We’ll be taking an in-depth look at the brand new Bluetti AC200L portable power station.
The AC200L is a new release from Bluetti aimed at providing upgraded power and features compared to their previous AC200 series models. Bluetti is known for producing high-quality portable power stations with large lithium batteries and powerful inverters.
In this review, we’ll go through all the details of the AC200L, including the battery capacity, outputs, charging capabilities, and special features. We’ll also test the AC200L hands-on in my secret laboratory to see just how it performs under intense experiments.
So if you’re interested in off-grid power or want to know how the AC200L stacks up, keep watching as we dive into this exciting new product!
AC200L Overview
The new AC200L portable power station from Bluetti is a direct upgrade to the popular AC200Max model. The naming can be confusing, as Bluetti uses cryptic model numbers, but the “L” indicates this is the latest iteration in the AC200 series.
The AC200L provides 2000 watt-hours (Wh) of battery capacity, with a 248Wh lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) battery rated for 3000 cycles. It measures approximately 17 x 11 x 14 inches and weighs around 62 lbs. The AC200L includes several upgrades over the AC200Max:
- 2400W pure sine wave inverter with 2 AC outlets
- Built-in 1400W AC charger
- 1200W solar input with included adapter cable
- 20ms UPS for sensitive electronics
- WiFi and Bluetooth app control
- True bi-directional expandability up to 8000Wh
- 5-year warranty
The AC200L retains the excellent build quality Bluetti is known for, with a sturdy handle and solid folding legs. The easy-to-read LCD display shows wattage information and battery status. Overall, the AC200L provides an excellent balance of power, portability, and features for powering or charging up gear off-grid or during outages.
Battery Details
The AC200L features a generous 248Wh lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) battery rated for 3,000 cycles to 80% capacity. This battery chemistry is known for safety, long lifespan, and efficiency.
The 248Wh capacity provides ample power for most needs. Based on typical power draw, devices like mini-fridges can run over 8 hours, CPAP machines can run 2 nights, and an emergency home backup can provide several hours of electricity.
With 3,000 charging cycles rated to 80% capacity, the battery can last over 10 years if charged daily. Lithium iron phosphate batteries resist deterioration better than other lithium-ion chemistries, giving the AC200L excellent long-term reliability.
Display and Controls
The AC200L features an LCD display that shows key information about the unit’s operation. This display provides details on:
- Input and output wattage for both AC and DC
- Remaining battery percentage
- Estimated time remaining for charging and discharging
- Warning icons for errors or alerts
In terms of controls, the AC200L has a simple button interface to turn the unit on and off and select various modes. There are separate buttons for:
- Power on/off
- DC mode on/off
- AC mode on/off
- Display backlight on/off
The display provides the key information you need at a glance without cluttering the interface. And the simple button controls make it easy to operate the basic functions of the AC200L.
AC Inverter
The AC200L is equipped with a pure sine wave inverter that provides 2400W (surge 4800W) of continuous power. This allows you to run most appliances within that power range.
The inverter has 2 standard North American AC outlets rated for 120V 60Hz output. The outlets are NEMA 5-20R and support up to 20A pass-through current. There is also a single TT-30R 30A RV outlet that allows you to directly power RVs, trailers, and other large devices.
The 2400W power capacity combined with the versatile outlet selection makes the AC200L well suited for powering essentials during outages or for off-grid use. You can confidently run items like refrigerators, power tools, medical devices, and fans to make blackouts and camping trips more comfortable.
Charging Options
The AC200L can be charged via solar, AC wall outlet, and a car’s 12V outlet.
Solar Charging
The AC200L has a built-in MPPT solar charge controller that allows it to be charged by solar panels rated up to 1200W with an operating voltage range of 12-145VDC. It can handle up to 15A of solar input current. This makes the AC200L highly flexible for solar charging, as you can connect almost any solar panel or solar panel configuration as long as it does not exceed 1200W. With 1200W of solar input, the AC200L’s battery can be recharged from 0-100% in approximately 2 hours in optimal sunlight conditions.
