CHECK OUT MONTEK HERE: gohobo.io/montek [UPDATE: Montek is changing the NMC battery to a higher voltage to match the LFP] PS - This is my longest review ever. Enjoy!
Love my Montek 1K. Purchased after watching your review 2 years ago. I've beat it up in the woods and use it for projects at home/work. Don't have a use case for a new unit otherwise I'd jump on it. That is an amazing deal. These guys have good support. My solar cable was messed up and they rushed me out a new one on my order. They are very responsive. This is the bomb Hobotech and you're the man!
Very impressive units. I compared it to the Bluetti 180. This one has almost twice the capacity, a higher rated inverter, faster charging, smaller form factor and the same weight. Yes it is more expensive but overall a much better value
I think you earned your paycheck on this review video, Tom. It's an amazing series of products with just a few pre-production flaws that you've isolated for us. Nicely done.
Beaten the crap out of my X1000 on several trips. Still working great. Monte is extremely responsive and will sort you out if you have issues, which you most likely won’t. Ordered an x2000 as soon as I could. You wont be disappointed.
Thank you Professor, I was waiting for your review before making a buy/no buy decision on the Montek X1200/X2000 campaign. It was your prior review on the X1000 a few years ago that prompted me to purchase that unit and it has worked well since then. Plus, I've seen how Montek does provide customer service since my purchase. So thank you again for your work.
LOVED this review. I was grinning from ear to ear when I wasn't hugging myself, scared something would blow up when you went over voltage. "Unlimited playground when it comes to solar panels" was music to my ears, as solar input is one of my favorite of all the specs. 😎 Another favorite feature is the rich onboard settings menu. It even has a cycle counter. I am not a fan of apps, but love the ability to adjust charge rate and charge limit, so being able to do that without the need for an app is a huge plus in my book. Thank you so much, Hobotech, for the great and detailed review. That must have been a ton of work at your busiest time, to work with two main units and two expansion batteries. The X2000 and your review of it was well worth the wait. Based on my two X1000s, also thanks to your review, I know the final version will exceed current specs and performance.
They packed nearly every feature into these units. It’s incredible. Perfect for a Sailboat. The X1200 … 1200 watt solar input, now we are talking. My ultimate charge goal is 1500 watt, equal to a standard household kitchen appliance for perfect pass thru charging at high noon. Not a fan of outlets on the sides. That makes it harder to use it as a permanent setup in a vehicle. But I do like the form factor. Can you use the nmc expansion battery x2000 and connect it to the x1200 main unit? That would give you a 3kwh capacity with 1800 watt of input. Of course it’s cheaper to get a server rack battery as expansion. I don’t even have any money right now, but I’m tempted to order the x1200 App support : yes, needs it badly. Hope it’s Bluetooth, not WiFi. Maybe an add on plug in remote display is nice too.
Interesting what you said about doubling the cycles in your battery by limiting discharge to 10% limiting full charge to 90% would love to know your thoughts about charging. Jackery warns users not to discharge below 20% and I've heard that even with cell phones, you shouldn't charge lithium ion batteries above 80%. Maybe you could do an episode where you just talk about best charging/discharging practices. Love your videos keep it up!
Really like all the settings, especially for the charge and discharge limits for use as a UPS. Also nice that these can all be changed without an app for off grid scenarios and those solar limits are really good too. Definitely checks a lot of boxes with the expandability and potential 240v, but I would wait until they fix those efficiency issues with the X1200 and it gets past the crowdfunding stage. One thing that would be nice to know on units that can run as UPSes is what is the fan noise like under moderate loads such a 200-500w discharging and charging.
Got the 1000 when it came out. The best outdoor Gen I have. I never worry on rain or it being muddy, you literally can beat the heel out of them and looking to getting one of the new ones
Good upgrade on the UPS test with the laptop playing a video thus ensuring that the computer is still working when AC power is removed. Good stuff. thanks
Excellent double review!!! It would've been great to see an amperage test on the cig outlet. I believe this is the first sol-gen to offer 15 amp instead of just 10a...a plus for OTR appliances!
Looking at that "I want to believe" sticker in the background and it really hits home. Ship estimates were originally in MAY, it's near the end of SEPTEMBER and we're still getting excuses.
Temperature weirdness is probably just an unsigned char vs two's complement issue. Easy fix, once they read the data sheet on the temperature sensor (A to D converter).
