People are gradually opting for portable solar power stations, with the global market showing a significant increase in sales. As a source of clean, renewable energy, easy setup and operation, and relative portability, why wouldn’t a solar portable power station be a viable choice for many consumers?
But what is a portable power station? How does it work? We’ll discuss all of this and how to choose a portable power station for your home or camper in this article.
What is a Portable Power Station?
A portable power station is a source of alternative power featuring several batteries and outlets for charging devices and even power appliances. Some setups, like portable power station with solar panel from BLJ Solar, have several built-in solar panels that allow the power station to recharge anywhere.
Portable Power Station Solar vs Solar-Powered Generator: What’s the Difference?
It could be a challenge to see the distinctions of a portable power station and a solar power generator. After all, they’re practically the same in function as an alternative energy source. Despite their similarities, however, they have specific features that set them apart.
Power source, specifically their means of recharging, is what mainly separates the two. How so? It’s because solar-power generators have built-in solar panels to recharge, while portable power stations require an external connection to restore batteries.
Then there’s the concern about portability. As the name implies, portable power station solar is easier to store and carry. Solar-powered generators, due to the addition of solar panels in their setup, usually have a bulkier design.
How Does a Portable Power Station Work?
After understanding what a solar portable power station is, let’s learn how do portable power stations work.
Portable power stations act as large batteries containing an electrical charge to power up devices, lighting, and other electrical appliances. Most portable power stations have a battery size ranging from 200Wh to 400Wh, with larger batteries capable of carrying more electric charges.
These setups have a built-in inverter that converts DC to AC power for powering electrical appliances and devices that work on AC. It also has a charge controller for effective power regulation while dispensing energy or during charging, preventing overcharging and overloading that can damage the power station. Additional features include LED screens for easy and hassle-free monitoring and various AC, DC, and USB connection outlets to accommodate different devices and appliances.
Standalone portable power stations usually come with a charging adapter that can be used to plug into a wall outlet or car charging port. Others, like solar power portable power station, have solar panels either built within its case or as an attachment to facilitate solar charging. Solar power station portable, like those offered by BLJ Solar, are excellent sources of clean and sustainable energy that can be used at home or on the road.
How to Charge a Portable Power Station?
After maximizing the initial charge of your portable power station, it’s time to charge it up in preparation for its subsequent use. A big question for first-time users will be how to charge a portable power station. This section will explore the multiple ways to get a portable power station back to 100%.
We must first know that there are three different ways to charge a portable power station: through a power outlet, car charger, and solar panels. This means there’s always an option to recharge the setup when needed.
Charging Option #1: Home Power Outlets
Plugging a portable power station into a wall outlet is by far the easiest and fastest way to charge the setup. Plug the charger into the power station, connect the other end to a home power outlet, and wait for the portable power station to reach 100% charge. Depending on the power station’s specifications and capacity, reaching full charge may take as quick as a couple of hours, making them great for preparing a solar portable power station for camping.
Charging Option #2: Car Charger
But what if the user is away from home and the portable power station runs out of juice? Then time to pull out the car charger to bring back some life on the power station. All that’s needed is to connect the proper ends of the car charger on both the vehicle’s power station and charging port.
One thing to note before doing this is to check that the car adapter’s voltage output is compatible with the car battery and portable power station. Incompatibility may lead to slower charging or the power station won’t charge.
Charging Option #3: Solar Panels
Some portable power stations come with built-in solar panels, allowing for easy access to recharging when a wall outlet or a car isn’t available. Other portable solar power station for camping models even has extra ports to support additional solar panel connections, making the charging process quicker.
To charge, place the solar powered portable power station in a sunny location and let the unit do its work. If the solar panels are not built into the setup, then remember to connect the panels to the dedicated charging port of the power station. Remember that external factors, like weather or thick cloud formations, can affect the charging time of solar panel portable power stations.
How Long Do Portable Power Stations Last?
