I'm working on a project where I want to charge a portable power station (PPS) using my own solar setup. My goal is to find a PPS that has a broad input voltage range to give me flexibility in setting up my solar panel configuration. I'm particularly interested in options that can handle a high maximum voltage for series configurations, and a low minimum voltage for parallel setups. I'm open to recommendations for both budget-friendly and premium models, and I'd love to hear about your experiences with different PPS units and how well they've worked with your custom solar systems. What portable power stations do you think would be best suited for this kind of DIY solar integration?
4 Answers
I recently got a Pecron 2000, and it works great with input voltages from 30 to 95 volts. So far, I’ve been pretty satisfied with how it performs for my solar charging needs.
Have you considered why you specifically want a portable power station? Depending on your project scale, it might be more effective to go with individual components like a charge controller and inverter. For instance, I use the Ecoflow Delta 2, which can handle up to 60V and 15A on its DC input. I connect it to two solar arrays using Victron controllers, powering a 48V lithium battery before pushing it into the Delta. It's a great way to get a lot of flexibility with solar configurations while keeping costs down. In the long run, I plan to switch to a permanent system, but this setup works well for now.
I’ve put together a system with the Bluetti Elite 200v2, which accepts a voltage range of 12-60V and handles up to 20 amps with its 2kWh battery. I found it hard to beat the price for similar components when I considered separate batteries, controllers, and inverters. I even integrated a Raspberry Pi to manage the charging process automatically based on battery levels and weather forecasts. Although it's a bit tricky since Bluetti isn't officially supported by Home Assistant yet, I’m really happy with the performance and the five-year warranty they offer.
Many portable power stations are optimized for their own solar panels, which typically max out around 60 volts. If you're after a wider input range, consider standalone solar charge controllers like the Victron 150/15, which can handle up to 150 volts. You might also look into a hybrid setup where you have a dedicated solar charge controller and connect a battery that can then plug into the power station’s battery port; some models, like certain Pecron units, allow this. I wouldn’t recommend going above 100 volts for portable setups due to safety concerns, but with the right gear, you can still maximize efficiency!