The difference in performance is only on the prototypes The pre production X2000 has a 37v battery whereas the X1200 has a 51.2v battery Both retail versions will have 51.2v batteries and both will have 1200w solar input
I ordered two x1200s and I really hope they up the efficiency for that version. Nonetheless, a suitcase size power station with 240v adapter and 150 friggin volt limit is a must have. I emailed Montek and asked if two linked units could work with a different solar array on each unit and they said yes. I live in Florida and I need this before hurricane season starts.
Know I’m late to the party. But I’m ordering this as I just got a communication from Montek that they will be adding the ability to turn off both WiFi and Bluetooth transceivers from the MENU, per my request. At 5:16 a.m. Hong Kong Time I asked if they could add that functionality. At 5:16 he says the engineer would add it to the menu. THAT’S customer service.
I just want to drop a line to let you know I appreciate you and what you do unlike some others who just want to appeal to his uppy friends yea you know who I'm talking about
Great review as always. Did they send you any of their 400 watt solar panels to test? They look pretty good at only $600 and only 20lbs. (But they are kind of long at 10 feet long).
Great review. It’s like you were reading my mind. I just put a tan X1000 in my cart off of your reviews. I like that it looks like an actual briefcase and has a panel inside (even if it’s only 80w).
@HOBOTECH thank you so much for this review. I have one burning question, you mentioned an app is coming in the near future. Did you see any bluetooth/wifi receiver in there when you opened it up?
Such an incredible review... These Montek's look really good. As you mentioned there is the issue with the Amp Noise, hopefully in the production model they can reduce the noise distortion. Additionally, I don't quite understand the "external battery" methodology as far as not updating the available charge. So, it sounds like the extra battery is just a parallel connection... and it simply balances the charge via the BMS... Just out of curiosity, if we purchase two of the X2000 models, can we connect X2000 to X2000 instead of X2000 to B2000?
From the specs page, I think you can connect both x2000 but then not batteries. That's the rout I'm taking because I want 240v. Will figure out batteries later.
Great video! I just went to claim one of the X2000's and noticed that they also offer discounted solar panels as a bundle. I couldn't find any reviews on their SP200 or SP400. Do you happen to have any experience with either and recommend them?
Tom .it's the other way round . The Nmc preproduction is currently 37v . It's the Nmc battery that's going to be changed to 51.8v . They are both expected to operate around 90% battery capacity .
The sine wave under large loads looked bad. Easy for me to suggest but I think you need to get a much better waveform analyzer/display (Jasonid has a very excellent one).
Thanks for this review, this is a really interesting product. I hope you'll tell us right away if/when Montek replies to your question about efficiency (where the NMC got 98/99% vs the LFP in the low 80% range.) Regarding the amp noise test, would it make any difference if you moved the amp to be a couple yards away from the product? Just curious as I was really hoping it wouldn't buzz 😞
@@HOBOTECH Thanks for letting me know that. I'm a musician and familiar with the dreaded ground loop/hum sound. It is a pet peeve of mine! That's too bad this product fails this test 😞
Greetings,Hobotech! Have you heard about 12V 460Ah LiFePO4 Battery | Group 8D Size, IP67, Heated, Bluetooth & Victron Comms system? Hopefully you get to review it. Looks promising.
37:48 Hi Hobo, I decided I needed more AC in my camper van. Would you recommend two X2000'S or an X2000 & B2000. I'm a little confused about the power balancing you mentioned. Can you still use the entirety of the x2000 & B2000 as AC power? Because you said if the B2000 battery is lower than the X2000, the main unit would feed the B2000 to balance the system. Do you happen to know the transfer speed? I thought if they're both charged to 100% the B2000 would drain before the X2000.
My guess is your scenario wouldn't work. As I understand it, wall power input charges the batteries (unless in UPS mode?) and the AC outputs for each X2000/X1200 are generated independently by the internal inverters. That's why the split-phase box is needed.
I do however think this product makes excellent sense for a camper build the rugged construction is perfect for the back of a pickup truck overlanding on crap roads.
Any electrical in a storm... Just reduce the usage as much as possible for longer life, I think running as a ups counts as use. Just my first random thought with no experience backing it.u
LFP is all around "safer" but the chances of fire with modern NMC batteries are over one in a million. They aren't like cell phone or RC batteries that commonly catch fire when charged over temperature.
