BLUETTI AC500 Put to the test!! EVERYTHING You Need to Know! LiFeP04 Home Backup / Off-Grid Solution

[@Jasonoid]

Learn more about the Bluetti AC500 HERE: shrsl.com/4885u

[@MikeH-sg2ue]

Should I or should I not? Small house emergency back up system. Best bang for the buck, over the long hall! With as few headaches as possible! With a possible 6-7Kw solar array. I’m very happy with my smaller Bluettis! Yet this is on another level! Thanks Jason, for your explanation, of its capabilities. Keep your smiles on!

[@SandiRose2008]

All of these machines just keep getting bigger and better. Thank you for the review, Jason!

[@Jasonoid]

Closer and closer to being able to run a full house off solar and a power station. This one could probably do pretty well :)

[@anthonyc278]

@@Jasonoid EP900 can now take you off the grid. Are you gonna review that as well?

[@williamnigh5979]

Hi Jason, I watch all your videos. The content of the testing is incredibly thorough and given in a straightforward well understood approach. Cudos. This machine is a beast. I know of no other power unit with so much flexibilty. Well, until next year or so. Thanks for all your work. Bill

[@Jasonoid]

Thanks Bill!

[@lawdog516]

Another great and informative video! I stumbled upon your channel several months ago and so glad I did. I’m not an electrical engineer by any means but your delivery and explanation makes it easy for me to understand. I’m glad I Subbed and will be looking forward to your next video, thanks

[@Jasonoid]

Thanks Joey! Appreciate the feedback :)

[@heckarts]

Great video! I wish I would have seen this sooner. I purchased the B300S battery only to realize that the supplied connector will not fit my AC200MAX.

[@borandell9915]

Great testing on this. I'm on my 3rd watch of this review as there is so much to absorb. I know you put a lot of time into this review, and it definitely shows. While it's a big price point for most of us, I think it's worth it. Can't beat the promotional price. I'm all in. Thanks again.

[@Jasonoid]

Glad it was helpful! That's my main purpose of these videos, to help someone make a decision if it's good for them or not!

[@jazzysbasementt]

@@Jasonoid your amp clamp is off. no way could a cord like that be installed if it were pulling that much current

[@Jasonoid]

@@jazzysbasementt its a millisecond measurement of amperage at peak power. The amperage drops significantly once the motor starts up. The clamp meter isn't wrong.

[@brianjordan5629]

Thanks for answering the question in regards to using the old B300 batteries with the AC500. It's just a shame that I still have to buy another connector just to make it work and that is for each battery.

[@Jasonoid]

I just hope they are affordable!

[@nickrusso86]

Jason, I just discovered your channel. Fantastic content on everything I've seen so far. I live in Fort Myers and just made it through hurricane Ian, so I've been tasked by my wife to create an emergency power plan. I'm a technical guy, but not an electrician, so I don't know what I'm doing yet. Your videos have been helping. Thank you for creating them. Is there a way that I could ask you questions about battery backup and solar?

[@Jasonoid]

Crowdfunding campaign is going live today at 7AM PST. These might sell out! IndieGOGO purchase link HERE: ac500-b300s-super-capacity.kckb.st/jasonoid

[@stephensmith777]

What transfer switch do you use? Looking for a good automatic transfer switch that a solar generator can plug into like you did in this video.

[@Jasonoid]

@@stephensmith777 This is my video about my transfer switch, the part is linked in the video description. Reliance Controls is the brand, they have many to chose from: kzbin.info/www/bejne/m5q6n6SroMxso68

[@stephensmith777]

@@Jasonoid Awesome! Thanks!

[@Nilz4FR]

Problem is the high shipping to europe!

[@madworld5762]

@@Nilz4FR How much? I'm in UK.

[@mjaminian]

Great video and well structured review, thank you Jason. Just bought an Ecoflow Delta Pro because it was the only model in stock where I live, but I’m very interested to purchase this new Bluetti unit as well as it ticks a lot if boxes.

[@markjoyous3525]

i was going to pull the trigger on the ecoflow delta pro next time its on costco website but im having second thoughts now.

[@Jasonoid]

The $3000 price tag just makes this thing so tempting. I purchased a second B300s battery yesterday since the price was so good!

[@TheBearMTB]

I love the idea of these systems for diy, so simple. However for rv / caravan application the cable orientation makes it hard to fit in some applications.

[@Jasonoid]

It would be nice if they made a smaller 90 degree cable design that was setup for a stacked unit.

[@steliosi4925]

Thank you! You are the only one who did the inverter power usage test overnight (50Wh). Most other testers check peak power, which is useless most of the time. I bought the AC500-B300s a few weeks ago and have them running my fridge and internet from solar (partly) however according to the AC500 readings I find the inverter is using around 120Wh. This means that I need nearly the whole 3000Wh battery just to run the inverter for the 24 hours! I think this is far too high and not viable considering that where I live I only average 1.5KWh daily solar this time of the year. I will probably disconnect everything until it gets more sunny…

[@Jasonoid]

Winter is very tough to get through, multiple times this winter I had to shut off my system and go back to grid power. Now that the sun is shining longer through the day, I am able to get my batteries up to 100% and then they run overnight, and they charge back up the next day.

[@johntate5284]

Wow, Bluetti just keeps cranking these bigger and better power stations out at record pace. They also have a b500 battery that's being introduced in Germany starting tomorrow. I kind of wish that i would have waited instead of buying the AC200MAX at the beginning of the year, but if you are waiting for the latest, you will end up with nothing. As always, you seem to be the first to review this one, with a very thorough battery of tests and best of all, actual use of the product day to day. As a side note, there is a Samsung 19 CF full size refrigerator that will run off the EB3A for 6 hours! Do you ever think that you will add another AC500 and pair for split phase?

[@Jasonoid]

I saw that 'modular' design they just launched for the EU market, pretty cool stuff! I don't have the room for two of these haha! I am purchasing an additional B300s battery today, I'm hoping the delivery times are too horrible!

