Bluetti EB70 + PV200 Test: How Much Power Does the Set Deliver?

The Bluetti EB70 with Solar Panel PV200 – Handy Yet Powerful

Whether for the next camping trip, as an energy source for a summer garden party, or as an emergency power solution – The Bluetti EB70 is currently among the power stations that, despite compact dimensions, promise considerable power and thus a broad range of applications. In combination with a solar panel, one can easily cover several use cases.

We have intensively dedicated ourselves to testing the set of Bluetti EB70 and PV200 and examined the combo closely. In the following, we show you how the products perform in everyday use and in special test situations.

To find out whether the Bluetti EB70 power station and the PV200 solar panel can meet your energy needs, we tested various devices on the power station and tested the station to overload. In doing so, we illuminate among other things how well the Bluetti EB70 power station with the PV200 solar panel is suitable for outdoor adventures, as emergency power supply or as backup energy source for home use.

Design and Build Quality

The Power Station EB70

The Bluetti EB70 is practically designed. The housing shape is classically rectangular and all connections are oriented forward. On the top are the carrying handle and the inductive charging surface, with which smartphones can be charged wirelessly, for example. The housing and the carrying handle are made of simple polycarbonate plastic. The handle retracts into the housing, so it is not initially visible. The edges are rounded and pose no danger when bumping into them.

The fan of the unit is mounted on the side and blows the air away to the side accordingly. On the bottom, rubber attachments ensure good stability on smooth surfaces. Overall, the EB70 power station makes a well-built, solid and stable impression.

The Solar Panel Bluetti PV 200

The solar panel PV 200 consists of 4 panels and also shows good build quality. The surface is laminated with ETFE (ethylene tetrafluoroethylene) and protects the solar cells from weather influences. The outer shell is kept in subtle gray. The seams are cleanly made and have no protruding threads or visible weak points. The edges of the PV are not particularly sharp or pointed. The closure that fixes the panel in carrying position doesn't seem quite as stable to me, but in the test it consistently fulfilled its purpose and kept the panels together.

Analogous to the EB70 power station, the carrying handle here is also made of pure plastic and colored blue. The handle is not particularly ergonomic, so it doesn't fit perfectly into the hand shape, but should be completely sufficient for shorter carrying distances.

All cables are conveniently stored in a bag on the top, where the connection to the panels is also located. Sensibly, all relevant technical data for operation are also printed inside the bag, so you always have them at hand.

To set an appropriate angle, three foldable stand feet are attached to the back of the panel, which can be set in four different angles and the panels can thus be tilted appropriately to the sun (I'll go into the stability in more detail later).

What I still miss on the PV system is a possibility to hang the panels. While I'm at home, I like to charge the power station on the balcony and miss here a few eyelets with which I can attach the solar collectors space-savingly outside on the railing.

Technical Data Overview

The following table summarizes the essential technical data of the EB70:

Source: [url="https://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=2014771&u=3053271&m=124751&urllink=&afftrack=",name="Bluetti.eu",title=""]

Mobility of the EB70 + PV200

At first glance, the EB70 appears particularly handy. With dimensions of 32 x 21.6 x 22.1 cm (LxWxH), it actually settles among the particularly mobile models within its performance class. Only the weight of 9.6 kg is rather mediocre. Measured by watt-hours, for example, the 10 kg heavy [url="https://www.amazon.de/dp/B08RNSV6WJ?tag=produck-21",name="Jackery Explorer 1000",title=""] is the more efficient package.

The PV200 solar panel also proves to be very transportable and when folded is just 59 x 63 cm in size. Compared to other panels in this class, the PV200 is relatively light at 7.3 kg.

In total, you get a weight of the entire set of around 17 kg. Thanks to the small dimensions and acceptable weight, the Bluetti set is overall quite mobile and also easy to store.

Connections

In terms of connections, the Bluetti EB70 power station is well equipped for its size. At the top level, you first find two large connection areas: The DC for direct current and AC for alternating current. In the DC area, there are 2 USB-C connections, 2 USB-A connections, two round DC5521 connections as well as a cigarette lighter connection. On the top there is also an inductive charging field that supplies compatible devices with up to 15 watts (3A). In the test, this worked well on the smartphone without a case, but with a case there were repeated interruptions.