Great review! I was 100% all in UNTIL hearing the new Monteks do not feature an internal heater for cold weather operation :'( Anyone by chance know of a relatively easy way to add a safe/dependable heater pad to the new Monteks?
I have a question on all newer solar generators. Since they have everything you need in one box, can you use them only for a van build? Is there one to run maxair fans, 12v ac, and a 12 fridge. I don't want propane in the van, so an induction stove.
Yes, these offer 30A (360w) output. Not sure about the "12v a/c" depends on the amps. You might need one of the B batteries with another 30A output for that.
I have one burning question about this power station. Will it be available with European sockets at 230V AC? I could not find anything about this on Indigo.
love your vids..... I have 2 Oukitel P2001 generators.......is there any way I can pair these to hook up to a home transfer switch and use 240v for a well pump? s
Update to previous post: what did you mean by "the rudimentary UPS" of the Montek? What makes it rudimentary? Or alternatively, what extra features come with a full featured UPS?
@@HOBOTECHThanks. Familiar with the term rudimentary. I have a APC Smart UPS already, but was hoping to increase the run time on my router and WIFI by getting something like this (or even larger, space dependent.) I'll check the list of features.
@@adaj3333 You can run the real UPS off the solar generator for more runtime. This is what I do for my own network gear. I use an EB3A into a Cyberpower UPS so it will run a few hours in a blackout.
If you happen to have two of the X1200 or X2000's instead of having one main unit and one of their respective batteries can you link them together in some way to act as a single large battery like you could as if you had, for instance, an X2000 and B2000?
On the indie gogo page ot says you can't use the x1200 and x2000 together, but in your video you used them to create split phase 240v... Do they just mean you can't connect them in other ways or is the 240v not actually a supported configuration?
You can't connect X1200 and X2000 via battery port but you can parallel them ia inverter for 240v. However, Montek states they will be updating the LFP battery to match the voltage of the NMC then everything will be interchangeable.
A pair of 100W and a pair of 65W C ports plus 24W A ports??? Holy guacamole I don’t think anyone else offers that much USB power. Is there power sharing limitations between the ports? Plus a screen that gives you access to every single function you’d normally have to access the app for? I’m not even going to complain about the price on this. Someone knows what the customers want and that’s worth a lot. You should open the units up to figure out what’s inside. I have a feeling the NMC pack is using the minimum rating of cells like the Sanyo NCR18650GA, which I believe is 3350mAh or 3400mAh but when new they’ll provide 3500mAh. That has to be the major discrepancy. There’s gotta be a difference in the cell ratings
The NMC battery is consist of ten pouch lithium ion battery cell, each cell is 3.7V56Ah. In mass production, they may make it 3.7V40Ah per cell, and the battery pack as 51.8V40Ah. The LFP version is 51.2V25Ah, 16S1P pouch LFP.
I don't feel I was misled by your review, but I have not been a fan of my Montek 1K for the following reasons: 1. The hinges on the side doors are very poorly made, with pins that are constantly trying to pop out. The doors themselves are very flimsy with 'fiddly' latches. 2. One HAS to have both side doors open for air flow while the unit is in use. This leaves it vulnerable to dust and moisture, increases the footprint and is one more thing to remember every time you use it. 3. It is top-heavy when standing upright like a suitcase, and prone to falling over easily. This means it really needs to be lying flat when in use - which makes the footprint enormous for this capacity battery. And when it inevitably falls over, the casing will get scuffed. 4. After A very limited number of uses, perhaps 10-15 over the span of a year, the battery would no longer charge beyond 99%. 5. It's very heavy for the capacity. Granted, it has an included solar panel which increases the weight, but I have not used it and find wall charging is my go-to for the speed. 6. The 'water resistant' feature is really just a gimmick, and the unit cannot be used in wet conditions because both side doors need to be open for cooling. I have 3 "solar generators", and in terms of value, build and practicality, the Montex is my least favorite with my EcoFlow Delta 1300 being my favorite and my Goal Zero 1400 is in the middle.
It's hard to justiy spending $ on something that needs to be charged "Shorlty" depending on how you use it. For that $1,000 I can purchase a very nice dual fuel generator and several if not undreds of gallons of fuel. Buy a smaller SoGen and when I need above 1500 watts use the real-generator. However If I was going to spend $1K I would be spend it on this one or the 200Max its a toss up.
