RV FEATURE
I ’ ve been a huge proponent of lithium-based portable power stations since they started making an appearance on the Australian market about six years ago . My first one was a Bluetti EB55 , which formed the basis for an article in GoRV detailing this emerging technology ( see button on page 38 ).
Essentially , these power stations are self-contained systems with their own inbuilt battery , MPPT solar controller , a DC charger , 240V charging , a 240V inverter , and USB and 12V outlets . In a modern world where so much of our lives involves the use of electronic conveniences , they have become extremely popular and the technology is improving all the time .
SIZE VS CAPACITY
When shopping for a portable lithium power system , it is important to understand that the higher the capacity of the battery , the larger the unit must be . My Bluetti EB55 offered a good compromise with a useful 537- watt-hour ( Wh ) LiFePO battery and 700W inverter output . The new AC60 has a slightly lower 403Wh battery capacity and a 600W 240V inverter . This may seem like a step backwards but , in reality , the AC60 has other improvements that more than make up for this reduction .
The Bluetti AC60 is slightly larger than the EB55 .
First , the 240V AC charger is now built into the AC60 , whereas with the EB55 , it was a separate unit . Further , the AC60 ’ s inverter has what Bluetti call ‘ Power Lifting Mode ’, which allows the 240V inverter to be used with highpower resistive loads up to 1200W . That is a staggering capability for such a small power station .
The other major change is the AC60 ’ s battery capacity can be expanded by connecting up to two Bluetti B80 external expansion batteries . With a capacity of 806Wh each , the AC60 can have a 2015Wh total battery capacity . That is an incredible amount of battery reserve for such a small unit . It means you could set up the AC60 as a high-capacity backup battery at home and take just the base unit away with you for your camping and caravanning adventures .
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