The AC area also offers two Schuko sockets (220-240V), which provide up to 1000 watts of output power. The Schuko socket outlets offer sufficient space to connect two devices in parallel. However, with large plugs it can get tight.

In addition to the connections, there is a lamp built into the front that can be activated via a third button and reproduce various light signals, e.g. flashing light. Especially when camping, this is good support. Pictures of the lamp's strength can be found further below.

The EB70 is conveniently also pass-through capable, i.e. devices can also be supplied with power simultaneously via the AC and DC connections while charging.

Handling and Outdoor Capability

The EB70 is easy to move as a whole thanks to its compact dimensions and quickly finds a suitable spot, e.g. when camping or on the balcony to supply the environment with sufficient power.

The connections are, as already mentioned above, all oriented forward and therefore, even when the device is parked in a corner, are easily accessible at all times.

A disadvantage of the connections is that except for the cigarette lighter, all connections come without caps and therefore lie open. Anyone who wants to take the device into sandy or even wet environments should exercise caution – the weather protection is poor. Here, other devices like the [url="https://www.produck.de/quack/4564/bluetti-ac200p-im-jahr-2023-immer-noch-in-jeder-hinsicht-ausgezeichnet",name="AC200P",title=""] are much better positioned.

As you know from Bluetti power stations, a bright lamp is integrated into the front. This provides constant light, flashing light, SOS signal light and can be adjusted in two brightness levels. Perfect for occasional lighting during outdoor adventures.

The PV200 is dust and splash water protected according to protection class IP65. In this respect, the panel also survives a rain shower.
As already mentioned above, four angles can easily be set with the supports that are attached at the back with velcro. The panel stood quite stably in our test and could also be set up well on the uneven meadow. No tipping occurred. The device is therefore practical.

Charging Methods and Charging Times

The Bluetti EB70 can be charged in three ways:

• Via photovoltaic system, e.g. with the included solar panel PV200
• Via vehicle electrical system e.g. in car or motorhome
• At the 230V socket via the included power supply

On the solar panel PV200, the EB70 tolerates an input voltage between 12 and 28 volts at 8 amperes and maximum 200 watts. Under optimal conditions, we were able to achieve a charging current of strong 180 watts out of maximum 200 watts. The test conditions were ideal – a day in June without clouds. With this charging amount, charging from 0 to 100 took just 4.5 hours. Both are therefore top values that make the combo EB70 + PV200 a successful set-up.

On the vehicle electrical system with 12V voltage and 100 watts, charging takes about 8 hours, at 24V and 200 watts about half as long. In the well-equipped trunk, the device can thus be easily charged via the cigarette lighter while driving.

At the socket, the charging time was 4.5 hours at 180-190 watts charging current, which corresponds to an average value compared to other power stations.

The good thing about the Bluetti EB70 is that the individual connections can be deactivated when they are not being used. In ECO mode, unused areas switch off after four hours. This reduces standby power consumption to almost zero and reduces self-discharge.
The discharge through leakage currents was also very low in the test. We could still prove well 90% battery performance after 3 weeks of standby time without use. A very good value.

Capacity

The Bluetti EB70 offers a battery capacity of 716 Wh (22.4 V, 32 Ah). Thanks to the lithium iron phosphate battery cells (LiFePO4), up to 2500 charging cycles are possible, which corresponds to a significantly higher lifespan than lithium-ion batteries. The disadvantage lies only in the higher weight of the LiFePO4 batteries. It is generally recommended to charge the battery to 80% every 3-6 months during longer standby periods to achieve a longer lifespan.

In the test, we were able to extract between 620 and 670 Wh depending on the extraction range before the battery was completely discharged. These are very good values.

In standby, power consumption was relatively low. However, it should be noted that especially the inverter, which can also be observed with other power stations, consumes quite a bit of power. With the AC area switched on, the battery capacity of the EB70 was exhausted within 35 hours without another device being connected. Unfortunately, even in ECO mode, the AC area only switches off after 4 hours without power consumption. So if you plug in a device before going to sleep, it may be charged in 4 hours and the station will continue to be discharged via the inverter for another 4 hours. Here, more flexible management, e.g. shutdown after time, would be better suited.

Apart from that, it applies that if there is the possibility, one should better operate power consumers via the DC area, as this has much less standby consumption. All measured values can be found below.