Does anyone have a problem calling these things generators.. they don’t “Generate” anything.. they are just storage for energy created by another means.. I am not against them in any way.. but the term seems to be a misnomer in common use now.
Cheap high frequency transformerless power stations don't last and they can set your AC transformer based appliances on fire when their H-Bridge circuit fails. No thanks.
well so far its not for sale ?? the 2000x or the 1200x..Buyer beware: Warning to check for solar lithium-ion batteries linked to fires ..head line story ...there made from china and there products have a bad rep of catching on fire...just be safe what ever ya use it for..cheers.
Modern NMC batteries are very unlikely to catch fire unless you physically pierce them. It's literally one in millions. Hate to break the news but all lithium batteries with few very expensive exceptions are made in China.
![BOWKYLION - วิงวอน (ex-change) [Official MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/cLdnZWDaO-w/mqdefault.jpg)
CHECK OUT MONTEK HERE: gohobo.io/montek
[UPDATE: Montek is changing the NMC battery to a higher voltage to match the LFP]
PS - This is my longest review ever. Enjoy!
Bang bang bang bang 🎉
X2000 mass production will have a 51.2v battery same as X1200 so performance will match.
Pre production X2000 has 37v
Thank you, Professor, for all your hard work!
@@off-grid-solutions51.8V，not 51.2V
@@bachellervirginia4832yes that 🙂👍
Love my Montek 1K. Purchased after watching your review 2 years ago. I've beat it up in the woods and use it for projects at home/work. Don't have a use case for a new unit otherwise I'd jump on it. That is an amazing deal. These guys have good support. My solar cable was messed up and they rushed me out a new one on my order. They are very responsive. This is the bomb Hobotech and you're the man!
does it have app control?
@@webnplay The X-1000 does not. The X-2000 does.
Very impressive units. I compared it to the Bluetti 180. This one has almost twice the capacity, a higher rated inverter, faster charging, smaller form factor and the same weight. Yes it is more expensive but overall a much better value
I think you earned your paycheck on this review video, Tom. It's an amazing series of products with just a few pre-production flaws that you've isolated for us. Nicely done.
Wow. I didn't wake up today, realizing I was going to buy a new solar gen. And then I watched this review. Damn you HoboTech. Damn you. :)
You're welcome ...
Beaten the crap out of my X1000 on several trips. Still working great. Monte is extremely responsive and will sort you out if you have issues, which you most likely won’t. Ordered an x2000 as soon as I could. You wont be disappointed.
Thanks Tom. Bought the 1000 2 years ago. Bulletproof. Just plunked down for the 2k version.
Thank you Professor, I was waiting for your review before making a buy/no buy decision on the Montek X1200/X2000 campaign. It was your prior review on the X1000 a few years ago that prompted me to purchase that unit and it has worked well since then. Plus, I've seen how Montek does provide customer service since my purchase. So thank you again for your work.
LOVED this review. I was grinning from ear to ear when I wasn't hugging myself, scared something would blow up when you went over voltage. "Unlimited playground when it comes to solar panels" was music to my ears, as solar input is one of my favorite of all the specs. 😎 Another favorite feature is the rich onboard settings menu. It even has a cycle counter. I am not a fan of apps, but love the ability to adjust charge rate and charge limit, so being able to do that without the need for an app is a huge plus in my book. Thank you so much, Hobotech, for the great and detailed review. That must have been a ton of work at your busiest time, to work with two main units and two expansion batteries. The X2000 and your review of it was well worth the wait. Based on my two X1000s, also thanks to your review, I know the final version will exceed current specs and performance.
They packed nearly every feature into these units. It’s incredible.
Perfect for a Sailboat.
The X1200 … 1200 watt solar input, now we are talking. My ultimate charge goal is 1500 watt, equal to a standard household kitchen appliance for perfect pass thru charging at high noon.
Not a fan of outlets on the sides. That makes it harder to use it as a permanent setup in a vehicle. But I do like the form factor.
Can you use the nmc expansion battery x2000 and connect it to the x1200 main unit? That would give you a 3kwh capacity with 1800 watt of input. Of course it’s cheaper to get a server rack battery as expansion.
I don’t even have any money right now, but I’m tempted to order the x1200
App support : yes, needs it badly. Hope it’s Bluetooth, not WiFi.
Maybe an add on plug in remote display is nice too.
