You probably already know what a power station is for. They are excellent for disasters and travel where power is needed. Most have the capability to be recharged by a car’s 12V cigarette port, AC brick wall, and/or solar panels.
In this blog, I will go over:
– Lithium-ion (Li-ion) vs Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) battery cell differences
– Pros and Cons of this Oxteco 1200W battery
– Basics like Watts, Watt-hours, Continuous vs Peak rating, and more
These will help you better understand the OXTECO Sirius 1200W power station and let you know if this product can meet your needs.
—-Clayton Parks, CEO of Oxteco
Portable Power Station,Sirius1200W,1040Wh
There has been an increase in people taking emergency preparation more seriously amidst climate change, wildfires, hurricanes, flooding, and so on.
BATTERY TECHNOLOGY AND SAFETY
Most of the power bank sellers on the market debuted with Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries that were bulky, heavy and related cheap. While Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) for more power in a smaller, lighter package. Li-ion, however, is more volatile and becomes riskier as more cells are packed together. The OXTECO Sirius 1200W uses LiFePO4. More on that later.
CELL MANUFACTURERS
During my years of research, I found that the use of lower-quality batteries could pose a serious risk to life and property and should become a crucial part in deciding what to buy. Battery cells made by LG and Sony are among the best in the hobbyist world as are Sanyo/Panasonic and Samsung. But do keep in mind that LiFePO4 is by far safer and less volatile than Li-ion. So, I will let that slide even though opening up the power station would probably tell me more about the batteries.
OXTECO Sirius 1200W is equipped with BMS which can prevent a dangerous situation. Over Voltage Protection, Short Circuit Protection, Over Current Protection, Over-Discharge Protection, Over Charge Protection, and Temperature Protection make you feel unprecedented peace of mind.
LiFePO4 vs Li-ion CELLS
Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries — which OXTECO Sirius 1200W uses — are bulkier, heavier, and cost more than Lithium-ion. However, they excel in these areas:
– Less volatile and thus, safer
– Charge cycle: 1500-2000 (10+ years)
— Li-ion: 20-25% capacity loss after every 500 cycles (6-10 years with up to 2000 cycles, but diminishing capacity over time)
– Usable in high temperatures. Li-ion: only 140F/60C max
– Holds 350-day charge. Li-ion: 300
For the very reason that this battery is made with LiFePO4 — which is safer than Lithium-ion — you will feel sufficiently confident to keep the battery in you car’s trunk (which will be much hotter than other places)at all times. The BMS would and should automatically shut off the battery once its internal batteries were too hot.
IN A NUTSHELL
The OXTECO Sirius 1200W is a no-frills power station with a model naming convention — the 1200W referring to its continuous output. The 1,200W of energy (and the peak of 1,500W) gives it a HUGE advantage over the other’s peak. This provides enough power for a large number of electronics and bigger appliances, such as a laptop, television, fridge, medical devices (like CPAP), and car freezers, including rice cookers, vacuums, water boilers, and circular saws. The hard, plastic material used to help shed weight (and cost) could be prone to cracking from hard falls or bumps, potentially exposing the LiFePO4 batteries to puncturing. The carry handle is unfixed and I am a fan of it because it makes it more stackable in tight spaces. LiFePO4 batteries are infinitely SAFER, heavier, costlier, and have a longer charge cycle (battery lifetime) than Lithium-ion, but OXTECO somehow managed to keep it at 30 lbs (15kg).
The 1,050 Watt-hour capacity provides it with enough charge to power a 60W laptop for up to 14.8 hours (1050Wh x 0.85 efficiency loss / 60W), a 40W CPAP for 22.3 hours, or a 110W Amazon Toshiba TV for 8.1 hours.
Functionally, this is a good, portable power station with a multitude of AC and DC outputs. The OXTECO Sirius 1200W included two USB-C PD with 60W output. This makes it useful for charging supported laptops.
