Comparison BLUETTI AC200L vs BLUETTI AC200MAX

Some electrical appliances (in particular, units with electric motors - refrigerators, air conditioners, etc.) consume significantly more energy at startup than after reaching the operating mode. For such a load, the peak power of the charging station must be taken into account - its indicator must be higher than the starting power of the load.

Charging stations with UPS function switch consumers to backup power from their own battery, acting as an uninterruptible power supply. In comparison with full-fledged UPSs, switching does not occur instantly, but with a certain delay (about 10-30 ms). To use this function correctly, you must first study the instructions for the charging station, which often describes the correct procedure for connecting the intended consumer devices.

The delay (usually in milliseconds) between the power going out from the outlet and the moment when the station starts feeding connected devices from its battery, maintaining "pass-through" power. The shorter this time, the higher the chance that devices won't notice the drop at all: for routers, cameras, NAS, and PCs, this is critical because a long pause can cause a reboot, loss of connection, or even filesystem errors. Essentially, this is the same parameter as in a classic UPS, but for charging stations, it greatly depends on implementation: models with a more "UPS-like" switching scheme switch considerably faster, while some stations formally have a UPS mode but actually create a noticeable break or activate the output only after "realizing" the network's loss. In practice, this point helps distinguish a charging station that is truly suitable as a UPS for sensitive electronics from an option "for lights and charging": for example, for home internet and video surveillance, minimal switching time is important, while for lamps, charging phones, or a heater, a brief pause is typically not critical.

Full-size USB ports for powering and charging compatible portable devices: smartphones, tablets, flashlights, action cameras, power banks, and other devices. USB-A remains relevant thanks to the large number of cables and accessories that use this connector, so it can be useful, for example, for simultaneously charging a phone and a flashlight during a power outage.

The number of ports (1, 2, 3, and more) determines how many devices can be connected without a splitter, while the maximum power indicates the capabilities of the highest-output USB-A port: the other connectors may provide less. When several devices are connected simultaneously, the available power may also be distributed among the ports, so the actual charging speed depends on the station's output configuration and the supported standards.

USB type C ports are smaller compared to classic USB ports and have a convenient reversible design that allows connecting the plug either way. USB type C was initially created to implement various advanced features: increased power, fast charging technologies, etc.

Since the port is relatively new and quite powerful (you can find USB type C with 60W, even 100W and 140W), the total number of such connectors is often limited to one port, or sometimes two).

— Current. The maximum current delivered through the USB type C port to the device being charged. Note that different ports of a charging station may deliver different currents (for example, 1.5A and 2.1A). In such cases, the highest current is usually specified.

— Power. The maximum power in watts (W) that the charging station can deliver to one charging gadget. The high output power of the USB type C port allows for faster charging. However, the device being charged must support the corresponding power; otherwise, the speed of the process will be limited by the gadget's specifications.

In wireless charging mode, energy is transferred to the gadget being charged through an inductive surface, which is usually built into the upper plane of the charging station case. There can be one slot for wireless charging or several of them are provided. The range of this technology does not exceed a few centimeters. However, this method of charging eliminates the fuss with wires and reduces wear on the connectors. One of the key disadvantages of this format is considered to be low power and, accordingly, slow charging speed.

Additional output connectors provided in the design of the charging station in addition to those described above.

DC connector for a distinctive round plug (like those used in many laptops) used to recharge the battery of the device. Note that DC- in plugs may have different sizes, and chargers with such plugs may have different operating voltages. In practice, this leads to the fact that finding a suitable charger for a portable station is not easy, you need to be especially careful when searching.

The number of charge-discharge cycles that the battery can withstand without significant loss of performance.

In the process of operation, the batteries wear out, which causes their performance to suffer (in the first place, the capacity decreases). Battery life is usually measured in charge-discharge cycles. However, models with the same declared resource are not always equally durable in practice. Different manufacturers may interpret “significant loss of performance” in different ways: for example, one brand indicates the resource up to a 20% decrease in capacity (DOD > 80%), another - up to a 60% decrease (DOD > 40%) Behind the abbreviation DOD worth decoding Depth of Discharge, i.e. discharge depth. Therefore, when choosing, it makes sense to focus not only on pure numbers, but also on other sources - test results, reviews, etc. Also note that battery life can be noticeably reduced if the operating conditions are violated (for example, in case of overheating or hypothermia).