After carefully considering a battery system for my ute and caravan I chose the Bluetti ac180. As I do not need multiple 12v outlets because I have the Kick Ass control panel wired into the car battery of the ute. My caravan does not have an inverter but has solar , dc charger and an ac charger to top up my 130 amp AGM battery. Practicality everything is 12v except for the 3 way fridge, microwave and aircon (which I will not use off grid). The ac180 has a power lifting mode to 2700 watts which is more then enough if I need to run a kettle ,toasted sandwich maker or microwave. Its simple enough to use at anytime inside or outside the van when we are free camping off grid. Also it does not need messy fuel, manually starting it and no running noise. Based on the weight of 17kg, the option to charge by solar , car or 240v ac is more than enough for my needs. This means that the generator can stay home now. :) I also currently working on boosting the dc voltage from 12v to 24v to give me a higher input charging wattage off the car battery when driving. The ac180 has a 500watt maximum dc input at 60 volts. As it is shared with the input solar controller. Thankyou for your informed review which has cemented my decision to buy the bluetti ac180. Looking forward to watching many more of you videos. Cheers Robert
@@Roberto.Giuseppe power stations are a great alternative. I use my EcoFlow River Pro to run our camp fridge in the ute pretty much every trip. It's nice and compact as we don't really use 240v when off grid, however like you we do have that option if needed. It's capacity doesn't really lend itself to regular 240v use however. The AC180 is my pick for a similar use. On the camper I'm going to dable with more induction cooking so the extra capacity of the larger units comes in handy. I've used the Jackery on a few trips however when I started to work through the camper the problem was hooking in something like your Kick Ass control panel, unless you have w built in battery. We will see how it goes. I am loving being able to take the coffee machine on longer trips though 😉😁
Yowza! What are top video! Very informative and extremely user friendly 58:12 for us technology challenged blokes. It appears the portable station is the way to go. Thanks heaps!
I must admit this turned into a bit of a mission. I slid this video in as a few others aren't ready and require a fair bit of editing. Little did I know this would take as much 🫣😆🤣 Hopefully it helps out. I was really surprised by how it all levelled out and actually by how quickly things add up.
Thanks for the information. I was tossing up between a permanent battery fit out and the power station (Ecoflow Delta II Max + Alternator charger). The install cost + the flexibility of the power station put me on the power station path. Might even be able to use it for boat camping…maybe. Main things I need to run for a 2-3 day camping trip is the CPAP machine, fridge and the main life support system (Nespresso machine). I just need to research the noise levels of different power stations.
It really quite interesting. I personally think the power stations are a fantastic solution as you can use in so many places. I forgot to mention also that when its removed you can use the space for other things, say with the ute. They would work in boats especially for over night stays on the water, you just need to be a bit more careful regarding moisture around the unit. They are generally very quiet. You may hear the fan when running the 240v component or when a larger charge is going in, however for the most part they aren't obtrusive. Most units you can adjust the fan speed to quieten if required - this will simply slow the charging profile slightly.
Another great fully detail video 😃thank you for all the time you have put in to this video to explain in terms easy for all to understand. This has helped me with deciding on what to buy. Thanks so much
@@travellingwithtwomoodles no problem at all. I try to keep things as simple, clear and helpful as I can. My problem is that I always talk way too much 😆 I'm glad it helped in the search for a system that will suit your setup. I have a few projects and videos that are taking a bit longer than planned, so thought this would work well on the back of the other Bluetti video 👍
Power station is absolutely the go for those who have no idea about DC systems. On the other hand, those who have a bit of knowledge or willing to learn.....will save a lot of money building their own considering 314AH DIY powerbank with high qualitey LifePo4 cells costs less than $2k. You're looking at $4k for something equivalent with Bluetttie etc. Thanks for sharing
Hey Man, I’ve just set up my Ac200L with the D40 and believe it or not the D40 can’t handle my 6kw diesel heater. Chatting the bluetti to see if there’s a solution but considering the ac200 has a 12v 30a output I can’t help but think they have taken a step backwards with this one…
i might go for the bluetti 200 Elite V2 powerfull could run the subpump in case of power outtage. the other 3 power stations i have do not have the necessary start up wattage needed . the online stats say a 3/4 HP needs 3000 watts at startup then 1500watts running. the bluetti 200Elite V2 can have 3,900 watts surge so that one would run the subpump
Hey mate. Really enjoy your videos, very informative. I was wondering if you could do a video of your camping trailer maintenance, particularly the suspension and brakes. We have a 2016 jayco hawk camping trailer, it is the touring model and I'm thinking of raising it for a bit more clearance, it has bumped a few times leaving steeper driveways and think that a little more height should fix that problem. A lot of the mods you have shown in your videos are now on our van. Thanks for them. Once again great videos
Glad you enjoy them. I'm trying to get back to a few projects and DIY videos and the maintenance is one. I actually had the bearing, brakes etc recorded when I did a quick check over of the Journey before our Cairns trip last year but can't find the footage anywhere but will do on the Swan, as well as a guide on the lifting mechanism 👍
I cannot find anywhere to buy the cable from the left port of the D40 TO the 48v 8A outlet on the Bluetti. Via chat with Bluetti, they were at a loss as to what I meant. The D40 comes (shown) with one cable coming from somewhere near the mid to right side. It has a red plastic piece on the end. Is that the 48V cable? I am at a total loss here.
