Better than the Jackery 1500?
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Regardless of the emergency, reliable off-grid power is essential to being prepared. Gone are the days when our choices were limited to a gas or diesel generator; in 2023, we have a wide assortment of robust battery banks to power virtually anything we need.
I received one such portable power station from the good people at BougeRV to test and review. The unit I got was a 1120Wh Power Station which I used for several weeks to gauge its usefulness as a backup power source.
Specifications
The BougeRV 1120Wh Power Station uses LiFePO4 battery chemistry and is capable of 3500 recharge cycles. LiFePO4 batteries are more stable and, therefore, safer than their Lithium-Ion counterparts. Using this battery chemistry also allows for more charging cycles which means longer life.
Weighing in at 13kg or 28.7 lbs, the power station is light enough to be packed around the house, job site, campground, or cabin and is only 12.6” x 9” x 11.4”, which makes it small enough to stow almost anywhere. The power station also has two handles built into the case to make carrying easier.
The power station includes a LED display, ten output ports, and three input ports.
Outputs
3 — AC pure sine wave (1200W total)
2 — USB-A (2.4A 12W)
1 — USB-A Fast Charge 3.0 (5V/3A 15W or 9V/2A 18W)
1 — USB-C (3A 60W Max)
2 — DC5521 (12V/10A 120W total)
1 — Cigarette Lighter Port (12V/10A 120W total)
Inputs
1 — DC5521 Charge Port (25V/8A 200W Max)
1 — PV Solar Charge Port (12–30V/8A 200W Max)
1 — USB-C Charge Port (20V/3A 60W Max)
The bright LED display displays the input/output wattages, percentage of battery capacity remaining, and which output port is currently active.
What you get in the Box
My BougeRV 1120Wh Power Station came well packaged with an AC charger, solar charging cables, and a charging cable designed to plug into the 12V cigarette socket in most vehicles. Also included is an instruction manual.
First Impressions
My first impression of the power station was that it seems well thought out and packs a lot of features in a small package. I especially liked the two carry handles, which made moving the unit around much easier. I found it comfortable to carry using either one or two of the handles. Compared to the Jackery 1500, the plastic used in the case construction felt cheaper than that used in the Jackery, but after sliding around the back of my truck for several days, the BougeRV is, in fact, well constructed.
The front panel is well laid out, and its operation is straightforward. The outputs are grouped appropriately, AC plugs, USB ports, and 12V ports, and each has a power button of its own. A two-second press of the appropriate button activates that bank of inputs and power is delivered to whatever is plugged into them.
I found that when using the AC ports, the cooling fan activated most times I had something plugged into it, especially when I was getting close to pulling 1200 Watts. The fan was not excessively loud, but in one instance, when I forgot to turn the AC power off, the fan remained on for over an hour until I manually turned the power off.
The four USB ports allow charging four separate devices simultaneously, but you could also plug wall chargers into the AC outputs. Phones and tablets draw such small amounts of power that one of these power stations could keep a family’s devices charged for days.
One thing that I noticed right away is that in addition to the 12V cigarette lighter plug, there are two additional 12V power outputs as well. These additional plugs may not serve everyone, but this is a fantastic addition to those with devices or appliances that use 12V DC power.
How I Tested the BougeRV 1120Wh
I plugged many of my household appliances into the power station, which powered them without difficulty. I only saw issues when I ran my Nespresso coffee maker. The output wattage would surge well beyond the 1200-watt ceiling, which is not unexpected for an appliance like that.
I used the BougeRV to recharge power tool batteries, phones, and computers, run a small heater, power heated blankets, run coffee makers, and even amateur radios. This power station handled everything easily, as I would expect from any portable battery bank such as this.
I also spent a lot of time moving the power station around the home and out on the road, and I found that its weight was not an issue. The BougeRV power station was easy to take along anywhere, and I used it in all manner of situations.
Is The Jackery 1500 Solar Generator A Good Choice For Back-up Power?
Comparing the BougeRV 1120Wh Power Station to the Jackery 1500 Solar Generator
I also own a Jackery 1500, which I have used extensively over the past year. While there are things I liked about the Jackery, the BougeRV had some features that set it apart from the Jackery.
The addition of power pole connectors for the solar input is a welcome addition for someone like myself. I have a portable solar panel on which I put power pole connectors already so I could use this panel with the BougeRV without modification. In addition, the BougeRV includes a power pole to MC2 adapter to connect other commercially available solar panels. This is far better than the Jackery, which is designed to use Jackery solar panels.
I liked that the BougeRV uses a LiFePO4 battery rather than the Lithium-ion battery that the Jackery uses. This battery chemistry is safer and more stable, which makes it more appropriate for rough use.
Between the two, I preferred the boxy shape of the BougeRV because it allows for easier storage because you can stack items on top of it, whereas the Jackery has a large top handle which means that you can not easily stack anything on top of it. This has been a point of contention with me regarding taking the Jackery on camping and hunting trips. However, the BougeRV will now be my go-to because of its ability to be packed away amongst my gear easier.
The BougeRV also has some additional ports, which the Jackery does not have. There is one additional USB port and two 12V ports.
Both the Jackery and the BougeRV have the same charging options, but the BougeRV has the ability to also help the charging process by also using the USB-C port. The Jackery and BougeRV have similar charging times, but the fact that I can use solar panels I already have puts the BougeRV a step above the Jackery 1500.
Things I Didn’t Like
A few things could be improved on the BougeRV 1120Wh Power Station. The biggest of these is that I wish it had more USB ports. Most people will use a power station like this to charge devices, and doubling the number of USB ports would be a good move.
While I like the addition of the power pole connectors for charging, I wish there were some power pole outputs as well.
When I tested the BougeRV for powering an amateur radio, I got a lot of RF noise through the radio, which is probably due to some of the electronics used in the power station. There may be ways to mitigate this interference, but I do not believe the BougeRV would be suitable for powering an amateur radio station.
The LED display is good, but I wish it would give the number of hours of battery life remaining at the current wattage draw the device is under. This is something I loved about the Jackery 1500, and it would have been nice if the BougeRV had done this as well.
Who is the BougeRV 1120Wh Power Station Best Suited For?
Even though the BougeRV is a small power station, it packs a lot of features in a small footprint. This makes it ideal for taking into the outdoors, be it at a local park or a hunting camp.
A power station such as this is perfect for anyone looking for backup power in case of widespread power outages or other emergencies. In addition, the fact that you can recharge it in a little over five hours with a 200W solar panel makes this power station perfect for emergency preparedness, where the goal is running small appliances or charging devices and batteries.
Final Verdict
The BougeRV 1120Wh power station is a worthy competitor to the Jackery 1500 and, in many ways, is superior to the Jackery. As I have stated before, this power station will now be my go-to off-grid power source when I am camping or hunting.
