Portable Off-Grid Solar Generator Kit

Brand: Renogy
Model: PHOENIX
EAN: 0816360023807
Category: Gadgets & Tools
Price: n/a  (108 customer reviews)
Dimension: 3.90 x 13.80 x 13.10 inches
Shipping Wt: 12.80 pounds. FREE Shipping (Details)
Availability: In Stock.
Average Rating: 4.1 out of 5 stars
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Product Description

The Phoenix is an all-in-one portable solar power system specifically designed for mobile, off-grid applications, and is ideal for emergencies. This compact, lightweight back-up system combines two highly efficient Renogy 10W Monocrystalline Solar Panels and is capable of expanding up to 100 watts. The included 17. 1Ah Li-ion(NMC) battery is replaceable giving the capability of limitless power. The Phoenix is ideal for powering several on-the-go appliances during a weekend trip, or even in an emergency situation. Notice: Do not leave the Phoenix out in excessive heat (104°F +) for long periods of time doing so may cause the Phoenix to overheat.

Features

  • The Phoenix is an all-in-one portable solar power system specifically designed for mobile, off-grid applications and is ideal for emergencies
  • This compact, lightweight back-up system combines highly efficient Renogy 20W Mono-crystalline Solar panels and can expand up to 100 watts with additional paves
  • The Phoenix can be charged by solar, AC power, or car power and comes with a 17. 1Ah li-ion(neck) Battery
  • The included 17. 1Ah li-ion(neck) Battery, giving the capability of limitless power. Charging temperature range 045C°
  • Minimum inverter efficiency: 80 percentage, max Continuous Output power: 150W, Output AC Frequency: 60 Hz

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Top Reviews

i set up indoor behind the window and as you maybe able to see it is partly sunny outside at best. t
by Amazon Customer (5 out of 5 stars)
March 25, 2017

Just got my Phoenix! it is very well build and solid and it is even lighter and more compact than i was hoping for. i also got the 100 W Eclipse Panel Suite case for expanding when i need it. i set it up (see pic) in 30 seconds flat and attached it to the Phoenix (did not open the phoenix panels so just charging off the Eclipse to see how it works). i set up indoor behind the window and as you maybe able to see it is partly sunny outside at best. that said, phoenix still got fully charged off the Eclipse 4-4.5 hours...amazing! when using both the Phoenix 20 W panels and the 100 W Eclipse, it is supposed to get a full charge in 2.5 hours. sounds pretty much right on.. loving this system so far.
↭ 🍁 ↭

Phoneix: solid solar briefcase for emergencies and outdoor adventures
by Daily Rad (5 out of 5 stars)
April 15, 2017

I have been looking for a solar generator for camping and emergency situations. The Firefly was always on my radar but didn't have a replaceable battery. The Phoenix does. It has a solid build and didn't have any problem powering my VR gaming computer when we had a power outage. It also gives you multiple ways to charge it, which is convenient.

Build & Packaging: the unit was packaged quite well. I couldn't find a scratch on the unit. Everything we needed, including bunch of cables and an instruction manual were included. It is not the lightest solar charger around but still pretty easy to take around. You don't want to leave it out when it's raining or submerge it under water. Other than that, it looks quite rugged.

Charging: you can change the briefcase multiple ways. I only charged it outside. I love the fact that the unit shows sun exposure level. You will want to get max bars to speed up charging. Add additional solar panels for even faster charging.

Testing: I used the Phoenix to power my gaming PC, Dobot robot, camera charger, smartphone, and tablet. I didn't test it with a heater or air cooler though. You should do your homework not to overload this. There is a fan to keep the Phoenix cool but I decided to also leave it open just to be on the safe side.

Overall, the Phoenix is one of the best solar chargers I have tested and owned. It's been only a few weeks though, so who knows how things change in a year. So far, so good though.
↭ 🍁 ↭

Renogy Phoenix is better than expected
by J. Moreno (5 out of 5 stars)
December 25, 2017

Renogy Phoenix is better than expected. I bought it to help my parents in Puerto Rico following the aftermath of Maria, and it short after became a key piece of their survival kit. My dad suffers from sleep apnea, and the Phoenix helped him sleep well at night. I believe the Renogy Phoenix is very convenient given the fact that it provides multiple out ports and it provides power both in AC or DC format.

