Whether you want to be ready for the next hurricane season and ensuing power outages or ensure power supply for off-grid living, it is always good to have a solar generator handy.
While solar generators are available from 300-500 watts to as high as 5000-6000 watts, you should pick one that suits your energy requirement. From the popularity of 2000-watt solar generators, it is clear that most US households find it the ideal capacity to meet their energy needs. Moreover, as solar generators are portable, you can carry them with you on your outdoor activities.
This article will help you understand the specifications and features of 2000-watt solar generators and why you should choose them. You will also find here some of the best 2000-watt solar generators available in the market and a buying guide to help you make sense of it all.
More about 2000-watt solar generators
A solar generator is an all-in-one device that houses a charge controller, an inverter, and a battery to convert and store the DC power produced by the attached solar panels. The AC power supply stored in solar generators can be used to power any electrical device.
The devices that can be run on a solar generator depend on their capacity. This is also the deciding factor in determining how long the devices can be run. The capacity of a solar generator is usually expressed in watts and watt-hours. While watts refer to the capacity of the inverter, watt-hours indicate the size of the battery in-built into the solar generator.
A 2000-watt solar generator comes with a 2000-watt or slightly bigger inverter. This directly tells you how much load the solar generator can handle at any given point in time. A 2000-watt generator can supply power to devices with the same 2000-watt rating or less. If you try to plug in a device that has a higher rating, it will not work. Moreover, the solar generator will shut itself off to prevent damage.
A 2000-watt solar generator is ideal for you if the devices you want to power have a rating of less than 2000 watts. In fact, it is advisable to choose a solar generator with a rating of 120% of your actual requirement.
What can you do with a 2000-watt solar generator?
When you are using a 2000-watt solar generator to power your electrical devices, you cannot plug in any number of devices even if they are within the 2000 watts rating. The total wattage of all the devices plugged in at any given time shouldn’t exceed 2000 watts.
For instance, if you are plugging in a 2000-watt device, you cannot plug in anything else. However, if the ratings of the electrical appliances plugged in are much lower, such as an LED light of 10W or a TV of 50W, you can use more such devices at the same time as long as the total stays within 2000 watts.
Some of the electrical appliances that can be powered using a 2000-watt solar generator are
- LED light (5-20W)
- TV (50-200W)
- Laptop (30-200W)
- Camera (5-50W)
- CPAP (30-60W)
- Microwave (600-1200W)
- Coffee maker (550-900W)
- Electric grills (350-1500W)
- Mini fridge (50-100W)
As you can see, all these devices have ratings of less than 2000 watts. However, you won’t be able to use two devices with more than 1000-watt ratings at the same time. You need to be mindful of the total ratings of all the devices plugged in at a given time.
Another important feature of a solar generator is its surge rating. A solar generator will come fitted with a surge protector to protect it from power surges. Most electrical appliances experience a power surge when switched on. While most appliances have a power surge at the beginning, it is more experienced in some of them like hairdryers, vacuum cleaners, power tools, heaters, and air conditioners.
For example, if a device may consume 1000 watts to run, it may need 1500 watts to start up. If your solar generator’s surge rating is below the power surge of the device plugged in, the generator will shut down as a precaution against damage.
Why choose a 2000-watt solar generator?
When there is a wide range of solar generators available in the market with diverse specifications, why is there a high demand for a 2000-watt one?
Many factors make a 2000-watt solar generator attractive.
- Convenient size
- Affordable price
- Enough capacity to power small devices
- Can be used at home and outdoors
Whether you want to use this solar generator at home or when you are out camping, this solar generator can supply power to most everyday home appliances. While a solar generator is always desirable, the price goes up exponentially as the power rating of the solar generator increases. With a 2000-watt solar generator, you can manage your needs without burning a hole in your pocket.
This buying guide will help you understand what to look for in a 2000-watt solar generator.
2000-watt solar generator: A buying guide
These are the features to consider while shopping for solar generators in general, not just for 2000-watt ones.
- Capacity of the backup battery
- Type of in-built battery
- AC input power rating
- PV input capacity
- Variety and number of output ports
- Connectivity
- Cost per watt-hour
Let’s understand each of the above in detail.
Capacity of backup battery: When the sun is not shining and the solar generator is not generating electricity, the battery size determines the amount of power available at your disposal. However, if the solar panels are converting solar energy, the PV input rating is also a factor.
The battery size is given in watt-hours. But most solar generators come with expandable battery capacity. This means you can add more batteries to the system, though you will have to buy them separately. With additional batteries, you can store more power in them.
Type of in-built battery: Lithium batteries are preferred in solar generators as they are compact and lightweight. As solar generators also double up as portable solar devices, this is vital. Solar generators come fitted with 2 types of lithium batteries – Lithium Ferrophosphate (LFP) battery and Nickel Manganese Cobalt (NMC) battery.
Though the NMC battery is a newer entrant, it is not as good as its predecessor. In terms of energy storage and temperature tolerance, LFP and LiFePO4 batteries are preferred.
AC input power rating: This determines the time taken by the solar generator for charging using AC input. This may vary in the range of 500-1800 watts. Manufacturers keep the AC input rating low to keep the price lower. However, when the AC input rating is low, it will take longer for the device to charge.
