Verdict
Rugged , smart , and almost imperturbable , the Anker SOLIX F1200 is a brilliant equipment for backup power around the home , or average - duty devices on a encampment misstep . While it ’s unavoidably fair magnanimous , heavy and expensive , it stash away plenty of power , has quite a high output , and extend a wide-cut range of a function of remark and output . It ’s ideal for all but intemperate - responsibility applications .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
Smaller power banks are everlasting for passing campers , or sustain humble gadgets die in a power deletion , but you ’ll need something with a snatch more poke to major power household equipment . The Anker SOLIX F1200 might be just the slate .
Formerly known as the Anker PowerHouse 757 , it can stack away 1226 W - hours ( Wh ) of power , and provide up to 1500W to devices connect to its AC sockets . That realize it a medium to clayey - obligation power germ , ideally suited to longer camping trips , or getting fridges , coffee machines and other house machine through a lengthy power cut .
Design and features
There ’s no getting away from it : with a mental ability north of 1.2 kilowatt hours ( kWh ) , the SOLIX F1200 contain a flock of batteries . Accordingly , it ’s pretty toilsome , weighing in at 20.1 kilo , but Anker has done a great problem with the design . For a start , it finger smoke - proof – Anker says its ‘ drop - proof design ’ protect the battery and electric car in a sturdy atomic number 13 skeleton , enwrap in buddy-buddy , mold plastic . There are two braggart handles , so you’re able to lug it around the business firm , or divvy up the consignment if you ’re walk it to a camping bunk .
I do n’t cogitate it ’s quite as easy to carry as theJackery Explorer 1500 Pro , which has one very large hold .
Underneath , two immense , laugh at rubber pads provide a stable and pillow slip - free base .
The F1200 ’s front panel offers two AC power port wine and a 120W cigarette lighter - style car power larboard . Both have on / off transposition , and both have a power - salvage mood that close them down if there ’s no significant load . you’re able to change by reversal this off for important , low - business leader devices such as a CPAP simple machine .
In addition , you ’ll find four USB - A ports , each rated at 12W , together with two USB - C ports . One of these is place for 60W and the other a mighty 100W.
At the top there ’s a affectionate - snowy strip light with three luminance level and a maximal 4W power use . One of this baron money box ’s best features is its large , clear display , which among other things show percentage assault and battery cathexis , how many watts are coming in and decease out , and how long it ’ll be until the battery is full or empty , depending on the balance .
At the back there ’s a flap track an XT60 solar board port and a kettle - style mains socket . The former abide up to 300W of solar input , while the F1200 will institutionalise at one kilowatt ( 1kW ) from the briny – enough to get to 80 % in an time of day .
Anker says the SOLIX F1200 will power 95 % of domicile appliance , by which it means that 95 % of devices consume less than the 1500W this king cant can save . It ’s worth noting , that ’s shared between both AC ports , so you ca n’t connect two machine totalling more than that . All the ports can be used concurrently , however , giving the F1200 a theoretical total peak production of 1.8kW. At that rate , its 1.2kWh barrage would be emptied in 40 minutes .
This magnate bank is suited to use as an uninterruptible power supply or battery backup . There ’s an AC bypass lap , so it can provide its full rated power even when charging the battery . However , there ’s no consternation to monish you when the charge is closely exhausted , and no data connection to ram the neat shutdown of connected computer devices .
Charging
The Anker SOLIX F1200 is quite well specified when it comes to charging . As I ’ve mention , it can institutionalize the battery at 1kW , but this is n’t boil down by small or moderate load plugged into its ports . Mains electrical energy bypasses the charging circuit , which is more efficient than first converting it to direct current and back again .
This bypass arrangement mean that , like a true UPS , the F1200 needs to switch its AC ports over to battery end product if there ’s a might cut . Anker says this happens in less than 20 millisecond , which ought to be firm enough to prevent IT equipment fall over . Sure enough , it worked seamlessly with the equipment in my home function apparatus .
Although I ’m testing the F1200 as a abide - alone production , you could bribe it bundled with three 100W solar panels in a outfit be around £ 2200 . In this form it ’s known as the Anker SOLIX Solar Generator 757 , which begins to get a scrap confusing . The bundle include three Anker 625 Solar Panels , which I essay as part of my Solar Generator 521 limited review .
In optimal conditions these optional gore could recharge the F1200 in a small over four hours , but it ’s probable to take a bit longer – especially if you ’re powering a load at the same time . You ’ll also need a fair amount of ground or cap space for three 1.5 meter long panels . I try out it with a undivided board at literally the optimal here and now – lunchtime on the longest day of the year . It produced an suggest 86W in the slightly hazy sunlight : tightlipped to the stated maximum .
The F1200 ’s final charging alternative is via the included gondola charge lead , which is restrict to 120W. It ’s a good feature , give you the opportunity to reload if you ’re drive between campsite , although a full recharge could take farsighted than 10 hour .
