The Five Best Batteries for Your Boat

Benefits of a portable battery

Despite the fact that more and more modern yachts are equipped with powerful electric generators, the yachtsman in any case may experience a shortage of electricity for everyday needs. Boil water in an electric kettle, recharge your phone, tablet or laptop - all this requires electricity. In order not to waste precious watts on such costly little things, you can use a portable battery.

These rechargeable Li-Ion batteries with built-in 240V inverters are small enough to hide under a seat or in a locker, but many are also powerful enough to run power-hungry appliances. They are much less bulky than traditional generators and are also silent - ideal for occasional overnight stays at anchor or weekends on board. Just as electric outboards are gaining more and more market share, portable power units are now quietly making their way into the yachting world.

Jackery Explorer 500

Jackery's Explorer 500 power station is a 518Wh unit with three 12V DC outputs, three USB sockets and a three-prong 240V socket (UK plug). AC output power is 500W continuous and 1000W peak. 

Jackery describes the Explorer 500 as a versatile generator. Compatibility with the SolarSaga solar panel will also serve as a bonus. This will charge the battery from the light. Thanks to this panel, the device can be fully charged in about 9.5 hours. 

In 2016, Jackery received the prestigious Red Dot award for product design. A notable feature of the Explorer 500 is a large LCD display that shows input/output power at any given time, as well as battery charge status.

PowerOak 1500 

The PowerOak PS8 EB150 1500 Wh battery is capable of running a 1 kW kettle (or any other 1 kW appliance) for 90 minutes of continuous operation. Of course, hardly anyone will give such loads to the device, but the comparison is indicative. 

If we estimate the time required to boil water in an average kettle as two minutes, then this stylish power plant can provide up to 90 infusions on a single charge. 

The device can be charged from the mains using one of the two British three-prong plugs located on the back of the box. In addition, the device has five USB ports, including one USB-C. The LCD displays charging power, AC/DC output power, AC/DC on/off status, and battery status indicator.

EcoFlow River PRO

Although the EcoFlow River PRO comes as a 720Wh unit with 600W output, a second battery can be added to double the energy storage capacity to 1440Wh. Do you need more power output? This is not a problem either. 

The device is equipped with an X-boost mode, which EcoFlow calls X-boost. This allows the River PRO to power devices up to 1,800W, covering about 80% of kitchen appliances and a variety of DIY tools. Solar charging time is just four hours using two EF 11W solar panels (sold separately). From the mains, the battery can be charged from zero to 80% in just one hour.

Poweroak 500 

This compact 500Wh Bluetti PS6S portable power station is equipped with two 240V sockets. They provide up to 300W AC power, allowing you to use the battery as power for your mini fridge. 

There are five USB ports, including a USB-C connector, two 12V 3A sockets and a 12V 9A cigarette lighter socket. Poweroak claims that the built-in lithium-ion battery is rated for more than 1,000 cycles, and the built-in multi-protection system protects against overvoltage, overcurrent, overheating and short circuits. 

Recharging takes 6-6.5 hours with the included AC adapter/generator or 6-7 hours with the Poweroak SP120 120W solar panel (sold separately). The manufacturer gives a 24-month warranty.

Festool SYS-PST 1500

The Festool SYS-PST 1500 delivers 2,990 W in normal mode and up to 11,000 W in resource-intensive mode. Despite such high performance, the device is not too heavy and large. It weighs 16.5 kg and measures 396 x 296 x 187 mm. 

A full charge takes three hours, while the built-in intelligent charging system protects the battery cells while charging. In addition to one 240V three-prong outlet (UK plug), the device will also provide 5-20V power via a USB-C connection. 

The SYS-PST 1500 lithium-ion battery, designed primarily for the construction industry, stores 1500 Wh of energy. This, according to Festool, is enough to run all the tools a builder would normally use for an entire working day, and since the average skipper is likely to use far less energy than a builder, he must work significantly longer on a ship.

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09.06.2022