The Lowdown
The beauty of the BLUETTI AC300+B300 Modular Power System is that you can begin with this highly capable pair, which will work well on its own; when you are ready, you can continue to expand the system until it’s as powerful as you need it to be.
Overall
Pros
- This is a modular system, so you can start with the single AC300+B300 setup and add to it according to your power needs and as your budget allows
- 3000W output with a 6000W surge
- Multiple ways to recharge, including solar
- LiFePO4 battery
- There is no AC brick — just a charging cable
- Relatively quiet while running
- An impressive array of power output and input options
- Color touchscreen display that provides all the necessary info in an easy-to-access and understandable way
- BLUETTI app
- It can be used as a UPS for critical devices during a power outage
Cons
- It’s a large and heavy power station, and if you need to move it regularly, the $299 optional portable trolly is highly advised
- It has no water resistance, so it must be kept somewhere dry
With unpredictable weather and electricity outages becoming commonplace, the BLUETTI AC300+B300 is a compelling 3,072Wh zero emissions and eco-friendly LiFePO4 home backup power solution with a modular design so you can start small and add to it as money allows. You can pair as many as two AC300 units and eight B300 expansion batteries for a total of 24,576 Watt Hwatt-hours (Wh); you can even tie the system into your home’s grid. How big and powerful your backup system ultimately becomes is up to you, but it all starts with the BLUETTI AC300+B300.
Unlike the power stations we typically review, which have a self-contained inverter and battery in a single, highly portable unit, the BLUETTI AC300+B300 consists of two large and rather heavy, matte-black modules—an inverter and an expansion battery, respectively.
Inverters are crucial components of power stations because they enable them to work with both direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC) energy. Since a power station’s battery stores energy as DC, the AC300 inverter is necessary to convert the AC energy received from an outlet or generator into the DC energy that the B300 expansion battery requires.
The BLUETTI AC300 inverter can charge the B300 expansion battery using a standard AC outlet, but it also offers other charging options, including solar panels, car chargers, generators, lead-acid batteries, dual AC, and a combination of AC and solar.
When AC energy-requiring devices and appliances are plugged into the AC300 inverter, the B300 expansion battery’s stored DC energy is converted back into AC energy to power them. Without the AC300 inverter attached, the B300 Expansion Battery is limited to powering only DC and USB-compatible devices, which excludes most household appliances that require AC energy to work.
The BLUETTI 300 series modules are made to stack neatly on top of each other; the combined weight of just one stacked AC300 and one B300 is a whopping 127.2 pounds.
So, while both of the modules have heavy-duty integrated handles on each side and can be picked up individually (and with some effort, I might add) if you need to move them, it would make sense to consider this system as more of a “pick a place to set it and leave it there” solution.
Photo credit: BLUETTI
This is especially true if you plan on expanding it with a $329 Fusion Box to run up to two AC300 inverters and eight B300 expansion batteries and tying everything into your home’s power grid with the $619 BLUETTI AC300 Home Integration Kit.
If you don’t plan on building out your backup power system and need this to be a more “portable” unit you can move into your home from the garage during an outage, BLUETTI also sells a well-designed $299 foldable trolley.
The trolley has a 330-pound total load capacity. It can hold a stacked AC300 and two B300s, with a third B300 sitting in front, for a total of 9,216Wh “portable” power. The front wheels offer 360º movement, and each has a locking brake.
It’s worth noting that the BLUETTI AC300+B300 components are not waterproof; they should always be stored and used inside a cool and dry place, such as your home, garage, or a covered shed.
So, with that out of the way, let’s look at the basic components.
The BLUETTI AC300 Inverter Module Generator
The BLUETTI AC300 inverter measures 20.5″ long by 14.1″ tall by 12.5″ deep and weighs 47.6 pounds. As this module doesn’t have a battery inside, it won’t work without being connected to one or more B300 expansion batteries. If you plan on expanding your backup power, you can add up to four B300 expansion batteries to one AC300 inverter.
