happy/ unhappy bluetti users?

1683 Views 30 Replies 8 Participants Last post by Frothvan, 6 d ago

wayneIII

Discussion Starter · 21 d ago

The bluetti ac200max is on sale. Ive done the research to be able to charge the thing from a B2B system and ready to pull the trigger on it. My only hesitation is I read lots of horror stories of the customer service from bluetti. The box im looking at as an alternate is the Goal Zero 1500x, which is so much of an inferior product for the same price, but if the bluetti is a POS out of the box, it doesn't matter how good the specs are on the bluetti...

Any happy / unhappy bluetti users on here? Seems that people fall into two camps- love it or never again.

1 - 20 of 31 Posts

richards

· #2 · 21 d ago

I have been using an EB 150 for several years and could not be happier. Their support was difficult at first but then seemed to get better.

Frothvan

· #3 · 20 d ago

We've been using the AC200Max since November last year and it has been working perfectly for our weekender / week long / 10 day trips.

Here is a little bit about the unit, as I feel like I felt a bit in the dark when committing to the purchase!

12v Abilities: We originally had an Ecoflow Delta Mini from July to November over Summer, before needing to upgrade in order to power the initial kick of our gas Bison 2000A Bunk heater. The AC200Max's 12v/30Amp RV Port helps with this and isn't talked about enough when comparing to Ecoflow/Jackery units. I understand the Goal Zero units had a max current cable available to gain a higher ampage output.

Using the RV Port, we bought the $50 12V/30A RV Cable and put a XT60-M connection on the wire to our 12v fuse block (Auxbeam 8-way gang switch which made wiring switches super simple).

We leave the DC output on constantly.

AC Abilities:
We have kept AC quite simple, with 2x extension cords that we plug in. 1st is to above our Kitchen unit and wired into a AC outlet for Breville Barista Coffee Machine, Toaster and Nutribullet or anything else. 2nd is plugged into our Bosch water heater, which we leave unplugged and only plug in when we want to use the heater as it draws/depletes our battery typically by ~25.

We do not leave the AC output on constantly as there is wasted draw from the inverter. The unit has a 4hr auto cutoff if it detects no load has been used if you have forgotten to turn the AC off.

Both AC and DC can be toggled from the Bluetooth app, however, we wish there was an option for a wired controller/display that can be connected to the unit and placed near our kitchenette so we can toggle the AC and also monitor the battery.

Alternator Charging:
We have a 1200W inverter connected to CCP2 to charge the unit via the 400w AC charger. We typically get ~395W input with this while driving.

Our setup is as follows:
Inverter and wires from Breaker: GIANDEL Pure Sine Wave Power Inverter 1200W DC 12V to AC 110V 120V with Remote Control with Dual AC Outlets & USB Port for RV Truck Car Boat and Emergency
Wires from CCP to Breaker: AIEX 2pcs 1FT/30CM Battery Cables, Car Battery Charger Cable 2 awg 2 Gauge Battery Cable Pure Copper Power Inverter Cable Set with Terminal for Truck Motorcycle Solar RV Car Mower (Black Red 3/8 Lugs)
Breaker: Blue Sea Systems 7188 285-Series Circuit Breaker, Surface Mount, 120A
Breaker Mount: Not sure how to tag them, but @faroutride has a great 3D printed breaker mount that with double-sided tape and cable ties can cleanly mount to the back of the driver's seat base.

We originally went for a Renogy inverter which failed within a couple of trips which we suspect was a blown fuse. Looking inside the unit it was not easy to replace the fuse and it was the middle of winter so we went ahead and purchased a GIANDEL inverter based on a few posts here on the forum.

The con with the GIANDEL inverter is that you need to turn it on every time you drive. It automatically turns off when the van cuts power to the CCP, or you can also turn it off yourself. Ultimately, this is probably a good thing but it we sometimes forget to turn it on, or turn it back on if we have stopped for a short time on a longer drive, but we are planning on putting a label/reminder on our dash.