[@KittKattBarr222]

I just won an EB3A and I'm super curious about the fridge you mentioned. Did you see that on a video? Would love to see something on it.

[@Jasonoid]

@@KittKattBarr222 heres a video I did comparing all my ICECO fridges, you might find it helpful: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qZ2vdqF8nLV_qas

[@johntate5284]

@@KittKattBarr222 Hello Cat, here is the link to the video showing the EB3a running the Samsung 21 cubic foot refrig. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qYC1q6OEbpV0mLs

[@borandell9915]

Thanks John Tate for the info on the Sumsung 19 CF fridge running with the EB3A. Gonna try that setup.

[@kc8bdr]

Great review, this is the first video from this channel I have come across. I subscribed and have a few more videos queued up to watch.

[@edwardcutler7492]

I think this AC500 is better of as a home back up power unit. Not really a portable one. I won't be able to carry this to the work site and camping trips due to its massive size and weight.

[@Jasonoid]

I agree. A modular home backup system would probably be a better name for it.

[@unbentdisciple]

Been waiting for this review and excellent as always. Are you reviewing the new Delta 2 soon? Thanks!

[@Jasonoid]

@@unbentdisciple yes, Sept 16th

[@BigBeef]

Great presentation Jason. This thing is a beast.

[@Jasonoid]

Thanks James, this was a HUGE video project :)

[@wadeosceola6738]

I just contacted bluetti and they confirmed that the 24v 10a port is safe to connect my dometic cfx3 45. Thanks !

[@patriotplumberreport]

I would love to see a full set up with split phase going. I'm wanting to run my whole house with this system.

[@Jasonoid]

I'm sure someone on KZbin would purchase two of these and do that setup! I don't have the budget or space for the split phase setup!

[@StephenWeakley-u2s]

Hi Jason, I did not see you use the NEMA 14-50R Receptacle in your testing. Can I use two Bluetti AC500 units with a total of four B300S (3072 Watts each battery) batteries in Split-Phase mode to safely power my 50 Amp 2022 Jayco Pinnacle RV? Proposed Setup: Each Bluetti AC500 has a 50 Amp female connector: (NEMA 14-50R) that is NOT a 240 volt receptacle, instead it is only 120 volts on one leg--the other leg is 0 volts. But, if you purchase two Bluetti AC500 units (each with at least one battery connected to it) and then use both a special Bluetti Communication cable that connects one AC500 unit to the other AC500 unit (and a special Bluetti "Y-Cable", discussed below)--the software in the Bluetti AC500 allows you to perform a master-slave 240 volt Split-Phase setup (I believe this is called a 240 volt Split-Phase setup???). The "Y-Cable" mentioned above, has two NEMA 14-50P male plugs and you connect one of the two 14-50P male plugs on the "Y-Cable" to one AC500 unit via its NEMA 14-50R receptacle and the other 14-50P male plug on the "Y-Cable" to the other AC500 unit via its NEMA 14-50R receptacle. The third connector on the "Y-Cable" is a NEMA SS2-50R. I can purchase an adapter on Amazon that has NEMA SS2-50P/CS6365 on one end and a NEMA 14-50R on the other so I can use it with my RV's 50 Amp Plug (NEMA 14-50P) that I normally use for plugging into shore power. I know this is somewhat of an elaborate setup--but I am wondering if it will work? I decided to go this way instead of a Cummings Onan propane generator. Thanks for taking the time to look at my setup, Steve Weakley

[@borandell9915]

Yes. Please do the video on the Newpowa 210w solar panels. I don't have adequate panels now for the AC500. Thanks.

[@Jasonoid]

These panels are perfect for the battery's dedicated charge controller and the Bluetti charging enhancer. Took me forever to find a panel that stayed under 60voc.

[@borandell9915]

@@Jasonoid Cool, I hadn't thought about that before you mentioned it. I'm on it. Thanks.

[@suklee1400]

@@Jasonoid Watch out for cold weather's effect on heat coefficient.

[@JeffBreyer]

You convinced me to go Bluetti over Ecoflow and while I don't have the dough to buy one of these AC500s I did pick up there small budget guy for power in my future overlanding rig. Thanks for your great reviews on these solar generators.

[@jonphanspromotions]

I am debating between the two brands as well. Still debating.

[@JeffBreyer]

@@jonphanspromotions While the LiFePo batteries are not necessarily great for cold weather up here in Canada, I think the inherent stability of the LiFePo is something I really like. I really don't want a Li-Ion battery blowing up in my truck or anywhere for that batter. Before this I was on the EcoFlow train all the way.

[@Jasonoid]

LiFePO4 for the win!

[@suklee1400]

@@JeffBreyer B300S has an internal, automatic heater!

[@JeffBreyer]

@@suklee1400 It absolutely does! The EB3A I purchased does not.

[@ronbridegroom8428]

If I computed correctly 13% of 3092 watts over 10 hours is about 40 watts per hour which for a 5kw inverter is pretty good

[@ValderFl-ho2bx]

I was wondering what would happen if you have it connected to the grid while also having 3000w solar panels connected, but then you remove the battery because you want to take it with you on a small camping trip. Will the AC500 continue to supply the things you have connected, and when it doesn't get enough solar energy, will it automatically switch to drawing from the grid and actually operate as an on-grid system without a battery? Or will it just shut down and "die" the moment it doesn't have a battery connected?

[@rlee23]

Hello Jason, Thank you for your videos! I'm still a newbie and know enough to get myself in trouble. I'm still confuse about bonded and floating neutral but one day i will understand. I recently just purchase the AC500 and B300S. I want to use the AC500&B300S to back up my house when the gird is down. I have install a Reliance Controls R306A on the main panel for this purpose. I've also install a Reliance Control CSR202 on my sub panel. The CSR202,AC500&B300S will run my pool pump 24/7. I will charge the AC500&B300S with the DC/solar input only. I will not use the AC input for charging while hook up to the transfer switches. Will I have issues with bonded and floating neutral using these transfer switches and charging only with the DC input. Your advise is greatly appreciated

[@Jasonoid]

As long as you don't charge from the grid you should be fine with however your main panel is connected up. I run mine off solar panels all the time and I haven't had any issues. The transfer switch isolates the circuits completely from your main panel.

