Short on Time? Here’s The Article Summary
The article compares the Patriot Power Generator to the EcoFlow Delta 1800 Base Camp kit, suggesting the latter as a better alternative. It outlines the features of the EcoFlow Delta 1800, such as its larger battery capacity, quicker charging time, and lighter weight compared to the Patriot Power Generator. The article also discusses the Patriot Power Generator's pros and cons, including its low battery capacity, slow solar charging, and limited output options.
Additionally, the article mentions other alternatives to the Patriot Power Generator, such as the Bluetti EB240, Lion Safari ME, and Titan Solar Generator, highlighting their superior battery capacities and features. It concludes that, considering the Patriot Power Generator's limitations and high price tag, there are better options available on the market for portable solar generators.
Introduction
Are you considering buying the Patriot Power Generator? Or have you already purchased it and wondering if it was the right choice?
Keep reading to find out why you should strongly consider the EcoFlow Delta 1800 Base Camp kit as an alternative option to the Patriot Power Generator.
The #1 Patriot Power Generator Alternative Is
Watch the EcoFlow Delta 1800 in action:
Stillwondering if the Patriot Power Generator is any good?
The following article is an in-depth review and breakdown of 4Patriot's power generator 1800.
We dissect all of the Patriot’s parts and pieces as well as it's features, benefits, pros, cons and what you actually get with the patriot power generator.
If you have ALREADY bought - not to worry as 4Patriot’s has ano questions asked, 1-year return policy.
If you have any questions or concerns about which solar generator makes the most sense for your needs - Feel free to reach out or give us a call us today: 877-242-2792
Table of Contents
- The EcoFlow DELTA 1800 [BASE CAMP] Kit is the #1 Patriot Power Generator Alternative
- Watch Our Quick Discussion On The Patriot Power Generator vs Other Solar Generators:
- What are solar generators?
- Solar Power Generators 101
- Patriot Power Generator Review - Is it any good?
- The Patriot Power Generator Comparison Chart (Side by Side Comparison with all other solar generator options):
- How Much Is The Patriot Power Generator?
- Patriot Power Generator Specs:
- Should You Buy The Patriot Power Generator?
- Top 4 Patriot Power Generator Alternatives + Complete Review
- Check Out Our Solar Generator Comparison Chart Below - Patriot Power Generator Vs The Others (Side by Side Comparison of all solar generators)
- What others are saying about the Patriot Power Generator
- Patriot Power Generator Conclusion
- Watch Our Discussion On The Patriot Power Generator vs EcoFlow Delta 1800
Patriot Power Generator Vs EcoFlow Delta 1800 Solar Generator:
It's easy to see why the #1 best Patriot Power Generator alternative is the EcoFlow Delta 1800 [Base Camp Kit]- $1,659
(click on picture to learn more)
The EcoFlow Delta 1800 solar generator has TWICE as much battery capacity at 1300 watt hours vs 652 watt hours on the patriot power generator. Twice as much battery for over $500 less...
They both have the same size inverter/output at 1800 watts but the EcoFlow Delta weighs over 10lbs less and also has TWICE as much solar power input so you can recharge it much faster.
All this to say, it’s easy to see why so many people are choosing theEcoFlow Delta 1800 [Base Camp Kit]over the Patriot Power Generator.
Keep scrolling to seethe comparison chart of the two solar generators below.
Watch Now: Patriot Power Generator Review
What are solar generators?
Solar generators are a fairly new, exciting technology with tons of potential to alleviate a lot of the worlds power needs. Whether you want to be prepared for when the grid goes down, you want to power your RV, van, or skoolie, or you simply want a mobile power source for your next camping trip, solar generators are an incredible investment.
Not only can you use them inside since they emit no toxic fumes and (almost) no noise, they also come with the ability to be charged very easily by solar panels. They can also be charged from an AC wall outlet as well, but the ability to charge them with solar power is what makes them very popular.
