It’s More than Just a Big Battery
Depend on the Sun, Not the Grid
A common pushback I receive when reviewing portable power stations is they are nothing more than an expensive big battery charging smaller ones.
My first thought after such a comment is, “Did you read the article?” I feel like I’ve explained that these devices are far more versatile and sophisticated than a bunch of lithium batteries packed into a box. They can efficiently store electricity from solar panels and other sources, and then distribute it to a variety of applications ranging from big appliances to smartphones. Many are wirelessly enabled and some are programmable.
I’ve set up a power station lab at my studio with a 100-watt solar panel on the south-facing back patio. I run its power cord through the wall via a pass-through hole that was once used for a Direct TV dish that was installed by the previous owner, and subsequently removed by me. This allows me to leave the panel on the back patio, but still lock up the studio when I’m not there.
Inside, I have a 1000-watt AC70 Bluetti Power Station that receives electricity generated by the solar panel. During the summer, we’re talking…
