Alpha ESS is one of the big names in battery storage. The company is now entering the mobile box market. The BlackBee 1000 is an uncomplicated workhorse with a robust housing and lots of connections.
Power boxes are in. They are able to store electricity – like a power bank only in XL to 5XL. Craftsmen and farmers use it to replace a gasoline generator. The vanlife generation supplies their companion with electricity without much installation. And now the threatening “blackout” is added. A lot of people find it exciting to buy a kind of miniature solar system plus storage.
High demand
Currently the market is not growing, it is exploding because of the blackout fear. And in addition to the top dogs (Jackery, Bluetti and Ecoflow), new providers are constantly appearing. Now also Alpha ESS, the company has announced a box on the market and another. Alpha ESS is far more than “just another supplier” – the company manufactures large battery storage systems and controls in-house, for example for domestic stationary solar systems, and plays with the world’s largest players such as Huawei and Tesla. A company with great technical competence that now also wants to establish itself in the camping sector.
1000 class
The first box is the BlackBee 1000. Even the name and the matching design of the black bee show that you have thought about the placement in the market. The box itself is a cuboid with rounded edges in the “bee colors” of yellow and black. The material is high-quality, reminiscent of the Dewalt tool series. The hard plastic has been softened a bit for more grip. The “bee” stands as a sign of industriousness less well known is that it is a symbol of immortality and resurrection. Each manufacturer tries to align their boxes for a specific purpose and purpose. With the BlackBee 1000, that should be a mixture of camping/van life and mobile work.
As the name “1000” already suggests, the box provides a permanent 1000 watts of electricity in three 230 volt sockets and stores a total of 1036 Wh. The starting current can reach up to 2000 watts. In the realm of mobile power boxes, it is in the middle – significantly more powerful than the 500 class but also smaller than the 2000 class. The next larger BlackBee should then also cover the 2000 range. There are even larger boxes on the market, but they are so heavy that you can hardly call them mobile devices.
Handy size
With a size of 342 x 264 x 254 millimeters and a weight of 11 kilograms, the BlackBee 1000 can be taken anywhere. It can also be accommodated in a smaller van, tent or caravan. All connections are on the front of the box. This makes it much easier to store them in a space-saving way than it would be possible with a box where the cables go in and out on two or even three sides. All connections and the display are on the front. On the back is a two-piece headlight. In fact, it’s a headlight and not a flashlight with a small cone of light. If necessary, the box can be used to illuminate a campsite or a zone on the construction site. The light can be dimmed in three stages. Cuddly lighting looks different, of course.
The power supply is separate – which always has advantages and disadvantages. Benefits include that thermals from a charger outside of the box mean the box has to use the cooling fan less often. But there is an additional device for that. Ultimately a question of faith. The box turns itself off after a period of inactivity to save power.
A lot of connections
For such a small box, the BlackBee boasts a lot of ports. 12 devices can be connected at the same time. In addition to the three 230-volt sockets, the two USB-C outputs are striking. Car and solar input are standard on all boxes, this box can also be charged via USB-C. In principle, one could use the charger of a laptop, then of course with limited power consumption. Rarely represented and a special feature of the BlackBee in this class are the two platforms for wireless charging (10 watts) – adorned with bee symbols. AlphaESS specifies the longevity of the batteries as 1000 cycles. In principle, the BlackBee can be charged in parallel from different sources.
In operation, the BlackBee 1000 fulfills all promises. As was to be expected. The storage technology is mature overall and one can basically expect that the branded devices will fulfill their purpose. The limitation to 1000 watts limits the range of applications for craftsmen’s machines. This is almost always the case in the 1000 class and up, and ultimately there has to be a balance between power output and storage capacity.
The price of the box is over 1000 euros and is therefore on the level of the competitors. Entry into the market is not accompanied by price fireworks. However, there is a time-limited discount of at least 25 percent for this article, which pushes the price below 1000 euros. A Kickstarter campaign is currently running for the next larger box, the BlackBee 2000, with a really attractive early bird price. Interested parties should also take a look. With a large company like AlphaESS, there is no need to fear that you have to wait forever, as with some campaigns.
Why the BlackBee?
So: Why should you choose the BlackBee 1000 among the wide range of boxes? One reason might be the manufacturer Alpha ESS. It’s a big company with its own factories. It should still exist in a few years, many newcomers in this area do not produce themselves and some will disappear again. Right from the start, Alpha ESS has been one of the big players in the industry. And if you value something like that, the range on offer is significantly reduced.
It can also be assumed that this company will not be satisfied with a marginal position in the market and that other models will follow after the announced BlackBee 2000 and its own solar module. In the long run, Alpha ESS will want to offer the entire spectrum of industrial solutions, single-house systems, the mobile sector and probably also isolated solutions, for example for huts without electricity.
Robust and uncomplicated
In terms of philosophy, that is BlackBee a workhorse that you don’t have to and shouldn’t worry too much about. Charge and go – whether it’s a barbecue, building a shed or camping. There are systems where you can make settings deep in the guts of the device via a modified app, which can be connected to other batteries to form complex networks and the like. For some users this is a real joy, for most a system that works as a stand-alone without any problems and without much fuss is a better choice. You don’t need to study the operating instructions for the BlackBee – only switching on the wireless charger is not self-explanatory (press “Info” twice).
We really liked the workmanship and the solid material, which should also withstand a craftsman’s use, the two wireless stations, the well thought-out space-saving accommodation of the power connections – charging via USB-C can also be helpful. Sooner or later you will gratefully use the headlight, whether it is in the event of a car breakdown or pitching a tent in the dark of night.
The discount campaign on Amazon runs until October 15th. It grants a 25 percent discount with the code AlphaESS929 – the “new” price of the box is then 974 euros. As with all discounts, you are not (!) allowed to click on “Buy It Now”. But shopping cart – checkout – payment – there you will find the coupon field.
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