavy loads are unlikely at start up. And if my refrigerator compressor load is enough to pull the battery down again, it could take note of that and turn off again and then wait until the battery was charged to an even higher level before restarting the AC the next time. I think some simple math could be used to do this. There is a microprocessor and firmware inside this thing, after all. But I’m an electrical engineer who defines power chips and battery charger chips by trade, so I might be thinking of making too good of a product! LOL.
@@swagonman What I have been doing it having the AC300 set to PV priority mode, and set the AC charging to start at 10% battery. So it will charge with solar panels only until the battery gets to 10% and below and then it kicks on AC charging from the wall. I have my AC300 plugged into the wall on a circuit thats not on the transfer switch as a backup just in case I can't check in on it and swap everything back to line power. It's been working well for me that way.
@@Jasonoid You’re settings are similar to mine. But imagine you are away on vacation. There is a power outage. There wasn’t much sunshine, and now it’s night time. You’re battery goes down to 0%. The inverter turns off, and now you’re refrigerator and freezer start to warm up. In the morning, power is restored and there is lots of sun. So you’re batteries charge back up. But guess what? You’re inverter never turns back on. So everything in you’re freezer melts. You get home a week or two later and notice a funky smell. When you open the fridge or freezer, the smell is horrific. It’ll take a long time to clean up. But you can save your refrigerator if you place coffee grinds in there for a month. Eventually, they will remove the smell. I know from direct experience. Bluetti, please update the firmware so that the AC inverter and DC outputs restore to their prior on/off settings when the battery recovers after a 0% SOC event. It should be easy to do this. In fairness, I only tested my system with a simulated power outage one time. The AC300 did not turn the AC output back on automatically as the battery charged from 0% to 6%. I terminated the test and manually turned the AC outputs back on at 6%. I should retest to see if the AC output will turn on at a higher battery percentage or not.
@@swagonman great points. I usually go back to grid power when on vacation since I don't want to risk it.... Our power is on 99.99% of the time here in Utah.
Just excellent. Thank you
Oh my my I liked#47 AC300 Monster size Portable Power Station!!!
I just bought a AC300/B300 combo. Your video is well done and explanations are clear. My goal is to buy a second one and a fusion box to get 240V. Basically I want it to act as a UPS rather than alternative energy just to keep the important equipments running. I get a lot of small (a few seconds) to long (days) of outtages where I am. Not a lot of sun because of the trees but almost always windy. I haven't seen any videos on hooking up a wind turbine and nobody is clear if it's possible to use on this unit. I wrote to Bluetti Global and Bluetti Canada (where I'm from) and they don't have the same opinion. Have you ever done any wind testing in a Bluetti device?
Excellent review! Learned some things I didn’t know before about this system. The real issue is that it’s not worth getting in my opinion just because it’s limited on its PV input.
In other words you can’t really run as a back up more than 24 to 48 hours.
I have multiple charge controllers and a separate inverter and batteries. This is the only way to run 24x7. 🖖
I think it depends on the load you are running. I have been running my two full size fridges off this unit for about a month now. So in terms of running as a backup power solution it seems to be working well. I have a large solar input and that definetly helps.
@@Jasonoid
Running a whole house is a different matter. You’re also running at night time with no solar input, which can drain the battery quickly.
A lot of it depends on where you live also. I live in the Pacific Northwest and it takes 7.5 kW PV just to get my batteries charged up. I have 9.6 kW of batteries. I’m using a 3000/24 V inverter. And I can still only run eight months out of the year, with the remaining four months using a generator when there’s no sun. The sun is so low during those four months, and the daylight hours are minimal, that you need a generator.🖖
Thats a lot of solar and a lot of batteries! :) Do you only have the 3000w inverter for your entire setup or do you have any dual phase appliances? Just curious if you've had to deal with 240v off grid at all.
Great video!
Glad you enjoyed it
GREAT REVIEW. THANKS
These efficiency numbers are improved. You should get the firmware updates. I haven't done much testing but I can tell the AC is marginally more efficient. The DC on the B300 by itself is really good. I was losing a little over .5% an hour loss before. Now it's like .2% I powered the dc on the battery for 20 hours and the loss was 4%.
