review – I have seen portable power station with lead acid batteries. They are all heavy! LiFePO4 batteries are more common, and a quick Amazon search will turn up many. Today I’m trying out ITEHIL’s 500 watt hour power station and matching solar panels.
What is it?
ITEHIL 500Wh Portable Power Supply can be powered via USB, USB-C, 12V port and AC outlet (100-120V), powered by LiFePO4 battery.
What’s in the box?
- home charger
- 12V cigarette lighter charger
- 12V output adapter (female cigarette lighter socket)
- XT60 Secondary Battery Cable
- Accessories suitcase
I also received a matching solar panel, sold separately.
- D-ring for hanging plate
- Various charging techniques
- USB 2.0 and 3.0 outputs (built into the back of the panel)
Hardware Specifications
For power stations:
- Rated power: 500W
- Capacity: 500Wh
- Working temperature: 14~122℉
- Dimensions: 10.8x 9.1x 8.3in
- Weight: 19.2 lbs (measured on a bathroom scale)
- Car output power: 12V/10A 120W(Max)
- AC output: 100V- 240V 50/60HZ
- DC 5521 output: 12V/10A 120W (max)
- Type-C output: PD 20V/3A 60W (Max)
For solar panels:
- Maximum output power: 100W
- Maximum supply voltage: 18 V
- Maximum supply current: 5.5A
- Operating temperature: -4°F to +140°F
- Folded size: 20.47*14.17*1.97 inches
- Expanded size: 20.47*67.52*1.18 inches
- Weight: 11 lbs
- 1*USB 3.0 output (5V/3A, 9V/2A, 12V/1.5A 15W)
- 1*USB 2.0 output (5V/2A 10W)
- 1*18V DC port
Design and Features
The front of the power station seems well thought out. I like the way the individual outputs are grouped (DC out, in, etc.) 
There’s a small set of vents on each end, and a white LED square on the right that might come in handy in an emergency.
Double handles unfold from the top. You’ll need them because it weighs nearly 20 pounds.
set up
I scanned the only instructions I could find. This is pretty self-explanatory. The description of the light “gear” might not be the best choice. If it doesn’t apply to your comment, please delete this title and section.
Obviously, there is an option to connect a secondary battery pack to double the battery life.
For initial charging, I used a home charger. The front display provides a wealth of information, including estimated completion times and helpful icons on the bottom row. Below, the display shows that the cooling fans are activated.
Performance
Some cheaper power inverters will try to approximate the AC waveform, which may not be ideal for some electronics. I put the power supply on my oscilloscope to see the AC output. It looks like a fairly sinusoidal waveform.
I could have tried to charge my iPhone, but the battery is so large that I have to charge many, many phones to get this monster to work. I plugged in two workshop lights: each consumes about 20-22 watts.
With both lights on, the front panel estimates 44 watts of power being used, which takes about 8.2 hours.
Elapsed time: 7 hours. The display shows 24% battery charge remaining. I’ve noticed that the power output fluctuates, as low as 38 watts.
Elapsed time: 8 hours. The display shows 13% battery charge remaining. Empty time has been switched to show minutes. I didn’t realize it would go from hours to minutes.
First shutdown: Between 8-9 hours. The battery shuts off after about half an hour. The display shows 7% battery charge remaining. Why is it closing down at this time? I activated the battery backup and let it drain further.
Final shutdown: after 30 minutes. It will not restart when 1% battery charge remains. The Time to Empty display defaults to “99 H”.
This is an imperfect test and your results will definitely vary depending on conditions (45-50F) and load (resistance vs motor etc). If you’re using the most basic electrical formula, 44W x 9 hours = 396 watt hours, don’t mind the difference in what the front display shows. Slightly less than 400 Wh compared to the 500 Wh listed. Remember, this is just a test.
solar charging
I also received a solar panel (sold separately) so I picked up the now empty power bank and checked to see if I could use the solar power. Let’s take a look at solar panel kits.
On the back of the panel is a zip pocket with useful charts. The pouch contains all the accessories, including a set of USB 2.0 and 3.0 ports that you can use to charge your gadget.
Take a closer look at the power junction box below. The “DC” port uses a so-called DC 5521 cable to power the power station.
There is a set of “legs” extending from the panel that tilt the rig. It doesn’t work well on smooth kitchen floors.
It’s late December, so the sun is low in the winter sky. In the morning, I installed the panels on the fence, facing south, to catch as much sunlight as possible.
The kit comes with a special white head connector that makes this solar-to-power station power possible. It is connected to the input of the power station.
Solar charging begins: When solar charging begins on a winter morning at 40F, the power station receives 45 watts of energy.
1 hour solar charge: The sun has shifted and the power output has increased to 75 watts. The power station is now at 15% capacity.
Solar charging for 2 hours: The power has been increased slightly to 79 watts, and the capacity has been increased from 15% to 30%.
3 hours of solar charging: Of course, the sun has moved and part of the panel is now in shadow. Power output is now down to 42 watts, but within three hours the power station is almost half full at 47%. Note that the charging time increases to 5.3 hours as the solar power decreases.
what do I like
- Power station equipped with various ports
- Built-in LED light
- LiFePO4 battery replaces old lead-acid battery
- The optional solar panel packs a punch
what would i change
- The solar panel tilt function is a bit unstable on smooth surfaces
- Not 500 Wh in my tests
final thoughts
Not only is the ITEHIL 500 Wh power station my new backup power source, I know I can also fast charge it with solar power. Both the power station and the panels are heavy, but lighter than the old lead-acid options of the past.
price: $499.99 (Power Station), $229.99 (100W Solar Panel)
where to buy: Amazon (Power Station), Amazon (solar panels)
source: This product sample is provided by Eathill.
