The 4WD industry has been a real boom in Australia over the last 10 years, with many people spending half as much again as they paid for a new car on accessories that, to be honest, they may use a few times a year.
One such improvement is a power system to run lights, a fridge or perhaps an induction stove. These power solutions can be expensive and, once integrated into your car, are not easily removable. It involves chargers, inverters, batteries, a control panel, and numerous wires, fuses, and plugs. Did I mention an expensive installation bill unless you are very tech-savvy and confident?
Why would you do this when you can have an Anker Solix F3000 all-in-one portable power station?
A big and versatile source of power
At an RRP of $4,999, the price may seem high, but consider that this battery is two-to-three times the size of other portable power stations and more cost-effective than a fixed custom solution in the long run.
Additionally, with a battery capacity of 3,072Wh (256Ah, 12V battery equivalent), it becomes value for money. This power solution will run a 190W home fridge for 42 hours or a 40W camping fridge for a week. You could charge your smartphone almost 200 times. These times may seem overkill, but when you factor in multiple devices you want to power while remote or during a blackout, you will be glad you have the extra power.
Something you need to know about all power stations is that, even when not powering anything, they consume power and eventually drain the battery. They use even more power when the AC is on. Anker has minimised this drain compared to other brands, and in standby with the AC turned on, it will last for up to five days. Battery efficiency will also improve if you run 12-volt DC appliances rather than AC 240-volt appliances (e.g. a 12-volt fridge).
Those wanting more power, expansion batteries can be plugged in with an additional 3kWh capacity up to a total of 12kWh, which is equivalent to home solar battery solutions. The F3000 can also be used as an uninterrupted power supply: plug it into the mains, then connect your appliance to it. If mains power is lost, your appliance continues to run. This is useful for critical medical devices and computers.
Having the big battery means the F3000 weighs 41.5kg, so the unit includes wheels and a suitcase-style handle to move it wherever you need it. The power station will provide 240-volt AC and 12-volt DC power, as well as USB-C and USB-A ports. In addition to its size, the Solix F3000 delivers up to 3,600W of power simultaneously, allowing you to run a hair dryer and a toaster at the same time. This also means that on a job site, there is no standard power tool you cannot run, and you can even charge your EV to extend your range (using a granny charger).
Back to our hardcore four-wheel drivers, they will ask, “Does it have an Anderson plug?” For those who don’t know, an Anderson plug is a robust plug that will not disconnect on rough roads. A cigarette lighter plug will loosen. This is critical if you are running a fridge, as you don’t want to arrive at your destination to find your beer warm and your meat smelling. Yes, the Anker has a 30A Anderson plug, which is smaller than the industry standard 50A plug, but you can buy a conversion cable for $30 from Jaycar.
To charge the power station, you will need some solar panels, a mains supply or a car alternator charger. Anker also shows charging via an EV charging cable, but the cable is not currently available in Australia.
A feature I appreciate is that this power station supports two DC charging sources. If you have a car with an alternator charger and a mounted solar panel, you can plug both in, eliminating the need to switch cables between the two sources and enabling faster charging. Included in the box you receive a mains power cord and a solar charging cable.
Beyond a nice big display that monitors your battery capacity and power usage, a smartphone app allows you to monitor and control your power station from afar, even from your sleeping bag if you forgot to turn off the AC inverter.
I often promote a small portable power station as a good starting point for understanding the versatility of these products. In this case, the Anker Solix F3000 with its 3,000Wh battery, you go straight to the top and get all the power you might need now or in the future.
The post Anker’s huge capacity portable power station doesn’t skimp on juice appeared first on GadgetGuy.
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