Solar Power Generators 101
For those new to solar generators, I’d like to give a brief background on what is included in most generators as well as the benefits of clean, renewable power. Solar generators are great when compared to traditional gas generators because they:
- Do not emit harmful gases - so they can be used indoors.
- Run on a renewable source of energy - no more expensive trips to the gas station.
- Are generally very portable - Most include handles or carrying straps and weigh less than fifty pounds.
Solar generators, also known as portable power sources are sold with everything you need to power your electric devices besides from the solar panels themselves. They are generally built with:
- A battery
- A Charge Controller (to prevent damage to the battery)
- A Display Screen (to show input & output levels and capacity)
- An Inverter (Dc to AC)
- Power Outputs (to plug in your devices)
Patriot Power Generator Review - Is it any good?
Alright, let's get to it! For those looking to pay top dollar for the best in portable, renewable energy, the Patriot Power Generator may seem like a good option. The company originally released the Patriot Power Generator 1500 (which was recalled due to the fact that it caught on fire) and has followed up with the Patriot Power Generator 1800. The new model is larger and retails for roughly $2,500 on their website. This begs the question… is the patriot power generator any good? Let’s see..
The Patriot Power Generator 1800 is made up of all of the standard components of a solar powered generator listed above. 4Patriot’s the brand is extremely well-known and the Patriot Power Generator has been around for almost 5-years now.
The quality of these parts vary, and we will outline each of their features below as we breakdown the Patriot power generator's battery, input potential, and output capability in order to determine if it's any good.
The Patriot Power Generator Comparison Chart (Side by Side Comparison with all other solar generator options):
(*Right click to open full-size image in new tab.*)
Patriot Power Generator Battery
Despite the 1800 in its title, the storage capacity of the included battery is far from large. The estimated watt-hours of a fully charged Patriot power generator is a mere 650wH. Although it's 12 volt lithium iron phosphate battery is very high quality, the capacity is simply too low to ignore.
If you are in a situation in which the battery cannot be easily recharged, like at night during a power outage, 650 watt hours will hardly be enough, especially if you're using an average to above average amount of power to run things like lights, electronics and other necessities.
For example, if you are powering your fridge, which their website boasts as a capability, 650 watt hours will essentially be able to get you through one night (depending on the fridge model). For example, If your fridge draws 130 watts, the patriot power generator will run it for approximately 5 hours (650wH/130 watt draw).
Since the solar input is also so low on the Patriot at under 240 watts, it can’t recharge quick enough during the day while running your fridge either.
However, the EcoFlow Delta has 400 watts of solar input and a 1300 watt hour battery, meaning you could run your fridge all day while the sun is shining plus another 13 hours on a single charge.
Patriot Power Generator Shelf Life & Battery Size
The patriot power generator's battery does come with a decent shelf life of 6 to 12 months, meaning you can charge the solar generator fully and it will only begin to (slowly) lose power after six months. This is slightly above average when compared to most competitive brands, however there are some solar generators that are comparable in price or less expensive than the Patriot with battery capacities double and triple its size and that also only need topped off every 6 months. For example, the EcoFlow Delta 1800has an 1,300 watt hour battery and only needs to be charged every 6 months when in storage. But more on this later!
Patriot Power Generator Lifecycles & Charging Rates
The size of this battery would almost be enough to write off the Patriot Power generator for most people's needs even though it does have an impressive lifespan. 4Patriots claims that the system can be fully charged and discharged 2,500 times, which makes for an impressive long, lasting system. If you are in an environment where you can easily charge and recharge the battery continuously, wear and tear would not be a concern with this device in the short term.
Shop Our Best-Selling Emergency Backup Solar Kits TODAY!
Patriot Power Generator Solar Input Potential
The Patriot Power Generator 1800 comes with a MPPT charge controller built into its system, which is a huge upgrade from the Patriot Power Generator 1500 model which lacked this key component. That said, the patriot power generator is rated for less than 240 watts of solar input meaning the most you could ever have going into the generator is two x 100 watt solar panels. Because of this, we feel as though the patriot power generator is not the most ideal option for emergency backup.
