Ugreen PowerRoam 1200 battery power station test and review

Putting the ugreen power station through it's paces -- how much load will it run, how much can I overload it, how much charge can I get out of it.
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[@robertspeer]

I respect the courage and confidence in their product it took to send things to Matthias.

[@izinyosib821]

Definite change in tone though.

[@brothyr]

could've done worse with AvE. would've been in bits or on fire.

[@robertspeer]

@@brothyr my bet is fire, he’s been on a fire kick lately ;)

[@macedindu829]

I always say that. If you have the guts to send your product to Matthias to be reviewed, you have actual confidence in your product, whether it's warranted or not.

[@juz4kix]

Came here to say the same thing. Matthias isn’t shy about calling junk “junk”.

[@cidercreekranch]

Using the saw as a resistor was a brilliant demonstration.

[@andreasu.3546]

I have a miter saw that likes to trip the mains breaker. Solution is to connect it via a 100ft extension cord, wonder if that would work here too.

[@RFC-3514]

For extra credit: point a tachometer at the saw and use that to infer the resistance. :-P

[@lewissammons]

Love how thorough your are at finding any possible way imaginable to torment these devices! Gives me a good chuckle while also learning. Cheers!

[@DaveChurchill]

What is the circuit diagram symbol for "circular saw resistor"?

[@matthiasrandomstuff2221]

I'd just use the symbol for brush motor

[@TonyHammitt]

You could use a consternation mark !? in a circle, I guess...

[@TechnicalGamingChannel]

The thing I like most about these reviews is you're not saying this power station *should* run power tools, you're using them as a point of reference that's familiar to you audience while providing real data about the sort of output it's capable of. It feels like so many people would be inclined to review these things by plugging in progressively more demanding things until they hit a failure point and just say "hey so that's a pretty high failure point so I guess this thing's good." Really appreciate that you provide so much more depth.

[@djenson]

I absolutely love how you are doing these "sponsored" reviews - please continue to do them if you are able to :)

[@kaboomer13]

I laughed out loud when you connected the circular saw in series. I can just imagine you submitting a bug report about it. So funny

[@FarmCraft101]

Nice using your circular saw as a resistor! That gave me a chuckle. I had similar results testing the storage capacity of power stations. Like you, I was measuring AC current out, but of course inverters aren't the most efficient things. The company said if I were to discharge it with DC, I would find it would reach the rated storage capacity. Probably true, though I never tried it.

[@matthiasrandomstuff2221]

yes, much harder to have a good DC Load to discharge it with. But also, the DC output is much lower, which means the unit has to stay on longer, and just being on uses up 10-20 watts too

[@raindropsrising7662]

Goodness me.. I bought a few things after watching your videos. That thermal imaging camera was so amazing. appreciate the reviews. Highly enjoyable and technically rich.

[@bradley3549]

One point, while LiFePo4 is technically newer than the 'classic' lithium ion - but it's not a particularly new technology. Invented in the 90s and was commercially available within the 2000s. It just seems like it's starting to really hit in consumer products in ways we just haven't seen in the past. These battery banks are perfect use case where volume is a little bit secondary to safety, cost and longevity.

[@sparqqling]

With this amount of cells safety is in important, if one cells goes it will trigger the rest!

[@Conservator.]

@@sparqqling LiFePO4 batteries are much safer than regular NCM li-ion batteries. They also last longer but they weigh more.

[@matthiasrandomstuff2221]

Indeed. And I like that this one uses cylindrical cells, which means the thermal runaway spreads between cells more slowly. At a previous job, they were testing a very small 5 kwh pack of prismatic cells sandwiched togehter. Then one of the cells failed, and the whole pack went up in smoke within minutes, rather spectacularly.

[@RDhali]

​@@matthiasrandomstuff2221 good old Rim days. I still randomly find old Blackberry batteries in the house/workshop

[@j3sion]

Production patents expired around 2020 and it ramped up output in China to sell on the west.

[@BigEightiesNewWave]

He tests things better than anyone I have ever seen, way better. From Research In Motion, to Research in Overload protection.

[@MCsCreations]

Pretty nice device, Matthias! Great review! 😃 Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

[@Vykori]

I love this one!! adding it to my wishlist....

