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Reviews For: Goal Zero Yeti 400 w. Boulder 30 solar panels

Category: Emergency/Portable Power: generators, solar, wind, thermal, etc

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Review Summary For : Goal Zero Yeti 400 w. Boulder 30 solar panels
Reviews: 2MSRP: 459
Description:
Integrated solar/battery/inverter system. Includes many different input and
output options.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.goalzero.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0024
KC6ZKT Rating: 2021-05-08
All-in-one convenience, solidly-built, versatile Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought the Yeti 400 as a refurbished unit from the Goal Zero web site in late 2018. It has worked as well as expected for over three years and I have relied on it both as home-shack back-up power, and in the field for remote operations.

I did not buy the Boulder 30 solar panel, and won't write about solar panels here except to say that the manual for the Yeti 400 specifies that the maximum solar input to the PWM (not MPPT) on-board charger should be limited to 90W. This would seem to forbid the use of the commonly-available 100W panel. But when another panel failed, all I had left was my 100W panel; using that, even in direct mid-day sun, I haven't seen a problem.

Each of the three 12V outputs of the Yeti 400 are limited to 10A, so you're not going to run a 100W HF rig that way. Goal Zero sells a diode-isolated 12V Max Current Cable (SKU: 98077) that can be used to get 30A from combining the three 12V connectors, but the easier way to get high-current 12V from this model is to connect directly to one of the two Anderson PowerPole "Expansion" ports on either side of the unit (each are fused to 30A). These ports connect to the battery without switching or regulation, but current delivered to or drawn from the battery on these ports does not register on the front-panel meter.

Regarding expansion, I regularly use my Yeti 400 with one or two external 35Ah SLA deep-cycle batteries (such as the Power-Sonic PDC-12350) connected to the expansion port. I installed these batteries in appropriately-sized marine-style battery boxes after installing external Anderson PowerPole connectors. With those, I have an up-to 1,200Ah power system for my remote station. This gives me the power to run a single-operator ham station, plus Goal Zero's USB lighting and a laptop computer, almost indefinitely.

I have found the built-in inverter does emit some RFI which my HF radios pick up on most bands. So I tend to alternate radio operations and laptop charging.

I am happy that Goal Zero still sells this lead-acid-based model. Their Lithium models operate at a lower voltage and are not appropriate for to power most ham gear from their 12V outputs.

My reasons for not giving this model a perfect score are, A) the inverter emits a frustrating amount of RFI, and B) I wish they didn't use their own proprietary connectors for 12V output and charging input.

While this model is still available, I recommend it for its convenience over the rats-nest of components involved in a similarly-sized DIY system.
K0JEG Rating: 2015-03-31
Expensive but good. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've been using Goal Zero products for a few years now, starting with the Extreme 350 and a single solar panel. I've since upgraded to the Yeti 400 and added a few more panels. The nice thing about the Goal Zero products is that they mostly work together. The Extreme 350 and Yeti 400 can be chained together with Andersen Powerpole connectors, and you can power your rig and other Powerpole devices directly. The Powerpoles are fused at 30A, internally (they don't mention that in the manual). I have 4 of the Boulder 30 panels, which can be daisy chained together to produce up to 120 watts (although reality is much lower unless you constantly tend to them). This is enough of a charge to keep a radio going all day and a good chunk of the night as well. The full sine wave inverter on the Yeti 400 is fairly quiet, but skip the modified sine wave inverter on the Extreme 350. The Yeti 400 also will charge USB devices, has a 12VDC cigarette lighter plug and connections for Goal Zero's LED lights.

When the Yeti 400 was released I was an "early adopter" and I think I paid the price. Curious to see exactly what sort of battery is running the unit, I opened it up. On inspection I discovered that the battery connections were very lose and could have easily overheated in a high current situation. Several others complained that their units were DOA, which might be related. However after a quick go with a torque wrench things have been fine since.

If I were starting out fresh today I'd go with lithium iron phosphate batteries, but for now these are a very good way to run a shack from a tent or park bench. I also like that it is an integrated system. I've built solar systems piecemeal and it is so much nicer to just have all parts you need in one system.