How fast can you charge the Patriot Power Generator?
The Patriot Power Generator has a maximum input capacity of 240 watts of solar power. This is one of the generators biggest downfalls, as some of the best portable solar generators have input capacities of 400, 500 and up to 1000 watts of solar power input.
The ability to input more solar power during the day means that your system will be more well-rounded, allowing you to consume lots of energy during the day as opposed to having to wait all day long for your solar generator to recharge.
If you were hoping to expand upon the 100 watt solar panel included in the package, your options are limited to adding a mere 140 more watts and nothing more.
The amount of "solar input" going into the generator more or less determines the charging speed potential of the generator since a smaller amount of solar input means slower charging. To put this into perspective, the Bluetti solar generator for example, has a solar input capacity of 500 watts (more than double).
The charge time of the system is also not impressive (mainly due to the limited input). Despite a 3 hour AC charge time, which is quick but not actually that rapid since it’s easy to charge a small battery quickly - the patriot power generator charge time is listed as being an average of 10 hours.
In a blackout situation, ten hours may be simply too long to wait for the battery to fully charge, only to last through the night and before it needs to be charged again. This is especially crucial as peak sunlight hours last for less than six hours per day in the United States.
Does the Patriot power generator come with a car charger?
Lastly, it's important to note that the Patriot Power Generator does not come with a DC input (car charger for your cigarette port). Although this is not a standard feature among the best solar generators, many products come with this capability and it’s extremely helpful to have one of these if and when you need it! Having a DC input makes it possible to charge the unit with your vehicle, so if you were hoping to do so with your van or RV, extra steps would need to be taken to make a DIY car charging solution.
Patriot Power Generator Output Capability
The Patriot Power Generator 1800 gets its namesake from its inverter capable of running 1800 watts continuously. Paired together with its roughly 3,000 watt surge rating, the inverter is actually one of the best components in this solar powered generator.
Of course, there are larger models on the market, running 1800 watts continuously so this is both above-average and plenty of power for anyone who wants to run most normal household items like a refrigerator, microwave, or CPAP machine. BUT, since the patriot generator has such a small battery, it means that this big inverter, really just helps you drain the battery even quicker.
To put this in perspective, the EcoFlow Delta solar generator has a 1300 Wh battery (almost double the patriot power generator) AND an 1800 Watt inverter, for almost half the price of the patriot generator (the EcoFlow Delta retails for $1,799 and includes 4 x 100 watt solar panels).
How many plugs are on the Patriot Power Generator?
The output availability (plugs) on the patriot generator is surprisingly lacking, however. The outputs contain only two AC ports (normal wall plugs), which is quite low for the size of the inverter. You can really only 2 things plugged in at once on the patriot power generator which is not ideal in an emergency situation.
I think 4Patriots might have done this purposefully so as to prevent users from overloading the system, however I’m a bit confused with this decision. Also included are two DC outlets (one is a cigarette charger type port, and one powerpole), and four USB outlets for phone chargers, lights etc.
How Much Is The Patriot Power Generator?
As mentioned earlier in the article, the Patriot Power Generator 1800 retails for roughly $2,500 on their website. The product is not sold anywhere else, not even on Amazon. The Patriot power generator does come with 1 x 100W foldable solar panel. As for the quality of the solar panel, we cannot say, as the brand or efficiency is not listed on the website.
In addition to foldable solar panels, the Patriot Power Generator kit comes with a few other parts and accessories. This includes a flashlight, a popup solar lantern, grid failure reading material, and emergency survival food (yes, food).
>So whereas I cannot calculate the exact price of the Patriot Power Generator 1800 alone, I can certainly infer that the company may have decided to include a large number of bonuses in order to increase the perceived value of the patriot power generator itself.