Overall, it is not cheap generator but I recommend it,

J. Moreno
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Bunk Unit
by Kal Rubaye (1 out of 5 stars)
July 28, 2017

I received a busted unit. Contacted support to no reply so I will be starting the return process. (Upgraded to 2 stars since I got in touch with support).

Unit will not charge in the sun. I get an error 18 which I look up to be high temperature. The unit supposidly has an internal fan to cool but my fan does not activate, I do not know if I'm missing a button to turn the fan on or if it's supposed to just begin running automatically. I can't find anything in the manuals.

UPDATE

Finally got in touch with support on the phone and they weren't able to answer my question about the fan, but they believe it only works when the inverter is running, which doesn't help heat issues when the unit is sun charging.

Day 1 charge - 92 degree day went from 37-48% before an error 18... unit took 6+ hours to cool down and was a brick that whole time (meaning the unit was useless, you wouldn't be able to charge anything with it while it cools down).

Day 2 charge - 96 degree day went from 47% to 59% before an error 18. I put the unit in front of a large vornado fan and it cooled in about 4 hours.

I'm not sure if my unit is busted or they are all like this. I read a lot of reviews where people wall charged their unit, I hope they try to solar charge them to make sure they do not run into some issues in a situation when they actually need some power.

Manual says safe to charge in up to 104 degree weather, I have done it twice in the 90s resulting in error 18s both times. I'll keep trying to work with support and make it work, I really loved the concept of this unit as it would have my practical applications but so far it's been a lemon.

Update!

Its now been a full business week since I was promised a call-back about the over heating and the fan issue and have not heard anything so I lowered the stars back again to 1. If you do buy this device please try Solar Charging it instead of wall charging it to see if it can charge via Solar. If you want a battery that you can charge via a wall socket there are more High Capacity options at a lower price. You do not want to depend on solar power to find your unit with an error 18 effectively turning it to a brick until it cools down.
↭ 🍁 ↭

Better than I expected!
by L. McNerney (5 out of 5 stars)
March 2, 2017

This is, to be blunt, an awesome system! It has everything built together using a logical design, yet it is easy to use. And the quality is easy to see and feel, with a case that is of high quality (not quite pelican case quality, but not so cheap that you feel it will fall apart). This is very susceptible to heat, so having an external solar array may be beneficial. I do not have one, but I have not had it overheat yet either (granted it is cold out currently).

This is not enough power to be a miracle, so don't expect it to power a CPAP all night if you use a humidifier, but it can possibly do so without one. It will not power a camper on a week long trip, and it will not allow you to consistently charge high volume batteries in rapid order (IE: power tools where you replace the dead battery with a live one in order to work non stop). Yes, this may support the action for a while but it is not an all day replacement for a real outlet. However, it is perfect for charging phones or a laptop when power is just not available. Say, a camping trip where you are taking photos constantly....or a power outage lasting a few days and you need to keep a portable radio charged up. This is a tool to help, but does not replace a true power source. However, I never expected it to.

There is one advantage with this particular model that cannot be found elsewhere, and that is the replaceable battery. Sure, there are kits that cost thousands where you can, but a small portable device that can is rare. Overall this works better than expected, but people often have expectations that are neither logical or prudent.

Pro's

Low price for a great package

Great quality construction

Replaceable battery

Separate AC and DC options, no wasting power by having both on when not needed

Lightweight, like an older laptop or a current one with all the extra power for 3D animation plus a spare battery

Can connect additional solar panels so this can stay in the shade (and thus cooler)

Cooling fan

On screen display of status

Water resistant when not being used as a power source

Cons

Needs charged every two months

Not capable of powering CPAP all night

Semi-fragile (lets face it...solar panels are inherently so, and these are not the flexible ones)

Sensitive to heat

SLOW charge (10 hours with good light using built in array)
↭ 🍁 ↭

Forget the generator - get the Renogy Phoenix!!
by My Name (5 out of 5 stars)
September 23, 2017

Living in Tampa, Florida, I fully expected to lose power for some period of time following a direct hit by Hurricane Irma. We have just shy of 1 million devices that require charging. Two hand-held amateur radios, two Apple iPads, three cell phones, etc, etc. Florida started to experience fuel shortages almost a week before the storm hit, so I knew that I didn't want to fool with a portable generator. In addition to the generator itself, you need to source the fuel itself and gas cans. All three of those things are in ridiculous demand in the days before a storm.

