Customer reviews from goalzero.com
Goal Zero - Portable Solar Panel Kit (50W Boulder Panel & Yeti 500 WH Battery) - Black
Average customer rating
4.6
(56 Reviews)
Rating breakdown 56 reviews
5 Stars
45
4 Stars
5
3 Stars
3
2 Stars
0
1 Star
3
89%of customers recommend this product.
(
39 out of
44)
Customer Reviews for Goal Zero - Portable Solar Panel Kit (50W Boulder Panel & Yeti 500 WH Battery) - Black
Posted by: Anonymous
Gender:Male
Verified Purchase:Yes
I bought this largely to power my Dometic CFX3 45 12v compressor refrigerator in my overlanding rig. The specs on the fridge say that it's peak consumption is 70W (the 12v plug on the yeti is rated for 120W), but in my travels, I have had several times when the 12v port on the Yeti had turned off with the light changing to red. It's easy to reset, but it means I found myself with a fridge full of warming food multiple times. (Note: nothing else was plugged into the Yeti during this time.)
Similarly, I tried powering my laptop, which has a power brick rated for 230W. The Yeti AC port is rated for 300W continuous and allegedly 1200W surge. But every time I tried to run my laptop, the yeti tripped immediately.
When It does run the fridge, it's very impressive how little running it for hours affects the Yeti's battery. But it's a gamble whether or not it'll cut off (presumably on a surge from the compressor starting) and potentially ruin my food for the trip. And not being able to power my laptop either means that this otherwise very impressive power station ends up largely being a big expensive version of the many small power banks I have for my phone.
I'm going to try powering the fridge on AC on my next trip, which is less efficient for power consumption, but I'm crossing my fingers hoping it will be less likely to trip the YETI.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Written by a customer while visiting goalzero.com
Posted by: Anonymous
from Fresno CA
Gender:Male
Verified Purchase:Yes
How many times they can charge their smart devices
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting goalzero.com
Customer Rating
3
OK Unit With Some Annoying Flaws
on May 4, 2020
Posted by: unit_circle
from Seattle
Gender:Male
This is a good unit, but it has some irritating flaws.
1) When plugged in and fully charged, the charging and usb-c output port "flap". The battery goes in and out of a charging state, and the usb ports turn on and off. Perhaps I have a defective unit? One can work around this limitation by using the 12v port, but what's the point of having a usb-c port if it doesn't work well? Isn't this terrible for the battery?
1) Documentation is really sparse. The actual maximum voltage is not documented anywhere, but is somewhere around 30v according to support. This really expands the range of panels that can be used with the product and it's frustrating that it took 2 calls to get this information.
3) Input voltage range is really low when compared to other mppt controllers on the market.
All in all, I wouldn't recommend this unit to someone, given the plethora of other discrete mppt / bms + battery + voltage conversion options. You're paying a premium for what should be compact and well-integrated components. It's unfortunate that the unit doesn't deliver.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Written by a customer while visiting goalzero.com
Customer Rating
5
Followup on Previous Comment (eric999)
on July 18, 2020
Posted by: eric9999
from Oakland, CA
Gender:Male
This is a follow up to my previous comment, describing the charging issue I had with the unit I received. I am happy to report that there was indeed a general issue with the programming of the units, which has now been fixed by Goal Zero. My unit, among others, was used to identify the cause of the charging problem, which led to a reprogramming of all the Yeti 500Xs. I got the replacement unit last week and it now works flawlessly. I was also pleased with how Goal Zero handles the problem ant the quality of the customer service. I love this power station and it was worth the wait.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting goalzero.com
Posted by: Ecoedventures
from Illinois
Gender:Male
Verified Purchase:Yes
The size is perfect for my overland trip it charges fast and keep my cameras and drone batteries plus laptop plus dometic fridge running all day and night long when I am running suit a 100 watts solar panel
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting goalzero.com
Customer Rating
5
Great for CPAP
on April 17, 2020
Posted by: Cbass70
from Utah
Gender:Male
I bought this to be able to camp with my CPAP. I’m so glad I did! I use my dc cord on my CPAP and after 2 nights the battery only dropped 20%! The yeti 500x has by far exceeded my expectations. I don’t have to worry about where I camp anymore. I also don’t worry about power outages either. Thank you Goal Zero for this awesome product.
Written by a customer while visiting goalzero.com
Customer Rating
5
So Far I am really liking it!
on April 1, 2020
Posted by: CK07
from Canada
Gender:Male
Just received this unit today and it feels well constructed and it looks great. Everything works in order and so far all the outputs work great. I am quite excited to have it and I know it will be invaluable to me. The user interface is nice and I appreciate the additional settings it provides to calculate wattage, voltage, current, etc...
It is little heavier than expectorated but that is negligible to me. Cons are that the cost is a bit high, but not so bad. Also the AC outlets are only 300W max but that is not actually a big deal because with a battery this size, I wouldn't be using more power than that.
Anyways I am a happy with it and will be great for camping..
It is little heavier than expectorated but that is negligible to me. Cons are that the cost is a bit high, but not so bad. Also the AC outlets are only 300W max but that is not actually a big deal because with a battery this size, I wouldn't be using more power than that.
Anyways I am a happy with it and will be great for camping..
PS: I know the battery longevity is estimated to last a long time, but I really hope GZ will give you the option to change the battery for those who are teck savvy and capable of doing so.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting goalzero.com
Customer Rating
3
Not best Lithium Ion chemistry
on September 1, 2020
Posted by: BretB
from Michigan
Gender:Male
Too bad uses Lithium NMC rather than LiFePO4 like BattleBorn. There's a HUGE difference in charge cycles life, I'd expect Yeti to use premium chemistry and I'd buy if this was remedied. I like the design is portable and self contained.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Written by a customer while visiting goalzero.com