[@MrNonDescript01]

Thanks for the comprehensive review. That unit looks pretty much like clone (or "unbrand") of an EcoFlow River. I'm glad the market is getting the price point lower so more folks can benefit from have emergency power (or in my case, power when I'm boondocking in my little trailer).

[@matthiasrandomstuff2221]

Yes, there is quite a number of power stations on the market these days! They also make great UPSs. We had a 2 hour power outage recently, and I just carried to ugreen to my wiefe's home office. Enouch juice in there she could have worked for two days off of it!

[@conspiracyx]

I was wondering about using these as a UPS. Wouldn't keeping it plugged in just wear out the batteries?

[@KL0900]

​@@conspiracyx I had the same thought and question!

[@Grunttamer]

@@conspiracyx idk if it hurts lifepo4 batteries. It ruins lipo and liion

[@SAerror1]

@@matthiasrandomstuff2221 Could you try having it inline with a device and check the total power draw and if it is able to switch to battery power fast enough that a computer stays on if you pull the charge plug? My old APC UPS has about a 50w loss in the transformer and only manages to keep a 100w load going for an hour or so with its lead acid batteries, so one of these modern power banks would be a nice upgrade if they are actually able to switch to battery without interrupting the load.

[@hardave17]

Was half expecting you to drop test it

[@gnic76]

This was a very timely vid Matthias, was looking for something to run a freezer if power was lost during these forest fire months. Don't need a big unit, just 1000w -1500w.

[@JessicaFEREM]

I usually think of ugreen for those people who make fairly okay bluetooth recievers/transmitters, great to know they have the bravery to send a battery power station to you

[@BeardLAD]

4:15 is one of those moments your left neo-cortex has to overpower the limbic system kicking in and risking arrhythmia… …”Hey chill bro, if he was hospitalised, this upload wouldn’t exist to potentially hospitalise you!”

[@Alkatross]

Watching you slam a saw right into the power cables was exciting

[@RambozoClown]

You should do some testing with a soft start motor starter. They work wonders on RVs to start motors on solar or generator power.

[@5yearshed]

Looks like a quality item... looks great for camping.

[@reinholdu9909]

Ugreen is already charging some phones here... *BUT* a _Matthiasification_ like this one makes me sure there's this power station in my future. I'd want a *"WANDEL"* tested on my tools (most). ❤

[@davidmcgrath6507]

I didn't understand everything you talked about but I watched it all to support your efforts!

[@EvgeniMinkovdrminkov]

On the spot 👏

[@marcfruchtman9473]

Thanks for the review. On a safety note: All I can say is you are lucky your saw stopped working... please be more careful, you almost cut thru an electrical cord! (4:15). You should never be coming close to a cord with a saw like that.

[@matthiasrandomstuff2221]

It looked like the saw was close to the cord, but it's actually further away from the camera, hard to see without depth cues in the video

[@BNETT21]

Discharge load changes the capacity of cells. You gotta look at the cells datasheet and see what draw they got the numbers from. Most 18650's are rated at 0.1C(at least the ones I own and have tested). I suspect they took the stats off the battery pack and not though their box.

[@JasonJonesoriginal]

Love all your power station videos. i saw in the comments you mentioned they are good UPS's. Doing my own research I've found they are not recommended to be used as such. Would love to see you test that. Also, a lot of people get these things for backup power for medical devices like CPAPs. In my research, a lot of these shut off if too little power is used and sometimes that will shut CPAP's off in the middle of night! edit: I just double checked and ecoflow delta says it takes 30ms to switch to battery power. A quick google search shows that to be a little high for a UPS. I wonder if it's still safe for electronics.

[@MrV1T]

Also - fridges. I heard somewhere that those don't like these 30ms, curious to know if that's true or not. Could be interesting topic to investigate. P.S. Another great and interesting review. Didn't saw anyone doing this detailed tests. Thank you!

[@GabrielWB]

That was a great information dense showcase and review. Love that huge list of tested devices. One general question when it comes to portable power stations; Would the amount of distortion on that sinus mess with sensitive devices? Ie. If I have a PC connected and then add an inductive load like a medium sized drill. Would the PC flip out or even be damaged, or is distortion like that something that could be handled by the PC's internal PSU or a laptop's external power brick?