A DC-DC charging option may eliminate this turn-on/off problem, but the switching problem (mentioned below with shore/mains charging) would shift to Alternator/Solar. I'm also not sure how many watts you achieve with DC-DC.

Shore/Mains Charging:
We have a NOCO port under the rear driver's side of our van - there are some flexible plastic covers that can be easily removed and the port installed into and popped back in - I think it may be covered on Richbuilt's youtube. We also have a RV ac adapter to go with our extension cord.

This provides a good stealthy option for charging when at camp grounds or before a trip at our apartment.

The Con with this setup would be that inside the van, wires are a little messy as you need to manually (remember to) switch the AC charger between the Inverter cable and the NOCO cable.

Solar Charging:
We recently bought 2x Ecoflow 160W foldable panels and they are working great so far this summer to keep our Bluetti unit powering a fridge to keep drinks/food cool and our Maxxair fan to keep us cool!

Feel free to reach out if you have any questions in particular!

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Reactions: 1

dustboy

· #4 · 20 d ago

Frothvan said:
The AC200Max's 12v/30Amp RV Port helps with this and isn't talked about enough when comparing to Ecoflow/Jackery units. I understand the Goal Zero units had a max current cable available to gain a higher ampage output.

I briefly considered a power station to replace my lead acid battery-based system. It's surprising the AC200Max is one of only a few stations that has more than a 10A 12VDC output. A van conversion seems like an ideal use case for these units, 10A is about half the bare minimum.

Frothvan

· #5 · 20 d ago

dustboy said:
A van conversion seems like an ideal use case for these units, 10A is about half the bare minimum.

Completely agree - I can't believe Ecoflow and Jackery keep updating their units but seem to miss this key feature. This and a wired display/controller would be great.

Instead, they seem to be pushing more of the AC side of things, which to me with the rise of USB C, seems to quickly be less of a need.

Reactions: 1

Paulmorabito

· #6 · 20 d ago

Happy with my ac200. Max wasnt out 2yr ago. Recently bought b230. I’ve 4000watts now. Zero issues with unit. Charger went out and bluetti had me new within a week. I’d buy again for sure

Reactions: 1

wayneIII

Discussion Starter · #7 · 20 d ago

thanks to all that chimed in. Thanks to frothvan for detailed reply. I just ordered the bluetti. My van goes to the upfitter within the next month. I plan on hooking the bluetti up via a B2B, I will document how that goes here. Thanks again,

Cheers

Reactions: 1

Paulmorabito

· #8 · 20 d ago

I ordered the charge enhancer too. Another difference with solar charge. I think it’s as good as all rest. Love the expansion ability too!

wayneIII

Discussion Starter · #9 · 20 d ago

Paulmorabito said:
I ordered the charge enhancer too. Another difference with solar charge. I think it’s as good as all rest. Love the expansion ability too!

What’s the charge enhancer ?

Paulmorabito

· #10 · 20 d ago

Look
Up charging enhancer on their site under accessories

Osidelee

· #11 · 20 d ago

I’ve been eyeing up the ac200max to replace my jackery 1000. This sale price pops up from time to time. Wonder if it gets a little better around the holidays

wayneIII

Discussion Starter · #12 · 19 d ago

Osidelee said:
I’ve been eyeing up the ac200max to replace my jackery 1000. This sale price pops up from time to time. Wonder if it gets a little better around the holidays

It has been $1500 before i think on black friday once, so the current price of $1600 isnt terrible.

I was able to get nearly another $100 of (so basically paid the black friday price) using that "ID me " thing at checkout because I work in a hospital To be honest, I don't know if they even verified my employment and suspect that anybody who tries the ID me will get the extra 5% off...