Apparently, Montek is changing the LFP battery voltage to match the NMC (51.2v?) so that the batteries will be interchangeable.
Interesting what you said about doubling the cycles in your battery by limiting discharge to 10% limiting full charge to 90% would love to know your thoughts about charging. Jackery warns users not to discharge below 20% and I've heard that even with cell phones, you shouldn't charge lithium ion batteries above 80%. Maybe you could do an episode where you just talk about best charging/discharging practices. Love your videos keep it up!
It's in my list of top 100 things to do.
Thanks for the review, I just ordered the x2000. I was hesitant buying the 1000 version because of the small inverter.
Seems like a really good power station. I would love to get some. Finally, another power station that can take in a good amount of solar voltage.
Really like all the settings, especially for the charge and discharge limits for use as a UPS. Also nice that these can all be changed without an app for off grid scenarios and those solar limits are really good too. Definitely checks a lot of boxes with the expandability and potential 240v, but I would wait until they fix those efficiency issues with the X1200 and it gets past the crowdfunding stage.
One thing that would be nice to know on units that can run as UPSes is what is the fan noise like under moderate loads such a 200-500w discharging and charging.
Got the 1000 when it came out. The best outdoor Gen I have. I never worry on rain or it being muddy, you literally can beat the heel out of them and looking to getting one of the new ones
My use is sailing!
Still working? I'm looking for a 35' monohull.
Yup- love it!
Good upgrade on the UPS test with the laptop playing a video thus ensuring that the computer is still working when AC power is removed. Good stuff. thanks
Excellent double review!!!
It would've been great to see an amperage test on the cig outlet. I believe this is the first sol-gen to offer 15 amp instead of just 10a...a plus for OTR appliances!
It could be 20A, but most appliances are not so high power, and most fuses in the male plug are 15A.
Even if it supported that level of output 15A would melt the plug.
Looking at that "I want to believe" sticker in the background and it really hits home. Ship estimates were originally in MAY, it's near the end of SEPTEMBER and we're still getting excuses.
You may have seen, but they were shipped today 9/29/24 and should arrive in the warehouse in the US in... 45 days... ?
Temperature weirdness is probably just an unsigned char vs two's complement issue. Easy fix, once they read the data sheet on the temperature sensor (A to D converter).
The difference in performance is only on the prototypes
The pre production X2000 has a 37v battery whereas the X1200 has a 51.2v battery
Both retail versions will have 51.2v batteries and both will have 1200w solar input
nice, thanks
Yep, got this info after filming (as always).
I hve the X1000 and i really like it.
I ordered two x1200s and I really hope they up the efficiency for that version. Nonetheless, a suitcase size power station with 240v adapter and 150 friggin volt limit is a must have. I emailed Montek and asked if two linked units could work with a different solar array on each unit and they said yes. I live in Florida and I need this before hurricane season starts.
You put a lot of effort into this review which is appreciated. Thanks
Know I’m late to the party. But I’m ordering this as I just got a communication from Montek that they will be adding the ability to turn off both WiFi and Bluetooth transceivers from the MENU, per my request.
At 5:16 a.m. Hong Kong Time I asked if they could add that functionality.
At 5:16 he says the engineer would add it to the menu.
THAT’S customer service.
I just want to drop a line to let you know I appreciate you and what you do unlike some others who just want to appeal to his uppy friends yea you know who I'm talking about
Great review as always. Did they send you any of their 400 watt solar panels to test? They look pretty good at only $600 and only 20lbs. (But they are kind of long at 10 feet long).
I had other stuff, i trust more montek, happy with my first 1000 bag, also, size is better than everything other brands.
Gotta watch this again so i know what i paid for nine months ago...
Great review. It’s like you were reading my mind. I just put a tan X1000 in my cart off of your reviews. I like that it looks like an actual briefcase and has a panel inside (even if it’s only 80w).
the new models don't have room for solar panels to sit inside. :)
That's was their distinguishing quality. Now it's kinda just like all the others, but with a carry handle. The blue caps give it away though.
... but not
As explained in the video these do not carry 80w solar panels. That would be mostly useless with these size of batteries.
A lot of settings. Good description. Thanks
This was a stellar review hobo.
Another informative video! Thanks and keep them coming!
Hey Tom! Ham gear runs on 12VDC. I assume that if I hook up my Yeasu to DC and shut off AC, there will be no noise, right?
KI6SAC
Yep but you need to leave the inverter off.
