Verdict
Bluetti ’s AC50B is a outstanding portable power station . While it ’s not bristling with port , it covers all the basics , and can both store and cater plenty of electricity for everyday habit . This is n’t a brutish capable of dumbfound you through laundry day , but if you want a thick supply for bivouacking , or to keep your home plate business office going in a power cut , the AC50B offers reliability and strong value .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
Not everyone necessitate a big and powerful battery king station . Bluetti ’s AC50B is target at fairly idle championship power applications , and for smallish groups who need off - grid magnate on a tenting trip-up . Despite have enough poke to keep the lights , computers and phones on , it ’s quite thickset and luggable . It ’s easy to employ , too .
This power station can store up to 448 watt 60 minutes ( Wh ) of electrical energy , just under half a kW hour . That make you enough zip to fully charge a typical smartphone around 10 sentence , or run a low - energy medulla oblongata for a dyad of days .
The AC50B can ply a sensible 700 James Watt ( W ) of mains index at a sentence , which covers almost any household twist save kitchen or laundry gismo . It ’s fill with atomic number 3 smoothing iron phosphate ( LFP ) battery , which Bluetti says will still propose at least 80 % of their initial capacity after 3000 charge cycles . It backs that up with a strong five - year warranty .
Like most other Bluetti powerfulness stations , you could use a smartphone app to supervise the AC50B , or tweak things like its charging speed . Despite weighing nearly seven kilo , its fatness shape handle get this an easy great power station to tote around .
Design and Features
Typically for power station storing around half a kilowatt hour ( kWh ) , the Bluetti AC50B is about the size of a wassailer .
It feel tough and chunky , with a comparatively fat and smooth handgrip that ’s comfortable to keep hold of for a while . I would n’t want to take any battery power station for a cost increase , but it ’s easy to choke up this one about a campsite , and it might even tally in big motorcycle panniers .
If you are look for a mobile power station , I should flag up some potential limitations here . The AC50B has only a unmarried AC mightiness socket , so you ’ll need to pack an adapter if you have more mains machine .
There are three USB port , which might get frustrating if you ’re camping as a radical of four or more . Campers might also regret the lack of a built - in luminosity – if you are after a peregrine provision with more socket , world power and light , deal expend more on theAnker SOLIX C800 Plus .
Otherwise , it ’s hard to grumble about any of this ability post ’s features . All port blockade the AC input are on the front panel , understandably judge to show their maximum outturn . There ’s a compact screen to show the current battery mission , the power die in and out , and how long it ’ll take before the assault and battery is flat or fully charged – depending on the Libra the Balance .
The USB ports make up a exclusive type - A shop at 15W , and two USB - C slots subject of 65W each – enough to fast charge modern smartphones . Additionally , there ’s a 120W car charge port wine . Just above you ’ll find an XT60 DC input socket , countenance you to charge from a motorcar or solar panel using the supplied cables .
This power station work with Bluetti ’s app , although it supports only Bluetooth link , not Wi - Fi like some other model . you could use it to see more detail of AC and DC force flow through the twist , but also to configure more sophisticated setting such as the charging musical mode and motorcar shutoff parametric quantity .
While the Bluetti AC50B is n’t marketed as a nursing home stand-in machine , it could be suited . Its 700W yield should be enough to campaign at least a couple of screen background workstation , along with a couple of desk light and an inkjet – but not a laser printing machine , which has a much higher peak ingestion .
I ’d have a bun in the oven it to power a modest single - user setup for at least a couple of 60 minutes from a full battery , although there ’s no audible word of advice to let you experience when the powerfulness is about to run out .
Bluetti says that in a big businessman cut , this power place can switch over from mains bypass to bombardment mode in less than 20 milliseconds . That ’s not as riotous as a consecrate UPS , but it should be quick enough to avoid upsetting most PCs or digital equipment . I associate it to my workstation and NAS , and turned the stimulant baron on and off a few prison term with no ominous effects .
Charging
Bluetti supply the AC50B with the usual car charging cable , however its DC input porthole is limited to 8.5A , which equates to 102W at the 12V typical of most automobile . At that rate , the battery would be fully commove after about five hour of drive , which might be hardheaded on longer trip .
This power supplying can also accept up to 200W of solar power , but there are a duo of authoritative things to observe . The first is that Bluetti supplies a lead with MC4 connectors , which are more distinctive of permanent solar panels – you may need an MC4 to XT60 convertor to practice portable raiment . The 2nd is that you ’re limited to a maximum open tour voltage of 28W , which decree out some 200W panel entirely – it ’s important to gibe before you buy .