very nice vid, but the ac 200 max can be charged 2 ways with solar at the same time using the D050S charger making the solar imput 900 plus another 500w . dont forget it can be charged at the same time solar and mains, solar and car alternator ect i actually use the victron orion smart charger when car charging
@@xbgtjg66 100% I did start getting into that however cut it out as it was getting to complicated. Given the power stations are already fairly efficient, I decided that would be an upgrade outside of a standard system. I must admit that to date I have been relying on the cigarette style 12v input when travelling, with solar when setup at camp. If we start using 240v more heavily, we will probably look to add in a boost charger. I'm hoping Bluetti bring out something more like the EcoFlow Alternator Charger as it sounds like they do have something else in the works 😉
I prefer going with a power station and use a 24V lifepo4 battery to extend the run time of my power stations. i have 2 12,8v one 50 ah the other is a 12,8 100ah smart (bluetooth battery. But it would be better if i has 1 or 2 25,6 v batteries to charge my stations or extend the run time of each EB3A is limited to 28v the other 2 AC 70 max 58v ac180 max 60 v.
just wondering why you didn't include Jackery in the breakdown? Does the Bluetti run the same appliances as the Jackery - you had the Jackery running the caravan air con in a previous video. How much difference would there be with only 2400w inverter v 3000w inverter? New to all this and your videos have been helping us make some decisions but now I'm confused between Jackery & Bluetti.
5:32 Also comparing the AC200Max over the AC200L/AC200P L the MAX is showing a better battery life 3500 cycles vs the 3000 of the L/P versions, so that helps with cost effectiveness. But it is kinda weird they went with a smaller inverter on that unit. Also just wondering since you've had hands on. does the D40 also charge the AC200? Couldn't find any info so I'm assuming it doesn't which means ideally all solar input needs to run into the AC200 and not the D40's input
Yes there are a few differences under the skin. The D40 won't charge the AC200L. It's a bit bittersweet as it doesn't quite work like EcoFlows Alternator Charger however I'm planning on running it as an interface so I can easily remove the 200L from our camper. My approach will be to feed all power into the 200L then ferd out to the D40 and not really use it as.DC-DC. It would have been good if we could have used it to more efficiently charge from the vehicle in transit though. This is primarily why I added the 200Max into the mix, it simplifies it all down by removing the D40.
Now isn't a good time to buy Bluetti in Australia. They increased their prices for the "Prime Day Sales" which run until July 31. I bought a AC200L last month for $2400. Right now during the Prime Day Sale, the same unit is $2800. If you are going to buy a Bluetti, I would wait and see what happens to the prices next month.
The prices go up and down a fair bit. Now is a good time for the 200Max. The 200L was excellent value last month. It's always a bit of a gamble as to what the prices will be in the next round of sales however we know the AC200L can get as low as $2400 👍
i have 3 power station Bluetti EB3A AC 180 AC 70 and to expand the capacity on each i use lifepo4 batteries 12,8v but soon i will perchase a 25,6v 100 ah or 200ah battery that iinsures i can run my refrigerators freezers for a power lost that last a full day. those power station extending capacity are too expensive for my budget. when you have the $$$$$$$ which i do not have i have a budget like most of us.
@@gothepatrol it depends on how you run it. I meant to add a small snippet that you can add in a DC-DC to better charge into the power station from the vehicle or some will also use a small inverter. However it just got a bit messy. I also didn't add in the cost of outlets etc into the fixed battery system so traded one off another and tried to keep it fairly simple for this exercise. However yes you can add in additional chargers to boost the 12v charge from the vehicle to make charging more efficient. Personally we tend to maintain via the cigarette plug while in transit then rely on solar once set up to charge.