Excellent review Prof.
Ey he heard us! Thank you !
@HOBOTECH thank you so much for this review. I have one burning question, you mentioned an app is coming in the near future. Did you see any bluetooth/wifi receiver in there when you opened it up?
I didn't really look. I assumed my prototype didn't have Bluetooth.
@@HOBOTECH ah too bad. Thanks though :)
Such an incredible review... These Montek's look really good. As you mentioned there is the issue with the Amp Noise, hopefully in the production model they can reduce the noise distortion. Additionally, I don't quite understand the "external battery" methodology as far as not updating the available charge. So, it sounds like the extra battery is just a parallel connection... and it simply balances the charge via the BMS...
Just out of curiosity, if we purchase two of the X2000 models, can we connect X2000 to X2000 instead of X2000 to B2000?
From the specs page, I think you can connect both x2000 but then not batteries. That's the rout I'm taking because I want 240v. Will figure out batteries later.
Connecting X2000 to X2000 is fine, but can’t add B2000 anymore because no more ports.
@@everetttice3946 yes, but if you use 240V, try not to connect them through the battery expansion port.
@@bachellervirginia4832That's something that they didn't think of. No reason to not be able to add 2 batteries.
@@bachellervirginia4832Ordering the 240v cable so I should be fine.
Great video! I just went to claim one of the X2000's and noticed that they also offer discounted solar panels as a bundle. I couldn't find any reviews on their SP200 or SP400. Do you happen to have any experience with either and recommend them?
Beautiful! Hopefully some of these performance discrepancies are due to them being preproduction.
Yes, and Montek says the issue with the LFP is due to a lower voltage battery which they will fix.
Tom .it's the other way round . The Nmc preproduction is currently 37v . It's the Nmc battery that's going to be changed to 51.8v .
They are both expected to operate around 90% battery capacity .
Good morning from Godley Texas
The sine wave under large loads looked bad. Easy for me to suggest but I think you need to get a much better waveform analyzer/display (Jasonid has a very excellent one).
Peace.. Shalom.. Salam.. Namaste 🙏🏻 😊 🌈 ✌ ☮ ❤
Wow! This is amazing!
Thanks for this review, this is a really interesting product. I hope you'll tell us right away if/when Montek replies to your question about efficiency (where the NMC got 98/99% vs the LFP in the low 80% range.) Regarding the amp noise test, would it make any difference if you moved the amp to be a couple yards away from the product? Just curious as I was really hoping it wouldn't buzz 😞
I get asked all the time about moving the amp. It makes no difference. I even added those ferrite beads and it makes no difference.
@@HOBOTECH Thanks for letting me know that. I'm a musician and familiar with the dreaded ground loop/hum sound. It is a pet peeve of mine! That's too bad this product fails this test 😞
Greetings,Hobotech! Have you heard about 12V 460Ah LiFePO4 Battery | Group 8D Size, IP67, Heated, Bluetooth & Victron Comms system? Hopefully you get to review it. Looks promising.
Great intro sfx!
7 months later, can’t find the X2000 on their website and the x1000 (note, not x1200) is sold out.
Are they having production /supply issues?
37:48 Hi Hobo, I decided I needed more AC in my camper van. Would you recommend two X2000'S or an X2000 & B2000. I'm a little confused about the power balancing you mentioned. Can you still use the entirety of the x2000 & B2000 as AC power?
Because you said if the B2000 battery is lower than the X2000, the main unit would feed the B2000 to balance the system. Do you happen to know the transfer speed?
I thought if they're both charged to 100% the B2000 would drain before the X2000.
Really cool product. I don’t know much about 240, but if you plugged in both devices into the wall, would the 240 be in phase when plugged in?
My guess is your scenario wouldn't work. As I understand it, wall power input charges the batteries (unless in UPS mode?) and the AC outputs for each X2000/X1200 are generated independently by the internal inverters. That's why the split-phase box is needed.
The 240v has to be split phase to charge otherwise it won't pass through (ups) 240v.
@erikturner3180 There will be a 240V charging cable available at a special price for IGG backers.
The charge capacity chart you screen shot has a kitchen aid mixer graphic for the coffee maker I thought it was kind of funny.
I do however think this product makes excellent sense for a camper build the rugged construction is perfect for the back of a pickup truck overlanding on crap roads.