1 point for $.80/wh, .66 points for $1.00/wh, and .33 points for $1.20/wh?
Another excellent review and an obvious contender for best-in-class product. This kind of stuff is becoming more and more common, taking the entire Portable Power Station/Solar Generator concept from a very cool niche offering to something with a very wide range of demanding applications.
Great recommendation on pricing scale Jason.... I'll have to think about it for sure!
If you continue to add BC300"s you get the following. With 2 BC300's; $0.93 per watt. With 3 BC300's; $0.84 per watt. With 4 BC300"s; $0.79 per watt
The thing is, because of the modular aspect of it, there are economies of scale with more batteries. Even now, a single B300 by itself is around 65 cents per watt-hour. So if you buy several of them, the cost per watt is reasonable.
I think anyone who doesn't see a need for more than 1-2 extra batteries and doesn't need to have the potential for 240V service would possibly be better served with the AC200Max, unless they need the 3000 watt inverter.
great review jason! it covers the bell and whistles of the unit. it is the best top dog out there next to the ecoflow delta pro. one disadvantage is that its too heavy and its not to be defined as portable. also having cables hanging between both units is not aestetically pleasing and if somebody stumbles on it you can injure somebody. Newer power stations come with 5K batteries such as the allpowers monster pro
Yeah, the ALLPOWERS is a beast with 5kw!
@@Jasonoid there is also a power station from 3epowers named p40 with 5k watts. Have they reach you before for testing purposes?
@@johnvistawall9722 No I haven't heard of that power station before. I'm still a pretty small fish so they'd probably reach out to the bigger channels first.
Excellent review Jason! Loved the amount of detail (and I don't mind the length at all). I can see a ton of testing and work went into this one. I look forward to the potential comparison to the EcoFlow Delta Pro.
Do you plan to add more B300s to make the AC300 setup larger and more capable?
If I wanted to use this for more than powering 2 fridges overnight (without using a gas genny) I will need the second battery at least. I have my sights set on one for sure.... decisions decisions!
@@Jasonoid I have an EcoFlow Delta Pro with extra battery. At night, i only expect to need to power a fridge and freezer (not counting smaller drain stuff like internet, plugged in power supplies, etc.). The EcoFlows give me 7.2kWh of capacity. Hopefully that's enough to run everything I need overnight and charge back up fully during the days.
You're a B300 away from essentially same setup.
You run those appliances via a transfer switch/solar or are you off grid all the time?
@@Jasonoid I haven't installed everything yet, but will be putting in a transfer switch set up for 10 circuits in my house. I'll still use the grid for part of my house and as backup in case of extended cloudy/stormy days.
Good stuff thanks 🙏
I’m surprised more people don’t adapt these to RV’s. Personally I would use Eg4’s new 6500 watt inverter with a few of their batteries for a house 🏠
Really enjoyed the review. Just purchased an AC300 + B300 + 3 x P350 before seeing your review. Your review confirms I made a good decision. Thanks.
One of your solar arrays appears to be on a moveable wooden cart. Is that a diy project or a kit that can be purchased?
It's a diy project, here's the video
czcams.com/video/agK3rrwSifU/video.html
Thank you for the info. I just got the AC300 & B300 May 1 weekend sale for $3,499. I almost went with the AC200MAX you can add 2 battery's but with the AC300 you can add up to 4 - B300 battery's. So it cost more but future proofs it if I wanted 4 battery's or get another AC300 and have 220v for the house. Especially if I use it the way you are 24/7.
And I think you can AC charge the B300 along with charging through the AC300 at the same time to get max charge? I still need to play with it more and hook up to solar but so far i like it. Thank you for the in-depth testing!
Glad you got it on sale! I think you will be very impressed by the power station. Yes, you can add additional charging input on the B300 battery itself, pretty cool.
