I’ve owned many battery banks over the years. Some have been pocket sized, and others weighed over 32kg (+72lbs). The AC180 was my first Bluetti, and it made a great impression. It’s a 16kg (35lbs) unit, and packs a serious punch. With 1,152Wh of power, and a max load of 1,800W, this is a great option for weekend campers.
With so many types of outputs, including AC, USB-A, USB-C, 12v, and a wireless phone charger on top, this battery bank can handle nearly anything. I’ve even run one of those window Air Conditioner units for a few hours on those really hot days. Not that I would recommend that as a game plan though (only in a pinch), because you won’t have much power left for anything else without a means to charge it again.
You have a few options for charging it though. You can use up to 500W, 60v solar, or the DC to DC Charger 1 that you can wire into a vehicle (I love this option), or a whopping 1440w input via AC in Turbo charging mode. Turbo charging mode is when you really need to charge the battery quickly, but it’s not good for the long-term life of the batteries, so if you have the time, just use the Standard charging mode.
One of the most common question I get asked is “How long does it last?”. I can’t answer that other than say it depends on how much you plug into it, and how much power it draws. I can run my AC for a couple hours, but if I don’t use that, I can power my RV for roughly 24 hours (including a 12v fridge, randomly using some lights, a laptop, phone, etc).
The best way to know, is to write down the power draw of EVERY device that you need powered, and calculate how many hours (or more accurately the number of minutes) each device will need power, and do the raw math. Even then though, that will still only be a rough estimate because your power demands will change from one day to the next. For example, the fridge in my RV will need to run the compressor more often on really hot days, thus drawing more power, more often.
Wireless charging – this is a feature that is rare on most battery banks but it’s an important one. Mobile phones all have a common weakness…the charging port. It’s not uncommon for dust, sand, debris, or even moisture to get inside the charging port making it impossible to charge your phone, except with a wireless charger. Most people don’t generally have one with them, or in their car (unless you have higher end luxury model), so the wireless charging pad on the top of the AC180 is an important, and often over-looked feature that I wish all these batteries were equipped with.
Most of these battery banks have some sort of app for your phone, and Bluetti is no exception. It looks and feels a bit dated, but shows the essential information, and allows for updating the firmware as needed.
The AC180 may, or may not be, the right battery bank/solar generator for you, but whatever your power needs are, Bluetti has a solution.
If you’re interested in purchasing a Bluetti, be sure to use the discount code “GripDriving” at
https://www.bluettipower.ca/
