Shopping for an alternative to the Patriot Power Solar Generator?
You’ve come to the right place.
In my in-depth review of the Patriot Power 1800 solar generator kit, I explained why I don't think it is worth its $2500 price tag.
It has limited capacity, charges slowly, doesn't offer some outlet options, and it’s heavy. In this post, I review three alternatives to consider instead of the Patriot Power 1800.
They include:
But first, a quick overview of the Patriot Power 1800 if you don't have time to read the full review. Skip this part if you are already familiar with it.
Patriot Power 1800: Quick Overview
The Patriot Power 1800 is a solar generator sold by 4Patriots, an American company that sells survival and outdoor products including meal kits.
The Patriot Power 1800 comes with a 768Wh lithium iron phosphate battery and an 1800W inverter. Compared to most other solar generators, this capacity is fairly low for an 1800W solar generator.
But what’s more surprising — and this is the main reason for controversy over the Patriot Power 1800 — is the price tag.
4Patriots sells the Patriot Power solar generator at $2500. This price is too high for what you are getting.
For between $1,500 and $2,000, you can get a 2000Wh, 2000W solar generator from reputable brands like EcoFlow, Jackery and Bluetti.
The Patriot Power 1800 includes a 100W solar panel, but the price tag is still too high.
Other limitations of the Patriot Power solar generator include slow charging (max power input is 240W), lack of versatile outlet options, and lack of a car charging option.
It’s also surprisingly heavy at 40lbs. Many solar generators with a similar size and type of battery are half as heavy.
My recommendation is to avoid the Patriot Power solar generator as it’s not good value for your money. Here are three better alternatives.
Patriot Power 1800 | Bluetti AC200MAX Kit |
|---|---|
768Wh LiFePO4 battery | 2048Wh LiFePO4 battery |
Non-expandable | Expandable to 8192Wh |
1800W output | 2200W output |
7 ways to recharge | 4 ways to recharge |
Outlets: 2*AC, 4*USB-A, 2*DC | Outlets: 4*AC, 1*RV, 4*DC, 1*USB-C 100W, 2*QC USB-A, 2*5V/3A USB-A, 2*wireless pads |
240W max solar input | 900W max solar input |
Dual charging: No | Dual charging: Yes |
100W solar panel | 200W solar panel |
40lbs | 62lbs |
1yr money-back guarantee | 2yr warranty |
Even with the 100W solar panel, the Patriot Power 1800 is still not a good deal. I recommend this Bluetti AC200MAX + 200W solar panel kit instead.
For almost the same price as the Patriot solar generator, you get a solar generator with more capacity and more output, plus a bigger 200W solar panel.
Power & Capacity
The Bluetti AC200MAX is one of the impressive portable solar generators we have reviewed on this website.
It has a long-lasting LiFePO4 battery with a capacity of 2048Wh. This is expandable to 8192Wh using the Bluetti B230 or B300 battery modules.
So unlike the Patriot Power with its paltry 768Wh capacity, you can set up a serious home backup or off-grid power system with the Bluetti AC200MAX.
Its high power output of 2200W also lets you run multiple large appliances at the same time.
Multiple Outlets
You can plug appliances into one of the four AC outlets, charge your phone and other devices with the USB-C 100W, USB-A outlets and two wireless charging pads, and plug 12V electronics into one of the four DC outlets (30A DC, 12V car outlet and 12V DC5521 outlets).
There’s also a 30A AC output port, which you can use to power your RV.
Fast Charging
Another area where the Bluetti AC200MAX trumps the Patriot Power 1800 is charging speed. It can accept up to 900W of solar power, which charges the large battery in just 3 hours. Remember Bluetti already includes a 200W solar panel in the kit.
The included AC charger takes 4.5-5.5 hours to recharge the AC200MAX.
For even faster charging, the Bluetti AC200MAX has dual charging. Simultaneous AC and solar charging will recharge the solar generator in just two hours.
You can also use two AC adapters to charge the AC200MAX in 2.5-3 hours.
Overall, the Bluetti AC200MAX is better than the Patriot Power 1800 in almost every aspect including power, capacity, outlets, charging performance & value for money.
Patriot Power 1800 | EcoFlow Delta 2 |
|---|---|
768Wh LiFePO4 battery | 1024Wh LiFePO4 battery |
Non-expandable | Expandable to 3040Wh |
1800W output | 1800W output |
Outlets: 2*AC, 4*USB-A, 2*DC | Outlets: 6*AC, 3*DC, 2*USB-C 100W, 2*QC USB-A, 2*5V/2.4A USB-A |
240W max solar input | 500W max solar input |
Dual charging: No | Dual charging: No |
40lbs | 27lbs |
1yr money-back guarantee | 5yr warranty |
2yr warranty | 2yr warranty |
The EcoFlow Delta 2 is almost similar to the Patriot Power 1800 in terms of power and capacity, but it is more than twice as cheap.
On top of the great bargain, you also get blazing fast charging, a wide range of outlets and the option to expand capacity.
Power & Capacity
The Delta 2 has a LiFePO4 battery with a capacity of 1024Wh, almost 300Wh more than the Patriot Power solar generator.
