Solar generators from Google employees: They live particularly long

October 05, 2022 | Mara Egeling

anchorThe solar generators from Anker are said to last a long time thanks to lithium iron phosphate technology.

Probably many will not be able to do anything with the company Anker. They supply households worldwide with charging cables and storage solutions. For quite some time they have also been offering solar generators that are significantly more durable than many of their competitors. Reason enough to subject Anker to a quick check.

The quick checks of the competition:

The bottom line is that solar generators are nothing more than large batteries that supply power to various devices such as smartphones and laptops. However, depending on the model, entire kitchen appliances or hotplates can also be connected, which is why solar generators are also popular when camping.

The battery – also known as a power station – is either charged in the traditional way via the socket. It only becomes a real solar generator when it is supplied with solar power via portable solar modules. There are now many manufacturers of such solar generators on the market. In our quick check series, we take a close look at the most well-known. As in this case, the American-Chinese company Anker.

What distinguishes Anker?

The story of Anker reads a bit like a rags-to-riches-turned-millionaire. Steven Young started out as a simple software developer for Google. But with his later founded company Anker Innovations Ltd. he not only turned over millions, but one billion dollars last year. At first, Anker only sold replacement batteries for laptops. Today the product range extends from charging cables and power banks to generators in the solar power set.

Until the end of 2016, Anker sold exclusively through Amazon. Even if the products are now sold via the in-house shop, you can still have Anker delivered via Amazon.

Anker calls its solar generators “PowerHouses” and does not, like other manufacturers, rely on lithium-ion technology, which makes it possible to provide a lot of power in a small space. Instead, the Anker charging stations contain rechargeable batteries with lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4). The difference? Although LiFePO4 batteries are heavier than lithium-ion batteries due to their lower energy density, the risk of explosion and fire is lower and the battery type lasts longer.

In the meantime, the company has introduced the new Series 7 after the Series 5 and thus offers a choice of four batteries. With the Anker 767, a mobile PowerHouse with a storage capacity of 2048 watt hours will soon be on the market.

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How much does a solar generator cost at Anker?

Anker offers its mobile charging stations both as individual products and with the appropriate solar panels in a solar set. The solar modules can also be purchased individually.

The respective solar generator results from the corresponding combination of power station and solar panel. We have listed the exact variations:

Screenshot: Amazon.deIt’s also available on Amazon: Here, Anker sells its batteries for the same price as in its own online store.

Connections to Anker’s solar charging stations

The Anker PowerHouses deliver electricity via USB sockets and 230 volt sockets. There is also the option of charging devices via the solar panel on your own connections without having to go directly to the power station. For example, the solar panel 625 has a USB-C and a USB-A output to power 2 devices at the same time.

• USB connection: All Anker stations charge smartphones, tablets, notebooks, etc. via multiple USB ports. The differences lie in the number of outputs. For example, the Anker 757 PowerHouse has four USB-A and two USB-C sockets, one of which delivers up to 100 watts (W). The Anker 521, on the other hand, only has a USB-C port with 60 watts.
• Power outlet: Each station is equipped with 230 volt sockets.

EFAHRER.com conclusion:

Buy a solar generator to save electricity? Not worth it. In contrast to balcony power plants, a power station is primarily an expensive electricity storage device that can be supplemented with a solar panel for charging. Instead of a power supply, the investment is worthwhile if you want to supply your devices with power for certain situations at short notice. You have to ask yourself which application you need a solar generator for. Do you need a lot of electricity because you are going on long journeys, live in an area with a bad electricity supply or want to supply your garden shed with solar power? Then the investment could be worthwhile from a practical point of view. But if you want to hold a garden party twice a year and make the garland shine, a much smaller and cheaper model will suffice.

The Anker generators are promising models with strong performance, albeit decent heavyweights. The Anker 757 battery weighs almost 20 kilograms thanks to the lithium iron phosphate battery. You don’t just tuck it under your arm. In return, the stations promise many charging cycles, so that the investment lasts a long time. Probably the biggest advantage compared to many competitors.

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