[@beeski]

Another great video. Always one of my first stops before purchasing. Quick question, do they sell, or will they sell an adapter for the 300S to connect to the AC200Max. If you are aware, the cable name would be great. Thanks!

[@Jasonoid]

I dont think they are planning to make a "backwards compatibility" cable for the B300s since it has the heaters and such. I don't think the older power stations can operate the heaters. Just plan on using the B300 batteries.

[@robertlueke3238]

Great review. This is a very impressive unit. Does having the wifi turned on make a significant difference in the idle power consumption?

[@Jasonoid]

Not noticeable, I'm sure it pulls some power though.

[@MrLandphill]

Thanks for all the great videos.

[@ricklorenzo4074]

I’m going to buy one of these units which one would you recommend ac300 or ac500

[@Jasonoid]

If you only need 3000 watts of power, get the AC300. if you an to be in temps under 32F and you need over 3000 watts of power, get the AC500. They are very similar and I have reviews on both of them.

[@Bravo21]

Nice, but have to ask. Is there a unit available for or someone living in a country with the 240v AC power standard?

[@Sandro667386]

Jason, are you going to made the review of EP500 and EP500 pro? In comparison with ac500 and with eachother

[@Jasonoid]

I don't have the EP500 so I can't do a comparison

[@beeski]

Another fantastic review (as always). Question about the B300S. Would you ever consider doing a separate standalone review on it? So, some of the testing that you do but on a smaller scale. That would include actual charging of the unit as well. Although it’s just DC there are still plenty of reasons to use it separately, for example, using it with the Iceco JP50 Pro that you reviewed, or a CPAP machine etc. I’m sure there are other creative ways of using that we haven’t thought about. Given the capacity of the battery and the current price, the watt hour per $ is very reasonable. Thanks!

[@Jasonoid]

Check out my AC300 review, I talked more about then. Pretty much the same thing other than the internal heaters.

[@gwilymrhysjones7054]

Hi great video , I live in south spain where we have sun 300 days a year , I would like to use one of these ac500 to power my townhouse for my family of 4 due to high energy prices here . I have 1 refrigerator , 1 washing machine , 1 80 liter electric boiler , and typical oven couple of TVs etc , could I use the ac500 to power my house? How many solar panels and batteries do you think I would have to purchase ? Really at night we don’t use much power , I also have 2 aircon units but only put them on for short periods of time in the summer. Thanks !

[@Jasonoid]

It would be fine to run the fridge and washing machine with 700+ watts of solar. I would recommend at least 1200 watts of solar to charge it faster. In my opinion I think it would struggle with the larger electric appliances. Those usually require lots more power!

[@gwilymrhysjones7054]

Many thanks 🙏, will look at something different

[@MrRwp1]

Jason, hard core review and thanks from down under, we have different models 240, but interested in 12 output, is there a current limit and what happens when this is triggered ? Thinking RV use, fridges, fans all sorts. Regards

[@CC-gt3ro]

The spec says 3,000W Max., VOC 12-150VDC, 12A For the solar input .Not 15A..this is important as few panel like the bougerv 200w are above 12A.

[@Jasonoid]

The AC300 is limited to 12 amps, the AC500 is limited to 15 amps.

[@taskelam8937]

What about idle power consumption with both AC and DC outputs off (for the times the AC500 is just connected to a small solar panel on a cloudy day)? This was the biggest problem with the AC200P.

[@Jasonoid]

Hey Taske, I talked about DC idle power draw in the video, it's in the dc capacity testing section. See the time stamps. The screen uses minimal power and you shouldn't worry about it.

[@taskelam8937]

@@Jasonoid Yeah, I commented too hastily, but edited after seeing that part of the video. How about the idle power consumption with the outputs off with just a solar panel connected though?

[@Jasonoid]

It doesn't have noticeable power draw with the the outputs turned off. If you have the screen on, WiFi and Bluetooth enabled it will use some power. If the outputs are off and solar is coming in, it will charge up, not discharge.

[@garytrawinski1843]

Very good review. Thank you.

[@tonyabdalla]

Thank you for a great review! I'm wondering how much the battery capacity test is affected by the Deep Discharge feature on the AC500. I'm guessing the AC500 holds some capacity in reserve for that functionality (not found in any other Bluetti products) which most likely impacts the results of your battery capacity test. It would be very interesting to see the results of a battery capacity test on the AC500 which discharges the battery to 0 percent, then enables the Deep Discharge feature to see what remaining capacity there is. Thanks and keep up the great work!

[@markgonsowski921]

You mentioned Bluetti is making a cable so you can use the B300 batteries w/the AC500, do you have any idea if the B300S batteries will work w/the AC300? The kickstart price on the new batteries makes me want to buy 1 or 2 for my AC300. Great video as always, thx for getting the info out so fast!

[@Jasonoid]

They are not backwards compatible! Total bummer right! Don't buy a B300s battery for your AC300

[@markgonsowski921]

@@Jasonoid Bummer for sure, TY again for the quick response!

[@johnkenny2403]

Just an excellent review Jason. Thanks

[@piernaline6027]

Why grid connection is consuming same or more than inverter, when grid is connected but not charging, and AC and DC output is off? My nightmare. How to avoid such loss?

[@jakeliujakeliu]

Since it a modular system wish they come out something smaller with it, or has two inverter one can be more efficient to run appliance longer. Instead 40w idle power, switch to 10-15w when you don’t need high output.