Thus, the EB70 consumes between 0.5% and 2.8% percent within one hour and can completely discharge itself within one and a half days (35 hours) with sockets switched on. This is not surprising insofar as most power stations require relatively much power for self-supply. It is therefore worthwhile to switch off the sockets that are not needed and leave the ECO mode active, as unused sockets are deactivated after a certain time.

Performance

Performance of the AC Sockets

To test the performance, we connected various devices to the power station, including a camera, cool box, coffee machine, hair dryer and a toaster, kettle as well as a raclette grill. Even the devices that consume slightly over 1000 W were kept running by the Bluetti EB70. We were thus able to confirm the specification of 1000 W output power at the 230V Schuko socket. The high peak load that some devices generate briefly when switching on is withstood by the EB70 up to about 1400 watts and only switches off automatically after a longer duration.

From a continuous power of 1050 watts, the device switches to overload mode (display "Overload" on the display) and switches off automatically to prevent damage.

Performance of the DC Connection

At the cigarette lighter you get 120 watts (12V, 10A) output power. This allows smaller devices up to cool boxes to be operated well. We tested this with a [url="https://www.amazon.de/dp/B07ZZC6816?tag=produck-21",name="Mobicool MCF40 compressor cool box",title=""]. The goal was to cool the drinks inside to 5 degrees. The compressor started approximately every 30 minutes during the day and then consumed between 35 and 50 watts. The fully charged EB70 kept the cool box running for a full 4 days and 5 hours. A great value that shows that the EB70 is well suited both for camping trips and for bridging power outages as an emergency power supplier.

Performance of the USB Ports

Modern PCs can also increasingly be operated via USB charging cable. All the more pleasing is that the EB70 offers two USB-C connections with 100 watts output power, which is exemplary equipment in this performance class. In the test, we were also able to confirm this power output. The voltage fluctuations were low, which is certainly important for sensitive electronics. Anyone who wants to use the device in the home office for PC, monitor and router can do so with confidence in our experience.

The two USB-A ports support a power of 15 watts (5V, 3A). This allows smartphones to be charged quickly, but not as fast as at the USB-C ports. My Samsung Galaxy S22 needed about 1.5 hours to charge from 20% to 100%.

Noise Level

Power Station:

The fan of the power station itself starts running directly when connecting to the solar panel and then remains constantly active. You can clearly hear the noise level. This may disturb some people during concentrated work. For me it was acceptable in the next room, but directly next to me too much in the long run. We measured a noise level of 53 dB directly next to the box. With pure power supply, the fan almost never started and the device was quiet. Here, use in the study is basically possible.

Power Supply

The power supply also has its own fan, which generates a noise level of up to 51 dB and is basically always active. So anyone who plans to charge the EB70 on the mains should be prepared for the somewhat loud fan of the power supply. The lack of load control means that the fan always runs at full speed. Charging via the socket next to the workplace would therefore not be a sensible use case from my point of view, but also makes little sense.

Performance of the PV200

The solar cells of the PV200 consist of monocrystalline silicon. These achieve a good efficiency of 23.4%, that is, 23.4% of the sunlight can be converted into energy. In the test, we were able to generate up to 180 watts of charging current under ideal conditions, as already written above. Thus, the PV200 achieves 90% of its specified energy performance according to our measurements. A very satisfactory result.

Package Contents

The package contents of the Bluetti EB70 + PV200 include everything needed to operate the system.

This includes:

• the EB70 power station
• AC charging cable with power supply (1.2 m long)
• Car charging cable (72 cm long)
• Solar charging cable with MC4 connector (1.5 m long)
• Operating instructions in English and German and warranty card
• The PV200 panels including connected connection cables

It's practical that in combination with the PV200, almost all cables can be accommodated in the bag of the solar panel and are thus always included in the entire set-up.

A 24-month manufacturer warranty is provided on the device and accessories.

Operation

The operation of the EB70 is explained in a few words. The individual areas can each be activated via a small button on the device. As soon as these are switched on, a small LED lights up green on the respective switch. In the dark, this is easily recognizable and doesn't disturb much, but in sunlight I had problems recognizing whether the delicate LED was still glowing and had to shade it with my hand. An additional display on the screen would be helpful here.