AC Charging
For AC charging, the AC200L has a built-in 1400W AC charger. When connected to grid power or a generator, it can recharge from 0-100% in under 2 hours. The AC charger has 3 charging modes that can be selected in the bluetti mobile app – Silent, Standard, and Turbo. Silent mode charges at a lower 800W rate and produces less fan noise. Standard mode provides 1400W charging. Turbo mode also provides 1400W charging but runs the fans full speed for more cooling.
12V Charging
The AC200L has a 12V car charging input that allows it to be charged from a car or truck’s 12V power outlet, or from any 12V battery system. However, charging from 12V is quite slow due to current limitations. It would take approximately 20 hours to fully recharge the AC200L from a 12V source. The 12V input is primarily intended for maintaining the charge when already mostly charged, not for full recharges.
Solar Charging
The AC200L can charge quickly from solar panels thanks to the powerful built-in MPPT solar controller. This allows the AC200L to accept up to 1200W of solar input power, the most of any Bluetti model.
The MPPT controller supports a very wide input voltage range from 12V to 145V. This means you can connect solar panels in series to reach higher voltages and input power levels. Most competitors max out around 100V input.
At lower voltages like 12V (for charging from a car), the input current is limited to around 8A (96W). But once you reach 24V input, it can charge at up to 180W.
Where it really shines is at 48V input, which allows up to 15A or 500W of solar charging. This is perfect for using a pair of 250W panels wired in series. Even at 60V input, it still accepts the full 15A (900W).
The AC200L will charge at the maximum 15A current up to 145V input. So you can achieve the full 1200W solar charging capability by using 48V panels or higher. This gives you tons of flexibility to tailor your solar array to achieve the fastest charging times.
AC Charging
The AC200L can charge quickly from a wall outlet thanks to its built-in AC charger. It supports up to 1400W of AC charging in Turbo mode, which allows the AC200L to charge from 0-100% in around 2 hours.
To enable Turbo charging, simply select Turbo mode in the Bluetti app. The other charging modes are Silent and Standard. Silent charges at a slower 800W rate while producing very little fan noise. Standard mode charges at 1100W.
The AC200L comes with a specialized charging cable that connects to the wall outlet on one end and the charging port on the AC200L on the other end. No bulky power bricks required since the AC charger is built into the unit.
With rapid 1.4kW AC charging, you can recharge the AC200L conveniently overnight or during a quick stop while on the road. The lithium iron phosphate battery is designed to handle thousands of fast charge cycles without degradation.
12V Charging
The AC200L can charge from a car’s 12V power outlet using the included cigarette lighter adapter cable. The 12V input is limited to 8 amps or around 100 watts when using a 12V car outlet, which is typical to avoid overloading the vehicle’s electrical system. At this rate, charging the AC200L from a 12V car battery would take approximately 20 hours.
For charging from a 24V source like a large RV, the input increases to 15 amps or around 300 watts, reducing the full recharge time to approximately 10 hours. The wide 12-145V solar input range makes the AC200L flexible for charging from vehicles with 12V, 24V or other DC power sources.
Ports and Outputs
The AC200L is equipped with a variety of ports and outputs to connect appliances, devices, and more. Here’s an overview:
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AC Outlets – The AC200L has a 2400W pure sine wave inverter with two AC outlets (42A max per outlet). There is also a single TT-30R RV-ready 30A outlet.
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12V Car Outlet – There is one 12V car outlet (cigarette lighter style) rated for 120W (10A). The 12V outlet is regulated to 13.3V.
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USB-A Ports – Two standard USB-A ports are included for charging mobile devices and other USB powered gear.
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USB-C Power Delivery – Two USB-C PD ports provide up to 100W of power delivery charging.