PV input rating: This limits the power the device can take in from solar panels. In other words, this restricts the wattage of solar panels that can be attached to the solar generator. For a 2000-watt solar generator, the PV input rating varies in the range of 1200-1500 watts.
When there is a power outage and the generator is draining the stored power in it, even when the sun is shining bright, the generator will have trouble keeping up with the demand if the PV input rating is lower. If the sun is available for shorter periods, this can also impact the amount of solar energy it can generate and store for later use.
Type and number of output ports: More variety in the type of output ports means you can plug in more variety of devices to the solar generator. At times, the number of ports also matters, especially the USB ports with low wattage. With more ports, you will be able to charge many devices simultaneously.
Price per watt-hour: The watt-hour denotes the battery size or the amount of power available for use. Cost per watt-hour is an indication of the value for money. This is one way of comparing different brands. The lower the figure, the better it is for you.
Best 2000-watt solar generators
BLUETTI Portable Power Station AC200MAX
Bluetti is a well-known name in the solar generator segment and its ACP200P was the undisputed king until Bluetti came up with this power station. This is a good choice on many counts – maximum expandable battery size, a wide range of ports, low price per watt-hour, LiFePO4 battery, and overall better technology.
With 2048Wh Battery Backup that is expandable up to 8192Wh, AC200Max can store enough power for most of your requirements. With its 2200W inverter, a surge rating of 4800W, and a variety of output ports including 4 AC ports and a 30A RV port, you will have a hard time finding a better 2000-watt solar generator.
- However, this device doesn’t have a 240V AC port.
- Inverter rating – 2200W
- Surge rating – 4800W
- AC input rating – 500W
- PV input rating – 900W
- Output ports – 16 ports
- Weight – 62 lbs
In case this one is too expensive for you, you can consider the older version from Bluetti, ACP200P. You will find most of the features similar but some may be absent like the wireless connectivity.
EF ECOFLOW Portable Power Station DELTA Max 2000
This one from EF EcoFlow poses strong competition to Bluetti AC200Max with its higher inverter capacity and AC input rating. However, this falters in the expandability of the battery and charge cycles.
The in-built battery size is as good as its competitor with 2016Wh. It is also priced competitively. This solar generator comes with 15 output ports including 6 AC ports. However, it comes with an NCM battery. This means it has a higher power rating and power density compared to the LFP battery, but it has fewer cycles, meaning it has a shorter lifetime.
- Inverter rating – 2400W
- Surge rating – 5000W
- AC input rating – 1800W
- PV input rating – 900W
- Output ports – 15 ports
- Weight – 48 lbs
The next best option from the EF EcoFlow stables is EF ECOFLOW DELTA Max (1600). With an inverter capacity of 2000W, battery size 1612Wh expandable up to 5644Wh, surge rating of 5000W, and 15 output ports, it is a good buy.
Goal Zero Yeti 3000X Portable Power Station
This is a good solar generator from the Goal Zero Yeti series if you are looking for a 2000-watt portable solar generator. Though the inverter capacity at 2000W is not as good as the others, it has an in-built battery capacity of 2982Wh, much higher than others. However, this solar generator doesn’t come with an expandable battery size. That is a definite disadvantage.
Ten output ports include 2 120V AC ports, a 12V carport, 2 12V High Power ports, 2 12V 6mm ports, and 3 USB ports. With the Yeti app, you can control the power station from anywhere. Another interesting feature is Goal Zero’s MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking), which helps in increasing solar input by up to 30%.
- Inverter rating – 2000W
- Surge rating – 3500W
- AC input rating – 600W
- PV input rating – 600W
- Output ports – 7 ports
- Weight – 70 lbs
You can pair this solar generator with a Goal Zero 200-Watt Boulder or 300-Watt Ranger Briefcase Solar Panel.
BLUETTI Solar Power Station EP500
Another top-notch product from Bluetti. One of the most attractive features of this Bluetti solar generator is its AC input rating of 6000W. Even its PV input rating is higher than the rest at 2400W. This makes EP500 the fastest charging solar generator in the 2000-watt segment.
If sunlight is available only for a few hours in your location, this is a perfect solar generator for you as it makes the most of the available solar power. Unfortunately, its battery size is not expandable, though it comes with a huge 5100Wh LiFePO4 Battery Backup. Its cost per Wh is also higher than the others.
With 15 ports in this power station including 2 15W wireless charging pads, you will not miss grid power. However, it weighs a whopping 167 lbs, making it not so portable.
- Inverter rating – 2000W
- Surge rating – 4800W
- AC input rating – 6000W
- PV input rating – 2400W
- Output ports – 15 ports
- Weight – 167 lbs
This is a good choice if you are not looking for expanding battery capacity.
Bottom line
Gone are the days when portable solar generators used to be seen as a luxury. In the last few decades, solar generators have made big strides and there is nothing crude about them anymore. The present generation solar generators have everything you may ever want during a power outage or for your off-grid living needs.
If you want to check out more options, Jackery Solar Generator 2000, Jackery Solar Generator 2000 Pro, and Point Zero Energy Titan Solar Generator (3000W) are good solar generators in the 2000-watt segment.
By pairing these solar generators with the right solar panels, you can make the best of the free and abundant solar power provided by the sun. 2000-watt solar generators can power most of your small and medium home appliances and electronic devices without going bankrupt.