An MPPT solar charging controller is built-in. These modules are more expensive than PWM ones and provide for more efficient, faster charging via solar panels. The display screen is impressively sharp and bright and provides sufficient information about the battery’s runtime.
Pass-through AC output is available while its battery is charging. That means that you can connect AC-powered devices while being charged. Although you should be aware that doing so could shorten the battery’s lifetime a bit. A cigarette port cable — but not a solar one — was included.
Overall, for what I have been using this battery for — storing in the car for grocery runs or travels during the hot, summer heat — it works exceptionally well. Knowing that it runs on LiFePO4 cells gives me an additional piece of mind that a fire wouldn’t easily start the same way volatile Lithium-ion batteries are known to be the cause.
PROS
-Super fast AC charge. Less than 2 hours to fully charge it
– At 1,050 Wh capacity, it is large enough for a week’s getaway, depending on what you use to power it with
-V+ Charge tech. About 1.7 Hours fully charge(AC800W)
– AC Inverter capable of continuous 1,200W power (and 1,500W peak) – More details later
– Surprisingly inexpensive for LiFePO4 at 1,050 Wh capacity
– Enough continuous/peak wattage rating to power most, common electronics
— Laptop, tablet, phones, lights, fans, CPAP medical device, projector, TV, mini-refrigerator, speaker, camera, DSLR battery charger, and large appliances
– USB-C PD ports
– AC & DC ports (USB, 12V) can be used while charging
– Faster charging with MPPT controller (Maximum Power Point Tracking)
– Informative, sharp, and bright LED display
— Total power coming in (via solar panel or AC adapter)
— Capacity left (as a percentage)
— Total power (AC and DC combined) being used
– Pure Sine Wave (I did not verify the manufacturer’s claim for this review) to help power-sensitive electronics
– BMS provides built-in overload, overcharge (automatically stops charging when the device is full), and short-circuit protection
— Fan to keep the station’s temperature safe
– Multiple ways of getting charged
— Massive, fast-charging
— Solar panel
– Built-in LED with SOS flashing mode
CONS
– Carry pouch is not included to hold the AC charger and cables
– Hard, plastic material makes the power station lighter but could be prone to cracking from hard falls or bumps
– Battery cannot be replaced. This can lead to unnecessary landfill waste
– Not waterproof. Keep it away from water splashes, rain, and pool!
USAGE
– To turn ON or OFF the Car/USB (DC) or AC outputs, press the corresponding button
– Li-ion batteries have 500 charge cycles before capacity drops to about 80% from when they were new
— Li-ion could, in theory, be charged up to 2,000 cycles — about 1/4 of total capacity is lost every 500 cycle
– LiFePO4 batteries, however, can 1,500 – 2,000 cycles without losing any capacity in the meantime
CONTINUOUS VS PEAK OUTPUT
– OXTECO Sirius 1,200W: (1,500W Peak)
Before we continue, it is important to understand the difference between Watts and Watt-Hours. How much power is used or produced is measured in Watts, and how much energy a battery can store is calculated in Watt-Hours. See the “Calculations” section below for more details.
How much energy a battery can store is measured in Wh (Watt-hours), and how much power is used or produced in W (Watts).
– AC Inverter: Converts battery (DC) power into AC
— OXTECO Sirus1200W provides 1,200W continuous output with a 1,500W peak
– Peak/Surge (Starting): Nearly every device initially draws extra power to turn on. The highest amount it pulls is the Peak. As long as that number is below 1,500W, it can be STARTED. Examples…
— Turns on OK (PEAK under 1,500W):
— Freezer starts at 400W (peak), runs at 150W once on
— Will NOT turn on (PEAK over 1,500W):
— High-powered Home AC starts at 5,000W (peak), and runs at 1,000W once on
Most devices power on at a higher (Peak) wattage than when they are already on (Continuous). Therefore, if its peak exceeds the power station’s max, it may not be able to start
Continuous Output (Running): Once devices are on, as long as they keep drawing less than 1,200W total, they will stay ON until the battery runs out
– CONTINUES running (under 1,200W)
— 100W TV + 60W laptop = 160W
– COULD STOP running (over 1,200W)
— Temporary overdrawing beyond 100W for a few seconds is okay. A quality BMS will protectively shut down the battery if the surge does not end after a while. Regularly going over for a prolonged time can ruin the battery in the long run
CALCULATIONS
What size battery should you get? How long will it power your fridge for? How long will it take to recharge? The below calculations can help answer those questions and are rough ESTIMATES as conditions, battery quality, and age can vary.