I ordered the Renogy Phoenix and was miraculously about to have it shipped for same day delivery. I also ordered an additional Renogy solar panel. Frankly, my expectations were low. The features and specifications seemed almost too good to be true, but I figured it would allow me to at least keep my phones going if necessary.

Bottom Line: This thing is amazing; Renogy delivered. It just works. The build quality is high, and it includes a number of adapters/cables to facilitate both the charging and consumption.

Pro Tip: Get a 100 watt monocrystalline solar panel as well. When you set this thing up, you are going to be everyone's best friend in your neighborhood, and you will need the extra juice! I made the mistake of getting a smaller wattage panel - don't do it. You will want the speed of charging, and the extra "bandwidth" to deal with shade from trees or the cloudy day you will have immediately after the storm. I highly recommend this model: RENOGY Foldable Solar Suitcase Kit 100W Mono Without Charge Controller
.

No matter which additional panel you get, you do NOT need to purchase a charge controller. This wasn't initially clear, and I had to do a bit of searching. The Renogy Phoenix includes an internal charge controller.

Pro Tip #2: After the storm, when the power is out and everyone is working with daylight, you are going to lay in bed at night and notice the silence. It is *quiet* without every air conditioner in your neighborhood running. Exception: the one guy who is holed up in his house, not offering to help any of his neighbors, while running a 6000 watt generator that sounds like a freaking lawn mower attached to a leaf blower without a muffler. If you are that guy, your neighbors are going to HATE. YOU. Don't be that guy.

Theoretical con: The plastic latches are... plastic. I question their durability over time. However, this doesn't affect the usability of the product, and wouldn't have changed my purchasing decision.
↭ 🍁 ↭

Immense help after Hurricane Maria
by organirrican (5 out of 5 stars)
November 10, 2017

Purchased this unit after hurricane Maria and it has been an immense help this past month. It's practically dummy proof, we power phones, tablets and can sleep at night with a fan (in the tropical heat). I am also able to run a load of laundry in a 170 watt portable washer!. It's also lightweight enough to take wherever I need to power something, so I don't worry about how to carry it up the stairs, so thumbs up. I also purchased the extra warranty but haven't heard anything from those guys after trying to contact them, so the jury is out on that part.
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Good unit
by Ryan Baker (3 out of 5 stars)
April 24, 2017

SUPER solid build quality, and a great way to use/charge electronics on the go. I find that you get about 1% additional charge per every 10 minutes in full sun. I've had some glitchy issues within the first 2 weeks of ownership though. Yesterday, it overheated after about 3 hours in the sun ...the final hour, I was charging a drone battery and a remote, so I was using the AC & DC out while charging (error code 18 - overworked battery...this was the first and only time so far). Had to unplug, shut down, and let the unit cool for a couple of hours. It also has limited its charge from 96% - 98% a couple of times, even when left plugged in to a wall outlet overnight. I discharged it completely, then it finally charged to 100%. However, the problem returned on the next attempt to charge fully. I may have to manage my expectations a bit...I thought it would be perfect for the price paid. Still, I like the freedom it gives me, and I plan on updating this review as I use it more. I would definitely recommend it to someone looking to charge off grid. 3.5 stars from me :)
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You aren't gunna get more bang for your buck.
by Sean Barnes (5 out of 5 stars)
April 6, 2017

This thing is awesome. Let's just start with that.

Shipping: It arrived in 2 days ( gotta love that prime ), and was VERY protected. Seriously, I have to ope three boxes to get to this guy, much appreciated on that.

Build: I was afraid that the casing might be a bit weak, not so at all. This thing feels like it could go through a war and come out the other side smelling like roses. High quality plastics and everything you would expect coming from thing like this. The weight it also a lot lighter than I would have assumed, matched with the handle this guy is as portable as it is powerful. Speaking of that.