The AC300 inverter comes with a 15A AC charging cable (there’s no power brick!), a multifunctional DC charging cable for solar, car, and lead-acid battery charging, a car charging cable, a user manual, and a warranty card.
The BLUETTI AC300 is a 3,000W AC pure sine wave inverter with a surge capability of up to 6,000W; with this range, it can smoothly power heavy-duty appliances. When running, it is relatively quiet, which I appreciate.
The AC300 can be charged with up to 2400W solar input. It supports fast dual charging, with a maximum of 5400W when the AC300 is plugged into the wall (3000W) and up to 2400W via solar power (two B300 batteries required) simultaneously.
This versatile charging capability enables the BLUETTI AC300+B300 to be used as an uninterrupted power supply (UPS) in an electricity-powered home during outages. It also means that the system can be used to power an off-grid home with solar energy.
The front of the BLUETTI AC300 has three charging port clusters, each protected by an attached rubber cover. It also has a 2.25″ tall by 3.75″ wide display and a power button.
Pressing and holding the power button turns the AC300 inverter on, and an LED glows, indicating it is ready. To turn it off, you’ll again press and hold the power button, and the LED will stop glowing.
In the first port cluster, labeled DC Output to the left of the display, there is a 12V/30A RV port and a 24V/10A port. The latter has a label warning that it is a 24V output only and not to mix it with 12V.
On the display’s right is another DC Output port cluster that holds a 100W USB-C port, two 18W USB-A ports, and two 5V/3A Type-A ports. The power button is to the right.
On the bottom is another port cluster labeled AC Output 100-120V 3000W, which holds six 20A Max AC ports and one 30A Max TT30 port.
When the BLUETTI AC300+B300 is turned on, the color touchscreen display shows the voltage, current, power, temperature, and the state of charge and discharge of connected B300 batteries in real-time. This video is an excellent overview of how it works.
If you don’t already have an account, you can create one through the BLUETTI app. This allows you to connect to your AC300 via Bluetooth or WiFi when the device is turned on and get much of the same information you’d get from the display. Using the app also allows you to perform OTA firmware updates for the system when they’re available.
On the AC300’s top, there are two 15W wireless Qi charging pads for a total of 16 different powering methods. When you want to use the AC or DC power outlets on the AC300, you can turn them on or off from the display or from the connected BLUETTI app.
On the AC300’s right side are two vertical port rows with integrated fan vents in the center.
From the top, there is a 100-120V 30A AC input port for the charging plug, a 12-150V 12A DC Input, and a Communication Interface port, which you’d use if you were connecting it with another AC300 to create a dual split-phase system. Each of these ports is protected by an attached screw-on cover when not in use.
The vertical row on the right side includes two 51.2V DC ports for attaching up to two B300 Expansion Batteries. These ports are covered by an attached rubber cover when not in use.
You can download the AC 300’s user manual by clicking here.
The BLUETTI B300 Expansion Battery
The 3,072Wh BLUETTI B300 comes with an approximately 34″ long, 0.75″ thick battery expansion cable that includes locks on each of its 4″ long reinforced ends for a solid connection to the AC300 inverter or another B300. A user manual, warranty card, and a PV Input cable for charging the B300 with up to a 200W solar panel are included.
The B300 expansion battery measures 20.5″ long by 10.5″ tall by 12.5″ deep and weighs 79.6 pounds; lifting this module, even without the AC300 sitting on top of it, is a two-person job unless you’re very strong.
Again, if you think there’s any chance that you’ll need to move the AC300+B300 around after the initial setup, I highly recommend the optional foldable trolley.
On the front are a 12V/10A DC car charger outlet, one 100W USB-C port, a DC on/off button, a battery capacity LED, one 18W USB-A port, and a power button.
On the B300’s right side, two covered ports are placed vertically on each side. The top left is a PV port, and below is a charger port for the optional $199 D50S DC Charging Enhancer.