Cool stuff
Excellent review thanks. The user guide is a little vague if the 150V PV input limit is total or per string but I see you had 170V total coming in so that answers that
What I'm not sure is if the separate battery PV charging can happen at the same time while connected to the AC300
I bought the AC300 and 1 x B300 as I wanted something that was plug and play and so far all good. I intend to run half of our house on this and extra solar
The 150v limit is per string, do not go over 150v or it will damage the power station. You can have two solar arrays, one per mppt input, and each one can go up to 150v. I would probably stay below 140v just to be safe since in cold weather solar panels produce higher voltage.
@@Jasonoid Many thanks for the response.
Happy Holidays!!
I plan to install the transfer switch. On the AC300, you have a 30 amp that’s connected to your home transfer switch. Can you show what kind of cable that is and where can you buy one?
Thanks
Thank you!
Like everything else, Bluetti has priced this well beyond the reach of the average person.
Off the shelf battery tech is still pretty expensive. You can save a few hundred bucks - thousand bucks by going DIY with a system like this.
I want the ac300 but those batteries are 80pounds and I have severe back issues that did not allow me to get it. Great review especially showing the drainage when there's nothing plugged into the AC or DC. A lot of people don't consider that when buying a system.
If you put a system like this on a cart with wheels or even a dolly, it wouldn't be that bad moving around...but lugging the 80lb battery by itself...OUCH!
Those are really heavy battery packs. Bluetti should have altered or modified the design to make them more portable or moveable.
This isn't a portable system, it's a home backup, I don't plan on moving it very often. I'd suggest a smaller setup for something portable.
Nice review
Thanks for checking out the video :)
Thanks to this Video I have a new way to power the EB3A and AC200P....24volts DC from the AC300!!! Yeah, lol, but there is one thing I noticed. there seems to be a 5-watt loss in that. It pumps out 214w from the AC300 but only 209 watts go into the AC200p
That's pretty normal, the difference in wattage when charging. Remember volts X amps = wattage so if there's any voltage drop between the systems you'll lose a little power.
Is PV Priority actually a UPS mode? Looking at the manual only Standard UPS passes AC from the grid to the outlet, bypassing the battery. The rest of the UPS modes seem to just affect charging. Does PV Priority charge the battery with solar while passing AC through from the grid?
Probably not from what I have seen while testing since the battery capacity will drop slightly. So PV priority mode will use the battery capacity and will probably use some of those 3500 lifecycles as it's being used instead of having it plugged into the wall and using it as a UPS. What's interesting is that the AC300 in PV priority mode will match the power input / output with solar charging, kinda like it would with UPS mode.
Thank you for the very nice review. It answered many questions I had and caused a few more. I have the ac300 with 2-b300. I also purchased 2 Pv350s. I am so new at solar so I am like a sponge. When hooking up your panels do you need to cover them with something first? I have seen people do this and wonder. Thanks for everything.
You do not want to cover the PV350 panels with anything since they already come with the ETFE coating. They should work well for you as they came from Bluetti.
@@Jasonoid What I meant was some people cover the panels with a blanket or something while they are doing the connections, then take them off. Is that necessary?
@@dkheaton Ahhh, I see what you mean. Thanks for clarifying. If the panels are producing a lot of power or in bright sunlight, it would be smart to stop the power by covering them up. I usually make my solar panel wiring changes early in morning or later at night to avoid hurting the MC4 connections.
Thumbs up and subscribed!
I would love to see the head-to-head review with the eco-flow Delta Pro and the AC 300 head-to-head. I wonder which one overall would be better? I'm personally an eco-flow fan as I've had nothing but problems with customer service with Bluetti. What are your thoughts jason? Be safe and let me know. Keep up the great work
I don't have a full opinion of both options until I can test them both out, so I couldn't sway you one way or the other.
I enjoy your videos. Very informative. Regarding your parasitic drain; have you noticed in this unit when it’s connected to solar, it draws a lot of the solar power to function? I noticed if I was under 100w via solar, I’d come back in a few hours and my percentage would actually be a few percentage points less. Are you able to do a test on how much per the solar charger uses?
Did you have the AC inverter or DC output enabled while charging? Remember the AC inverter uses a lot of power so you need quite a bit of solar to even off set that by itself.