[@matthiasrandomstuff2221]

if its huge oscillations like I managed to get out of the ecoflow some time back, that managed to blow the internal fuse in my kill-a-watt meter. Most devices aren't so susceptibel ,but then again, I wasn't keen on trying it with all my electronics. Just don't sue electronics and power tools with a power station at the same time.

[@MaxGoddur]

Extensive review thank you. Does this unit function as a UPS if so what is the switch over time for the unit?

[@stevenspmd]

Nice. The battery capacity and output wattage are just enough to be useful ; my EB70s is great but the output wattage isn't enough to run most heaters.

[@matthiasrandomstuff2221]

its kind of dumb to run heaters off these things. I just use heaters because they are a great test load.

[@stevenspmd]

For long power outages I got myself one of those dual fuel generators from Costco; just which the thing would more easily start off of propane.

[@refactorear]

Love the "My fans" part lol

[@BNETT21]

I've been on the fence about these guys. Anker was who I trusted but after recent events and then having bought a few of their dual port USB wall plugs that severely underperform their specs, I'm kind of done with them. I bought a couple dual port 5V 2.4A chargers and it states that it's 2.4A per port. I can't get but 2A from one port and if I plug in something in the other port it drops to 1.7A. The LED lights I'm trying to power pull 2.1A and flicker when underpowered. These types of videos are surprisingly useful for figuring out the integrity of companies you may not know. I'm going to give them a shot now.

[@jessstone7486]

I read the reviews of every power station...along with checking the warrantee and if there's *any* customer service!

[@Dave--FkTheDeepstate]

About 15 years ago, I had a very small APS UPS (220W max?) and accidently plugged a 1000W space heater into a power strip which I momentarily forgot was plugged into the UPS. Bricked it. I was surprised that there wasn't even a fuse/protection or something inexpensive to replace. And APS said they don't repair this. 🤔☹😡

[@matthiasrandomstuff2221]

It amazes me how well these power stations handle brutal loads. I haven't dead shorted this one, but I'm pretty sure it could handle that too!

[@Powerwinoffical]

Great video! 😎😎😎Interested in reviewing our 2100W portable power station - Energizer PPS2000?

[@joruss]

Stopped that saw right in time of you cutting the cord @ 4:22 ? I wonder why virtually none installs soft start circuits in powertools. No only it does not try to rip your arm off the socket but also prevents such surges. 🤷‍♂

[@kiplinght]

Because money of course

[@matthiasrandomstuff2221]

Any variable speed tool will have a soft start. But if it's not variable speed, a simple on off switch is so much cheaper and reliable.

[@joruss]

@@kiplinght I suspect but even the "premium" brand with "premium" markup don't include that 5 bucks (retail) circuit.

[@LucasHartmann]

Just for fun, try a soft starter with the tools. Waveform is expected to be terrible, though.

[@workbenchz]

Nice power station. Could you try some practical "real-world" tests. How about how well these units run a refrigerator and a basement sump-pump, ?

[@arcrad]

I wonder if you could start the circular saw by pulsing the trigger a few times.

[@marklewus5468]

When you added the inductive load (circular saw) the inverter started to oscillate. These oscillations are concerning as they could damage sensitive electronics that might also be connected. In all fairness, one should not be connecting an 1800VA inductive load to a 1200 W inverter, and it’s no surprise that it didn’t start. I would like to see if it oscillates with an inductive load within spec (1200VA or around 1000 watts).

[@portablepowerstations]

Hey Mattias great video. what was the wattage on the belt sander?

[@ColCurtis]

They should have an induction motor setting that allows the motors to start slower with VFD or lower voltage.

[@matthiasrandomstuff2221]

yes, I kept bugging ecoflow about that, haven't bugged these folks about it yet.

[@zax71]

“This other brand” 😆 love the limitations sponsors put on people!

[@matthiasrandomstuff2221]

wasn't them, I just figured I'd do that out of precaution.

[@thunderstruck1078]

Wait, how are you printing out the current state using that big font to the top right of the terminal window? I assume that's some program which uses unicode U+25A0 "black char" or something like that? It's interesting that the rest of the console is scrolling normally, yet this is stationary and I would bet it doesn't ruin command history.