Performance
I tested the Anker SOLIX F1200 across a sort of lading , both on barrage power and while recharging the battery . As you ’d likely look , it grapple perfectly in low and medium load situations , scarcely expose a swither even when supplying a few hundred watts for long periods . In my lowest load test , it powered a 33W melodic phrase purifier for more than 19 hours , which I measured as a total output of 644 W - hours ( Wh ) . That ’s only a little more than half the rated 1,226Wh capacity of the barrage fire , though .
I had similar results when I used the F1200 to power my fridge overnight – it lasted 18 hours , and delivered a measured 672Wh . These relatively broken effect , tantamount to a discharge efficiency of only around 53 % , indicate quite a second of might loss in the AC inverter , used to rick verbatim current ( DC ) from the battery into usable mains power . As there ’s next - to - no loss when supplying DC , using the USB interface where possible is more efficient .
The F1200 excelled with heavy loads . As these deplete the bombardment more promptly , its inverter is operating for less meter and less mogul is wasted . I used this magnate banking concern to operate several gamy - top executive devices in my kitchen over a day and a bit : it delivered 949kWh before the battery was finally drain . Assuming it was filled to capacity before I start , that ’s an all told more impressive 77.2 % venting efficiency .
connect to my might beat , the F1200 consumed 1.36kWh to fully recharge . wear that fit to a full refill of its 1.23kWh barrage pack , that ’s a respectable bursting charge efficiency of 90 % . Using these figures , I account a unspoiled - case circular - trip ( charge and discharge ) efficiency of 70 % , which is n’t bad at all .
Anker says this power bank ’s LFP battery will last for 3000 cycles – and it backs that up with a generous five - class warrant . calculate for an 80 % charge , that means the F1200 could store almost three megawatt - hours of electricity over its lifetime . separate its purchase price by this capacity , and it comes out at a competitive 37.3p per kWh .
move over Anker ’s claim that this will power 95 % of devices , I conducted some additional tests at very high cargo . The F1200 was totally comfortable supplying about 1.1kW to my wassailer and , separately , about 1.3kW to the microwave . Such eminent burden caused the cool fans to give notice up , but while they were quite loud , they quickly stop again once my toast had pop .
This power bank is fink for a 1.5kW maximum , but I tested it with my kettle , rate at 1.8kW. While I do n’t recommend you overload any mightiness bank in this manner , the F1200 was utterly unphased . I used my power meter to confirm it was append 1,518W at 225V , with the current specify to 6.8A. It was able to sustain this for the five minutes needed to boil a full jugful , then seethe a second full consignment immediately afterwards – an impressive display that suggests this is a well - orchestrate Cartesian product . When I tot up my wassailer , for a need almost twice the rated output , the F1200 shut down instantly .
I repeated the kettle test with the F1200 charging at an indicated 999W. In this case the mains bypass allowed it to gather the kettle ’s full 1.8kW demand , while the turn on rate expend to an show 450W. Again , I would n’t commend this test , but the F1200 ’s excellent performance in these tests suggest it has a bit of redundant capacitance , and is built to take some abuse .
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Should you buy it?
If you call for a portable , static powerfulness supply , this is impressively self-coloured and versatile
It ’s overkill for smaller trips or lightweight applications
Final Thoughts
With an underwhelming efficiency on light AC loads , I ca n’t powerfully recommend the Anker SOLIS F1200 for low - load applications – unless you’re able to connect via USB .
This caveat aside , it ’s an fantabulous moment of kit . It ’s rugged and comprehensive , has a passably high electrical capacity , and is well-situated powering high slews up to its 1.5kW maximum . Add in solar compatibility and a fast , 1kW recharge rate , and it ’s ideal for group tenting trip or as battery backup for medium - obligation appliances around the rest home . If you need more power , then the expandableDabbsson DBS2300is a better stake .
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How we test
We try out every battery station we review good over an extended period of time . We practice standard tests to compare feature properly . We ’ll always tell you what we find . We never , ever , accept money to review a product .
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FAQs
This power bank will happily ply a electric refrigerator , and most toaster , coffee berry machines or microwave . Although it did power my 1.8kW kettle , it ’s not grievous - tariff enough for a distinctive 2.2 - 3.0kW kettle hole . It ’s also not powerful enough for a washing machine or dishwasher . The Anker SOLIX F1200 is brawny enough for most condenser tumble driers , but it ca n’t meet the demand of an older air drier .
Although it ’s find two magnanimous handles , this is a wakeless machine . A set mortal could probably bear it up a couple of flights of step or perhaps a few tens of measure , but it would quickly show very operose body of work . It does n’t take up too much blank in a large machine boot or a camper van , however , and two people sour together could easy get it a few hundred meter from car park to campsite .
Yes – you do n’t have to employ Anker ’s panels . It should run with any set rated between 11 - 30 volts with a 10 amp maximal turnout . It uses a received XT60 connective .
