Hard on the heels of our last review of the B300K Expansion Battery, the company announced its bigger sibling, the Bluetti B500K Expansion Battery.
We appreciate that Bluetti Australia made one of these big bad boys available for us to check out.
The timing is actually very useful as we can now compare the two units and show that the new B500K makes much more sense in the all-important Value-for-Money stakes.
Unboxing without getting a hernia
We’re running a one-man show here, meaning there is just me, myself, and the Big Beautiful Trolley 2 that Bluetti sent along to help get the B500K from my SUV to the Assembly Hall (better known as our boot room).
Knowing that the laws of physics are a bit harder on my old frame, I did not try to lift, but used leverage, sliding and rolling to get nearly 50 kilos (with box) onto the Trolley.
If I spell Trolley with a capital T it is because of my reverence and respect for this cart.
And also, because that’s its name and it is the second iteration of this contraption, hence the Trolley 2.
More on this very useful accessory at the end of this review.
Once the B500K had been stripped from its protective carton cages (the 2 sturdiest boxes of any appliance we’ve ever reviewed here), it showed the room immediately who was boss.
The unit has an impressive presence.
It is a bit higher than the B300K by about 100mm.
Weight at 45kg, is a substantial 15 kilos heavier than the B300K but also about 15kg lighter than 2 * B300K for roughly the same capacity.
In the box we find the Battery Expansion Cable (CA90).
This short 90-degree angled cable makes for very neat connections. However, the Bluetti website pictures the longer cable (P090A) with the unit. This one is used to connect older Bluetti power stations.
Another – minor – difference with the B300K is the lack of a USB port.
I wonder why it was left out?
It will not have been to save weight, but I surmise that when you have a whole stack of these beauties in your garage, you’re not gonna miss the USB ports.
Still, because the Apex 300 does not have any DC outlets, it would have been useful. Unless you have the Hub D1 which has all the ports known to man…
I included my take on the Hub D1 in the previous review.
B500K vs B300K: Price per Watt-hour Comparison
• Capacity nearly double compared to the B300K (actually, some 85% more)
• Another huge improvement is the total capacity achievable in a setup populated by 3 x Apex 300 power stations in parallel and 18 x B500K batteries: a massive 100kWh!
That is almost double the previous maximum storage capacity with the same number of B300K units.
• The most important advantage of the B500K is the price per Watt/hour compared to previous offerings.
Here is the comparison:
- B300K at AUD$1999 delivers 2,764Wh. So, $1 buys you 1.38Wh
- B500K at AUD$2899 delivers 5,120Wh, So, $1 buys you 1.76Wh
In other words, your power capacity suddenly got 25% cheaper!
Real-World Endurance Test: 10kWh Stack (Apex 300 + B300K + B500K)
Even though we will run some full capacity tests when we have our rooftop solar installed, we subjected the B500K, now in a mini-stack with the B300K expansion battery, headed by the Apex 300, to a few endurance tests with essential items.
Our setup currently is the equivalent of a 10kWh backup battery (10648Wh).
We plugged in our large fridge/freezer and a medium freezer and went away on a 3-day trip, fully confident that this Apex stack would keep things frosty and cool.
When we came back, the State of Charge (SoC) had dropped to 35% – fully in line with expectations.
If we calculate in the power used by the security systems, WiFi and some phone charging, the current setup will get me through a 3-day blackout scenario before needing rely on solar input or generator charging.
With our planned rooftop installation, the Bluetti Apex stack can keep the electrons flowing almost indefinitely.
This Lucky Country epithet probably comes from the abundance of sunshine…
Final Verdict: Is the B500K the Smartest Way to Expand Your Power?
To no-one’s surprise, it is clear that the Bluetti B500K Expansion Battery is a very cost-effective way to add capacity to the capability of the Apex 300 system.
Sure, it is heavy, and, sure, batteries are still expensive, but the B500K has tipped the economics firmly in its favour.
Currently it sells for $2899 and is available from here.
And don’t forget that DRN readers, courtesy of Bluetti, can score an extra 5% off by applying the DRN5 code at checkout.
The Bluetti Trolley 2 – Essential Kit for Your Stackable Power
What an amazing piece of kit, I thought, as I unpacked the Trolley 2.
The built quality is outstanding and with that comes the weight penalty: close to 20 kilos.
But that sturdiness allows it to carry a whopping 150 kilos.
Or 3 Bluetti units.
The bespoke Trolley 2 is designed specifically for the Apex family and its expansion batteries.
Of course, older units will fit on it as well and there are plenty of ways to secure those too.
The Apex 300 and the B300K and B500K batteries can be secured to the frame with brackets (6 are included with the Trolley – two for each unit).
Some clever mechanism locks and unlocks the stack of units and another pair of grippers allows you to raise the handle in 4 increments.
Two massive pneumatic wheels with bearings carry the weight and two swiveling front wheels with brakes (essential!) compliment the platform.
The funny thing is that I used a small trolley to get the 23kg box with the big Trolley from my SUV to the house.
The box was too wide to grip comfortably and did not have any handles.
Setup took half an hour, and assembly instructions were easy to follow.
The only thing I had trouble with was trying to fold the trolley.
The instructions didn’t indicate that there is a bar down behind the platform that you can depress with your foot…
Easy once you’ve found that out.
A thoughtful extra was the large pouch to store cables in. It even could accommodate the bulky Hub D1.
Building a Movable 115kg Home Backup System with the Trolley 2
Once assembled, the Trolley proved easy to safely manoeuvre and negotiate thresholds.
No comparison with the notorious antics of the Coles trolley.
But will that still be the case when you stack 3 big Bluetti units on the platform?
Keen to find out, I loaded the B300K first, followed by the B500K and then the Apex 300.
That’s 30kg + 45kg + 38kg. Totalling a good 115 kilos or so with cables, well within the limit.
I made sure I had screwed the brackets onto the backs of the units so the Trolley could clamp them in one go.
Here is where I found out that the Trolley 2 was designed for the Apex 300 plus 2 * smaller B300K batteries.
How so?
Have a look at this pic: the higher stack with 1 B500K doesn’t allow the Top unit to be securely gripped by clamping both brackets.
It is probably secure enough if you don’t move the stack around too much, but we jerry-rigged some cable ties onto the top bracket just to be safe.
With that improvised touch, I knew my Bluetti trio would be safe, secure and moveable.
What’s in a name? Trolley or Dolly?
Officially, most people refer to a trolley as a contraption on 2 wheels to slide under a heavy item and move that by tilting the trolley back.
On the other hand, a dolly is a platform on 4 wheels to lift heavy items onto it and move that around.
So, this Trolley 2 is both a trolley and a dolly!
A two-for-one deal, perfect for moving your Bluettis around!
And once you have a more permanent place for your backup system, you’ll undoubtedly find other uses for this heavy-duty Trolley.
It’s AUD$499 and is available from the Bluetti Australia website..
Again, remember that DRN readers, courtesy of Bluetti, can score an extra 5% off by applying the DRN5 code at checkout.
DRN would like to thank Bluetti for their on-going support.
