Off-grid solar kit with quick-swap modular batteries

Runhood introduced a modular battery design that directly connects to a portable solar array, able to be quickly swapped in and out of the power bank. for off-grid flexibility.

June 9, 2023 Ryan Kennedy

Image: Runhood

Runhood, based in California, is a new entrant to the off-grid and portable solar plus batteries market, a market with many participants.

What makes Runhood’s offering unique is its design built around external swappable batteries. The batteries can be linked together in the company’s power bank, or removed to operate independently, charging and discharging with USB or AC adapters. This design offers a lot of flexibility for off-grid adventures and can lessen the load of carrying a heavy battery bank.

The external batteries can be directly connected to the portable solar array, meaning one modular battery can be charged while the others remain in the power bank, supplying electricity to various off grid appliances and devices. Runhood said up to 9 devices can be powered at once with its kit.

The company currently offers a 600 W power bank option with two battery slots and said it has plans for a larger four-slot 1200 W design in the future. The 600 W kit offers 1295 Wh of capacity across four battery modules and is rated at 110 V.

The 600 W battery bank weighs about 17 lbs. when loaded with two swappable batteries. A 120 W car charger cable, an AC connector, USB connector, and a solar panel connector are all included in the kit.

When the modular battery units are individually connected with the AC connector, they function as a mini 80 W / 324 Wh portable power station. When connected with the DC connector in the power bank housing, the battery units transform into a more powerful 90000 mAh power bank with two standard 100 W outlets and two USB 3.0 outlets.

Also included in the kit is a foldable mini solar array with a max power of 100 W. The device carries 18 V, 5.5 A working current, and is IPX6 rated for water resistance. The panel can charge the bank alone or be paired with a second panel for boosted capacity.

Compare the Runhood kit to other products released by some of the market’s major players: Growatt, Generac, and the Jackery.

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