What's Included in the 4Patriots Solar Generator Kit (As per 4Patriots website):
- Generator unit
- 100 watt solar panel
- 25 foot solar panel cable
- Patriot Power Cell
- Sun Kettle Water Heater
- HaloXT Flashlight
- Solar Air Lantern
- USB Battery Kit
- 72-Hour Survival Food Kit
- Solar Panel Extension Cord
- Blackout-Survival Library
- Shipping & Handling
Pros & Cons of The Patriot Power Generator
There's a lot to consider when it comes to the pros and cons of the patriot power generator. To help decide a true verdict on wether it's worth it or not, let's quickly look at the pros and cons of the patriot power generator broken down into bite size pieces.
Patriot Power Generator Pros
- Good Shelf Life and High Life Cycle Count
- Large Inverter, High Output
- Fast AC Charge Time
Patriot Power Generator Cons
- Low Battery Capacity
- Low Solar Input
- No DC Input
- Limited Output Options
- Slow Solar Charging
- High Price Tag**
- Weight
Patriot Power Generator Specs:
- 1,800 watts continuous power, 3,048 peak power
- Fully drain and recharge unit 2,500+ times... that's about 6.8 years of daily -use
- Compact & portable: Only 40 pounds
- AC charge time: About 3 hours
- Solar charge time: Average 10 hours, depends on sunlight & location
- Included MPPT charging technology
- Included 12-volt, 100w foldable solar panel
- Unit 17" L x 7.5" W x 10.5" H
- Solar panel 42.5” L x 26.5” H
Should You Buy The Patriot Power Generator?
Overall, I am reluctant to recommend the Patriot Power Generator 1800 as a viable option in emergency or even off-grid situations. The unit's small battery, small solar input and weight of 46 lbs combined with its high price tag makes it very hard to justify as a good option.
Especially when you consider the fact that the EcoFlow Delta 1800 is twice the size, has 4 times as much solar power, weighs less, has 6 AC outlets… the list goes on.. And is over $600 cheaper!
More on that below though… Let's look at some of the best patriot power generator alternatives before you make your own final decision.
Top 4 Patriot Power Generator Alternatives + Complete Review
A few times in this article, we’ve alluded to the fact that there are better portable solar generators being available on the market. Here are a few alternatives to the Patriot Power Generator 1800 that may be better suited for your electricity needs or budget.
1.EcoFlow Delta 1800 [Base Camp Kit]- $1,999 (click picture below)
The EcoFlow Delta 1800 has TWICE as much battery capacity as the Patriot Power Generator. And if that's still not enough to prove why the DELTA 1800 is the #1 preferred choice over the Patriot - The Delta also has twice as much solar input (400 watts), comes with 4 x 100W solar panels instead of just 1, weighs over 10lbs less AND includes an EMP bag + low watt led string lights, PV extension cable and more (all for $500 less...)
You may be wondering...What's the catch..
The Delta Base Camp kit does come with 4 x 100W rigid solar panels (3 ft. 10 inches tall by 1.5 ft wide) that don't necessarily fold up like the Patriots which is a nice feature and these folding panels are generally much more expensive. The rigid panels included with the Delta Base Camp kit are not nearly as portable as the ones in the Patriot power generator kit.
The Patriot power generator also comes with emergency food, flashlights, multiple different guides and other things that add to the overall cost whereas the EcoFlow Delta Base Camp Kit only comes with 1 x guide and no food options.
Also - if the 3 hour AC charge time of the Patriot Power Generator is what attracts you the most to the model, you'll love the fact that the EcoFlow Delta 1800, when plugged into a traditional AC wall outlet, charges its 1300 watt hour battery (double the size of the Patriot power generator) in under two hours!
This is the fastest AC charging on the market and allows for a quick charge and go before a weekend away. The EcoFlow Delta also includes more AC outlets, a car charger, and a potential to charge the battery with 400 watts of solar power.
Look At The Patriot Power Generator vs The EcoFlow Delta Solar Generator (Side by Side Comparison of Both Solar Generators):
Buy here
2. Bluetti EB240 [Base Camp Kit] 2,400wH Solar Generator- $2,599
The BluettiEB240 [Base Camp Kit] has almost 4 TIMES the battery capacity of the Patriot Power Generator (the EB240 has a 2,400 Watt hour battery vs the patriot power generator has 652 watt hour battery) and the entireBluettiEB240 [Base Camp Kit]costs almost the SAME asthe Patriot Power Generator!