Reactions: 1

ft250mr148

· #13 · 19 d ago

Been looking at Bluetti, Anker and other mfg.
Noted that AC200Max is spec'ed to operate at -4 to 104 F; much better than other supplier(the exception is Eco Flow ?).
Can someone confirm that there is a built in BMS that will protect the battery if temperature dip below the operating/storage temp specs. ?
Somewhat surprised to see this new specs; it seems, just a few months ago, the temperature specs. was much higher; so was considering using Victron Smart Battery setup etc...

T22A80

· #14 · 19 d ago

I know you already bought one but....... I bought an AC200Max about a year ago. My van is a very simple build with Maxair, 12V fridge and a Webasto heater. I picked the AC200Max because of the RV plug. As others have mentioned nobody else except GZ offers a higher amperage port. I feel the Bluetti is a much better unit because of the battery chemestry so that's why I went with it. I took the RV plug that's included with the unit and cutoff the end and wired that to a blue sea fuse panel so I didn't have to buy any additional cables. The one thing that sucks is the plug sticks out a lot. I really wish they made a 90 degree plug, I'd be willing to buy that. We use our van for weekend adventures so we rarely are in it more than 2 nights. That being said I could get an entire weekend out of it if I was conservative with the usage like running the fan only when sleeping and getting the fridge cold by plugging it in before filling it up for the weekend. It worked but I was always nervous I'd run out of power. So I bought a heavy gage cigarette wire off amazon (link below) and hooked it up to the CCP on the port that only supplies power when the van battery is healthy. (I have dual batteries) I ran this wire to the back of the van and use the supplied cigarette lighter plug from Bluetti for charging. It will only charge at about 95W but I've found since we drive around so much it gets to 100% quickly and only drops to about 80% with the fridge and heater running all night. If we drive even a little bit the next it's back up around 100% because it'll keep charging for a bit even after you turn the van off. This solution cost me about $20. I was going to do a DC converter and the charger as others have mentioned but I have no need to charge that fast and it was expensive. I also bought a 100W foldable solar panel for if we plan on being in one location for very long but honestly have never needed it.

I did have one issue where the AC power brick died on me. I kept trying to call and leave messages and nobody would ever answer or call back, I was getting really frustrated. In the end I emailed them and got a response the next day. They sent me out a replacement brick and I had it in a couple days. Point is if you need customer support just email them. I always prefer to call but most companies are going away from that.

Link to 12V port.

www.amazon.com

Amazon.com: 12V/24V Fixed Thread Cigarette Lighter Socket Extension Cable with Perforated Terminal, Direct Battery Type, car Cigarette Lighter Adapter. 14AWG 20A Heavy Duty Cable 10FT（Free Two Blade fuses） : Automotive

Buy 12V/24V Fixed Thread Cigarette Lighter Socket Extension Cable with Perforated Terminal, Direct Battery Type, car Cigarette Lighter Adapter. 14AWG 20A Heavy Duty Cable 10FT（Free Two Blade fuses）: Cigarette Lighters & Parts - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

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T22A80

· #15 · 19 d ago

ft250mr148 said:
Been looking at Bluetti, Anker and other mfg.
Noted that AC200Max is spec'ed to operate at -4 to 104 F; much better than other supplier(the exception is Eco Flow ?).
Can someone confirm that there is a built in BMS that will protect the battery if temperature dip below the operating/storage temp specs. ?
Somewhat surprised to see this new specs; it seems, just a few months ago, the temperature specs. was much higher; so was considering using Victron Smart Battery setup etc...

I have a AC200Max and live in Maine. A few times this winter I wanted to charge it up to 100% before going off for a weekend and it wouldn't charge because it was too cold. I had to bring it inside my house. I've since added a 12V cable hooked to the CCP. More info in my other reply to this thread.

ft250mr148

· #16 · 19 d ago

Thanks for the info !
I always thought 2000WH is plenty of power for day to day use; the exception is when the need to power "AC" unit.
It seems Bluetti is good candidate; I like Anker physical setup - it has wheel on it; so "more" portable; but Bluetti has better temp. operating specs.