[@Jasonoid]

It would be nice to have a "low power" mode if you knew you weren't going to be pushing it past 1000 watts. With two batteries the idle power isn't horrible. Any 5000 watt inverter will be pulling that much power when not in use.

[@Sandro667386]

So, did I understood correctly: AC500 has a UPS-mode from solar panel? Or you still have to plug it into a socket?

[@Jasonoid]

There's no UPS mode when charging with only solar panels. UPS mode is only for AC charging. When charging with solar the inverter is always on and the battery stays full with enough solar input. I only use solar charging on my AC500 and it's awesome.

[@shawnnn3]

Is it really that exciting? Not sure. I have the AC300 and have ordered the AC500 power station but am not sure. I have 5 B300 and ordered 4 B300s. Will have back problems for sure.

[@McRootbeer]

Nice system, how much does the main unit and external batteries weigh?

[@Jasonoid]

66 lbs for the head unit, 83 lbs per battery!

[@RugRatCoupe]

Thank you Jason for another very informative video review! QUICK QUESTION: I assume your 6-zone transfer switch works with Pass-through charging with the Bluetti? I've read in several forums of the Bluetti AC300 tripping codes or having issues while pass-through charging with certain transfer switches something to do with and Open Neutral or Open Ground. Also can you provide me with the make and model of your transfer switch? Thanks and keep up the Great videos!

[@Jasonoid]

Mine doesn't have any issues, but I don't charge mine from the grid. I mostly have solar panels hooked up to charge it (99% of the time). This video has the make and model I used in the video description kzbin.info/www/bejne/m5q6n6SroMxso68

[@RodneyRicoWillis]

Great vid.... how long did it take to charge after u depleted the battery?

[@Jasonoid]

It will recharge in around an hour or less with full solar or AC charging! (with one battery of course)

[@wadeosceola6738]

Jasonoid, good morning. As always, I have a question in reference to bluetti ac 500. Today I'm charging the B300s . Is it safe to have the battery outside individually without the whole system, so I can charge with my 300w off grid solar blanket. Oh, also I think the solar blanket is connected to an xt90 connector. Thank you

[@Jasonoid]

Yes, it can be charged individually without damage. Each B300s battery comes with a 'xt90 to mc4' charging cable. That adapter will allow you to connect your solar panel easily. Its probably with your boxes and documentation if you don't see it.

[@wadeosceola6738]

Thank u, with solar blanket, I had to order an xt90 connector but with your help and advice, I'm ready to start charging. As always, thanks so much

[@MyChannel-vm6dw]

Can you do a 24 hour small simulated off cabin type of setup with a 24-28 cubic ft fridge, a gaming PC, lights, window ac unit, router, all running at same time? How much solar input do you think you would need to not have the system drop below 25% at continuous full load? Will one battery do it or how many batteries would someone need to run that set up 100 percent off grid?

[@Jasonoid]

With one battery I was having issues getting my two full size fridges to get through the night. I purchased a second battery on the indiegogo campaign and ever since I haven't seen it drop below 45% with 5 circuits running 24/7. Now these aren't heavy use circuits but they do have some big loads on them throughout the day. For example, my home office (laptop, three monitors and printer) two full size microwaves, two full size fridges, garage door, bunch of LED light circuits, couple TVs. It does it all. So IMO two batteries is MUCH better than one. I have about 1600 watts of solar coming into my system during the day.

[@budmartin3344]

Great video. Did you find out what the 10KW surge duration spec from Bluetti is? I think it may be only 30 ~ 50mS (about 4 AC cycles), I do not see the spec on Bluetti web site in your link. @18:21 according to the spec on Buetti website, it shows PV max input of 3000W 12 ~150V, 12A. Did they change the spec of the PV input?

[@Jasonoid]

The manual says 500 ms 10,000 watt surge. I don't think it actually went that long in my testing as I only hit 6880 watts. That's the one Bluetti needs to do better, allow more surge! They raised the amperage from 12amps to 15amps, slight upgrade to get the 1500 watts each.

[@fredsimmons2793]

Impressive presentation,thanks.

[@vedranart]

Hi, I like your grading sheet, but I'm missing one very important information, how much watts each device can get from solar panels. As Ecoflow's largest device can only input I think 3kW from solar panels. Which for a 10kWh system or more is nothing for every day off-grid usage. And for example, River Mini can only input 100W from solar panel. Which is fine until you want to run something all day from an solar panel and is taking up 50W or more...

[@Jasonoid]

The spreadsheet has two pages, the max solar input is on the second page along with all the other information. Let me know if that helps!

[@mikek2258]

I think the ac500 can do 3000w and a seperate 500w for every individual battery

[@simonmiller3981]

Hi Jason, Could you tell me more about the EV adapter for charging the AC500? Thanks

[@Jasonoid]

What do you want to know?

[@bird6150]

@@Jasonoid Hi Jason does Bluetti sell the EV adapter? I have not been able to find it on there site but heard that they had one.

[@Jasonoid]

@@bird6150 they should sell it under power station accessories on their website. If you can't find it, I'd email their support group about it.

[@jamesleroy1473]

19:43 Hi thank you for your videos. Don’t these panels go over the amp limit? And I don’t think they make these panels anymore.

[@Jasonoid]

The power station will limit the input amperage automatically. It's okay if your panels create a little extra amperage. You just want to make sure to not go over the maximum voltage limit as that will damage the power station.

[@jamesleroy1473]

@@Jasonoid so those panels equal 630 watts and the charger can only do 500. I assume that’s fine and it will only take what it can handle. The 200max can handle 900 without the controller is it better to go over because often enough you don’t reach full potential of a panel so you can increase your odds of hitting the 900?

[@stevebabcock6307]

Hey Jason, great job reviewing the AC 500 & B300s! You may have mentioned it , but can you DC charge the AC500 & B300s using a gas generator?

[@Jasonoid]

I guess you could but it would charge much faster from the AC output from the generator.

[@stevebabcock6307]

Thanks Jason!

