ALLPOWERS Solar Generator S1500 Review
Reading Time: 9 minutes The ALLPOWERS Solar Generator S1500 is a combination package of the ALLPOWERS S1500 and one ALLPOWERS SP033 200W Solar Panel. The ALLPOWERS S1500 is a 1092 Wh power bank weighing 26.12 lb / 11.85 kg with one USB-C port, three USB-A ports, four Type B outlets, and a 12V carport.
It boasts enough capacity to reliably power large devices like laptops, powered coolers, televisions, or drones. It is large enough to provide power for an extended off-grid expedition (so long as you’re not using an induction cooktop every night). Like similar-sized power stations, it’s designed to be portable, easily rechargeable, and practical.
Here’s everything you need to know about the ALLPOWERS Solar Generator S1500.
Testing Conditions
I have used the ALLPOWERS Solar Generator S1500 charging gear in my car while on the road during winter in the mountains. I’ve left it mostly in my vehicle while temperatures outside dip well-below freezing. I have been charging the ALLPOWERS S1500 with both the ALLPOWERS SP033 200W Solar Panel and a standard household outlet.
Pros and Cons
+ Foldable handle makes storage and transport easy
+ One USB-C ports and three USB-A ports
+ Four Type B outlets (a “regular” wall outlet)
+ Can be recharged via car, wall outlet, or solar
+ Two-year warranty
– Incredibly loud when charging
– USB outlets located on the side of unit
– Large power brick that gets quite hot
– Polycrystalline solar panel not as efficient as monocrystalline
The Specs
The following information reflects the ALLPOWERS S1500 only. The ALLPOWERS SP033 200W Solar Panel specs can be found here.
- Weight: 26.12 lb / 11.85 kg
- Dimensions (in): 12.6 x 8.7 x 7.5
- Dimensions (cm): 32 x 22 x 19
- USB-C Ports: 1
- USB-A Ports: 3
- Type B Outlets: 4
- Capacity: 1092 Wh, 295200 mAh
- AC Output: AC 1500W 110V / 60Hz
- USB-A Output: 5V 2.4A
- USB-C Output: 5V 5A / 9V 5A / 12V 5A / 15V 5A / 20V 5A (PD 100W Max)
- Car Output: 12V / 24V 10.5A
- AC Input: 300W max
- Solar Input: 300W max
- USB-C Input: 100W max
- Recharge via AC Adapter: 4 hours
- Recharge via USB-C: 10 hours
- Recharge via 12V Car Adaptor: 4 hours
- Recharge via ALLPOWERS SP033 200W: 4 hours
- Recharge via AC + USB-C: 3 hours
- Country of Origin: China
- MSRP: $1,799 (ALLPOWERS S1500 alone, $1,599)
Photo Gallery
The Good
The Pass-Through Charging: The ALLPOWERS Solar Generator S1500 supports pass-through charging. That means it is possible to charge the power bank while using the power bank to charge other devices. From what I’ve read, this puts additional strain on the system and can cause additional heat (the heat produced by the unit and its power brick is already immense) and long-term strain on the battery. I don’t imagine I’ll be using this in a situation that would require me to rely on pass-through charging for an extended time, but it’s nice to have the option should I need it.
The Size: The S1500 is one of the best power banks I’ve used as far as its size goes. Many powerbanks have notoriously large or unwieldy handles. This makes storing them in tight spaces, stacking them on things, or stacking things on top of them an issue. The S1500 has a handle that folds up and down allowing it to be a perfect rectangular prism. I wonder if the handle being able to rotate 180 degrees instead of 90 would have some beneficial functionality and/or make carrying it easier, but I’m not mad at it (it could, however, be more ergonomic).
The Operating Temperatures: The operating temperature range of the ALLPOWERS Solar Generator S1500 is 14-104°F (-10-40°C). Honestly, the lower end worries me sometimes as I frequently find myself (or my car) in sub-freezing temperatures. But I have yet to experience an instance of attempting to power on and use the S1500 and having it not work because of the cold. That said, I don’t know that I would trust it with my life in the borderline-operating temperatures (but if I’m stuck in those temperatures, I probably have bigger issues than keeping my electronics charged).
The Okay
The Panel Size: The solar panel included with the ALLPOWERS Solar Generator S1500 is the ALLPOWERS SP033 200W. It’s 7.3 ft (87.8 in) / 2.23 m long when fully deployed and is 25.6 in / 650 mm tall; it weighs 13.98 lb / 6.3 kg. It’s great to have so much solar charging potential in a single package, but it can be difficult to find the space to deploy the panel – especially if you’re in a tight space and the sun is at an unfavorable angle.
The USB-C Ports: The ALLPOWERS Solar Generator S1500 has one USB-C port. I wouldn’t consider a power bank without at least one USB-C port but more would be better. The USB-C port can be used as either an input (to charge) or as an output (to charge a device). It’s more than capable of powering USB-C devices – even laptops and tablets. That said, why is there only one? Most of my devices now use USB-C and it’s frustrating to have to carry outdated cables to use the remaining three USB-A ports for USB-C charging.