[@anonanonkiewicz1921]

They could probably some kind of a "sofstart" feature, by slowly ramping the voltage, for example.

[@paulstokes786]

Do you know the max input voltage from solar. Useful to know to see if it can be overpanelled

[@user-gf8wd3hx7r]

Nice test. Does it work as UPS with bypass mode?

[@Rockologist]

Matthias, can you review solar panels and power energy storage solutions?

[@marppp28]

I know one man who can make comfortable single wooden handle to it 😉👍

[@brianmiddleswarth3267]

I appreciate your reviews. I've been wondering about getting a solar power station (Jackery or some such) to use for recharging tool batteries (18 and 12 v.). I'm clueless for what exactly I'm looking for. Any thoughts or advice you might have would be greatly appreciated.

[@jessstone7486]

Just keep looking, reading, thinking about the power stations. Information is the 'currency of the day'. There are a TON of them and prices -are- going down. I've yet to buy but when I do, I'll certainly be informed > been looking for months.

[@alskjflaksjdflakjdf]

I'm curious if the device could power a load while charging, like if I had some computer equipment that would stay powered up 24/7 while the device charged up via solar only during the daytime. The other one is if it can be set to turn on after discharge shutdown, like if it is in a remote location and has a string of cloudy days, will the output power back up once the sun is out? That being said, thanks for the review and showing the power tools it can and can't power!

[@matthiasrandomstuff2221]

it can be used as a UPS

[@Tyrelwaite]

Bonus speed shop tour 😂

[@TomGabriele]

I don't know enough about the electronics behind it; would the soft-start feature on some saws, sanders, etc. reduce the startup current so a lower-wattage source like this would be able to successfully spin it up?

[@mlindholm]

Seems like it did when he mentioned the routers. Especially on larger units, those often have a soft-start feature integrated so they don't rip out of your hands or pull too much current (tripping breakers) when starting with large diameter bits (like panel cutting bits), but can have large amp ratings.

[@hdwoodshop]

I hope you’re conducting these high power consumption experiments at night. Your Canadian utility is going to ream you in your rates for charging that thing so many times! 😂

[@kelimike]

It would be nice to have a high dc output for universal motors.

[@avibank]

How did you get the large numbers in the top corner of the shell? Very fancy

[@matthiasrandomstuff2221]

just ascii block characters, I think some of the code is still on screen when I start the log the first time.

[@avibank]

@@matthiasrandomstuff2221 Thanks for the reply! I will try figure it out as a challenge to myself. The tricky part (for me) is getting it to print to the corner without overwriting anything from the current shell session. Sure I will get it. Commands like 'watch' sort of do this already. Anyway it's a cool little logger. Very useful.

[@spakecdk]

I can't find anywhere, what voltage range does it accept for solar charging?

[@harlanbarnhart4656]

"And now I will wire in my circular saw as a one ohm resistor..." Hmmm... Awesome idea.

[@Flowing23]

👍👍

[@groundzero_-lm4md]

I really want a portable power station that can run power tools well. Sometimes you just want to run a plug-in miter saw or table saw away from a plug. If I was charging battery tools there's chargers that can charge tool batteries on 12 V car batteries so I can skip the inverter part.

[@matthiasrandomstuff2221]

2000 watt sized power stations should run a mitor saw.

[@Robert-Smith]

Will it charge bigger power tools batteries? that would solve that problem at least if it will charge them a few times enough to make it worth while.

[@matthiasrandomstuff2221]

Power tool batteries -- the chargers for those don't use a huge amount of power, so no problem.

[@scott929]

Can any of these handle the compressor on full sized fridge (or chest freezer)? I have an electric car with an 800watt inverter that could run lights etc for many days. I’ve been contemplating getting one of these to serve as a buffer battery so I could potentially keep my fridge/freezer cold during a prolonged power outage but have doubted they could handle the startup current of my fridges 8amp induction motor.

[@matthiasrandomstuff2221]

I'm quite sure it can handle a fridge or freezer

[@stunimbus1543]

How do gasoline generators with inverter outputs react to difficult loads like power tools?