[@JP247thatjusthappend]

Great Info and delivery. I have a Predator Gas gen. Can’t find anyone who will work on it… How would I get an AC500 repaired?

[@Jasonoid]

You have to work with Bluetti support to have it RMAd / shipped back. Then you get a replacement.

[@flyty2134]

Love your video very informative thanks so much for your time and your efforts again very informative thank you.

[@Jasonoid]

You're welcome!

[@davidedema4390]

What about a petrol generator??

[@mnoga]

Great video, I just ordered the AC500 + 1 B300S. Is the EV charging adapter you mentioned an product from Bluetti? I can't find it on their website. If it's not, do you know who the manufacturer is?

[@Jasonoid]

The EV adapter is sold by Bluetti. I think you can find accessories for the AC500 on the indiegogo page.

[@carlosd.9158]

I wish I would of had this sooner. Seems like ur able to use house panels and a pv step down module for bluetti would not be needed.

[@delhume2691]

Can you show actual applications of the unit to demonstrate how practical it is?

[@Jasonoid]

I use mine daily to supplement my grid power with my transfer switch and 6 circuits. It also functions as a battery backup for when my power goes out.

[@wadeosceola6738]

Jasonoid, good morning. Im going to test charge my bluetti ac500 this week using my Honda 7000is gas generator. As you suggested, im going to start the test with the amperage setting at 7, and after a few min. ill change to 15. I'll need an extension cord, is there a specific brand or length needed for efficiency, and will the eco throttle be useful ? Thank you

[@Jasonoid]

You'll need a 12 awg extension cable for the best results. You do not want your gas generator on ECO mode.

[@wadeosceola6738]

Jason, thank you, and keep the bluetti videos coming 👍

[@michaelg1816]

I appreciate what you are doing. Your test showed this would run the refrigerator for 27.5 hours. Does it harm the battery to run the battery to 0%? How long would it run the fridge if the system was also being charged with solar or generator (or both) during the day? My primary concern is saving my food during an outage.

[@Jasonoid]

With a decent solar panel setup of 500 watts + and consistent sun through the day you can run your fridge off this power station indefinitely. I have been running my fridge for 3 months non stop on the AC300/AC500 setup. When clouds set in for multiple days is the only time I have an issue. In a long term outage, my plan is to charge this system off solar when possible, and then charge it off my 2000w inverter generator when at night or cloudy if needed. As for damaging the batteries, hitting 0% won't damage them since Bluetti saves a lower portion of the battery so avoid damage. I have been very impressed by both the AC300 and AC500. You could also get by with probably the AC200max if you just wanted to run 1 full size fridge.

[@michaelg1816]

@@Jasonoid Thank you. I would like to run more appliances and reduce reliance on the grid but the fridge is my priority. I plan right now to get the AC500 and 2 B300S and will use your link. IndieGoGo lists the batteries but does not mention connection cords between the AC500 and B300S'. Do they come with the purchase? I don't know what to buy with the package. Could you make suggestions? I hate to ask more from you but I already have 8 solar panels on my small home but can't currently use them to charge the Bluetti batteries. My solar inverter is not capable to do battery back up. I would need a new inverter, an auto transfer switch, and I am told a critical load panel besides batteries. An estimate with the smallest battery was 13K. If this was done could the B300S be used with this setup? Any ideas or suggestions? It seems the more economical plan is to install an auto transfer switch (w critical load panel?) for the Bluetti system and add solar panels myself somewhere in back at a later time. Would this work just as well to take away reliability on PG&E?

[@Jasonoid]

@@michaelg1816 The power cables come with the battery purchase, so you will have the cables you need to connect the batteries, no need to purchase anything else. As for the solar panels on your house, you should be able to tie those into the Bluetti AC500 if the voltage specs match the charge controller (150VDC, 15 amps, 1500 watts X TWO, since there are two charge controllers). I don't see you having to purchase a new inverter since the AC500 already has a built in inverter. You would just plug in your AC500 into your transfer switch. I used Reliance Controls and they have many transfer switches to chose from. This is a video of my transfer switch setup: kzbin.info/www/bejne/m5q6n6SroMxso68

[@valentinsalas8300]

Will this power a concession trailer looking to get rid of my 7k generator only have a fridge chest waffle maker and snowcone machine

[@jeff-millieesterline4209]

Jason, will the Nema 14-50p power both legs of your power panel when plugged into the transfer switch. Or is one leg of what would normally make up the 240 volts dead?

[@Jasonoid]

I don't have a way to test out the NEMA 14-50p since I don't have the cable. I'm guessing one of the legs isn't powered. My 3 prong RV plug works great with my transfer switch though.

[@anthonydrake7767]

This was asked and discussed on the Bluetti Facebook forum. The answer is as Jason guessed; only one hot leg of the NEMA 14-50R is powered (at 120V). The other leg is unconnected. I don't know if a transfer switch would be happy if you make your own cable and plugs to bridge the two potential hot legs going to your transfer switch. Might work; don't know. An expensive alternative is to add a second AC500 and connect them in a split-phase arrangement with a communication cable, so with a Y adapter cord, you could get two hot leads with 240V between them. At the moment, Bluetti doesn't sell an output 50A Y adapter cord set, so you'd have to make your own, or wait for them to offer one for sale.

[@anthonydrake7767]

Correction: Bluetti does indeed sell a 50A Y adapter cord set on their Indiegogo site, using a "secret" perk URL. Check the discussion messages for "mstang1988" where they provided the URL.

[@Bulletproof.pet.products]

Does it actually have a working 50amp 240v outlet for an RV or for home/shop hot tub etc....?

[@Jasonoid]

The new EP800 is best suited for 240v applications, this one is really designed for just 120v output. You can buy two of them and put them in series for split phase 30 amp operation but that's pretty expensive.

[@Bulletproof.pet.products]

@@Jasonoid Thank You!