The Solar Charging: The ALLPOWERS SP033 200W does an okay job of charging the ALLPOWERS S1500. It’s a polycrystalline panel which isn’t quite as efficient as the monocrystalline counterparts. There is a monocrystalline panel available from ALLPOWERS, but it’s not the one included in the bundle. Hooking up the panel is simple and if you have sunlight available the most difficult part will be finding space to set up the wide panel (which consists of four panels). Charging the ALLPOWERS S1500 from zero to 100% in direct sunlight takes approximately 4 hours in direct sunlight. The solar panel is also compatible with other ALLPOWERS units.
The Portability: The ALLPOWERS Solar Generator S1500 isn’t light. It weighs 26.12 lb / 11.85 kg. The single handle across the top can make it cumbersome to carry (as opposed to two handles on either side). The ALLPOWERS SP033 200W solar panel weighs 13.98 lb / 6.3 kg. It is possible for a single person to carry the S1500 and the ALLPOWERS SP033 200W. Each one of them has a handle. As stated above, I appreciate that the unit is a neat rectangular prism when the handle is folded down.
The Bad
The Noise: Different from all the other power banks I’ve reviewed until now, the ALLPOWERS Solar Generator S1500 is shockingly loud when charging. Loud enough that if you were charging in a confined space, you would find yourself talking over it. If you’re charging outside with the sun or indoors in the other room it’s not a huge deal. But I was honestly surprised at how loud the fans were when I first plugged the power station in.
The Price: The S1500 is not an expensive power station and for the price, I expect more than simply a large battery to plug one USB-C device into. Yes, there are two lights on the front of it (honestly, I don’t know where the whole putting lights into power banks thing comes from – doesn’t make sense to me), but the power station on the whole seems a bit fragile and the entirely plastic shell feels like it’s the bare minimum shell required to house the large and expensive battery. I also with the front buttons front were easier to see – it’s nearly impossible to see what each is in dim light as they’re all indistinguishable from each other.
The App: The ALLPOWERS app is a bit clunky. You can control the lights, see the remaining power, and turn off and on ports with the app. It will randomly try to get me to sign in (does not let me create an ALLPOWERS account and instead wants me to use a service like Google or Facebook which I’m not comfortable doing). The power bank also seemingly disconnects every time I leave the app as I need to reconnect every time I open it. The ability to set a timer, control the power going to each device, or see the temperature of the power bank would be welcome.
Who is it for?
The ALLPOWERS Solar Generator S1500 is an okay solution for keeping small, medium, or (some) large electronics charged while traveling or camping off the grid. If you’re a small or medium-sized group (three to five people), the system should be able to provide you with all the power you need to keep your devices charged – particularly if you plan on taking full advantage of solar charging.
This isn’t going to be your single point of power if you’re wanting to do something like power an entire off-grid living situation (for more than a couple of hours, at least). It will, however, do a great job to supplement whatever other power sources you have available (or serve as a backup in case things go awry with your power).
Wrap Up
The ALLPOWERS Solar Generator S1500 has enough capacity to keep your large devices running longer, but comes at the cost of some weight and bulk. It’s certainly portable, but not necessarily something you’re going to want to be lugging around in your backpack.
That said, for a basecamp, car camping, or stationary outdoor adventures, the ALLPOWERS Solar Generator S1500 can do a solid job of powering your off-grid adventure – especially if you’ve got plenty of sunlight. Questions, comments, or personal experience with the ALLPOWERS Solar Generator S1500? Leave a comment below or get in touch and let me know!
Check out the ALLPOWERS Solar Generator S1500 here and get 15% off with code QT55FKT12YJ4.
Rating + Recommendation
ALLPOWERS Solar Generator S1500 Review
-
Size/Weight
(3)
-
Portability
(4)
-
Inputs/Outputs
(3.75)
-
Features
(3.5)
-
Charge Time
(3.5)
Summary
The ALLPOWERS Solar Generator S1500 is a portable power system bundle made up of the ALLPOWERS S1500 and an ALLPOWERS SP033 200W solar panel. It’s a great no-frills option featuring pass-through charging that stores easily. However, there are a few things, like the app and case, that could be improved to make this feel more like a $1500+ unit.
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ALLPOWERS Solar Generator S1500 Review
-
Size/Weight
(3)
-
Portability
(4)
-
Inputs/Outputs
(3.75)
-
Features
(3.5)
-
Charge Time
(3.5)
Summary
The ALLPOWERS Solar Generator S1500 is a portable power system bundle made up of the ALLPOWERS S1500 and an ALLPOWERS SP033 200W solar panel. It’s a great no-frills option featuring pass-through charging that stores easily. However, there are a few things, like the app and case, that could be improved to make this feel more like a $1500+ unit.