Via the key combination AC and DC button, the setting mode can be activated. Subsequently, the ECO mode can be switched on and off via the DC button and the frequency can be switched from 50 Hz to 60 Hz, for example to get the appropriate frequency abroad. In the test, I needed several attempts before I could activate the setting mode. Here I missed the feedback on the display. Fortunately, you only need to call up the available settings very rarely.

Anyone who wonders at the beginning why the inductive charging station doesn't work should remember that it is only active when the DC area is activated.

It's a shame that there is no connection to an app with which you can monitor the charge level remotely, which would bring significant relief, for example, with built-in stations (e.g. in the camper garage).

The Display

The display is functional at first glance. It shows the input and output power. Additionally, you can see the currently set mode, battery charge level, a low battery symbol and error messages for overheating, overvoltage and short circuit. You can activate the display via the buttons on the individual areas. After that, it is on for one minute and switches off again. The whole thing is power-saving, but sometimes also simply a bit too fast, e.g. when aligning the panels.

The battery charge level is unfortunately displayed in 20% steps, which from my point of view is far too imprecise. A percentage would be more informative here. When charging, the display always jumps between the individual levels. You can therefore only roughly estimate what the current status is. A red battery symbol additionally indicates when the battery level is low.

Safety

The Bluetti EB70 has various safety mechanisms that protect it from damage. These include the automatic shutdown in case of overcurrent and overload, which, as already mentioned above, is triggered from about 1050 watts continuous power. We were able to reliably reproduce this in the test with a hair dryer on the highest setting.

The fans provide continuous ventilation. Should the device nevertheless detect overheating, it also switches off and displays this on the screen. The same applies to short circuits.

By the way, you shouldn't leave the EB70 in direct sunlight. Practically in combination with the PV200, you can comfortably place the power station behind it in the shade and thus protect it from sunlight.

Price-Performance

The EB70 is available in various combinations. As a solo variant, you can currently get the power station for 479 euros. The solar panel PV200 can be found on eBay from 319 euros. The combo of both can be obtained accordingly from about 800 euros, e.g. at [url="http://shrsl.com/43gt2",name="Geekmaxi.com",title=""]. A look at the manufacturer's website is also worthwhile, as [url="https://shrsl.com/43q0s",name="promotions for various power stations",title="Bluetti Homepage EB70 Offer"] can occasionally be found here. The combo is currently significantly more expensive on Amazon:

The good price-performance result is also supported by the previous Amazon reviews. Here (as of June 2023) over [url="https://www.amazon.de/dp/B08X39NDYJ?tag=produck-21",name="330 customers rate the EB70 with very good 4.4 stars",title=""] and the set with PV200 with 4.2 stars.

Generally speaking, the Bluetti EB70 as a solo variant as well as in combo with the solar panel PV200 offers a very good performance ratio. For comparison, you can find two popular combos from EcoFlow and Jackery in the similar performance class below.

As of June 2023

Conclusion on the Test of the Bluetti EB70 + PV200

The Bluetti EB70 has proven itself in our test as a powerful power station that largely lives up to its technical specifications. The high power of up to 1000 watts with 1400 watts peak load enables the operation of numerous household appliances, e.g. a refrigerator or a coffee machine. The power station is therefore suitable for camping trips as well as for supply in the home office or as a bridge for power outages. The safety mechanisms also worked well in the test and protected the device from damage.

With a total of around 17 kg, the combo is overall easy to transport, but is not yet among the lightest sets of its kind. However, the LiFePO4 battery with up to 2500 cycles is very durable and promises long-lasting power supply.

Thanks to the versatile connections, many devices can be accommodated simultaneously at the station. The 100 watt USB-C ports are particularly noteworthy, as they enable the supply of modern hardware and are exemplary in this performance class.

We were also convinced by the build quality of the station and the panel. Only the battery level indicator is too imprecise and the display switches off too quickly. The connection to the app would also have been convenient and we missed it somewhat in the application.

The combination of the Bluetti EB70 with the PV200 proved to be quite successful. With 180 watts charging current, the device was fully charged again in 4.5 hours under ideal conditions. Thanks to the pass-through capability, the device can be charged and discharged simultaneously. Thus, a continuous supply of devices is given, e.g. when camping.

All in all, we were impressed by the device in the test and found the performance remarkable for the size. Thus, the Bluetti EB70 with the Bluetti PV200 solar panel is a clear recommendation and can supply a broad clientele from campers to outdoor adventurers with the necessary power.