@@Jasonoid no, they weren’t. I even did a test with a 12v 300ah battery connected to the solar connector. The batteries never went into “charge” mode. I know the “all in one” systems like the EG4 state what their idle power draw is. With the AC300, I liked how you tested for the idle power with the DC and AC. I just wonder what it takes to power the “charging” part of the system.
Have you done a video on the transfer switch setup for your home office? Looking to use battery/solar for an outdoor kitchen and interested in how I can hard wire it to receptacles.
czcams.com/video/eiWnqukg9mM/video.html
Thanks!
Thank you so much Noel!
I wonder what the idle consumption would be in UPS mode? If solar and utility are feeding the box, can it prioritize solar to charge before utility, or use both at the same time? If so, how much solar per day would be required to overcome the loses of having it running all day in UPS mode?
Hello, I want to buy the AC300, but I have a question. I'd like to use it with a transfer switch in UPS mode and have it charging off the grid only. What is going to happen if I plug the AC charging cord into a wall outlet that is also connected to a breaker in my transfer switch? Should i have a separate dedicated circuit or outlet for charging the power station?
Hi, from the UK. Great Vid. How would you say the best way to charge this from the car whilst driving is? Ive see your other video when you tested various DC/DC chargers on the AC200 and wondered if this would be exactly the same, or if you'd recommend a different DC/DC controller / charger?
Any converter will work. You'll get more charging speed with a higher voltage converter.
The main complaint I have about Bluetti is the customer service and support. If you call it goes to an option for Service or Support and both have a full voicemail box and you can't even leave a message.
I have heard they are hiring more people to man their support group. I agree they can improve!
Thank you for the great review! I‘m just missing a 24V DC capacity test. I‘m curious if it is more efficient to drain the 12V DC or 24V DC at the same wattage. Do you know what‘s more efficient? Thank you!
I'm guessing it would be since you only drop from 48v to 24v VS 48v to 12v.
Any progress on the 640wh diy build you were working on? Do you think a diy version of an ecoflow river mini (250-350wh sub 10lbs, small size) would save enough on cost/ have more features/capacity to be worth the hassle vs just buying one? Would a small power station/solar generator be a good starter project for someone with no electrical experience?
I just finished wiring it up this week. It's an interesting thought process... If you want just DC ouput and USB ports, DIY is totally worth it. It's when you throw in an AC inverter it gets dicey... You get heat and lots of extra cost. I'll do a youtube short video update soon and full video will be in June.
Hey Jason! Thanks for all your videos. I finally tried to charge my battery with the PV DC1 input and a 100w Solar panel. I can see 20ish volts and 85 to 100W on the input but the batter status will not change from standby to charge and SOC continues to go down from the general drain of the electronics. Any suggestions on why I get wattage into the unit but no charge to the battery??
A 100 watts alone might not be enough to fight off the power usage of the inverter, DC output, wifi, screen light and such. I'd recommend trying another solar panel. I've always had at least 300 watts going into mine.
Reports are that the AC200P has a great deal of phantom power drain - did you notice any significant drain for the AC300??
Comprehensive review, excellent.
I'm pretty sure I covered that topic in this huge video. Maybe check the timestamps?
@@Jasonoid Good point. Thanks!
Jason, does the stand alone battery have a solar controller built in? You showed a Xt90/MC4 adapter plugging directly into the battery. Thanks
Yes, you can see how it charges at the end of the "charging" section of the video.
It will only take 60volts max input of solar panels vs 150v on the AC300. Pretty cool it can be used completely separate.
Brilliant video, thanks.
I'm curious if an electrician was needed to hook the system up to your 6 mains circuits and if this was a big job. (I'm in Australia and we have 240v not 110v like North America)
Thanks.
I was able to do the wiring myself, the transfer switch came with very detailed install instructions and they have videos as well online.
@@Jasonoid thanks for the reply. I will keep researching, feel this type of set up will be very useful in these uncertain times. Thanks again for very informative videos. 👍🏻
umm new amp in the review, i hope you plugged it into some of your other power stations, just to see if it made the horrid buzzing sound on any of them. hopefully this information can be added in a round up video where you test all the power stations you have to see which ones pass and which ones fail.
thanks again for your great review, i was definitely interested in this unit. but that price is a bit out of reach for me, but thank you for the discount code, i hope you have folks take you up on that.