Like many Bluetti might stations , the AC50B has three main charging modes : Silent , Standard and Turbo . Here , they equate to around 170W , 275W and 580W , respectively , let you prioritize speed when you need it , or opt for relative calm when you do n’t . pick out the lowest context will help maximise the battery ’ do work life history and could aid where there ’s modified tycoon usable for charging – such as on a campsite hookup . There ’s some lover noise , whatever manner you prefer , but it ’s never harsh .
I test all three modes , using a main meter to assess how much power it took to furbish up an empty shelling to fully burden . stock mode was the most effective , with just 525Wh consumed for appoint , which took just under two hours . In Turbo mode , burden consumed 532Wh and finish in a rapid 65 minutes . Silent mode took about three hours , consuming 536Wh .
It ’s possible to combine DC and AC charging , but it wo n’t top up the AC50B significantly quick . In Standard and Turbo modes , PV input is prioritised , with mains power used to top the charge up to the same demarcation line given above . In soundless mode , you get a slightly mellow 195W maximum total input .
Performance
I essay every power place at its maximal specified output , but I ran into a problem with the Bluetti AC50B : I could n’t find a combination of machine that added up to the correct amount . The nearest I could get , about 760W , was substantially above the stated 700W maximum : the provision sustained it for about a hour before shutting itself down . It was unruffled with any other load I test up to around 630W , and from experience with other Bluetti devices I ’d bear it to be okay at 700W or even slightly above .
The AC50B can handle quite a gamey might peak for such a compact twist , with its 700W yield enough for almost anything except kettles and other heater , or most laundry devices . Itwasenough to scarper my New condenser tumble dryer , although with a pocket-sized 448Wh of stored mission , it was out of major power before the lading was dry .
If you need a bit more power , you could use the app to enable Bluetti ’s major power lifting mode , which supports devices rated at up to 1000 Isaac Watts ( 1kW ) . This work by circumscribe the emf and electric current of the mains port , which in turn stops any attached gadget depict more than the blackleg 700W – in other words , it does n’t actually supply more power , but it can define more toilsome duty twist so they do n’t ask more than the port can supply .
It works well in practice , but only with simple-minded , resistant loads such as a travel kettle or atomic number 26 – digital devices like television might be tump over by the non - standard power supply .
Measuring the power output signal , I found that the Blueetti AC50B was quite effective . Running with a 200W lode , I find it delivered 402Wh ( 89.73 % ) , and with a 500W loading it delivered 395Wh ( 88.17 % ) . Its proficient exploit was 410Wh supplied via USB - C , equating to an telling 91.5 % of its submit shelling capacity .
I give a rasping guide to a power station ’s value by divide its cost by the amount of free energy it might store over its lifespan . Even at its standard price of around £ 400 , the AC50B work out at 33p per kWh of stored energy – that ’s excellent for this family of gimmick . At its discounted price , this throw off to 25p per kWh , which is the lowest I ’ve yet seen .
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Should you buy it?
This is a reasonably pokey power provision given its size , which is a incentive given that it ’s comparatively portable and well-fixed to use .
The AC50B is n’t badly specified , but if you want light and lots of ports you might want to pay up more for theBluetti AC240 .
Final Thoughts
This is a compact and very portable power supply that ’s well matched to smallish groups of camping bus , provided they do n’t want built in light .
It ’s quite well specified for home users , too , offering a couple of hours ’ backup for one or two workstation in a home office . I like its usability , especially the fact that every port ’s capableness are clearly written right next to it .
This power station is n’t particularly efficient , but I ’m in particular impressed by its time value – at the prison term of my review I saw it dismiss to £ 299 , which amounts to one of the lowest costs per whole of stash away push I ’ve yet seen . Bluetti ’s pricing here add up to cracking economic value , but it ’s also a clear reflection of falling battery prices , and increase competitor as more manufacturer enter the home vitality storage market .
Trusted Score
How we test
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FAQs
Most Bluetti battery power stations employ Li iron orthophosphate battery , which will typically provide 3,000 full care hertz before they ’re down to 80 % of their initial capability . That ’s more than eight years if you full shoot down and discharge them each day . Bluetti endorse up its machine with a five - year warranty , too .
The inadequate answer is yes . Almost every Bluetti power place can run a USB or car - adapter fridge , while many of them also have the tycoon to run a full - sized kitchen fridge or fridge freezer . To be sure , check the maximal rated power of your electric refrigerator against the maximum output signal power of the bombardment power station you ’re thinking of buying . Consider also how long you require to go the electric refrigerator for – a forward-looking fridge freezer typically uses between 0.5 and 1 kilowatt minute ( kWh ) of top executive each daylight , so if you want a full day ’s run , you might need a world power place that stores at least 1kWh .
Test Data
Full Specs
