Portable gas generators have existed for years. But they come with some problems. Gas generators emit carbon monoxide, which makes them unusable indoors. In fact, gas generators require at least 20 feet of clearance from any physical structure to use safely.
Portable power stations solve the indoor problem. These generators are like giant rechargeable batteries. They don’t generate emissions and they’re capable of powering many household appliances. If you’re looking for a safe and portable power solution, these power stations are what you need.
But which one should you choose?
Enter the Lipower MARS-2000 Portable Power Station.
This power station is new to the market and delivers several key features that may make it more effective than its competitors. The question now is whether those features make it worth your time and money - find out just that, right here.
The Basics
The Lipower MARS-2000 markets itself as the world’s first low-noise power station. And at under 35 decibels of noise generation, it lives up to that claim. The station comes with 10 ports, including three USB-A ports, one USB-C port, three AC outputs, and two DC outputs. There’s also a car outlet if you want to charge it while driving. This combination of ports makes it versatile enough to power a vast majority of your devices and appliances.
If you’re going camping and need to power a hot plate and deep freezer while charging your phone, this device helps you do just that. If you’re indoors and simply want a power station that serves as a central hub for charging or powering several devices, the Lipower MARS-2000 can deliver.
But so far, these are all fairly standard features. Most portable power stations offer multiple ports and the ability to power several devices at once. Even though most competitors don’t match the below-35-decibels noise output, these types of power stations are usually pretty quiet too.
So, what sets the Lipower MARS-2000 apart? The answer is that it has several key features you won’t find on other power stations.
Feature No. 1 – Long-lasting and long-life battery
Most portable power stations have NCM or NCA batteries. In the case of NCM, these batteries feature positive electrode materials made up of nickel, cobalt, and manganese. NCA batteries combine nickel, cobalt, and aluminium. But whichever battery is used, you’re generally going to find that they last for about 500 cycles. In other words, you can drain and recharge the battery about 500 times before it stops working.
That wasn’t enough for Lipower.
The MARS-2000 features electric vehicle-grade LiFePO4 battery packs that last for an astonishing 3500 cycles. This gives the battery about seven times the lifespan of those found in most other power stations. What’s more, the use of lithium-ion in these battery packs means the station offers superior charge and discharge efficiency to NCM and NAM batteries.
What does this mean in practical terms?
If you fully drain and charge the MARS-2000 once per day, the power station will last for about 10 years. By comparison, you’ll get less than 1.5 years of use out of a standard NCM or NAM battery.
Feature No. 2 – Extreme safety
You’re probably thinking that such a powerful battery is likely to generate a lot of heat. You’d be right. That’s why the MARS-2000 features an intelligent cooling system that’s specifically designed for the power station.
Lipower’s system combines an extremely efficient large-area heat dissipation module with metal heat conduction brackets to ensure the device dissipates heat quickly. The result is a constant cooling system that ensures the MARS-2000 is never in danger of overheating.
It’s this intelligent cooling system that contributes to the power station’s low volume. The clever construction means the device cools itself consistently enough to achieve a low-noise operation that never exceeds 35 decibels.
Feature No. 3 – Exceptional output
Lipower claims the MARS-2000 can power 99 per cent of your appliances.
It achieves that by offering a 2000-watt output, which makes it capable of running everything from power tools to hot plates, water pumps, and deep freezers. These are all appliances that you’re likely to take camping with you. The MARS-2000 keeps them all running at the same time for several hours.
All told, the MARS-2000 can generate 1,460 watt-hours. If you’re not sure what that means, let’s imagine you’re powering a 100-watt lightbulb. A watt-hour is a unit of measurement that shows you how many watts flow from a device over the course of an hour. If you only hook a 100-watt bulb to the MARS-2000, it should theoretically power that bulb for 14.6 hours. Note that actual working time can vary and is subject to changes due to conversion rates.
Feature No. 4 – Affordability
Having high output is great. But you need to charge the power station to take advantage of it. If the station has a higher output, that should mean that it costs more to charge, right?
Yes and no.
A single charge of the MARS-2000 will cost more than charging a comparable device in terms of the upfront cost. However, you end up paying less per watt-hour than you would with power stations that use NCM or NCA batteries. The usual cost of the power generated by these types of stations comes to about $1 per watt-hour. With the MARS-2000, you get a rate of $0.74 per watt-hour, leading to a saving of about $0.26 per watt-hour.
How does that work?
The MARS-2000 offers several charging options that allow you to control costs. You have standard wall outlet charging, which takes about 5.6 hours. However, you can also charge the power station using solar panels or your vehicle’s battery. If you take advantage of solar panels, you charge your MARS-2000 with a more affordable form of renewable electricity that brings your watt-hour costs down.
Feature No. 5 – Low weight
Portable power stations aren’t always as easy to move around as they claim. For example, most power stations that offer 2,000-watt outputs weigh at least 20 kilograms. While this still means they can be carried, that extra weight makes them difficult to deal with.
The MARS-2000 only weighs 16.1 kilograms while offering 2000-watt output.
That 3.9-kilogram difference equates to about 8.5 pounds, which is a hefty chunk of weight to shave off such a small device. Users should find that can move and transport the MARS-2000 much more easily than they could carry devices with comparable outputs.
Conclusion – Is the Lipower MARS-2000 worth your money?
The Lipower MARS-2000 has several features that make it stand out against comparable power stations. Its high power output means you can run several appliances simultaneously. Plus, it’s light enough to be easily portable and features plenty of ports so it’s compatible with most devices.
Combine that with the low per-watt-hour energy costs, an intelligent cooling system, and long-lasting battery packs, and you get a power station that saves you money. Granted, you may pay a little more upfront for the MARS-2000 than you would for other 2000-watt output stations. But factor in the lower energy costs and the fact that the device lasts seven times longer than its competitors. You end up paying less because you don’t have to replace it as often and because it costs less to use.
Reprinted from pocket-lint