Mobile power storage with a 230 volt socket is not only suitable for charging smartphones and action cams, but also easily supplies more powerful consumers such as notebooks, cool boxes or RC chargers. Thanks to the option of charging using a power pack, 12 V socket or solar panel, the devices are ideal for self-sufficient supply far from the mains and in the event of power failures.
This individual test is part of the Powerstation theme world. The Flashfish P66 we tested was made available to us by online shop Banggood. There, the compact and light power station including delivery from a European warehouse costs 228 euros. In this individual test, we will clarify how the mini-format power storage performs in practice.
Design & Equipment
With a weight of 3.2 kg and dimensions of just 29 × 20 × 21 cm, the Powerstation Flashfish P66 is significantly smaller than most of the solar generators tested so far. The compact power storage almost fits into the accessory compartment of the XL power storage Oukitel Abearl P5000 (test report) and is only about as big as a packet of detergent. We also find the color scheme in anthracite-orange in other solar generators from, for example, Jackery, Revolt or Xmund.
The plastic case is neatly finished and has a foldable handle on top. This is practical because it makes it easier to stack the device during transport and consumers can sit on it during use. Flashfish has taken advantage of this and integrated a wireless charging pad with 5 watts there. Overall, the power station seems very stable. It’s just a pity that all connections are open and not protected against dirt or moisture.
At the top of the front is the wide emergency light, consisting of six COB LEDs. In the middle below, the monochrome, but bright and high-contrast display shows relevant operating parameters. Above this are the power buttons for the 230-volt socket, the USB ports, the lighting and the DC outputs. The only 230 V socket (Schuko) is placed to the left of the display. To the right of this is the 12-volt car socket (cigarette lighter) with up to 10 A. Below that are the on-off button and the round socket for connecting to the power supply unit or solar panel. There are four USB ports under the display. In addition to 2x USB-A with 2.1A, a USB-A slot with QC delivers up to 18 watts, and the USB-C port next to it can do just as much. It’s a pity that at least 60 or 65 watts aren’t possible here, then you could leave your notebook’s power adapter at home. Unfortunately, the outputs are too weak for stronger USB consumers. To the right of the USB outputs are two circular connectors for direct current. In addition to 12 volts (10 A), 24 volts (4 A) are also available.
The openings for ventilation can be seen on both sides of the case. On the back there is only a sticker with technical data.
In addition to the power station, the 45 W power pack and a 12 V car plug, a quick start guide is also included in the scope of delivery. A solar panel is not included, for the test we use models from other manufacturers. The Li-Ion batteries used in the P66 are slightly lighter than comparable LiFePO4 batteries. The disadvantage is the significantly shorter service life of only about 500 to 800 charging cycles – that’s comparatively little. LiFePO4 batteries, as in the Bluetti EB70 (test report), retain 80 percent usable capacity even after over 3000 cycles.
practice test
Operating the Flashfish power station is easy and self-explanatory thanks to the labeling and clear layout. To switch the power station and the respective outputs on and off, a short press on the corresponding power button is enough. The same applies to activating and switching through the light modes of the bright emergency lamp.
After switching on or connecting a power source, the status display lights up and shows the charge capacity in percent. In addition to the input power, the output power of AC and DC power is also displayed. A small LED in the respective power button shows which outputs are currently active. Thanks to the good contrast and sufficient brightness, the values can also be read sufficiently outdoors. There is no remaining time display.
Before fully charging, we check the maximum performance of the mobile power storage. To do this, we plug in various consumers, such as tools, computers or kitchen appliances. The power station only achieves the specified 300 watts if you use direct and alternating current at the same time. Unfortunately, we can’t confirm the specified 260 watts at the 230 volt socket either. In the test, up to 200 watts are possible at best. The P66 also sporadically deactivates the socket from an output of 190 watts. Although higher peaks are possible for a few seconds in order to bridge higher starting currents, the P66 is not a performance miracle. Deactivation in the event of an overload worked reliably in the tests. Since the 230 volts are delivered as a pure sine wave, the supply of sensitive consumers also works.
In the end, 200 watts are very limiting. Although we can connect a hot glue gun, Dremel, notebook, chargers for drones or tools as well as lamps and a cool box, there is not enough power for a rotary hammer, lawn trimmer or hedge trimmer. With this mini power station, you don’t even have to think about the supply of electric grill, kettle, toaster, fan heater or table saw. The sometimes more than 2000 watts lead to the immediate shutdown of the socket. However, the small power station is well suited for light and moderate consumers such as chargers, small tools, lamps or our BBQ fan.
With the admittedly cool outside temperatures, the P66 almost always stayed still and quiet in the tests and got lukewarm at most. The low power also ensures less waste heat and so a really quiet electrical whirring can only be heard in the immediate vicinity. Loud fan orgies like in other power stations are not to be expected here, even if the fan starts up sporadically from 170 watts. No ventilation is active during the charging process. Overall, the noise development can therefore be rated very positively.
After the performance tests, we discharge the P66 and charge the empty Li-Ion batteries with a nominal capacity of 288 Wh using the supplied power adapter. The charging time of almost exactly five hours is long in terms of capacity, but ultimately average. If you want a quick charge function, you should take a look at the Anker Powerhouse 521 (test report) or the Ecoflow River2 Max (test report) – they only need around one and a half hours with a similar capacity.
Photovoltaic charging also works in the test. Although only a maximum of 66 watts (22 volts at 3 A) is possible here, Flashfish still recommends using a 100 watt panel. In a practical test with three different 100-watt panels and two other power stations, it quickly becomes clear why: the P66 has inefficient charging electronics on board. While the Newsmy N1200 P (test report), Alpha ESS Blackbee 2000 (test report) and Ugreen Power Roam 1200 (test report) show an input power of around 22 to 27 watts when it is cloudy, the P66 is always between 10 and 12 watts behind the competitors. Too bad, even if the P66 is intended for short-term use due to its low capacity, charging via photovoltaics only works below average. In the best sunshine, the charging time should be around five to six hours. After all, the power draw from the 230-volt socket works while the power station is charging on the solar module.
After the charging tests, we check how much current we can draw from the batteries. In five runs, we draw between 236 and 259 Wh, depending on the consumers connected. In the best case, this corresponds to a loss of ten percent in terms of capacity, in the worst case, around 18 percent is lost. These are average values. In general, one speaks of a usable capacity of around 85 percent, i.e. a loss of 15 percent. How high this is in practice always depends on the connected consumers. The lowest losses occur when using 12 V devices on the DC outputs. Experience has shown that the most is lost when using low-performance 230 V consumers. The power station supplies our PC workstation with a notebook, two 24-inch monitors and other small USB consumers (around 100 to 120 W in total) for just over two hours.
Preis
The Flashfish P66 costs about 270 euros in German shops. The model is available from Banggood for 228 euros including delivery from an EU warehouse. Together with the foldable 100 watt panel, the P66 costs 514 euros.
Conclusion
The Flashfish P66 is more of a power station than a solar generator, and the input power is too low for that. The very compact power storage is ideal for occasional use, to extend the runtime of the notebook or to recharge batteries on the go. However, the performance and capacity are too low for continuous use as an isolated solution or to supply heavy loads.
In terms of price, capacity and performance are perfectly fine. If you are only looking for a mobile socket for electronic gadgets, you will get a decent price-performance ratio here. The P66 is great for supplying power to RC cars, drones, cameras or other moderate consumers on the go because of its size, which is suitable for a backpack.