Over the last few years, I have reviewed many of the Bluetti power stations, and I always felt it would be great if this model had this extra feature. When I received the Bluetti AC240 for review, I first thought these guys have a lot of models. Do they need another one?
I soon realised that if you could take the best features of previous models and produce a better portable power station, it would be the Bluetti AC240.
Bluetti AC240 review
- Features
- Specifications
- How to choose a portable power station
- Using the Bluetti AC240
- Who is it for?
What are the Bluetti AC240 features?
The Bluetti AC240 is a weatherproof 1,536WH portable power station capable of delivering 2400W of AC power.
The AC240 is IP65 rated, which means it is dust-tight and protected against a projected water stream. If you plan to travel on dusty roads, this or the less powerful Bluetti AC60 is the go. The AC240 is a very sturdy and well-built unit, and cooling is achieved with a waterproof fan and heatsinks to ensure no water enters the inner workings.
The cost of this Australian condition proofing (dust & rain) is the unit is heavier than other similar specified models. The Bluetti AC200 Max weighs 28.1kg, while the AC240 weighs 32.5kg and has a smaller battery.
Battery expandability is one area where this power station excels, with the ability to attach up to four B210 expansion batteries that are all IP65 rated. This expansion takes the 1,536WH up to a possible 10KWh of power, similar in size to home solar house batteries. Each B210 expansion battery weighs 27.2kg and matches the width and depth dimensions of the AC240. Practically two people should be utilised to move each unit.
The AC240 supports Australian power outlets and can provide 2400 watts of power, which means it will run any appliance you have at home that will plug into the standard 3-prong socket. Multiple devices can be run from the four outlets as long as the sum of the wattage consumed does not exceed 2400 watts.
Bluetti also has a feature called Power Lifting on its models, which in this case allows this 2400 watts to be exceeded to a max of 3600 watts. This feature only works with resistive loads like a hair dryer, kettle or other heating devices. It will not work with electronics, and powerlifting should not be used if electronic devices are attached to the AC output.
With the continued expansion of USB-C usage, where up to 100 watts can be supplied to a device such as a smartphone, laptop, camera, monitor or drone, it is nice to see that there are now two USB-C outlets. Other DC ports include a 12v/10A cigarette lighter port, 2 USB-A QC3.0 18 W ports and an RV port. The RV port means you can draw up to 30 Amps of power ( 3 times that of the cig port), enabling a boat or RV’s 12-volt power to be supplied.
How to recharge an AC240?
When plugged into mains power, the Bluetti will pass power through to any connected appliances. At the same time, it will charge along with any expansion batteries. You can adjust the charge to the silent, standard, and turbo modes. Silent mode restricts the fan and the input current to make the charging quieter. Turbo mode allows the power station to draw up to 2400 watts from a standard power point for fast charging.
Up to 1,200W of solar panels can be connected for those operating remotely. The panels must be within an 11 to 60-volt DC range, not exceeding 21 Amps. For more details, see our guide to solar panels.
The AC240 can also be charged from your car, but only at around 100W, which will take a very long time.
Bluetti AC240 specifications
| Capacity | 1,536Wh to 10,136Wh |
| Power | 240-volt AC up to 2,400Watts |
| Dimensions | AC240 42cm x 29cm x 41cm 32.5kg B210 42cm x 29cm x 22cm 27.2kg |
| Price (RRP) | $3,199 |
| Website | Bluetti Australia |
| Warranty | Six years |
How to choose the right power station for your needs
When deciding which power station to choose, you must consider how you will use it. These questions will help you find the right one.
Compatible devices
Do you require 240 volts AC, and what products will I need to run from it? A coffee machine will need at least 1800 watts, a blender 600w plus and a hair dryer 2200 watts. At home, your power point is capable of 10Amps which translates to 2400 watts. If you want to run a device, you must ensure your power station has the wattage to power it. You must add the wattage to determine your need if you run multiple devices simultaneously, like a laptop and a separate monitor.