I didn't even look at it. Just copied from their page. lol
Great intro sfx!
Is it better to run as a UPS or just charge the battery 10-90%?
Any electrical in a storm... Just reduce the usage as much as possible for longer life, I think running as a ups counts as use. Just my first random thought with no experience backing it.u
You can do both! Set to 90% then leave it plugged in if using as a UPS.
Despite less performance, would the lifepo4 version be safer in a car in the summer heat?
LFP is all around "safer" but the chances of fire with modern NMC batteries are over one in a million. They aren't like cell phone or RC batteries that commonly catch fire when charged over temperature.
I thought the LFP version already came at a higher voltage for its battery pack? Is it being raised past the 51v ? I think the nmc is around 37v.
Why not do these premiers on a Friday night at 6pm?
Great review! I was 100% all in UNTIL hearing the new Monteks do not feature an internal heater for cold weather operation :'( Anyone by chance know of a relatively easy way to add a safe/dependable heater pad to the new Monteks?
If you need a heater pad the Monteks come apart easily. The battery is covered by an aluminum shield that would easily transfer heat from a pad.
I have a question on all newer solar generators. Since they have everything you need in one box, can you use them only for a van build? Is there one to run maxair fans, 12v ac, and a 12 fridge. I don't want propane in the van, so an induction stove.
The AC is going to put it over the limit. The 30amp RV output is probably rated at 360 watt. Good enough for fridge and fan and some lights.
Yes, these offer 30A (360w) output. Not sure about the "12v a/c" depends on the amps. You might need one of the B batteries with another 30A output for that.
great review. thanks
Can you replace the batteries when they wear out?
Would be great if this worked for welding machines
I have one burning question about this power station. Will it be available with European sockets at 230V AC? I could not find anything about this on Indigo.
love your vids..... I have 2 Oukitel P2001 generators.......is there any way I can pair these to hook up to a home transfer switch and use 240v for a well pump?
s
Seeing I never reviewed that why are you asking me?
All I need to know is the batteries are replaceable? I don’t want want to be left with $1000 anchor in 5 years.
Update to previous post: what did you mean by "the rudimentary UPS" of the Montek? What makes it rudimentary? Or alternatively, what extra features come with a full featured UPS?
rudimentary
adjective
: of a primitive kind
Google APC Smart UPS you'll see what a full featured one does.
@@HOBOTECHThanks. Familiar with the term rudimentary. I have a APC Smart UPS already, but was hoping to increase the run time on my router and WIFI by getting something like this (or even larger, space dependent.) I'll check the list of features.
@@adaj3333 You can run the real UPS off the solar generator for more runtime. This is what I do for my own network gear. I use an EB3A into a Cyberpower UPS so it will run a few hours in a blackout.
@@HOBOTECHThat's a clever idea :-) Thanks 🙂
Montek versus ingery tactical. Any thoughts
49:38 Sorry Hobo lmao😅
If you happen to have two of the X1200 or X2000's instead of having one main unit and one of their respective batteries can you link them together in some way to act as a single large battery like you could as if you had, for instance, an X2000 and B2000?
Yes, X2000+X2000 or X1200+X1200 is fine.
Yes, via the battery port.
Thanks. I really wish I could drop a couple of grand on two X2000's. They seem like nice rigs and that price is hard to beat.
Forgetting to bring in the trash cans... they need to first remeber to take them out...lol
How Many amps are available when you combine the x2000s to create split phase 240V
2 x 2000w / 240v
How does he get the 120V sine wave output diplay? I can't just plug my oscilloscope into AC power like that. Is he using a special probe?
The output voltage is shown on the display
Dlo these come with solar panels like the montek 1000
Covered that in the review
On the indie gogo page ot says you can't use the x1200 and x2000 together, but in your video you used them to create split phase 240v... Do they just mean you can't connect them in other ways or is the 240v not actually a supported configuration?
They’ll work, but it shouldn’t be done given the differing capacities. Fine for a short test like this.
240V split phase is from AC output, so it is not connecting two units together through battery expansion port.
You can't connect X1200 and X2000 via battery port but you can parallel them ia inverter for 240v. However, Montek states they will be updating the LFP battery to match the voltage of the NMC then everything will be interchangeable.
Cool stuff
Does it come with European sockets for output?
Wouldn't make much sense to sell a 120v 60hz US version in the EU would it?
Why the big difference in watt hour?