@@JamesWilliams-ps6xz I could have potentially condensed down, which I made that do one day however the audience I generally build the videos for like I go through the what, how and why - and that's what I personally am like also. I know I talk too much, however that's me. The same applies to those who say I smile too much 🤷😆 Thanks for the comment though 👍
After carefully considering a battery system for my ute and caravan I chose the Bluetti ac180. As I do not need multiple 12v outlets because I have the Kick Ass control panel wired into the car battery of the ute. My caravan does not have an inverter but has solar , dc charger and an ac charger to top up my 130 amp AGM battery. Practicality everything is 12v except for the 3 way fridge, microwave and aircon (which I will not use off grid). The ac180 has a power lifting mode to 2700 watts which is more then enough if I need to run a kettle ,toasted sandwich maker or microwave. Its simple enough to use at anytime inside or outside the van when we are free camping off grid. Also it does not need messy fuel, manually starting it and no running noise. Based on the weight of 17kg, the option to charge by solar , car or 240v ac is more than enough for my needs. This means that the generator can stay home now. :) I also currently working on boosting the dc voltage from 12v to 24v to give me a higher input charging wattage off the car battery when driving. The ac180 has a 500watt maximum dc input at 60 volts. As it is shared with the input solar controller. Thankyou for your informed review which has cemented my decision to buy the bluetti ac180. Looking forward to watching many more of you videos. Cheers Robert
@@Roberto.Giuseppe power stations are a great alternative. I use my EcoFlow River Pro to run our camp fridge in the ute pretty much every trip. It's nice and compact as we don't really use 240v when off grid, however like you we do have that option if needed. It's capacity doesn't really lend itself to regular 240v use however.
The AC180 is my pick for a similar use. On the camper I'm going to dable with more induction cooking so the extra capacity of the larger units comes in handy. I've used the Jackery on a few trips however when I started to work through the camper the problem was hooking in something like your Kick Ass control panel, unless you have w built in battery.
We will see how it goes. I am loving being able to take the coffee machine on longer trips though 😉😁
Yowza! What are top video! Very informative and extremely user friendly 58:12 for us technology challenged blokes. It appears the portable station is the way to go. Thanks heaps!
I must admit this turned into a bit of a mission. I slid this video in as a few others aren't ready and require a fair bit of editing. Little did I know this would take as much 🫣😆🤣
Hopefully it helps out. I was really surprised by how it all levelled out and actually by how quickly things add up.
Thanks for the information. I was tossing up between a permanent battery fit out and the power station (Ecoflow Delta II Max + Alternator charger). The install cost + the flexibility of the power station put me on the power station path. Might even be able to use it for boat camping…maybe. Main things I need to run for a 2-3 day camping trip is the CPAP machine, fridge and the main life support system (Nespresso machine). I just need to research the noise levels of different power stations.
It really quite interesting. I personally think the power stations are a fantastic solution as you can use in so many places. I forgot to mention also that when its removed you can use the space for other things, say with the ute.
They would work in boats especially for over night stays on the water, you just need to be a bit more careful regarding moisture around the unit. They are generally very quiet. You may hear the fan when running the 240v component or when a larger charge is going in, however for the most part they aren't obtrusive. Most units you can adjust the fan speed to quieten if required - this will simply slow the charging profile slightly.
Another great fully detail video 😃thank you for all the time you have put in to this video to explain in terms easy for all to understand. This has helped me with deciding on what to buy. Thanks so much
@@travellingwithtwomoodles no problem at all. I try to keep things as simple, clear and helpful as I can. My problem is that I always talk way too much 😆
I'm glad it helped in the search for a system that will suit your setup. I have a few projects and videos that are taking a bit longer than planned, so thought this would work well on the back of the other Bluetti video 👍
Power station is absolutely the go for those who have no idea about DC systems. On the other hand, those who have a bit of knowledge or willing to learn.....will save a lot of money building their own considering 314AH DIY powerbank with high qualitey LifePo4 cells costs less than $2k. You're looking at $4k for something equivalent with Bluetttie etc. Thanks for sharing
Hey Man, I’ve just set up my Ac200L with the D40 and believe it or not the D40 can’t handle my 6kw diesel heater. Chatting the bluetti to see if there’s a solution but considering the ac200 has a 12v 30a output I can’t help but think they have taken a step backwards with this one…
i might go for the bluetti 200 Elite V2 powerfull could run the subpump in case of power outtage. the other 3 power stations i have do not have the necessary start up wattage needed . the online stats say a 3/4 HP needs 3000 watts at startup then 1500watts running. the bluetti 200Elite V2 can have 3,900 watts surge so that one would run the subpump
Hey mate.
Really enjoy your videos, very informative.
I was wondering if you could do a video of your camping trailer maintenance, particularly the suspension and brakes.
We have a 2016 jayco hawk camping trailer, it is the touring model and I'm thinking of raising it for a bit more clearance, it has bumped a few times leaving steeper driveways and think that a little more height should fix that problem.
A lot of the mods you have shown in your videos are now on our van. Thanks for them.
