1 of 2
Mercedes Lilienthal
2 of 2
Mercedes Lilienthal
Words and photos by Mercedes Lilienthal
Inergy’s Kodiak solar generator is a heavy duty 1,100 watt power station offering several ways to run or charge equipment.
The Kodiak is ultra-lightweight at just over nine kilograms (20 pounds) and can charge up and power products from laptops to smartphones or refrigerators to TVs. Output ports include: six 110V AC plugs, two 12V DC sockets, one 30 amp 110V RV plug, four USB outlets and two base camp LED ports. Dimensions are: 35.6cm wide x 17.8cm tall x 20.3cm deep 14″ x 7″ x 8″).
This unit charges via 240W car charger, 110V wall charger, or solar blanket (time dependent on weather conditions). The internal lithium ion (NMC) battery boasts 1,100 watt hours, has up to 2,000 charge cycles, or 10 year life. It includes battery balancing, overcharge protection, and includes a shoulder strap and AC wall charge cord. This medium-sized power station is portable and can operate from -26°C to 65°C (-15°F to 150°F).
The Kodiak was easy to use, powerful, and versatile. This unit hummed for several hours when using a halogen work lamp while working on my 4x4. It kept my laptop and smart phones charged while camping, too.
Tip: the supplied AC power adaptor gets hot. Once the Kodiak is on, the blue LCD screen indicates wattage peak (Wp), voltage minimum (Vm), amperage peak (Ap), and watt hours (Wh). The Kodiak also displays power consumption in amps, battery voltage, and power consumption in watts (all in real time). This indicates how efficiently the Kodiak runs.
While the Kodiak is current, an improved K2 model is available soon (pre-sales via Off Grid Trek’s website now available). The K2 offers improved features. Both Kodiak and K2 models support only Off Grid Trek’s solar blankets and Powerfilm solar products. Pre-sale price through May 1st: $1,299.99 USD.