I did, I didn't notice any crazy bad sounds on the 3 power stations I plugged it into.... Is that bad? Should I be seeing a bad noise?
Very nice review . My question is, can I have two ac300 together running the 30 amp from each into a 50 amp plug and run an RV? Or in what combination could I use a 50 amp female plug? One 25 amp from each?
If you purchase two of them you can run 240v and 30 amps, or 6000 watts total...at least thats what I remember off the top of my head. You have to purchase their specific power 'hub' that syncs up the inverters to run in split phase power.
Thank you for the review of the AC300 and B300, I want to get both, sorry your discount code is no longer valid. Timing is everything!
You tried 'JasonAC300' on their website?
@@Jasonoid Yes, On the website, but I get a 1% discount or $36.99 off the price. I will keep looking or maybe they will have a black friday sale?? Again thank you for the videos, very informative for a person like me that does not know solar, batteries, or anything electrical! 😂
Thanks for your videos! What would you recommend to an elderly women that is interested in solar power but hasn’t yet used it, to power an floor model mobile A/C. Sorry about the run on sentences.
Are you wanting to run the AC during a power outage and that's why you are looking to run it off solar? Or are you wanting to run it all the time off solar power when it's hot?
Figures, I ended up with a AC300 and 4 - B300 and they come out with a AC500. Ugh. At least it looks like the AC500 is compatible with the B300 if I ever wanted to upgrade to a AC500. haha. My goal was to have enough power to last 24 hours without grid power. In winter may not have sun for a day or two. But still have a propane generator as backup
Unfortunately the B300, which goes with the AC300 is NOT compatible with the AC500. It uses a different connector. Such a bummer! Testing the AC500 right now.
I purchased the Bibene after I saw your video a year ago. Very happy with that purchased. I ended up getting another.
Right now I’m curious to know how you use a transfer switch to run your parts of your home and still have power from the grid. I live in Florida so I have a whole house transfer switch for my gas generator when the lights go out. I have a 6 switch small transfer switch similar to yours but was told I couldn’t use it unless I cut all the electricity to my panel. Can you give me suggestions?
A transfer switch if wired correctly can be used at the same time as grid power. It isolates the power from each source safely. It's hard to know why someone told you you cant use that 6 circuit transfer switch at the same time.
@@Jasonoid Thanks a million. You answered my question. Right now I’m building 2 in Ground solar panel arrays consisting of 2 rich 200 watt panels for a total of 800 watts. I don’t want panels on the roof and I don’t have a lot of room south facing panels. I have the 3000 watt pecron but I’m looking to invest in the Ecoflow Pro. I have time; I’m just looking to finish my solar project before next year’s hurricane season.
I have a whole house transfer switch that’s mounted outside and I run my 10,000 watt generator. We were without power for a week in 2016 and 2017. I had no problems with my refrigeration because the gas ran everything.
With my new setup, I plan to use the gas as a backup to the solar.
Again..thanks and I’ll continue watching your videos.
could you hook up to a 6.6 solar home system as well as other solar panels .and use bluetti at night and use a large smart tv and a large fridge.
I bought AC300 + 2x B300 and all kinds of issues appeared one after another...really hopped the system would work as it advertised but, well, will try a different brand next time.
Did Bluetti take care of you? You got a refund or returned it?
So are you using an rv adapter cable to come out of the 30 amp rv power port to go to the 120 volt input plug on your transfer switch?
I purchased this transfer switch and it came with the 30amp RV cable:
amzn.to/3lhhXdp
Question: In your example of using the Bluetti AC300 DC output port to power the Bluetti EB70, would you say that's the most efficient power transfer (ie DC->DC vs using an inverter ie DC->AC->DC)? Thank you in advance.
Yes, it's always most efficient to keep the power type the same.... DC to DC charging will be best.
In a grid power outage, can charge AC300 & BC300 using a gas generator. I do not have a gas inverter, but the regular gas generator 11k running watts. I normally connect it to 50amp inlet box at panel to power select house circuits. Any problem connecting bluetti with ac charger to house wall outlet powered by gas generator connected to 50 amp inlet box?
