Welling & Crossley LiFePO4 power stations, 600W, 512 Wh

Welling & Crossley portable power station range is five LiFePO4 units, from the 600W, 512 Wh WC-BG600 at 4.5kg to the 5,500W, 5,376 Wh WC-BG5500 at 70kg. Each has AC outlets, USB-A and USB-C ports, a wireless charging pad, a car charger port and an MPPT solar input, and can be recharged from AC mains.

All five are rated for 3,000+ cycles to 80% capacity and have seven protections: high temperature, low temperature, overcharge, over-discharge, overload, short circuit and overcurrent. The operation manuals describe a UPS function that switches the connected load to battery within 25 ms if mains power is cut.

Where this product is used

• Caravan, RV and camping power
• Charging tool batteries and running small appliances (WC-BG600)
• Worksites and farms (WC-BG1200)
• Home backup, outdoor events, market stalls, mobile business and DIY workshop (WC-BG2000, WC-BG3600, WC-BG5500)
• Construction sites, agricultural operations and backup for essential systems (WC-BG5500)

Features

• LiFePO4 cell chemistry rated for 3,000+ cycles to 80% capacity
• Seven protections, including overload, short circuit and overcurrent
• UPS function that switches to battery within 25 ms if mains power is cut
• MPPT solar input, with 10-150V DC and 2,400W max on the WC-BG3600 and WC-BG5500
• Wireless charging pad up to 15W, plus USB-A and USB-C ports
• Charge to 80% in 60 to 130 minutes from AC, depending on model

Key specifications

Care and use

• Charge from a car port for no more than 3 hours at a time
• For storage, every three months discharge to about 30%, then recharge to about 60%, in a dry, ventilated place at room temperature
• Motors can draw 3 to 5 times their running current at start-up, which can trip the overload, so allow for the start-up load
• Keep away from heat, flame and direct sunlight, do not use in wet or humid conditions and do not cover the fan or block airflow
• Do not pierce, crush or impact the battery, and do not put the unit in general waste, use a certified battery recycler

Choosing the right option

Add up the running watts of everything you want to power at once and choose a rated AC output above that total; then check the largest start-up load against the surge figure. Motors can draw 3 to 5 times their running current at start-up. Capacity in watt-hours sets how long a load can run, so a larger load for a longer period needs a higher capacity. The WC-BG600 at 4.5kg and the WC-BG1200 at 14kg are the portable end of the range; the WC-BG3600 (51kg) and WC-BG5500 (70kg) are heavy units and suit a fixed location or a trolley. The WC-BG3600 and WC-BG5500 accept 10-150V DC solar input up to 2,400W.

See also: Hansa RK12000 Battery Smart Charger, Hansa RK6500 Battery Smart Charger.