[@tobiasstgt]

Is there a setting to limit charging to a certain level (eg 80%) to spare the battery pack?

[@patriotplumberreport]

If I wanted to run my RV and its a 50amp that I need coming in. Would I need to two AC500 with two B300S in split-phase to run it correctly? Thank you

[@Jasonoid]

One AC500 will handle 4500 watts output, or about 37.5amps @120volts. If you have one AC500 with two batteries it can handle the full 5000 watts output, or about 41amps @ 120 volts. If you put two AC500 units together with the special Bluetti junction box, you can get the full 240v output @ 50amps.

[@nms886]

Any info on where to get the EV Type 2 Adapter you demo here?

[@Jasonoid]

Now that the AC500 is for sale on their website (instead of the Indiegogo) they should update the accessories available for it soon on their website.

[@rcguymike]

Was the surge testing done on the 20A outlets? Curious if you did it on the 30A or 50A outlet if it would have performed better?

[@Jasonoid]

The saw has a 15 amp plug so that's how we tested it. It maybe have done better on the larger outlet but I'm guessing they all have the same amp cutoff.

[@WilPagan]

Great video @Jasonoid, I picked up the AC500 w/ 2x 300s batteries, great deal, my question is what transfer box would I need for this? Any help would be appreciated.

[@Jasonoid]

You can look at any of the Reliance Controls 510 series. You'd need to find the proper adapter cable to connect to the AC500: www.reliancecontrols.com/ProductDetail.aspx?510A

[@WilPagan]

@@Jasonoid they don’t sell them yet at bluetti right. I just saw the $79 one but that only got 3000watts. Sorry I’m totally new to this and I’m just trying to learn and get the parts to have it installed. I appreciate the help.

[@Jasonoid]

@@WilPagan correct, they don't sell a transfer switch

[@st8kout961]

20:43 is incorrect. Everyone is assuming it can charge at 240V. It actually charges at 120V @ 50amps. It uses the 240V outlet ONLY because of the thicker #6 gauge wiring and 50 amp receptacle. Bluetti sent me a diagram of the 50 amp charging cable. It's a 3 wire cable but it has a 4-prong Nema 16-50 connector. Only the W, X, and Ground are wired; W is Neutral /White, X is a HOT wire, G is green/ground. It has to use this 240V outlet to handle the 50 amps, which is on a 50 amp double breaker. On another note, the 50 amp charging cable is not really rated for 50 amps, as it's #8 gauge wire which is normally rated for 40 amps. I'm waiting to hear back from them on this. You COULD use this #8 gauge cable at 50 amps but it's going to get hot. You can set the charging input to 40 amps to be prudent. It's marked as a high temperature cable but I wouldn't run it hot unattended.

[@Jasonoid]

I literally charged it with my neighbors 240v 30 amp car charger using Bluettis car charging adapter... It got 5000 watts input via 240 volts. Did you miss that part of the video? If you charge at 120v you are limited to 30 amps charging input. The AC port has three inputs, two hot and one neutral, no ground. (It also showed 240v input on the screen details. There's no magic 120v to 240v charging conversion in the wiring)

[@st8kout961]

@@Jasonoid Well, Bluetti sent me the wiring diagram of their Nema 14-50 charging cable. The three connectors on the Aircraft plug are wired as follows: one is to the G (Ground) prong, the 2nd is wired to the X (one of the 120v legs) prong, the 3rd is wired to the W (neutral) prong. The Y (the other 120v leg) prong is NOT wired at all. I have this cable, and verified it with my voltmeter. It will only connect of one of the two 120v hots when plugged into the Nema 14-50 receptacle. I had planned to buy an adapter cable to use my current Nema 6-50 240v 3-prong outlet. But Bluetti told me NOT to do that as it will not work. It MUST have a Neutral wire. I think the confusion is that the input can take a single lead of 240V (as opposed to a single 120v lead). But as Bluetti themselves showed me, the 3 inputs are hot, neutral, and ground. You can find their pic in this discussion community.bluettipower.com/t/50-amp-ac500-charging-cable/22382/9

[@Jasonoid]

@3:00 at that point I tested using a 240v car charging cable connected to the Bluetti stock charging cable which has three leads. Maybe that car charging adapter takes the two hot leads and puts them in series? I'm not sure how it works, but it did indeed charge at 240v and 20 amps ~4800 watts. I don't have a car charger to test with, but maybe I can disassemble the adapter to see whats going on with the wiring.

[@Moes_Prep_and_Tech]

I'm trying to find a use case of the 50amp plug besides an RV, It would be cool to be able to utilize the 12volt 30amp dc port and 50 amp plug inside a residential home somehow. And one other question, when you used the power saw in your test did you have Power Lifting on? The saw that couldn't run?

[@Jasonoid]

Power lifting only works with 'resistive loads' like heaters or heat guns. You can't really use it on anything else. Very limited feature. I use my power stations with my transfer switch to power 6 circuits off solar: kzbin.info/www/bejne/m5q6n6SroMxso68

[@suklee1400]

@@Jasonoid I wonder if 2 or more batteries would have allowed the ac500 to power your table saw?

[@scoobster25]

Do you know if the Bluetti Smart Home Panel will work with the new AC500? I see on there website they onlyist the EP500, AC300 and EP500PRO smart home panels, but no AC500. I wonder if the AC300 Smart Home Panel will work with the AC500?

[@Jasonoid]

I'm guessing it will since it's very similar to the AC300. The AC500 is just not on their website yet since it's still on the Kickstarter launch page.

[@rizipt]

How do you get the ev charging adapter. That would come in real handy on the road if there are several cloudy days in a row.

[@Jasonoid]

I'm sure it will be available as an accessory once it's selling on their website.