CHARGING TIMES
Time to Charge This 1,050 Wh Power Station
– Calc: Hours to charge battery = Battery capacity (Wh) / Input Wattage
— Note: As the battery approaches 75% full, the input charge will increasingly be slowed down to prevent overcharging
WATTS USED/PRODUCED BY A DEVICE
– Calc: Watts used or produced by device = Voltage x Amperage
– Vacuum with 120V @ 9.5A uses 1,140W
– Solar panel with 12V @ 10A can produce up to 120W
IDEAL BATTERY POWER STATION SIZE
– Calc: Battery capacity (Wh) = Watts used by device x Hours needed for / 0.85
— 10-15% of power is lost during power conversion
– 45W car fridge needed for 8 hours: Minimum 424Wh power station (45W x 8 / 0.85)
TIME BEFORE BATTERY IS EMPTY
– Calc: Hours available for device = Battery capacity (Wh) x 0.85 / Watts used by the device
— 10-15% of power is lost during power conversion
– 60W laptop with 505Wh battery: Up to 7.2 hours (505Wh x 0.85 / 60W)
TIME TO CHARGE A DEVICE
– Calc: Hours to charge device = Device’s battery capacity (Wh) / Input Wattage
– 60W laptop with 200Wh battery: Up to 3.4 hrs (200 Wh / 60W)
TIPS
– Always test your devices with the power station before you depend on it on the go
– You cannot jump start a car with this type of battery.
— To minimize fire damage to your belongings or loved ones, store the power station in the garage and not inside the house. The best storage is a dry, cool place, however
— You cannot bring a battery of this capacity on a plane
– With the right BMS, quality batteries, and other factors, the power station can be stored in the car while camping during a hot, California summer
— Keep the battery out of direct sunlight. I usually store it on the floor of the car and crack open the windows a tiny bit
— Do not USE in the car if temperatures fall below or exceed the battery’s rated, operating temperature
– If using a car charger, make SURE you only charge this station while the car is RUNNING. Otherwise, you’ll deplete your car’s battery and leave stranded
– If charging with a solar panel, be sure to keep the station out of direct sunlight as it could overheat
— A solar panel is NOT required to use the battery
– Turn off any output ports (AC/DC) that are not being used in order to conserve power
– Do not use any power station in a tightly enclosed area as it can overheat
– To prolong the battery lifetime while in storage, keep the battery fully charged every 3-6 months
— Or, keep it plugged in when not in use and discharge it to 50% every 3-4 months
— NOT using the battery for a very long time can actually hurt its lifetime
— There is no “memory effect” in this station’s battery. It is better to NOT let it completely drain
FINAL THOUGHTS
The OXTECO Sirius 1200W is a decent battery. The 1,200W of energy (and peak of 1,500W) provides plenty of power for a large amount of electronics and small appliances and is the perfect size for a week’s trip (with occasional recharging via a 12V car port or solar panel) or to charge something for days (like my car freezer). Its LiFePO4 batteries are safer to operate than the Lithium-ion ones used in Jackery and other products.
The hard, plastic material commonly used by power stations to help shed weight and cost could be prone to cracking from hard falls or bumps, and as such, this product should be handled with care – a puncture of the batteries could cause severe harm. It has a significant price advantage over the industry leaders.