On the right are two battery expansion ports connecting the B300 to an AC300, an AC200MAX, or another B300.
You can download the B300’s user manual by clicking here.
Using the BLUETTI AC300+B300
Once connected to the B300 with the battery expansion cable, the BLUETI AC300 is your power system’s control center. When you turn the AC300 on or off, any connected B300 expansion batteries will also power on or off, and you can plug any devices or appliances that you want to power into the assorted ports on either device.
If you have the BLUETTI AC300+B300 plugged into an AC outlet, it can operate as a UPS for any connected devices, so if the power goes out, those devices will continue to run.
What can a single BLUETTI AC300+B300 set power? Here are some estimates that will give you a good idea:
- A 200W refrigerator for up to 16 hours (assuming the compressor isn’t constantly running)
- A 1000W microwave for up to 3 hours
- A 20W light bulb for up to 138 hours
- A 3400W water heater for up to 1 hour
- A 2000W electric burner for up to 1.5 hours
- An 800W electric drill for up to 3.4 hours
- A 500W eBike for up to 5.5 hours
- A 300W desktop computer for up to 14.5 hours (assuming varying power draws)
- You can fully recharge a 5,000mAh (18.5 Wh capacity) Smartphone over 100 times
- You can fully recharge a 15″ MacBook Pro (83.6 Wh capacity) over 30 times
You can figure out roughly how long the BLUETTI AC300+B300 can power your particular device by using its Wh in this formula:
3072Wh x 0.9 (BLUETTI sets the depth of discharge (DOD) to 90% to avoid damage due to over-discharge) ÷ [the watts your particular appliance or device uses or the total watts if more than one] = [the number of hours the portable power station uses can keep your device running].
For instance, a typical CPAP machine draws between 30 and 60 watts, so if we split the difference and call it 45W, the BLUETTI AC300+B300 could power a CPAP for up to 60 additional hours. A home ventilator, on the other hand, might draw around 200W, which means the BLUETTI could power one for about 13.5 hours.
Of course, once you add additional B300 battery components to the mix or go all out and expand your system to two AC300 inverters and eight B300 expansion batteries, the length of time you can keep your appliances and devices powered will grow.
But the beauty of the BLUETTI AC300+B300 Modular Power System is that you can begin with this highly capable pair, which will work well on its own; when you are ready, you can continue to expand the system until it’s as powerful as you need it to be.
One more thing to feel good about when you buy this modular power system is that for every AC300 or AC500 unit sold, BLUETTI donates a solar power system to an African Family through Lighting an African Family (LAAF). This program helps to provide well-lit living spaces and equal learning opportunities for children.
A home backup power solution is a smart investment because powering essential devices during extended power outages is a necessity, not a luxury. With the BLUETTI AC300+B300 Modular Power System, you’ll be well on your way to protecting yourself and your family when the power is out.
The BLUETTI AC300+B300 Modular Power System retails for $3299; it is available directly from the manufacturer and other retailers, including Amazon. Bluetti regularly runs promotions, and it is currently on sale for just $1,999.
Update: From now until July 13, use the code gear100 to get an additional $100 off the BLUETTI AC300+B300 in any configuration directly from the the BLUETTI site.
Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample
What I Like: This is a modular system, so you can start with the single AC300+B300 setup and add to it according to your power needs and as your budget allows; 3000W output with a 6000W surge; Multiple ways to recharge, including solar; LiFePO4 battery; There is no AC brick — just a charging cable; Relatively quiet while running; An impressive array of power output and input options; Color touchscreen display that provides all the necessary info in an easy-to-access and understandable way; BLUETTI app; It can be used as a UPS for critical devices during a power outage
What Needs Improvement: It’s a large and heavy power station, and if you need to move it regularly, the $299 optional portable trolly is highly advised; It has no water resistance, so it must be kept somewhere dry
Be the first to comment on "BLUETTI AC300+B300 Modular Power System Review: A Home Battery Backup Solution That Can Expands to Meet Your Needs"