Depending on the components in the assembly, how it’s used, and regular maintenance, a portable power station may last for years up to a decade at optimal performance. Power stations that use generic lithium-ion batteries have a shelf life of three years while carrying at least 80% of their original charge capacity. Others using LiFEPO4 batteries have longer lifespans, usually lasting over 10 years, and can handle at least 3,000 recharge cycles before showing wear and tear.
Several ways of extending a portable power station’s service life are through proper battery care and charging them up to 100% before storing. Typically, portable power stations can hold a charge for up to a year when not used, ensuring that it’s ready for action when needed.
How to Choose a Portable Power Station
There are several points to consider when selecting the best solar portable power station. We’ve listed some key points to help suppliers and end users make the right choice.
Portability & Weight
Consistent improvements in technology have made power stations more portable and lighter. Gone are the days when ‘portable’ power stations look closer to a bulky diesel generator – we’re slowly closing in into smaller and more compact designs.
Portable power generators can now be small and light enough to be carried on a hiking trip and power up small appliances. And if a larger power is needed, there are still larger portable power stations with wheels or trolleys for moving the setup.
Power Output
When shopping for a portable power station, it’s best practice to check the capacity to ensure it meets your needs. Most setups will show its capacity in kWh or kilowatt hours, indicating how much power it can release per hour of use.
The rule of thumb for portable power stations is that your appliances or devices must consume a total of 80% to 20% of the setup’s total capacity. For example, if a user is expected to use 500kWh in 5 hours, they better use a portable power station with a capacity of 700kWh to 800kWh. Going for a 500kWh power station can quickly deteriorate its battery health, leading to a shorter lifespan.
Warranty & Lifespan
Portable power station lifespan is counted with two factors: cycles and capacity. Let’s say the portable power station lists 400 cycles to 80% capacity; what does this mean? Here’s a breakdown:
A cycle is the total usage of a power station’s battery reaches 100%. This can happen in one use or multiple uses of 20%, 30%, and 50%. Even if you recharge the battery between uses, it won’t affect the cycle count.
Capacity refers to how much energy the power station can discharge based on its total indicated output. If the power station has a power output of 700kWh, it can discharge that amount per cycle.
Unfortunately, batteries drop in performance over time, and based on the example above, the portable power station won’t be discharging 700kWh after 400 cycles. It will drop to only 80% or up to 560kWh per full cycle – still better than a drop to 50% after 400 cycles.
Moreover, it is better to use a portable power station with an extended warranty coverage. This assures suppliers and end-users that the manufacturer can provide maintenance, repair, or replacement support for your investment if anything happens to the setup.
Additional Functions
Last but not least are the add-ons a portable power station has to make it stand out. Having AC and USB connections is a bare minimum nowadays, along with app connectivity and integration to home or camping setups.
Portable Solar Power Station Manufacturer in China – BLJ
For the best portable solar power station, BLJ Solar has wholly covered the needs of suppliers and end-users. As one of the seasoned portable solar power station manufacturers in China, we have the skills and experience to address specific requirements for safe and reliable portable power stations at affordable price points.
Since 2012, we’ve provided the global market with advanced solar battery and energy storage solutions developed with cutting-edge technology and impeccable performance. Backed by a heavy investment in research and development in BMS and pack design, BLJ Solar strives to be ahead of the pack and gain your trust. We also work with well-vetted and industry-leading suppliers who share our passion and drive to give you the best portable solar power stations.
Along with our top-of-the-line manufacturing facility, we have teams of expert inspectors who meticulously go through each portable solar power station to ensure they meet global benchmarks. We also conduct rigorous testing for every batch, allowing our team to weed out imperfections and make sure they work as intended every time.
Conclusion
With its high-power output and multiple ways to recharge, portable power stations offer lightweight and dependable alternative energy solutions. Whether it’s used on homes, outdoor events, camping trips, or mobile homes, one can never go wrong with having a fully charged portable power station by their side.
If you’re asking, ‘Are portable power stations worth it?’ They are worth every cent because of their inherent ability to provide electricity even in the most remote areas and their ease of use.
Power up your business by sourcing portable solar power stations from BLJ Solar. Request for a free quote today.