We Review The INFINITY 1300 Portable Power Station
Having reviewed a broad range of power stations and solar generators, I wasn’t in any rush to look at another one. When the folks at Growatt offered to let me take a look at the INFINITY 1300 LiFePO4 Portable Power Station, I initially resisted. After a second ping, I decided I would at least go and look at it, and found myself intrigued by the unusual shape. It was interesting enough to decide to go ahead and acquiesce to a product review, as long as they weren’t in a huge hurry.
First impressions
Now unboxed and sitting in my office, there are a few styling cues that set the INFINITY 1300 apart from other power stations.
First and foremost, of course, are the handles. Rather than a single fixed topside or folding handle, the Growatt 1300 has a fixed handle on both sides. If you can heft the 42 lb INFINITY 1300 with one hand, either handle will do. If two hands are needed, the handle arrangement of one on each side is natural and sensible.
Plug placement
One smart thing the Growatt folks did here was put the most common and less bulky outputs up front, under the color LCD. You’ll find two 5V USB-A ports, two USB-A fast-charge 18W ports, and two 100W USB-C ports. These will be the most often used ports to charge phones, tablets, cameras, and more… all with typical thin, lightweight cables.
For your heavy AC needs, the Growatt INFINITY 1300 features four 120V pure sine wave AC outlets on the side, conveniently out of the way. On that same side are also a standard 12V automotive-style lighter socket port, and 2, 3A 5521 ports. On the opposite side of the unit, inputs for AC and solar are covered with a small protective door. For AC charging the INFINITY 1300 uses a standard C13 power cord that does not require a power brick (Yay!). We’ll get into the solar specifics later.
Wireless charging on the INFINITY 1300
Nestled between the two handles on top of the Growatt is a wireless charger. The surface area is larger than other power stations I have reviewed, and it has a nice lip around the edge to keep your devices corralled. The wireless charger features a tiny LED embedded in the top that is very useful. The LED shows green when it is ready, after you turn on the DC power.
When charging, it glows a pulsing blue, so you have confirmation that it is indeed charging. This is especially handy with the AirPods that don’t draw enough power to register on the LCD screen. I was able to charge my iPhone (still in the MagSafe case) with no issues, and it worked well with the AirPods, and a pair of Belkin earbuds I have.
A smart design
You may have figured out by now that there is nothing on the backside of the INFINITY 1300. This means you can put it right up against a wall, the RV, the kitchen counter…wherever. As I look at my usage of this type of device, it’s always on some kind of small table or countertop.
Sitting on the end of a picnic table, for instance, the heavy AC cables drop off the side, the small cables are on the table, and I can put the 1300 right to the edge of the table without fear of stray cables sticking out behind it. It’s a smart design.
What about those cooling fans?
Aside from the shape of the handles, the cooling fans caught my attention the most. All of these portable power stations have cooling fans to keep those LiFePO4 batteries cool. Many of them, however, seem to hide them behind vented plastic. You hear noise coming from the power station when the batteries need cooling, but it just comes from “somewhere”.
For the INFINITY 1300 and 1500, Growatt took the approach of bringing those fans out where you can see them. Not only are they easier to see, they are also quieter since they aren’t just blowing into that vented plastic. Being able to easily see the cooling fans means it is much easier to clean them with canned or compressed air (be gentle!). The only sacrifice to this design is the absence of a light, popular with other brands. Given that I always have my phone and often a flashlight around, that’s not a deal breaker.
Solar charging options
The Growatt INFINITY 1300 features an XT60 input port for both solar and DC charging, and includes the adapter cables for them. The solar cable is an XT60 to the standard MC4 fitting. The 1300 will accept up to 800W of solar input through that connector at an incredibly wide voltage range of 12V – 100V.
This means you can use almost any solar panels you can find as long as you can get them to an MC4 or even down to the XT60 connector directly if you wish. At that full input of 800W, you can fully charge the Growatt in about 2 ½ hours.
Of course, Growatt offers their own 100W and 200W solar panels.
Specifications
The specs on the INFINITY 1300 are impressive for this roughly $1,000 price point, especially the five-year warranty.
- 1382Wh Capacity & 1800W Output
- LiFePO4 Battery with 3,000+ Life Cycles to 80%
- Fully charged in 1.8 hours
- Up to 14 Versatile Outlets (includes wireless charger)
- Easy & Remote Control via App
- Wide Range Solar Input Tolerance (12V – 100V @ 12A)
- Dimensions(LxWxH) – 16.5 x 9.1 x 11.3in (418.7 x 230 x 287mm)
- Weight – 42.32lbs (19.2kg)
- Optimal Operating Temperature – 68°F~86°F (20°C~30°C)
- 5-Year Warranty
Common usage specifications
Finding a usage metric that makes sense is ultimately what determines the power station you might need. For me, it’s all about the laptop and phone. For my wife, it’s the iPad. For off-grid campers, it might be the drone or portable refrigerator. Let’s not forget the CPAP or some auxiliary lighting.
- Laptop – 20 recharge cycles
- Phone – 90 recharge cycles
- Tablet – 50 recharge cycles
- Drone – 20 recharge cycles
- Portable Fridge – 11 hours
- CPAP – 18 hours
- LED Lighting – 117 hours
Great for convenience or emergencies
The Growatt INFINITY 1300 Portable Power Station is great for both convenience and emergencies. On the convenience side, having power wherever you need it is supremely handy. At the campsite, at the pool, boondocking, dry camping… wherever you need power and there isn’t any. For emergencies, having a way to power lights, medical devices, fans, air conditioners, refrigerators, even water pumps is reason enough to have a portable power station whenever power is not available.
To learn more about the Growatt INFINITY 1300 visit growattportable.com or follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
