NEW: Biolite BaseCharge 1500 Rechargeable Power Station
Morgan Rogue 11.28.22
Biolite has been killing it with its new releases lately. From their headlamps to their power banks, they are expanding out into devices that the community has been desperate for from a company that has proven itself a leader.
A rechargeable power station is a logical next step for Biolite and one that I, personally, am really excited about.
Here are some specs of the Biolite BaseCharge 1500:
- 3 AC ports
- 1 12V carport
- 2 12V DC barrel ports
- 1 solar input
- 1 USB-C PD
- 2 USB-A
- 2 USB-C
- Wireless charging on top
- Handles on both sides
- Large, easy to read display
- 1200 usable watts stored on a lithium-ion battery with 2400 surge
- Can be charged via 4 daisy-chained 100-watt solar panels in less than 4 hours.
- Takes about 13 hours to fully charge via wall socket
- Can charge multiple devices at once as long as it stays within the power limitations
- Can be used in freezing temps, however, will reduce capacity (like with all batteries), so keep it insulated
- Can be used in extreme heat conditions but keep it out of direct sunlight
Now that we’ve got those main specs out of the way, let’s go into my personal experience with it.
As I say with all of my power station reviews, what a power station can power and for how long depends on the capacity of the power station, in addition to what the device draws.
For instance, if you want to charge a smartphone, you’re looking at anywhere from 10-20 watts per hour. This means, if it has to be plugged in for 2 hours, it’ll use anywhere from 20-40 watts, total.
For a freezer or fridge, the energy is only being drawn when the fridge is actually cycling. Cycling can vary between appliances, I’ve seen some use as long as 50 watts for about 15 minutes. All the way up to 700 watts for 15 minutes.
In saying all this, even if your fridge does run 700 watts, if it’s only cycling on for 15 minutes every hour, it will be taking that 700 watts, but it wouldn’t deplete the machine fo 700 watts. It might only reduce the amount of battery capacity by 5%, or something like that.
However, if you’re running a fan, which is on constantly, and it takes 30 watts, you’ll be using 30 watts an hour. So if it’s on for 6 hours, it will have depleted the system of 180 watts.
I hope that makes sense.
With a 1200-watt output, you can power just about anything, but the biggest concern to keep in mind is the longevity of the power usage, as described above.
Pros of the Biolite BaseCharge 1500:
- The display has to be my favorite part. It tells me how much wattage is coming in and going out. It also estimates how much time is left on the battery charge, based on what is being charged. In addition, it displays a percentage of power that is left. It gives all the info you need to make informed decisions about battery life.
- At first, I wasn’t sure if I liked the handles being indented on the sides, however, I quickly learned to love it because of the sheer size and weight. It’s a lot easier to carry it around using the two handles on the sides, rather than having a handle up top.
- For the capacity, the size and weight really aren’t that bad at all. I expected something much larger and heavier. It has weight to it, that’s for sure, but nothing that would stop me from putting it in my Jeep or RV for our next trip.
- Has plenty of ports and if more ports are needed, I could use a power strip, just as long as it doesn’t exceed the power limit.
- The wireless charging on top is fantastic. No need to use a cable to charge my phone, leave that space open for something else.
- Can be charged via the all, car or solar panels.
- Huge capacity to power just about anything I could ever want to power.
- Makes zero noise.
Cons of the Biolite BaseCharge 1500:
- Honestly, I’ve been racking my brain to find a con, but I think the only thing I can say is, the wireless charging on top seems to be a little lonely. What I mean is, it’s just the one wireless charger on this huge space on the top, and really nothing else there. I suppose that’s a good thing, if you have larger devices that can handle wireless charging then there’s plenty of space for it.
The Biolite BaseCharge 1500 is a winner
If you’re looking for a power station that can keep you charged up during an emergency, while camping or in the apocalypse; I highly recommend the Biolite BaseCharge 1500 for $1,699.