[@guyrandom6151]

6800 surge is weak for a 5k watts also at that size not have 240 outlet is a bummer doesnt seem a much better upgrade from the ac300

[@borandell9915]

My wife would hate that behemoth sitting in a corner of our utility room with wires and extension cords going everywhere. Only an idiot would buy this. So anyway, it should be here by December. And man am I stoked!!! Thanks my bauruther... . LOL

[@Jasonoid]

This is in my storage room so out of sight. There are no extension cords with a transfer switch setup, I just had the extension cord with the fridge run test haha. You can choose to route the solar wires how you want, there are many options 😁

[@borandell9915]

@@Jasonoid Thank you so much. This was a great video. I think I'm going to love having this system to run some RV things and as a home backup. And wow! What a price. Thanks again.

[@jonphanspromotions]

Jason, if I have a 14-50 nema outlet for my ev vehicle, can I use it to charge this power station? If so, what adapter do I need?

[@Jasonoid]

Bluetti will have a number of charging adapters. One side connects to the AC500 charging port and the other end will plug into different outlet options. They should have one for the 14-50 NEMA.

[@jonphanspromotions]

@@Jasonoid so we can charge our EV?

[@Jasonoid]

@@jonphanspromotions the outputs on the front will allow for level 1 charging, 1800watts into your EV. Just think of it like plugging in your level 1 EV charger at home. 1 3072wh battery will get you about 8-10 miles depending on the EV.

[@jonphanspromotions]

@@Jasonoid a little off topic. I have a Renogy rover 40a charge controller . Can I connect three solar panels in parallel with 265w and 9.5a each in a 12v configuration.

[@Merdulac]

Excuse me, I know this is not related but I was looking for a review of Renogy products and couldn’t find one. Why, and what do you think of their solar equipment ?

[@Jasonoid]

Renogy makes decent products. Their solar panels are nice!

[@danielsnyder2288]

Given similar battery capacity, why would you buy an AC500 and B300S rather than just 2 AC500s?

[@Jasonoid]

The AC500 doesn't have any batteries in it, you need the B300s for it to function and power on.

[@wadeosceola6738]

Good morning, i just received my dometic cfx3 45, my question, just too make sure is, the 24v dc port is the right connection for my electric fridge ? Thank u

[@Jasonoid]

The 24v port works fine on my ICECO fridges since they support 12/24v input. You'd need to verify with Dometic that it's fine to run it off 24v.

[@wadeosceola6738]

O.k. unfortunately I misplaced my owners manual but after 30 min. I disconnected and reconnected tithe b300s battery .

[@wadeosceola6738]

I do appreciate your help, in a minute I'm going to become a subscriber to your channel , please keep the bluetti stuff coming in . Thanks

[@Jasonoid]

@@wadeosceola6738 I just put out a video on the new AC180. You might enjoy that video as well.

[@gjc9801]

I have 1 question that I cannot find an answer to, I want this to use for my internet/ CCTV/ security system and network as a UPS, my question is I'm out of town for a week and there's a power failure the batteries get completely depleted and the system shuts down, When the grid power comes back on and recharges the batteries can the unit be set to resume the last state that it was in IE: backup mode for the next event or is it just sitting there requiring me to come back to the physical location and push buttons on the devices to reengage it?

[@Jasonoid]

You have to manually turn back on the AC inverter once the power station shuts back down. If you had wifi access to the unit, meaning your router was on but not connected to the AC500, you could turn on and off the inverter remotely via the app.

[@garagejim1956]

Hi Jason, great review. Blueitt

[@Jasonoid]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@barryduff9839]

Why the low VOC it makes no sense when some systems have 500 VOC .?

[@Jasonoid]

The AC500 is not new, only the new systems have 250v+ input. When it came out, 150v was the highest for these power stations.

[@peteoconnor5111]

Hi , can I run my table saw and work shop , if I add more battery. Thanks Pete

[@Jasonoid]

I don't have two batteries to test that out. In my opinion I don't think it would make a difference.

[@kyle8114]

Did you try starting the table saw off the 30 amp twist lock outlet?

[@Jasonoid]

The table saw had a normal 15amp plug since it runs off 120v normal wall outlets. It only pulls that many amps for a split second. I didn't have an adapter to try the larger ports. I have the feeling that all the ports are tied together in the back so the surge would be the same on all outlets.

[@keithhart3212]

RV Air conditioner?? Gas 4500watt runs AC, would this unit run air conditioner in RV???

[@Jasonoid]

Depends on the wattage of the air conditioner. It should run a 1500 watt or 2500 watt just fine since those have a bit of surge.

[@simonmiller3981]

Hi Jason, I am seeking advice on right sizing solar panels to PV input to the AC500 for VoC and Isc. Is it better to use NMOT or STC (Electrical Data)? (Some panels NMOT comes under 15A (PV input for the AC500) whereas STC is just over 15A for Isc). What are your thoughts and experiences?

[@Jasonoid]

I have traditionally used STC data for max voltage levels to be on the safe side since I don't want to over volt my system. You can over-current the system as it will limit the current to 15 amps automatically. If you use the STC data just plan for less power once your system is under a load and conditions aren't ideal.

[@simonmiller3981]

@@Jasonoid many thanks I will be more watchful on the Volts

[@DutchK75]

I want one...I don't know why. I don't own a house. But want one none the less.

[@Jasonoid]

The is a BEAST!

[@DutchK75]

@@Jasonoid Just think of how many 12v fridges you could run off it if you maxed out the batteries. 😍 Cords everywhere!

[@wadeosceola6738]

Good morning. I have a couple questions in regards to solar charging my ac500. Can I have 1 array of panels with a voc of 21.15v into pv2 and another array of panels with a voc of 22.8 ? Hope u can help

[@wadeosceola6738]

5 panels in each array but one string of panels going into pv1 and of course the other string of panels going into pv2

[@Jasonoid]

Yes, that's perfectly fine (as long as your total VOC doesn't go over 150v for each line). Both inputs are completely independent and function separately.

[@wadeosceola6738]

Jason, good evening. Thanks for all your helpful advice, I do have one question. At what state of charge would be acceptable for at least three months storage ? Thanks again !