@Jasonoid- This vs Ecoflow Delta Pro? I need to order soon & I'm torn between the two, as i really like both. WSY?
I like the dual solar charge controllers, it allows for much faster charging from solar and gives more flexibility. If you are planning to charge with mostly solar I'd probably go with the AC300.
Jason - Thanks Question. I am interested in solar charging. Bluetti panels are not waterproof. I contacted their support. Stated that I need to set up 4 or 8 panels. Looking at installing on my porch roof permenantly. What would you suggest for panels and how should they be connected to the Bluetti (AC300) Who would be a good source for panels, wiring, and so on? Again thanks
This video might help with that a bit: czcams.com/video/4JG8LvJznLY/video.html
Just wanted to get clarification on warranty, you stated it comes with 4 years, but on their official website it shows 2? That would be a huge deal breaker for me, seems petty to offer less warranty because I live in Canada
Thanks and great review and channel👍
On their website here it says 4 years hassle free warranty:
www.bluettipower.com/products/ac300-b300?gclid=CjwKCAjwkYGVBhArEiwA4sZLuOIRdSE0T8JLTQhkp32bIzyeGxBNnY64lAn6DA80PWqpWQ0IA_UOihoCi80QAvD_BwE
That’s USA website Canadian site says 2 years?
Great video, Can you tell me what kind of plug you have going from the 30amp plug to your transfer box?
The link to the 6 circuit transfer switch / cable kit are included in the video description. They might expand on the cable type in the product description.
Understood. The Ac300 has a three prong connector and the panel has a generator 4 prong female twist plug I believe. And I am having a hard time finding the cord for that set up
@@rmdarragh4 the "Nature's Generator" unit I purchased came with the cord. I didn't have to purchase anything extra. It's an 30amp RV cable on one end, 4 prong twist lock on the other.
Great video on AC300. Did your DC capacity test show 77.9% and the AC capacity test show 85.2 %?
I saw another review and I thought the AC capacity test was also 77.9%.
Since I plan to purchase a larger solar generator as a house backup I was concerned about a low AC capacity rating on the Bluetti.
I got 2620 (85%) on the AC test and 2361 (83%) on the DC Test. The numbers will only get better the more batteries you add on.
Just got an AC300 with 4 B300’s. Panels just came in to charge it just under 2400w. Question for you - how long can I have the charging cables 10g wire? Don’t want to lose energy in the wire distance if possible.
With such a combo of higher voltage and low amps, you won't see much resistance / voltage drop. You'd probably be good for near 100 feet with that gauge. I run about 45 feet of 12awg and I don't see much drop at all.
@@Jasonoid thanks bud!
Is the AC 300 adaptable to a 50 AMP RV? No issue running on 30 AMP
Hello again Jason, very impressed by your video on the Bluetti ac300. Crazy question but the unit itself with all the AC outlets and the screen on it, that is just the unit correct? In that unit there is no batteries at all the battery is that big one that connects with those big thick cables that stick out of the side correct? If so that's my only complaint with this unit. Let me know when you get this and thank you very much for your time and the video. Basically what I'm saying, is that without that battery you have hooked up to it that unit is basically useless correct?
The AC300 is the larger box and contains only the inverter and chargers. You'll need additional B300 batteries for it to function.
@@Jasonoid That's what I thought. I don't know if I like the idea of that considering the Box the AC 300, is just the inverter in everything else no battery at all that's the big downside I feel
Hi Jason, do you think this would be a good back up for a fifth wheel ? 2 batteries and Solar panels.
Thank you.
Your fifth wheel should have come with a battery and inverter setup already. I'd recommend just swapping out your lead acid battery with LiFePO4 batteries and putting solar panels on your roof. That would be much more affordable. There are lots of videos on CZcams that show you how to do that :)
Jason; If you run an AC load down to Zero and the AC shuts off such as an over night use. Would the output switch back on automatically if your solar panels had charged the battery up 20% or more. Or would it manually have to push the AC on button?