Probably to give people more options at different price points.
Because of different battery chemistry
LFP is much bigger and heavier per watt hour than NMC but most won't buy NMC due to shorter life cycle and potential fire hazard (rare).
appreciate the long form information, but they are both too expensive for m
whats the external battery cost.....
$749 for B1200
Any discount code?
They are already discounted.
Hi, 👍👍liked that thank you. 👍🐝🌞
i want it
i need a nap
A pair of 100W and a pair of 65W C ports plus 24W A ports???
Holy guacamole I don’t think anyone else offers that much USB power. Is there power sharing limitations between the ports?
Plus a screen that gives you access to every single function you’d normally have to access the app for?
I’m not even going to complain about the price on this. Someone knows what the customers want and that’s worth a lot.
You should open the units up to figure out what’s inside. I have a feeling the NMC pack is using the minimum rating of cells like the Sanyo NCR18650GA, which I believe is 3350mAh or 3400mAh but when new they’ll provide 3500mAh. That has to be the major discrepancy. There’s gotta be a difference in the cell ratings
Montek says they will be replacing the LFP battery with a higher voltage to match the NMC battery.
The NMC battery is consist of ten pouch lithium ion battery cell, each cell is 3.7V56Ah. In mass production, they may make it 3.7V40Ah per cell, and the battery pack as 51.8V40Ah. The LFP version is 51.2V25Ah, 16S1P pouch LFP.
I don't feel I was misled by your review, but I have not been a fan of my Montek 1K for the following reasons:
1. The hinges on the side doors are very poorly made, with pins that are constantly trying to pop out. The doors themselves are very flimsy with 'fiddly' latches.
2. One HAS to have both side doors open for air flow while the unit is in use. This leaves it vulnerable to dust and moisture, increases the footprint and is one more thing to remember every time you use it.
3. It is top-heavy when standing upright like a suitcase, and prone to falling over easily. This means it really needs to be lying flat when in use - which makes the footprint enormous for this capacity battery. And when it inevitably falls over, the casing will get scuffed.
4. After A very limited number of uses, perhaps 10-15 over the span of a year, the battery would no longer charge beyond 99%.
5. It's very heavy for the capacity. Granted, it has an included solar panel which increases the weight, but I have not used it and find wall charging is my go-to for the speed.
6. The 'water resistant' feature is really just a gimmick, and the unit cannot be used in wet conditions because both side doors need to be open for cooling.
I have 3 "solar generators", and in terms of value, build and practicality, the Montex is my least favorite with my EcoFlow Delta 1300 being my favorite and my Goal Zero 1400 is in the middle.
It's hard to justiy spending $ on something that needs to be charged "Shorlty" depending on how you use it. For that $1,000 I can purchase a very nice dual fuel generator and several if not undreds of gallons of fuel. Buy a smaller SoGen and when I need above 1500 watts use the real-generator. However If I was going to spend $1K I would be spend it on this one or the 200Max its a toss up.
I think the realy high performance is a rare fluke. If lemons can happen so can ... Raspberrys?😂
NMC batteries are sometimes over rated. That's likely the cause.
Please buy a better scope to show waveforms…
Does anyone have a problem calling these things generators.. they don’t “Generate” anything.. they are just storage for energy created by another means.. I am not against them in any way.. but the term seems to be a misnomer in common use now.
That display is worse my gameboy display from 1989
i quit using windows when they quit supporting xp
Cheap high frequency transformerless power stations don't last and they can set your AC transformer based appliances on fire when their H-Bridge circuit fails. No thanks.
Double double fisted 👍👍👍👍 LoL 😂 awesome
well so far its not for sale ?? the 2000x or the 1200x..Buyer beware: Warning to check for solar lithium-ion batteries linked to fires ..head line story ...there made from china and there products have a bad rep of catching on fire...just be safe what ever ya use it for..cheers.
Modern NMC batteries are very unlikely to catch fire unless you physically pierce them. It's literally one in millions. Hate to break the news but all lithium batteries with few very expensive exceptions are made in China.
yep that's why we shouldn't buy them ..we the people should be selling them to china.bring back manufacturing..Peace
..@@HOBOTECH
Excellent review excellent units ... we purchased early bird Renogy (cigs) 150w ultra-flex hopefully a solid choice for affordability.
Ty @HOBOTECH
Hmmm all the 1000 are sold out and I don’t see any 2000