[@Jasonoid]

@@wadeosceola6738 I'd fully charge it for anytime you plan on leaving it longer than 2 monthz

[@wadeosceola6738]

Jasonoid, what gauge should my extention cables be so I can start charging my bluetti ac500. I have 5 new rich 100watt solar panels. Thanks

[@Jasonoid]

With solar panels in series I'd recommend using 12awg for normal stuff and 10 awg wiring for long distances.

[@wadeosceola6738]

@Jasonoid , thanks for your advice. For people like me who understand the potential necessity a solar power station has, I'm still learning. The ac500 is on a cart and I'll charge outside about 20ft. From panels. Your recommendation would be 10awg ? Thank u

[@Jasonoid]

@@wadeosceola6738 20 feet you can use 12awg wiring, over 50 feet I'd recommend 10awg

[@wadeosceola6738]

Awesome, thank you . Here in Florida, it's our storm season, and having reliable advice is so helpful. Thanks. Oh, the panels will be in series. I've watched your demonstration on parallel configuration but it's still a little confusing. Thank u

[@Jasonoid]

@@wadeosceola6738 series wiring is really easy, you'll be good!

[@kandremcdonald6955]

Does anyone know the UL number for the AC500 and B300s? They say they have the following certification: UL, CEC, DOE, FCC CA Prop 65, but I can't find this information anywhere. An inspector is hassling me to provide the UL info for the Bluetti system before he passes my transfer switch installation.

[@davidparker7156]

that looks huge in size from the video is that due to the camera angle or is this thing that huge?

[@Jasonoid]

It's huge, that's the back of my 4Runner to give it some perspective.

[@jmb-cm7mr]

Is there Phantom Power loss with this Unit? My Original AC200 from the Indiegogo campaign has power loss even when nothing is connected.

[@suklee1400]

If your ac200 is turned on, it will use power even though you aren't running a load.

[@reviews2you]

Nice review! Have you tested the MPPT charger efficiency on the for the AC500 and B300S?

[@Jasonoid]

It's hard to test the actual efficiency without seeing the voltage and amperage on both sides of the charge controller (Being that it's all internal and I can't get those readings). From my observations it seems fairly efficient.

[@reviews2you]

@@Jasonoid I used an inline meter as well as what the app says at the bottom for PV input. Appears to be around 87.7% efficient to the AC500 and I haven't tested the BS300 yet. Was just looking for another data point to compare to as this meter is supposed to peak at 60v and I had 90v constant running through it so I don't know if I should trust its readout but the app showed 3,500w PV created to fill the battery through the AC500 from 0%-100% which would be 87.7%. I would hope the efficiency through the B300S would be better, it should be the same as their supplemental charger since that's what they're using inside, I just haven't found anyone who's tested that yet. In any case, that and their AC charger efficiency is lower than I'd like to see.

[@Jasonoid]

@@reviews2you that level of power to fully charge the batteries up sounds about right, at least using the AC charging. It's not super efficient going from AC to DC power. I believe the solar charging to be much more efficient since it's DC to DC Charging. In my daily use case, I strictly charge mine with solar panels only, so I haven't tried doing a full AC charge with my watt meter inline in the last couple of months. I currently have 2 B300s batteries attached (just got my second battery from the indiegogo launch) and I have been able to run 5 circuits 24/7 for the last week. It's been pretty cool to be running those completely off solar!

[@reviews2you]

@@Jasonoid Yeah I got 73% charge efficiency from the wall, so the solar charge is definitely better which is good. Discharge efficiency should go up with your second battery I bet, you should do a follow up video when you get some more time with it. I contemplated getting 3 more batteries but just bought 30kWh in server rack batteries w/ a 12kWh PV array. I haven't gotten it installed yet but should be within the next month or so. Currently running my entertainment center (with two amps and a receiver and 60" TV) off just the AC500 and 1 battery with solar. Been mostly happy with it! I enjoy your reviews, keep up the nice work.

[@LeeVerrill-ym2pt]

Great video

[@Jasonoid]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@julienduvoyage]

Thanks for the video and spreadsheet! Happy to see that my AC200P is the best pick near 2000wh 😄

[@Jasonoid]

AC200p is an EXCELLENT power station :)

[@julienduvoyage]

@@Jasonoid Oh yeah. I’m living my best off grid life with it for one year and half now. I purchased it when bluetti was still not so popular and now I’m happy to see it gaining a lot of traction! The day I’ll move from my cabin to a better of grid setup I’ll probably stay with bluetti. Super cool products.

[@zfontain1975]

@@Jasonoid did you ever review the ac200max?

[@Jasonoid]

@@zfontain1975 It's on my 'to-do' list. It has been performing well in my testing!

[@patriotplumberreport]

Will two AC500 and six B300B be enough to run a 50 amp 10 circuit transfer station to run my house?

[@Jasonoid]

Yeah, that is quite the setup! You'd be able to run your fridges, microwaves, and other appliances for awhile with 6 batteries! I think 3 batteries is quite a bit of power!

[@Peace2all4vr]

How much solar power would you use with that set up? I'm thinking that with 2 head units, it would take 4 arrays of 1500 watts. Plus 6 x 500 watts for the batteries, if you have the space. I live in the suburbs, so I have to watch the ground space the panels would use. Or else have an installer roof mount them which would increase the costs. Thanks.

[@hopeulikenudes]

Question for anyone that can help. I have 2 BLUETTI AC200P and one of them won't power up. Can I take the battery out of the one that don't work and hook it up to my other one? In series or parallelIn?

[@briant2259]

I just got one AC300 and 4 - B300. If I want 220v can I buy the AC500 and match it with the AC300 ? Or do I have to have 2 identical AC300 and AC300 ?

[@Jasonoid]

For split phase you need two identical units, it won't work with one AC300 and one AC500. The AC300 is excellent and can power lots of stuff, it's worked great for me!