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48V Power Outlet – A first for Bluetti, there is a 48V direct DC outlet. This allows connection of 48V accessories from Bluetti in the future.
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Battery Expansion Port – On the side is a battery expansion port that supports adding additional Bluetti batteries like the B230 or B300.
The variety of AC, DC, and USB outputs make the AC200L versatile for powering a wide range of devices and appliances both large and small. The 48V DC outlet is particularly innovative, allowing for specialized high-power DC accessories not typically seen on portable power stations.
USB Charging
The AC200L features USB-A and USB-C ports for charging devices. There are 2 USB-C PD ports each providing 100W of power delivery for rapidly charging high-powered devices like laptops. For older devices there are 2 standard USB-A ports which provide 2.4A shared across the two ports, suitable for charging smartphones, tablets and other usb-charged gadgets.
The USB-C PD ports allow you to take full advantage of the latest fast charging technologies offered by devices like smartphones and laptops. Just be aware that the total power draw from the USB-C ports should not exceed 200W. The USB-A ports are handy for those older cables you’ve got lying around, but won’t charge as fast as USB-C. Overall the AC200L has you covered for keeping devices charged up in a variety of situations.
App and Remote Control
The AC200L can be controlled remotely via the Bluetti app, which is available for iOS and Android devices. The app connects to the AC200L via WiFi or Bluetooth.
The Bluetti app provides full monitoring and control over the AC200L. You can view real-time status information such as input/output wattage, remaining battery percentage, and estimated time remaining. Advanced features allow you to customize the UPS mode, set charging priorities, schedule when to charge/discharge, update firmware, and more.
Setting up the app is quick and easy. Just download the app, connect your phone to the AC200L’s WiFi network, and the app will automatically detect the device. Or you can connect via Bluetooth as well. The app works smoothly and reliably in my testing.
Having app control is extremely convenient compared to units that require you to be next to the device to change settings. You can start/stop charging and alter operating modes from anywhere as long as you have an internet connection. This allows for much more flexibility in how and when you operate the AC200L.
Overall the Bluetti app provides robust monitoring and control in an easy to use interface. Remote connectivity via WiFi and Bluetooth is a major advantage over competitors without app functionality. Controlling and monitoring your AC200L is effortless with the Bluetti app.
Expandability
The AC200L supports expanding the built-in capacity with external Bluetti batteries for up to 8kWh of total energy storage. It is equipped with a single battery expansion port that works with Bluetti’s B230 (2048Wh), B300 (3072Wh), and the upcoming B210 batteries.
The battery port enables bi-directional charging, allowing the AC200L to both charge the external battery and pull power from it when needed. This provides flexibility to scale up the power capacity on demand. With multiple external batteries, you can achieve several days of off-grid power supply.
The older AC200 Max supported two external batteries directly plugged into the unit. The AC200L is limited to a single external battery, but you can daisy chain to a second battery using the port on the first external battery. For example, connect one B300 to the AC200L, then connect a second B300 to the first battery.
Noise Level
The AC200L inverter fan noise levels are impressively quiet thanks to Bluetti using a high quality and efficient fan. During my full load testing, I measured the noise at just 44dB when standing one meter away. This is whisper quiet compared to many competitors’ products that sound like a jet engine at full power. You can barely hear the AC200L fans running even at maximum inverter load. This is a huge advantage for using the AC200L in close indoor quarters or campsites where noise is a concern. The 200L may just be the quietest midsize Bluetti solar generator I’ve tested yet. Rest assured the 200L will not disturb your peace and quiet even when running appliances and power tools.
Pricing and Availability
The new Bluetti AC200L has an MSRP of $1999.
Use discount code bringing the price down to just $1899.
In addition, Bluetti is running a holiday promotion from now through December 25. Use code BLUETTIXMAS to receive generous sitewide discounts on all Bluetti products.
The Bluetti holiday discount code cannot be combined with the Hobotech exclusive AC200L discount code. You’ll need to choose which code saves you more money.