[@matthiasrandomstuff2221]

I don't know. Kind of curious myself, but not curious enough to go and buy one!

[@DaveWirth]

5:06 "this grinder thingy"

[@Traderjoe]

Can you make a video about why a sine wave is preferable to any other wave form?

[@matthiasrandomstuff2221]

because that's what the spec says that AC power should be, and what motors expect. Some devices might make noticeable audible noise if they ran on something too far from a sine wave

[@Francois_Dupont]

not available anywhere in Canada (online)?

[@express375]

did it save you from saw go bang! with the cable

[@cyrusullmann9917]

Matrhias, can you make a video on your big dust collector? I have always wanted to see what makes that one tick.

[@matthiasrandomstuff2221]

what makes it tick is a blower, powered by a motor.

[@cyrusullmann9917]

@Matthias random stuff well yeah, I was just curious since the motor is at a 90° angle to the housing where the filter bags go. I figured it would be a good video idea since your dust collection videos get decent views I'm sure.

[@ivanbasso3027]

This device probably has a lower power rating per outlet and the onboard computer reduced the voltage to give almost 1300 watts. Perhaps utilizing all the outlets with the space heaters would have given better results instead of overloading a single outlet with a probable 13 amp maximum rating with approximately 18 amps of space heaters. Hence the voltage drop protection to 90 volts.

[@andyburns]

Doesn't look like any 230V version availabe?

[@KasperPilsted]

I like how just an hour after the video is public, Amazon US is sold out, and Amazon Canada does not even carry them. seems like Ugreen should have put some more work into making these available when they advertise them.

[@matthiasrandomstuff2221]

They weren't available for shipping to canada before the video. This one isn't particularly special, but I guess people like the reassurance that it works like it should and isn't crap.

[@MoritzvonSchweinitz]

I saw a video online about using an NTC resistor in series with a motor load as a poor man's inrush-current limiter of sorts. Would this help with your power tool on battery problem, maybe?

[@matthiasrandomstuff2221]

it can help a little bit, but just a little bit. My 14" bandsaw wouldn't start off the ecoflow box, but with some extension cords (which add resistance), it would

[@cougar1861]

Is there a tap from the power station battery to charge cordless tool battery packs?

[@matthiasrandomstuff2221]

Its just got 120 volts AC and 12 voltds DC out. Also USB.

[@cougar1861]

@@matthiasrandomstuff2221 Thanks for your response AND another interesting video.

[@Conservator.]

Would it start your circular saw if you’d start it intermittently (e.g. on-off, on-off, on)

[@matthiasrandomstuff2221]

probably, if you were fast enough with the trigger

[@snocrushr]

Currently unavailable. We don't know when or if this item will be back in stock.

[@user-hh6ex9md4w]

Reply: I recently watched that video too, and it's amazing how electricity plays such a crucial role in our daily lives, especially in outdoor activities like camping. Speaking of which, have you heard of the Segway Portable PowerStation Cube Series? It's a versatile powerhouse that offers massive capacity and fast recharging, making it perfect for outdoor enthusiasts like us. I highly recommend checking it out for your outdoor gear and home backup power needs!

[@user-hh6ex9md4w]

Reply: I completely agree with you! Electricity is definitely a game-changer when it comes to outdoor activities like camping. The Segway Portable PowerStation Cube Series sounds like an amazing addition to any outdoor gear. With its massive capacity, fast recharging, and versatile sockets, it seems like it's perfect for us outdoor enthusiasts. I'll definitely check it out for my camping trips and home backup power needs. Thanks for the recommendation!

[@bboomer7th]

I wonder what the performance would be in below freezing temperatures.

[@matthiasrandomstuff2221]

Poor. The batteries need a certain temperature to operate, and need well above freezing temperature to charge. It's just a function of the battery chemistry. A previous one I tested could provide power at freezing, but needed warming up to charge. They have temperature sensors inside to prevent opreating at temperatures that would damage them.

[@YouPlague]

Having a dedicated button to turn on IOT is a point in their favor!

[@matthiasrandomstuff2221]

you have to push that button every time you want to connect, even if you connected before.

[@user-pp1cs1wg4r]

You should have to connect the router and see how quickly it turns off, when little energy is consumed.