Does the unit have the right power sockets? If you want to charge a gadget that requires a USB-C socket (up to 100w), does your power station support this? A cigarette power socket will support 10A or up to 120W. Do you require 12-volt DC at a higher wattage to power an RV?
Capacity
How long do you need to power a device before you can recharge your power station? If you have a CPAP machine, you need it to run all night. If a device uses 100W, it will require 100 Watts per hour. A 1000 Wh battery, in theory, would run a 100W device for 10 hours. However, in reality, for losses, etc, you need to reduce that figure by 20%, so 8 hours is more realistic.
The capacity can be expanded if your power needs change over time. Some power stations allow additional battery packs to be attached to expand the battery capacity.
Where will you use your power station? Do you need to lift it regularly? Will it fit under your ute tray cover? Lithium batteries are much lighter than traditional lead acid batteries, but if you need a lot of power (Wh) to run your devices, then the power station will be heavy.
How fast can you charge your power station? How will you charge your power station? Portable power stations can be charged from Solar panels, a power point, your vehicle or a combination of them. The time it takes to charge depends on your charging source and the power station’s ability to charge quickly. More solar panels will charge your power station more quickly, but the sun must be shining.
Durability
Can you protect your power station from the elements? Electricity and water do not mix, but some power stations are rated to withstand water and dust. This means you could rely on power from a power station stored on the tray of an open ute.
How do you gauge the amount of power left or the time it takes to charge? Power stations all have some capacity indication, which can be anything from a row of LED lights to an LCD to an app and even data logging.
In the unlikely event something goes wrong, what warranty comes with the power station, and can it be repaired or replaced quickly?
Using the Bluetti AC240
To show the AC240’s weather resistance, we showered it and then immediately ran a 2000W hair dryer. We don’t advise using a hair dryer in the rain.
Previous Bluetti models I’ve reviewed do not charge as fast as this model. I found that it could get from 30 to 80% charge in 30 minutes from a power point. The solar charging ability is great if you are charging from residential panels at home. However, having 1200 watts of portable panels in an RV is a lot, even if you have a caravan roof covered.
Speaking of power, the expansion battery is great because you can lift it as a separate unit, making everything more portable. The combined capacity of almost a 300 amp-hour battery would enable you to run a fridge, induction hot plate, kettle, and hair dryer on a weekend without recharge.
Having a 4WD and a caravan, I love that I can power a fridge in my ute and run a Starlink. When my caravan battery gets low, I am able to use the RV port to connect to my van’s DC-DC charger to charge the caravan battery from the Bluetti. I could have used 240 volts from the Bluetti to the caravan’s AC charger, but I would be losing around 30% of the energy due to the conversation to and from the AC. The straight DC transfer is much more efficient.
At home, I have been using the AC240 as a backup power supply, which came in handy when a power pole was replaced in our street. It acted as an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) while I wrote this review.
For those wanting to use this power station to save some money, it can be programmed to charge only from the grid when power is cheap and you can draw power when it is expensive.
The AC240 has added Wi-Fi control and Bluetooth connectivity to the App. If the Bluetti is connected to the internet, I can turn the AC or DC on or off or the whole unit off remotely. I can also change any other settings and see the current state of charge and usage. When camping, I can turn the Starlink off remotely from my smartphone by turning the AC off (inverter off) to save power overnight.
I would like to see Bluetti add data logging to their app so that you can see power usage or generation over time.
Who is the Bluetti AC240 for?
Most caravaners, RVers, boaties, and 4WDs spend decent money purchasing individual components to get these same mains and 12-volt power solutions. This comparatively economical all-in-one solution can be used at home during the week for backup power in case of a blackout, a UPS for your PC to protect from power surges and even a power storage device to save you some money if connected to solar panels.
Come the weekend, you can load it into the ute without fear of rain and know the beers will be cold and the girls’ hair will be dried.
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