Just putting it away at the end of your holiday can be a recipe for disaster. Although the Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries in these devices offer superb performance, if they run completely flat and are not immediately recharged, tiny Lithium metal dendrites (spikes) can form within the cells creating a short circuit and battery failure. An empty powerstation may no longer accept charging, or if charged, could suffer catastrophic battery failure.

Before storing: 

• Charge the unit to 50-70% (not fully charged, not empty)
• Turn off the power station completely

During storage:

• Recharge every 3 months to maintain battery health
• Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight & extreme temperatures

Bluetti power station in perfect use during a recent camping trip for @kurteklund05

We're spoiled by having easy access to abundant power during our regular living, consequently we often have little idea how much energy we are actually consuming.

When we're away from the national grid, we quickly realise that everyday activities like boiling a kettle or running a fridge actually consume large amounts of power. Furthermore, even though our power stations have cutting edge battery technology compared to older storage systems, they have a strictly limited capacity.

Getting the best from your battery and power station can be achieved by:

• Only using the 230V output when you actually need it. Switch it on, run the appliance, then switch the 230V output off again. Inverters require power to run, so will consume precious battery power while waiting for you to plug an appliance in. As I write this, the power station behind me was 100% charged 4 hours ago and left with the 230V output on, but no actual DC (Direct Current, 12V or USB) loads running. It's now down to 94% battery despite not having powered anything.
• Don't run your 12V fridge using 230V inverter output, plug it into the 12V cigarette socket and run it directly from battery power. The fridge uses fewer Watts of energy using the 12V supply, and the power station doesn’t consume power for the electrical conversion, and while sitting waiting for the fridge compressor to startup again. The same goes for running Starlink, 12V TV’s etc, if the appliance can run on 12V, power it that way.
• Configure the Timeouts (usually via phone app) so the display switches off after say 5 minutes, and the other outputs and power station also switch off if inactive for too long. These also help protect the battery from inadvertently being run flat

Power stations uses power to run the inverter when the 230V output is turned on, even with nothing plugged in. Turn off the AC output when not in use to ensure better efficiency and prolonged battery life

Use the 12V DC output wherever possible for increased efficiency

While forgiving compared to old style batteries, you can extend your power stations longevity by following these tips while using it.

• While it’s quite OK to discharge the battery all the way down to 0% full before recharging it, battery life will be extended significantly if you can recharge earlier e.g. keep it above 20% full
• If you do completely drain the battery, get some charge (e.g. 20% minimum) back into it ASAP. If left empty for too long the battery will become permanently damaged!
• If using the powerstation heavily every day, recharge it to 100% full every week at a minimum. If only gently using the powerstation in daily use, 2 weekly is adequate
• The battery will last longer if it’s gently used. Full power 230V output and fast charging will wear the battery more than gentle use. Usually found within the phone app’s settings, there’s an option for slower AC charging. If you don’t need fast charging, slow it down
• Best temperatures for use are in the 15-35ºC range. High temperatures will shorten the life of the battery, and the power electronics. High speed charging and discharging at low temperatures (e.g. around freezing) will dramatically increase battery wear
• These Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries aren’t significantly affected by sitting partially full, or even 100% full. As a general rule, leaving them at around 70% full means they are immediately useable, have plenty of energy in the battery in case of prolonged storage. It’s also perfectly okay if the solar charging is returning them to 100% full every day