Although the inverter on the Bluetti EB240 is smaller, at 1000 watts of continuous output compared to the Patriot power generators 1800W, the Bluetti is built as a better, more all round solar generator.
I say this because the Bluetti allows for 500 watts of solar input, which enables it to fully charge in four hours of ideal sunlight whereas the Patriot power generator can only take in 240 watts of solar which isn't enough handle the requirements of a backup solar generator kit.
If you are looking for the biggest solar generator to continuously charge appliances and electronics in a long-termback-up emergencysituationthe BluettiEB240 [Base Camp Kit]is a far better choice than the patriot power generator.
Buy here
3.Lion Safari ME [Base Camp Kit]- $4,209
If you want to talk about absolutely blowing the Patriot Solar Generator out of the water in every sense of the way - the Lion Safari ME [Base Camp Kit]is the one to look at.
It jumps into the next price bracket ($4,000+) however, you get almost 3,000 watt hours of battery (compared to 652 on the Patriot) + 4 x 100W solar panel suitcases for recharging.
The Lion Safari ME [Base Camp Kit] also has a 2000 watt inverter, with a 4000 watt surge which is also much bigger than the Patriot power generator.
If you’re looking for true home backup power in emergencies or off the grid, the Lion Safari ME [Base Camp Kit] package is one to take a hard look at.
Buy here
4.The Titan Solar Generator 3000W
If you are looking for the highest power and most capable solar generator on the market, the Titan solar generator is going to be your best bet.
When compared to the Patriot Power Generator 1800, the Titan has over SIX times the storage capacity (4,000 watt hour battery), nearly double the continuous output potential (3,000 watt inverter), and triple the amount of AC outlets.
Whereas it is true the Titan generator is a bit more expensive ($5,290 for the complete kit), in the time of an emergency, you’ll be glad you spent the extra money.
Also, unlike the Patriot power generator, the Titan’s battery storage is easily expandable with extra stacking batteries, so in a sense, the possibilities are endless with the Titan generator.
Buy here
Check Out Our Solar Generator Comparison Chart Below - Patriot Power Generator Vs The Others (Side by Side Comparison of all solar generators)
Take a look at the following chart to see how the Patriot solar generator stacks up against the rest of the solar generator competition. You'll see it on the far right of this chart.
What others are saying about the Patriot Power Generator
We did some research to see what others were saying about the Patriot Power generator and have actually created a more in-depth post on that here. We’ve highlighted a few of the most notable reviews on the Patriot Power generator below:
Green Citizen - In the same scenario, the Patriot weighs a ton, is hard to move around, and has no built-in flashlight feature. Boo.
Devon H (User) - It works okay but doesn’t last nearly as long as I thought it would! Bit disappointing.
Heather T (User) - The patriot generator is some peace of mind but it is heavy and does not charge from solar fast with only 1 solar panel.
Patriot Power Generator Conclusion
Again, if you're considering the patriot solar generator, I feel as though there are simply too many better options for less money and that the Patriot Power Generator is not worth it. If you are looking to get the most bang for your buck, the Patriot Power 1800 is far from the best option in its price range.
As we can see in the solar generator comparison chart above, with the patriot power generator's limited input capacity, small storage potential, and high price tag, I cannot recommend the Patriot Power Generator as the best option for anyone looking for a solar powered generator. If you’d like to purchase the EcoFlow Delta Quad kit, click here.
If you're still looking for more information on solar generators, read the most in-depth solar generator buying guide ever written here.
Watch Our Discussion On The Patriot Power Generator vs EcoFlow Delta 1800 Below:
If you still have any questions or concerns about which solar generator makes the most sense for your needs - Feel free to reach out or give us a call us today: 877-242-2792
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