Once again great videos
Glad you enjoy them. I'm trying to get back to a few projects and DIY videos and the maintenance is one. I actually had the bearing, brakes etc recorded when I did a quick check over of the Journey before our Cairns trip last year but can't find the footage anywhere but will do on the Swan, as well as a guide on the lifting mechanism 👍
I cannot find anywhere to buy the cable from the left port of the D40 TO the 48v 8A outlet on the Bluetti. Via chat with Bluetti, they were at a loss as to what I meant. The D40 comes (shown) with one cable coming from somewhere near the mid to right side. It has a red plastic piece on the end. Is that the 48V cable? I am at a total loss here.
very nice vid, but the ac 200 max can be charged 2 ways with solar at the same time using the D050S charger making the solar imput 900 plus another 500w . dont forget it can be charged at the same time solar and mains, solar and car alternator ect i actually use the victron orion smart charger when car charging
@@xbgtjg66 100% I did start getting into that however cut it out as it was getting to complicated. Given the power stations are already fairly efficient, I decided that would be an upgrade outside of a standard system.
I must admit that to date I have been relying on the cigarette style 12v input when travelling, with solar when setup at camp. If we start using 240v more heavily, we will probably look to add in a boost charger. I'm hoping Bluetti bring out something more like the EcoFlow Alternator Charger as it sounds like they do have something else in the works 😉
I prefer going with a power station and use a 24V lifepo4 battery to extend the run time of my power stations. i have 2 12,8v one 50 ah the other is a 12,8 100ah smart (bluetooth battery.
But it would be better if i has 1 or 2 25,6 v batteries to charge my stations or extend the run time of each EB3A is limited to 28v the other 2 AC 70 max 58v ac180 max 60 v.
just wondering why you didn't include Jackery in the breakdown? Does the Bluetti run the same appliances as the Jackery - you had the Jackery running the caravan air con in a previous video. How much difference would there be with only 2400w inverter v 3000w inverter? New to all this and your videos have been helping us make some decisions but now I'm confused between Jackery & Bluetti.
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5:32 Also comparing the AC200Max over the AC200L/AC200P L the MAX is showing a better battery life 3500 cycles vs the 3000 of the L/P versions, so that helps with cost effectiveness.
But it is kinda weird they went with a smaller inverter on that unit.
Also just wondering since you've had hands on. does the D40 also charge the AC200? Couldn't find any info so I'm assuming it doesn't which means ideally all solar input needs to run into the AC200 and not the D40's input
Yes there are a few differences under the skin. The D40 won't charge the AC200L. It's a bit bittersweet as it doesn't quite work like EcoFlows Alternator Charger however I'm planning on running it as an interface so I can easily remove the 200L from our camper. My approach will be to feed all power into the 200L then ferd out to the D40 and not really use it as.DC-DC.
It would have been good if we could have used it to more efficiently charge from the vehicle in transit though. This is primarily why I added the 200Max into the mix, it simplifies it all down by removing the D40.
Now isn't a good time to buy Bluetti in Australia. They increased their prices for the "Prime Day Sales" which run until July 31. I bought a AC200L last month for $2400. Right now during the Prime Day Sale, the same unit is $2800. If you are going to buy a Bluetti, I would wait and see what happens to the prices next month.
The prices go up and down a fair bit. Now is a good time for the 200Max. The 200L was excellent value last month. It's always a bit of a gamble as to what the prices will be in the next round of sales however we know the AC200L can get as low as $2400 👍
i have 3 power station Bluetti EB3A AC 180 AC 70 and to expand the capacity on each i use lifepo4 batteries 12,8v but soon i will perchase a 25,6v 100 ah or 200ah battery that iinsures i can run my refrigerators freezers for a power lost that last a full day. those power station extending capacity are too expensive for my budget. when you have the $$$$$$$ which i do not have i have a budget like most of us.
You haven’t included the cost to get alternator power into the power station, good video otherwise
@@gothepatrol it depends on how you run it. I meant to add a small snippet that you can add in a DC-DC to better charge into the power station from the vehicle or some will also use a small inverter. However it just got a bit messy. I also didn't add in the cost of outlets etc into the fixed battery system so traded one off another and tried to keep it fairly simple for this exercise.
However yes you can add in additional chargers to boost the 12v charge from the vehicle to make charging more efficient. Personally we tend to maintain via the cigarette plug while in transit then rely on solar once set up to charge.
Holy crap, a 15 minute video that takes an hour:/
58 minute video?!?! Oy vey....nope!
Can you stop repeating yourself and get on with it please. Sorry I tried to stay with you but you do go on a bit. Jon WA
TOO MUCH TALKING
There's plenty of other channels that explain things using crayons for unintelligent people like you..
Run along now
@@JamesWilliams-ps6xz I could have potentially condensed down, which I made that do one day however the audience I generally build the videos for like I go through the what, how and why - and that's what I personally am like also.
I know I talk too much, however that's me. The same applies to those who say I smile too much 🤷😆 Thanks for the comment though 👍
First five minutes wasted time i am out
@@Iamandthatiam no problem, these videos are made for a certain audience and will not suit everyone 😉
Brilliant vid!!
Thank you. Hopefully it helps a few out 👍