Lee

Frothvan

· #17 · 19 d ago

T22A80 said:
I really wish they made a 90 degree plug

Agree! I did try to look for one online but didn't have any luck. If anyone has found one, please let us all know!

Osidelee said:
I’ve been eyeing up the ac200max to replace my jackery 1000. This sale price pops up from time to time. Wonder if it gets a little better around the holidays

I purchased mine on November 13, 2022, and there was some sort of sale on at the time so I paid CAD$2,199.00 down from CAD$2,599.00 which works out to be ~15% off if wanting to compare to USD. I was in a rush to purchase to get my heater going so was happy not to be paying full price (if anyone ever does these days?).

The real win I recently had on sales was with the Ecoflow 160W portable panels. Each panel is usually CAD$599 and I managed to get them on sale on Amazon for CAD$384.00. Ecoflow's customer service was great as I had originally bought the first panel for $499, and a few days later before the first panel arrived, the price dropped and I snapped up another panel thinking I'd return the first. The panels ended up being great so I contacted Ecoflow and asked if they'd match the price on the first panel and they did.

Frothvan

· #18 · 19 d ago

I think this thread has great info on the different charging options, DC-DC, Inverter and even Cigarette Port (I did use and can still use in addition to my inverter).

To add some in-use context, my take is:

DC-DC - I did not take this approach:

Charge Rate: TBC

Pros:

Likely the cleanest and less fuss option (no switching inverter on/off etc.). [See note on friend borrowing my van in Inverter Cons below]
Perhaps the highest charging rate for a single connection? I look forward to seeing results from @wayneIII

Cons:

Swapping cables if you want to use solar.
I'd argue that the installation is more difficult and the DC-DC charger options are a bit confusing / require more research. Understanding inverters came a little more naturally to me, and if I ever needed to direct friends over the phone, red and black DC going into the unit and an extension cord coming out is simple if they needed to replace.

Cost: I'm not sure but hopefully @wayneIII can update once complete.

Inverter - I went with this approach

Charge Rate: With just the AC Adapter that comes with the Bluetti unit, ~395W.

Pros:

Can leave solar plugged in constantly.
Once inverter installation is complete, everything is Plug and Play onwards which is a big plus for me for the following reasons:

i) I have the option to start the van and power other higher-draw appliances if needed, bypassing my Bluetti to save battery if the draw is greater than what I can charge at. In reality, I have not done this but it's nice to have the option.

ii) I'd likely rethink my approach and upsize my 1200w inverter to 2000w to easily handle my bosch hot water heater in the bypassing approach above, or purchase the Bluetti T500 AC Adapter(500W) with XT90 connector to be able to charge at 900w easily without overworking the 1200w inverter.

iii) I still have my Ecoflow Delta Mini from before I upgraded to the Bluetti which I thought I'd sell but has turned out to be a great addition. The Delta mini is super compact, charges between 600-900w in fast charge mode and doesn't have a large AC brick to charge (its all internal). It's the perfect extra battery (882wh capacity), which allows us to easily power things outside of the van (Pumping SUPs, laptops at picnic tables), but even better is if we want to get additional charge we either charge via the Ecoflow unit at the higher charge rate, or can set a lower charge rate and charge both units via the inverter.

Cons:

Need to switch inverter on/off constantly (depending on inverter) and sometimes I forget. I let my friend borrow the van and he said it seemed more complicated than the van he rented once which had a B2B system that just did things automatically.
Need to switch plugs if changing from Shore/Mains power and Inverter. For me this is only a problem once I arrive back to my apartment after a trip as I'm rarely plugging into shore power while on the road.
Wiring is not super clean.

Cost
Inverter and cables included with inverter - CAD$240.76
Circuit Breaker - CAD$70
Cables to Circuit Breaker - CAD$20.99
Total: CAD$331.75

Additional items which may not need to be purchased:

Extension cord from Inverter: ~CAD$10
Faroutride Circuit Breaker Mount: CAD$35
Cable Ties / Nuts & Bolts / Washers etc: CAD$5

Cigarette Port

Charge Rate: ~100w

Pros:
- Super simple and can be in addition to the AC or PV charging if accessories are purchased.