Power/Longevity: It game 49% charged which was cool but I wanted to go ahead and give it a full charge from the wall. It took about an hour and a half to go from 49% to 100% which also surprised me. ( I have not tried the solar aspect yet, it's been hell weather here in GA for a week ). As a test run I wanted to see how long it would keep my phone and Surface alive... so I ran bench-marking software to make sure that the Surface was actually in use. It's been 20 hours and the Renogy is down to 16% battery left. Even more impressed now.

Accessories: Comes with every cable you're going to need to charge it in the house or on the go as well as a cable to add another panel to it.

In closing if you're looking for a rugged, portable and awesome solution to solar power, you want this. I plan on bringing it to the Angel City Motorcycle event this month. Just look for the guy with the awesom solar suitcase.
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So close. Kinda dodgy. Needs some (simple) QoL fixes to be perfect.
by Tessa (2 out of 5 stars)
July 30, 2018

Update 2019.05.25:

Removing a star because a light sprinkle resulted in the LED light control going bad.

Still producing reasonably good charge results, with weekly-ish usage.

Still haven't gotten the USB ports to output current.

The lack of waterproofing, or even water-resistant trim, is a dealbreaker for me at this point.

Having to constantly monitor the weather is a cognitive load I could do without.

Buy something else unless your intended location never sees precipitation.
---

I've been *exceptionally* pleased with most of the performance of this generator.

First off, when it's in decent sunlight, it charges from 0-12% inside of three hours.

I didn't get to time the entire charge cycle, because the proprieter at the hotel yelled at me to not sit on the patio, and I assumed that if a human in their space was enough of a reason to yell across the way at someone in the open access upper level of a hotel, that discovering a weird black suitcase absorbing sunlight would be quite outside their preference, and I took it back inside.

This thing is durable.

I've duct-taped multiple bits of kit onto it at various times, dropped it off a (small) cliff, and taken about 2k miles of road together with it knocking around the back end of my work vehicle.

I have left it out, in the Oregon mountain rainforest, through a week or so of mountain spring weather, and it hasn't gotten any more quirky.

Now, pay attention to those last three words.

This is a somewhat dodgy unit, and while I intend to keep it as a slightly sentimental long term tinkering project (I've already got a "Black Phoenix" cosmetic shell I'm working on, and am planning to convert the display to feed into a microcontroller for rate external monitoring and such), I'll be trying to work with Renogy to make sure the QA process is improved.

I've yet to get the USB ports to work.

I don't know if that's operator error, or that I've not found the Magic Button Combo that enables that feature, but suffice it to say I'm a software engineer who fiddles with tech a bit, and it really should be plug-and-go.

Cryptic "Error 23" message when I hit the pressure nub marked "DC" make me wonder which DC (USB, 12v sig plug, DC1/DC2) is in error, or if the port I'm using is even affected by the actions I'm taking.

Without a clear control/feedback loop, I can't troubleshoot this without cracking open the case (or finding the instruction manual and looking up the error code, which means a trip back to the office and lost productivity if I don't remember to carry the book with me all the time), which probably violates the warrenty, which I'm not ready to do just yet.

Suggestion(s):

Add watertight rocker switches next to each output, using passive mechanical sensors to report to the internal microcontroller for state-display on the output.

Add a momentary switch and dim-light-human-eye-gentle (eg, something about the same hue as candlelight) warm-LED outline lighting to each side (independently controlled would be nice, but I'll take anything that allows me to avoid needing to juggle a light and a cable at the same time) for after-dark operation.

Add e-ink throughput and total charge displays, with a reset button, for easily keeping track of how much energy is being transferred.

Related, some things don't pull enough power to actually charge off of the AC or sigplug sockets.

Converting the unit to use opto-isolated solid state relays would make a huge difference here, as would having supercapaciter "cache" charge units so that the unit can rapid-charge at a higher rate briefly, and would make it possible to cycle-charge the main energy storage unit if less than the max sustained throughput is required by the specific socket.

Design flaw:

At night, the after-image of the green-white-light LCD/LED readout make an annoying reminder not to look directly at it without squinting in a low-light environment.

There's also no way to shut it off when you don't need to check how much energy is in the unit, meaning that the state display constantly eats power regardless of the user's need to check the level of charge.

During the week I mentioned, the charge level never went above 30%, and I made sure it got several hours of sunlight (per 24 hour period) when I placed it.