[@therescentre770]

Could this sort of device be used to charge a car battery, or even jump start it?

[@matthiasrandomstuff2221]

doesn’t have the right dc output for that

[@SandyWalsh]

not available in Canada :/

[@JonnyDIY]

Didn't jump on it, I'm not buying 🤣💕👍

[@virtualfather]

Would it run your refrigerator? Thank you

[@matthiasrandomstuff2221]

Haven't tested it, but fridges only use 100 watts running, so should be no problem. Startup is a lot more, of course, but should be well within it's capability.

[@AndrewHelgeCox]

When the discount is $200, you know the price is going to make you wince.

[@matthiasrandomstuff2221]

yes, not super cheap!

[@miamisands3412]

I bought a similar power station sitting around collecting dust..guess im waiting for the apocalypse

[@matthiasrandomstuff2221]

very handy when you need them. Kind of useless when the power is on and you are near an outlet!

[@jessstone7486]

I know someone like that: he seems excited for something bad to happen, as he *thinks* he's prepared for anything. Not the way I wanna live, thank you. :)

[@andrewjknott]

Excellent video. Please disclose if you were paid for the video, get the unit free, get revenue from affiliate links / coupons or any other financial relationship.

[@first_namelast_name4923]

You might want to get a large auto-transformer and connect it to that power source (in series with a lightbulb that you bypass once the iron core has saturated (this can be easily automated with a delay relay)) and then connect big tools and bring up voltage slowly using auto-transformer. With big asynchronous (bandsaws) motors you could use a cheap VFD and increase the frequency slowly. EDIT: could the VFD at the output of that thing be hacked to rise the frequency slowly?

[@matthiasrandomstuff2221]

The thing could act like a VFD to bring induction motors up slowly, if it were programmed to do so. I wish one of those battery pack companies would do that.

[@Dr._Spamy]

If the saw would'nt had been stopped by the overload it would had been stopped by cutting his own powercable in the next second. 4:18 😄

[@black.sasuke.uchiha]

I haven’t heard of this channel. I just clicked on it because I saw it as an ad. Question for you guys, what is the channel about?

[@matthiasrandomstuff2221]

channel name is "matthias random stuff" It's about what the videos are about

[@mindkiller76]

If a company dares to send their product to Matthias then their product is above average at least.

[@N4w4k]

I wish you had measured how much power this device consumes on top of what is being delivered to its output (when at 100%, not charging). If I use one of these products as a UPS, the battery will always be at 100%, but I don't want it to take 500W from the wall when only using 450W at its output!

[@matthiasrandomstuff2221]

I'd estimate that at somewhere around 10-20 watts

[@riba2233]

Lifepo4 is fairly old

[@randykuhns4515]

I'm wondering,.. do you ever have a problem with laying something down and can't find it?

[@matthiasrandomstuff2221]

yes, don't we all?

[@Rob9]

Honey, the power's out, better run my miter saw! I jest.

[@markm0000]

I can feel this video was sped up slightly.

[@Warrigt]

Oddest Shop Tour I've seen in a while.

[@markjackshit4607]

It’s 1000$!!!

[@jessstone7486]

Fuggeddaboutit!

[@LuhBeanBun]

It's $750 right now! Just ordered mine it's coming tomorrow 😀

[@CorDawgYT]

It's a good thing the saw died, you were pretty dang close to that mains voltage wire lol...

[@europana7]

It can power my router … Wi-Fi router :P

[@user-qd1qu4ch3j]

I wonder if you could get one of your bigger inductive loads running (let’s say the circular saw) by having a smaller inductive load already running (let’s say an angle grinder). Idea being that you first turn on the angle grinder, let it get up to speed, then when you connect the circular saw, the angle grinder will donate some of its kinetic energy to get the circular saw going. Probably a long shot, because the donated energy would have to be enough to offset the extra base power the angle grinder is drawing. And I don’t know how the inverter would react to whatever the frequency would do. But I’d be curious to give it a try.

[@marcelg1157]

Waiting for you to test the Vehicle to Load capability from the Kia Niro EV, should do 16A🤔

[@matthiasrandomstuff2221]

haven't got one!