The Delta 2 can power appliances for longer, making it a great pick for home emergencies, van life, overlanding, RVs and truck camping.
That’s not all; you can expand the Delta 2 up to 3040Wh using the Delta 2 or Delta Max extra battery.
When it comes to power output, the Patriot Power 1800 and Delta 2 are matched at 1800W. But remember the Delta 2 has a larger battery and can be expanded. It can run large appliances without draining too quickly.
The Delta 2 has another trick up its sleeve. There’s a feature called X-Boost. It is common in many EcoFlow solar generators.
Turn it on and the inverter increases its output to 2200W. This is handy in an emergency if you need to power several appliances or a large appliance.
Versatile Outlets
The EcoFlow Delta 2 is not short of outlets. You get 6 AC ports, compared to just two in the Patriot 1800.
It has 6 USB ports with two of each of the following: USB-C 100W, Quick Charge USB-A, 5V/2.4A USB-A.
And for smaller electronics like lights, CPAP and mini fridge, there are three DC outlets: one car outlet and two DC5521 outlets.
Fast X-Stream Charging
One of the best features of EcoFlow solar generators is their lightning fast charging, called X-Stream charging.
The Delta 2 takes just 50 minutes to charge to 80% from a wall outlet and 80 minutes to fully recharge.
With a max solar input of 500W, it also charges fast with the sun. A 500W array will charge it in 3 hours on a sunny day.
You can also charge the Delta 2 with your vehicle’s 12V/24V outlet or using EcoFlow’s smart gas generator.
The EcoFlow Delta 2 doesn't have dual charging like the Bluetti AC200MAX. But with these charging speeds, you don't need it.
Lightweight
Another reason to pick the Delta 2 over the Patriot Power 1800 is that it’s more portable. Instead of lugging around 40lbs of weight, the 27lb Delta 2 is easier to take on the road and use around your home.
Patriot Power 1800 | Renogy Lycan 5000 |
|---|---|
768Wh LiFePO4 battery | 4800Wh LiFePO4 batteries |
Non-expandable | Expandable to 19200Wh |
1800W output | 3500W output |
Outlets: 2*AC, 4*USB-A, 2*DC | Outlets: 2*AC |
240W max solar input | 4400W max solar input |
Dual charging: No | Dual charging: Yes |
40lbs | 264.6lbs |
1yr money-back guarantee | 3yr warranty |
In their marketing and on their website, 4Patriots tauts the Patriot Power 1800 as a must-have for blackouts and emergencies.
But the Renogy Lycan 5000 is a better choice if your main reason for getting a solar generator is getting through a days long power outage
It has a lot more capacity (that is expandable), produces more power, and you can easily integrate it into your home grid.
Granted, it’s pricey. If you are shopping for a cheaper home backup solar generator, the EcoFlow Delta 2 and Bluetti AC200MAX that I’ve reviewed above are still better picks than the Patriot Power 1800.
But if you want a serious home backup system that can power part of your home when power goes out, then get the Renogy Lycan 5000 Power Box.
It is also one of the best solar generators for off-grid power.
Power & Capacity
The Lycan 5000 is a rugged unit consisting of two Renogy smart LiFePO4 batteries with a combined capacity of 4800Wh. You can order up to 6 extra batteries from Renogy to expand capacity to 19.2kWh.
Inside the unit is a Renogy inverter charger. It is a 3-in-1 inverter, MPPT charge controller and AC battery charger.
The inverter part of it produces up to 3500W of AC power. You can access this power via the only two AC outlets on the solar generator - a 20A outlet and 30A outlet - or by connecting the Lycan 5000 directly to your home grid.
You can set up the Lycan 5000 to act as a UPS, automatically powering certain circuits when mains power goes out. You can also set it up to provide completely off-grid power to a number of circuits.
Fast Charging
The MPPT charge controller accepts up to 4400W of solar input. So you can build a huge solar panel array to quickly charge the massive 4.8kWh battery pack. A 4400W array will charge the Lycan 5000 in 1.5-3 hours.
Even if you expand to the maximum 19200Wh, a 4400W solar panel system could charge the entire battery pack 1-2 days.
You can also plug in the Lycan 5000 into the wall. It’ll recharge in about 2.5 hours.
For even faster charging, the Lycan 5000 has dual AC + solar charging which puts in a combined 6800W of power to charge the 4800Wh batteries in just 1.3 hours.
One limitation of the Lycan 5000 is that it is huge and heavy. At 264lbs, it’s designed to stay in one place like the garage or basement.
If you are shopping for a solar generator you can use at home and also take it with you camping and on road trips, pick between the two alternatives above. Personally, I’d pick the lighter EcoFlow Delta 2.
Final Thoughts
I could write an endless list of solar generators that are better alternatives to the Patriot Power 1800. But I think the above three will meet the needs of most people considering the Patriot solar generator.
The Bluetti AC200MAX is great for those who want a more powerful and capable solar generator kit for the same price the Patriot Power 1800 costs.
The EcoFlow Delta 2 is ideal for those who want a cheaper but still capable solar generator they can use at home and away.
The Renogy Lycan 5000 is perfect for those who want a serious home backup or off-grid solar generator.