With the display draining power 24/7, the unit (might have) charged slightly faster if it the display only updated every, I dunno, five or ten minutes, plus the (backlit, recessed, reflective coated) display is essentially impossible to read in direct sunlight, which is, coincidentally, where this unit is used the most.

So far, I've had the unit plugged into the wall for 3-ish hours.
(update note: the unit has not increased from 13% since a few minutes after I plugged it into the wall at the hotel)

The last time I did the wall plug charge thing, it sat for almost 40 hours on the 110v plug in a farmhouse, and the charge level didn't change the entire time.

I got several days of midsummer sun (same farm, different visit), and the unit charged up to full.

Unless you plan to use this sparingly, get the add-on panels for a faster charge, and you'll thank yourself later.

I ran a 27w industrial fan off it for several hours on a half-ish (I seem to remember 48%, but that's probably +/- 10%, I wasn't really paying attention) charge, and everyone at the water/food waystation (Golden Griffin, at the Canturbury Renaisance Faire near Silverton, Oregon) commented on the duration of charge and compactness of size.

Several individuals (Looking at you, RedWolf, thanks for the phoenix pin!) were interested in purchasing units, and I've encouraged them all to pick up at least one.

This thing is a great addition to the battery pack I got for charging my phone (and jumpstarting cars, when necessary), and the AC socket accepts some pretty weirdly packaged plugs, despite the recessed nature of that particular socket making it a bit difficult to fit anything *more* than one thing onto the output grid (at any one time).

I'd recommend investing in the R&D to add a silicone based pressure-seal modification to the mouth of each plug, spreading them out a bit (on the end of the unit), and eliminating the plastic door design altogether.

Having to go through multiple steps for something that isn't adding value (door, with two handed latch, but lacking a water seal or even a dust rim).

I've had the AC input socket feel like it's about to break on me almost every time I plug in the cord.

Using a hard plastic is fine here, but the socket needs to be fixed in place.

If it makes noise every time I plug it in, and I can feel it shifting slightly, I'm always trying to be gentle with a socket that should just work.

I've a 3d printer, and once I get my workspace back online, I'll be doing some scans (to Thingverse) of the upgraded bits that I make, so those of you who purchased and noticed the same issues can, if you want, upgrade your own as well.
~ jakimfett
↭ 🍁 ↭

Better than I expected!
by L. McNerney,Top Contributor: Smart Home (5 out of 5 stars)
March 2, 2017

This is, to be blunt, an awesome system! It has everything built together using a logical design, yet it is easy to use. And the quality is easy to see and feel, with a case that is of high quality (not quite pelican case quality, but not so cheap that you feel it will fall apart). This is very susceptible to heat, so having an external solar array may be beneficial. I do not have one, but I have not had it overheat yet either (granted it is cold out currently).

This is not enough power to be a miracle, so don't expect it to power a CPAP all night if you use a humidifier, but it can possibly do so without one. It will not power a camper on a week long trip, and it will not allow you to consistently charge high volume batteries in rapid order (IE: power tools where you replace the dead battery with a live one in order to work non stop). Yes, this may support the action for a while but it is not an all day replacement for a real outlet. However, it is perfect for charging phones or a laptop when power is just not available. Say, a camping trip where you are taking photos constantly....or a power outage lasting a few days and you need to keep a portable radio charged up. This is a tool to help, but does not replace a true power source. However, I never expected it to.

There is one advantage with this particular model that cannot be found elsewhere, and that is the replaceable battery. Sure, there are kits that cost thousands where you can, but a small portable device that can is rare. Overall this works better than expected, but people often have expectations that are neither logical or prudent.

Pro's

Low price for a great package

Great quality construction

Replaceable battery

Separate AC and DC options, no wasting power by having both on when not needed

Lightweight, like an older laptop or a current one with all the extra power for 3D animation plus a spare battery

Can connect additional solar panels so this can stay in the shade (and thus cooler)

Cooling fan

On screen display of status

Water resistant when not being used as a power source

Cons

Needs charged every two months

Not capable of powering CPAP all night

Semi-fragile (lets face it...solar panels are inherently so, and these are not the flexible ones)

Sensitive to heat

SLOW charge (10 hours with good light using built in array)

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