Bluetti EB3A Portable Power Station

Portable power stations are a new category of product for us here at CGR. They have been around for quite a while now but to be honest most seemed a little too pricey for the utility that they offered. However the Bluetti EB3A has changed that and is a very economical unit that should prove popular with many outdoor athletes on extended car camping trips.

It can’t have escaped your attention that our relationship with electronic devices has changed radically for many/most outdoor folk. Just off the top of my head whilst in the alps this summer I had the following items that might need charging at any given time:

• GPS watch
• GPS Cycle computer
• Optical HRM
• Massage gun
• Smart Phone
• Tablet
• Kindle
• Earbuds
• Headlamp
• Table lantern
• Camera Battery

That list can be almost doubled when adding in my wife’s devices! Now we’re lucky enough to have a van that I’ve kitted out with solar panel, B2B charger and an AGM leisure battery. So long as it’s reasonably sunny or we’re not static for too long then charging is a non-issue. However if you were to add in some teenage children to the mix (honestly do they just eat electricity?!!) or if you are car camping with a tent then keeping devices topped up can be an issue. If you’re staying on campsites there is often the option to charge devices via the shaving sockets in the sanitation blocks, or at less risk charge a portable power bank. Some sites will even provide secure charging for devices although there may be a nominal charge for the service and space is obviously limited. Into this rapidly evolving world of electrical dependancy (I’m kidding – there’s no need for all these devices but remember if it’s not on Strava it didn’t happen!) the Bluetti EB3A enters to meet your charging needs.

So what is the Bluetti EB3A Portable Power Station? At its simplest it is an overgrown power bank that is slightly larger than a shoe box. In reality it is incredibly versatile and includes clever fast charging technology, heat sinks and cooling fan as well as an inverter that allows you to use your conventional 3 pin plugs and AC devices. Coupled to this there are plethora of ports to charge your devices. The Bluetti has a 12Ah capacity, and the LiFePO4 battery guarantees 2,500+ cycles to 80% of its original capacity, at least 4 years of service life if you use twice a day. In terms of the charging outputs and inputs

OUTPUT

AC Output:

• 1 x 220V-240V/2.6A Outlets (600W in Total)
• Inverter Type: Pure Sine Wave
• Surge Power: 1,200W

• USB-C: 1 x 100W Max.
• USB-A: 2 x 5V/3A USB-A

DC Output:

• Car Outlet 1 x 12V/10A
• DC 5521 (5.5mm) 2 x 12V/10A
• Wireless Charging Pad: 1 x 15W Max.

INPUT

• AC Input (Standard Mode):268W Max.approx 1.5-2.0 Hours
• AC Input (Turbo Mode):330W Max approx 1.3-1.8 Hours.
• Solar Input:200W Max, VOC 12-28VDC approx 1.8-2.0 Hours
• Car Input: 12/24V from Cigarette Lighter Port 3.2-3.7 or 1.9-2.4 Hours

I wish the Bluetti had been around years ago when I was car camping! If you are a car camper, especially on long trips, then the Bluetti EB3A is a no brainer, it will remove pretty much all of your device charging angst. The only remaining charging issue will be how to charge the Bluetti itself. If you are driving regularly on your trip then an in car cigarette lighter power cable is the cheapest option however the best option (unless it’s the middle of winter!) will be a portable solar panel. Bluetti supply both 12/24V from Cigarette Lighter cable and a cable with the industry standard solar MC4 connectors but these are an additional purchase. They also portable solar panels and the PV120 Solar Panel | 120W version would be the perfect companion to the EB3A. In fact such a set up would make a car camper pretty much independent power wise for small devices. For a rough idea of what you’ll get Bluetti state following charges out of the unit:

• iPhone 12 X 25
• Laptop (100W) X 3.5
• Engel Fridge 5 hours (still with 55% charge remaining in EB3A)

Now obviously this is in ideal conditions but my experiences with on and off usage over a 2 week period were not dissimilar. For things such as fridges the EB3A is a little on the small side capacity wise and you couldn’t realistically use it unless it was getting constant input from a solar panel etc. The unit actually contains 14 6000mAh cells. I ran my van’s fridge, an Engel which are famously frugal with regard to power, from the Bluetti EB3A for over 5 hours and still had 55% charge left using the standard 3 pin socket which in turn uses the units Pure Sinewave inverter to convert from DC to AC. Bluetti themselves suggest a mere 3.5 hours for a mini fridge but the variety of fridges and the conditions of use suggest they have given a very conservative estimate. Even though I had no direct need for the Bluetti in my van this summer it still proved useful with its array of output options, in fact the USB C output has proved essential to charge Ledlenser head torches that use a USB C to proprietary magnetic connector. One of the most impressive thing to me was just how quickly the unit charged, generally less than an hour if not fully discharged, when connected it up to the mains supply and likewise it could sit for weeks with no loss of charge making it ideal for the irregular use on camping trips. The bright digital display lets you easily monitor charging and usage, there’s even a lamp if you’ve got the unit out at night! The only slight demerit I can see is the lack of weatherproofing which is part of the ‘AC’ range from Bluetti so with the EB3A you need to be mindful of leaving it exposed to rain if using it outside your tent/car/van. Besides car campers the Bluetti EB3A makes for an excellent option to ‘electrify’ your works van LWB Defender etc. for trips without having to make any permanent alterations. Admittedly one of the larger options from Bluetti would like as not be an even better bet but the EB3A lets you test the water for less than £250. Pair it with a set of portable solar panels and upgrade later to a bigger power station if needed. Such a set up would also make sense to vintage van owners who don’t want to permanently mount solar panels on their van roof.

Pros

• Light
• Multiple ports
• Versatile
• Good, serviceable, build quality
• Fast charging
• Long charging life
• Decent capacity for car camping

Cons

• Lack of weatherproofing
• No car charging cable supplied in box

SRP £269 (Currently on sale at £249)

Stockists (UK)

Stockists International

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