Truck Camping 101 | Part 2 | Portable Power –Â Goal Zero Yeti 150
In a previous article, I discussed a great solution for portable lighting while truck or car camping. To keep those lights burning, a source of power is required. What better company to find portable power, solar and lighting solutions from than Goal Zero. They offer portable power stations ranging from 150 Wh to a massive 1425 Wh unit. Because we don’t camp heavy on electronics, I opted for the smaller Yeti 150 that weighs only 12 pounds. More than enough power to run the lights while cleaning up after dinner and topping off a few phones. On the other side of the spectrum, the Yeti 4000 tips the scales at 47.5 pounds. Certainly a consideration when choosing a power station.
Another reason I selected the smaller Yeti 150 Power Station is because it can be recharged rather quickly with a solar panel. So don’t feel like you need the biggest power station for extended use. Just add one of the Goal Zero solar panels and it’ll be like buying a small drink at McDonald’s and continually refilling it. Located on the front panel of the Yeti 150 is everything you’ll need to get to. First is the input plug for recharging via wall outlet or solar. Just below that is a 12v car charger and a proprietary output for Goal Zero lighting. Followed by a pair of USB outputs for small handheld electronics. And finally, a single AC plug for additional flexibility.
Each separate bank (12 volt | USB | AC) has an independent button to power up that particular output. Once the button is pressed, a small green indicator light illuminates and the LCD battery display shows the status of the entire power station. This was a useful feature on our last camping trip. With the power station located inside our roof top tent, I was able to shut off all the lights, both inside and outside by just turning off the 12 volt output. Rather than having to turn off each light independently.
Final thoughts: Just like the Light-A-Life 350 lights, this product from Goal Zero impresses me. The build quality, materials used and ingenuity are impressive. Everything seems over-engineered and built to last. Great qualities for items that may see use in austere conditions. I even inadvertently water tested the solar panel and Yeti 150. When the sprinklers unexpectedly turned on while testing charge time in the yard on a sunny day. Fortunately, everything survived about 1/2″ of rain. In my next Truck Camping article, I will discuss solar panel options from Goal Zero and what you can expect from them.
Goal Zero Yeti 150 Specifications courtesy of goalzero.com
- Charge Times
- Wall Charger (45W): 6 hours
- Car Charger (30W): 8 hours
- Nomad 13 Solar Panel: 26-52 Hours
- Nomad 20 Solar Panel: 17-34 Hours
- Boulder 15 Solar Panel: 22-44 Hours
- Battery Details
- Cell Type: AGM Lead-Acid
- Peak Capacity: 168Wh (12V, 14Ah)
- Lifecycles: hundreds of cycles
- Shelf-life: Keep plugged in, or charge every 3-6 months
- Internal Battery Dimensions: 6.0in L x 3.8in W x 3.7 H
- Fuses: 20A, user replaceable fuse
- Management system Charging and low-battery protection built-in Ports
- USB port (output) (2x): 5V, up to 2.1A (10W max), regulated
- 6mm port (output, 6mm, green, hexagon): 12V, up to 10A (120W max), regulated
- 12V car port (output): 12V, up to 10A (120W max)
- AC inverter US (output, 60Hz, modified sine wave): 110V, 0.7A (80W continuous, 160W surge max)
- charging port (input, 8mm, blue, circle):14-29V, up to 5A (60W max)
- General
- Chainable: No
- Weight: 12 lbs (5.4 kg)
- Dimensions: 7.75 x 5.75 x 6.75 in (19.7 x 14.6 x 17.2 cm)
- Operating usage temp.: 32-104 F (0-40 C)
- Certs: CE, FCC, ROHS
- Warranty 6 months
- User Guide: Download PDF
- MSRP $229.99 On Sale Now! $183.99