Cons:

Slower charge rate compared to other options.
Need to be careful with wires heating up, particularly if running longer lengths.

Cost: $0 - Short cable comes with the Bluetti, perhaps $20 to buy an extension.

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wayneIII

Discussion Starter · #19 · 18 d ago

ft250mr148 said:
Been looking at Bluetti, Anker and other mfg.
Noted that AC200Max is spec'ed to operate at -4 to 104 F; much better than other supplier(the exception is Eco Flow ?).
Can someone confirm that there is a built in BMS that will protect the battery if temperature dip below the operating/storage temp specs. ?
Somewhat surprised to see this new specs; it seems, just a few months ago, the temperature specs. was much higher; so was considering using Victron Smart Battery setup etc...

the low temps was one of the deciding factors as well as I live in the frozen tundra. IM 99% sure it has a built in BMS.

this review (which could be wrong obviously) claims it has a BMS...

wayneIII

Discussion Starter · #20 · 18 d ago

T22A80 said:
I know you already bought one but....... I bought an AC200Max about a year ago. My van is a very simple build with Maxair, 12V fridge and a Webasto heater. I picked the AC200Max because of the RV plug. As others have mentioned nobody else except GZ offers a higher amperage port. I feel the Bluetti is a much better unit because of the battery chemestry so that's why I went with it. I took the RV plug that's included with the unit and cutoff the end and wired that to a blue sea fuse panel so I didn't have to buy any additional cables. The one thing that sucks is the plug sticks out a lot. I really wish they made a 90 degree plug, I'd be willing to buy that. We use our van for weekend adventures so we rarely are in it more than 2 nights. That being said I could get an entire weekend out of it if I was conservative with the usage like running the fan only when sleeping and getting the fridge cold by plugging it in before filling it up for the weekend. It worked but I was always nervous I'd run out of power. So I bought a heavy gage cigarette wire off amazon (link below) and hooked it up to the CCP on the port that only supplies power when the van battery is healthy. (I have dual batteries) I ran this wire to the back of the van and use the supplied cigarette lighter plug from Bluetti for charging. It will only charge at about 95W but I've found since we drive around so much it gets to 100% quickly and only drops to about 80% with the fridge and heater running all night. If we drive even a little bit the next it's back up around 100% because it'll keep charging for a bit even after you turn the van off. This solution cost me about $20. I was going to do a DC converter and the charger as others have mentioned but I have no need to charge that fast and it was expensive. I also bought a 100W foldable solar panel for if we plan on being in one location for very long but honestly have never needed it.

I did have one issue where the AC power brick died on me. I kept trying to call and leave messages and nobody would ever answer or call back, I was getting really frustrated. In the end I emailed them and got a response the next day. They sent me out a replacement brick and I had it in a couple days. Point is if you need customer support just email them. I always prefer to call but most companies are going away from that.

Link to 12V port.

Amazon.com: 12V/24V Fixed Thread Cigarette Lighter Socket Extension Cable with Perforated Terminal, Direct Battery Type, car Cigarette Lighter Adapter. 14AWG 20A Heavy Duty Cable 10FT（Free Two Blade fuses） : Automotive

Buy 12V/24V Fixed Thread Cigarette Lighter Socket Extension Cable with Perforated Terminal, Direct Battery Type, car Cigarette Lighter Adapter. 14AWG 20A Heavy Duty Cable 10FT（Free Two Blade fuses）: Cigarette Lighters & Parts - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

This is real world use I love to hear! So you are running a fridge, fan, and heater (presumable heater and fan not at same time) with the bluetti 200max and still only uses 20% of battery overnight, and they you are easily able to recharge it to 100% with a 95W cigarette lighter and no other charging source? Love it!!

Which cord that you mentioned seems to stick out really far?

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