It does not turn the AC back on automatically, you can turn it back on via the smart app via a wifi / Bluetooth connection or pushing the button on the screen
@@Jasonoid Some of the other reviewer mention that about the time it was released. Before they put the warning notice under the 24Vdc socket. So I was hoping they did a firmware change to allow it to kick back on. This would be for security systems in out of the way non residential areas when there is too much cloud cover for many many days.
Have you ever tested the Hybrid power systems units.
Nice video. Quick question - when you talk about parasitic drain you express it as a percentage of total storage. Am I right in thinking that it's really an amount of watts per hour? So 1% is pretty obviously around 30watt hours per hour.
If I had two b300s, it'd still be pretty much 30 watt hours every hour? No indication it would go up to 60 watts?
My ideal use would be with three or four b300s, making up most or all of my daily usage, so very useful to know if the level of drain keeps pace with add-on batteries...
It's hard to estimate actual watts since there's no exact measurement of power haha. The only option I can measure overtime is the battery percentage on the screen. So yeah, 1% would be somewhere around 30wh or so be that's just an estimate. With two batteries it would still be around 30wh.
Nice one@@Jasonoid Thanks.
Another excellent in depth review! And btw... I saw that EB3A homie... haha when we get to see your review on it?!? ;)
There will be a short unboxing video on May 30th, full reviews later in June on "review day" as per Bluettis timetable. Very capable device!
I'd love to see the EB55 and EB70S refreshed with the EB3A's display!
How comfortable would you think on using this on extended off-grid trips or full-time rving as a power source?
I've been using this for 3 months now, no issues at all. If you can fit this huge beast in your setup, you should be good. I would recommend 2 batteries for a longer runtime. One battery does die a bit faster.
Awesome review and all your videos are very informative.Learned a lot.Just wondering if you encounter any issues at all that you need to contact service?????My system is 2 months old and can't use at all Error code 008 Over CurrentProtection .Not getting any response from Bluetti support.
Want it!!
If I have 2 arrays, each at about 120V and 10A. Would I be able to hook an array to each MPPT controller? I wasn't sure if the 12A rating was total or per controller. Thank you for the great thorough video!
Yes, both those arrays would work on the AC300 since they are under 150v.
@@Jasonoid Great, thank you
You said you have to have the battery plugged in for this to function, referring to the ac300. Does this mean it needs at least one battery pack connected?
Yes, you need the B300 as the power source for the AC300.
Jason, If I have the same set of solar panels, connected in the four MC-4 connectors of ac300, do I have to set PV Parallel enable ON ? Or I can leave OFF ? Thanks
It's usually automatic when recognizing solar input. You shouldn't have to make any changes to the settings with solar panels.
@@Jasonoid Can ac300+b300 be charged at the same time, when there is a PV input in the main unit + 200 w of solar into the B300 (via B300's mppt) ? If yes, where will it be shown on the screen?
You can charge the main unit and the batteries at the same time. The extra power coming in on the batteries will not show on the main screen.
I just thought of something else that could be an interesting test. Can you draw power from the B300 battery from another device? Maybe with the load tester and some banana clips can you draw from the side connector that is meant to be connected to the AC300. I assume it has some data connection so it won't work but if it can work then the B300 could be an interesting option for people with off grid generators to use. It's still not the best price per watt compared to a server rack but I am curious if it would still be useful if someone wanted to move up to an all in one.
That connection is the direct voltage of the battery, so it would be around 48-54volts output. It could probably be done but youd have to drop down the voltage or plan on using a 48v standalone inverter.
I would really like to see you compare this to the Eco Flo delta pro or other Ecoflo products. Eco flow and blue. Eddie are the two premiere units but I’m not sure which one to buy.
If I ever get my hands on the Delta Pro, I will definitely compare them!
@@Jasonoid Thank you! You have a great channel and do an amazing job!
Jason, Monday my AC300 of 5 months shorted out inside. I emailed Bluetti service@ Monday and 3 days later no response. And they don't answer their phone.
Just wondering if you have a good way to contact them?
I'd recommend sending a detailed email to any Bluetti service, sales, and support email group you can find. Include your order information and what happened.