Zendure SuperBase V6400 Review
This energy storage solution can easily scale to power your entire house for multiple days.
The Zendure SuperBase V6400 is a portable and modular power station that you can scale from 6.4kWh all the way to up to 64kWh total, when chaining two base units, each stacked with four satellite batteries. If you have the space for a massive backup system like that (and can afford it), it can easily power your entire home for two days straight. The system features zero downtime UPS, a 30 Amp RV port, a set of 120 and 240V ports you can use simultaneously, and several other standard output ports. With the Zendure app, you can remotely check in on the system.
Concerned about power failures or want to live off-grid? How will you source electricity? Fuel-based generators are an option, but they rely on a finite resource with volatile costs. Solar power, on the other hand, is unlimited and free once you have the equipment needed to harvest it. Of course, the sun doesn't always shine. You'll need a storage solution.
Enter the Zendure SuperBase V series, a modular and fast-charging home energy system with a 6.4kWh capacity, scalable to up to 64kWh of capacity. Our review of the SuperBase V6400 and its Satellite Battery will help you find out whether it's the right fit for your home.
The SuperBase V6400 ships with the following accessories:
Our test kit also came with these optional add-ons and accessories:
Due to its weight, you'll receive your SuperBase V and any add-ons on a pallet. Our pallet was wrapped in plastic and the packages were secured with heavy-duty straps. You'll need a utility knife or strong scissors to cut through the straps. Since it weighs 130lbs (53kg), you'll want to use a dolly to move the SuperBase V box to its final destination if you have to go up or down stairs; the same applies to any Satellite Batteries (101lbs, 46kg) you ordered. If you have a helper, you can also completely unpack on the spot and carry each unit by its handles.
If you don't have stairs to worry about, you can unbox the SuperBase V as shown in the video below, then stack the unboxed Satellite Battery on top, turn the SuperBase V on so that the motorized wheels can "pull" some weight, and roll the whole unit to its destination.
Unlike the Bluetti AC300 and B300, the Zendure SuperBase V and B6400 Satellite Battery come with light cardboard-based packaging, which you can easily dispose of with your paper or cardboard recycling.
Unfortunately, the Satellite Battery reached us with an extremely low charge. While it still turned on and paired with the app, which is when we found out it was at 0%, we couldn't pair it with the SuperBase V for charging. Zendure recommended a firmware update, but this requires a minimum 20% charge.
The only way to charge the Satellite Battery without first pairing with the SuperBase V is through solar energy. Due to the low sun in November, our front porch only gets a couple of hours of good exposure each day, so we didn't manage to get it up to 20% during the review period. Hence, we couldn't fully set it up or test it.
This highlights one of the downsides of any solar system: While you can harvest solar energy even when it's somewhat overcast, you'll definitely need a space with good sun exposure throughout the day.
We doubt that Zendure would ship us a deeply discharged battery for review. After having to delay shipping in September, the PR team had told us twice that "the power station is still under testing in our warehouse." We suspect that Zendure had the review unit shipped from another reviewer. Though there was no visual damage to the packaging or battery, it might have been damaged during transport.
Physically, the defining difference between solid-state batteries and lithium-ion phosphate (LiFePO4) or lithium-ion batteries is the electrolyte consistency; it's solid in the former and liquid in the latter. This results in different energy densities, with solid-state batteries offering more than 228Wh/kg, while LiFePO4 batteries reach only about 160Wh/kg, i.e. roughly 30% less energy per unit of weight.
While solid electrolytes are safer because there's no risk of explosion or combustion, they also present challenges. It's harder for ions to move from the cathode to the anode and vice versa. However, as the solid electrolytes heat up, their ionic conductivity increases, meaning solid-state batteries work better when they're hot and don't require cooling.
The SuperBase V6400 and the B6400 Satellite Battery run on semi-solid-state battery technology. As the name suggests, these batteries contain a semi-solid electrolyte, i.e. made of part liquid and part solid components. Zendure's CEO Bryan Liu explains that semi-solid-state batteries contain about half as much liquid electrolyte as regular lithium-ion batteries using liquid electrolytes. Moreover, a solid electrolyte membrane contains the liquid, fixing it in place. This technology offers a combination of benefits, such as higher energy density and increased safety compared to standard NMC (i.e. nickel, manganese, cobalt cathode) lithium-ion batteries found in most consumer electronics. At the same time, semi-solid-state batteries are more affordable than pure solid-state batteries, which aren't in large-scale production yet.
Note that the SuperBase V4600 model and its respective Satellite Battery use LiFePO4 batteries.
In anticipation of testing the SuperBase V6400 and the B6400 Satellite Battery, we set it up in the kitchen, which is a treasure trove of high-wattage appliances. A better place, however, would be your basement or garage, especially if you're planning a semi-permanent installation or want to charge your electric vehicles with your Zendure power station.
While you can control the SuperBase V through physical buttons and check its status via its display, it's much more comfortable to track your power station from the comfort of your living room, rather than heading into the garage or basement.
To get the most out of your setup, such as remotely controlling features or checking on its charging status, install the Zendure smartphone app and pair the SuperBase V and your Satellite Batteries. Inside the app, press the + button in the top right, select the product you'd like to pair, make sure it's turned on, follow the instructions to enable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, then pair through your home Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. Note that if you pick Bluetooth, you won't be able to access data remotely.
Once you paired the SuperBase V and all its Satellite Batteries with the app, turn everything off. Assuming you haven't physically connected the batteries and the SuperBase V, yet, do this now. You'll need the Satellite Battery cable, which plugs into the top of the Satellite Battery (remove the protective strip) and into the back of the SuperBase V. When properly stacked, i.e. with the protective strips and plugs removed, the Satellite Batteries are automatically connected to each other. Now turn on your SuperBase V; if everything works in order, your Satellite Batteries should turn on automatically, and you should see them listed as external SuperBase V battery packs in the app. If that's not the case, retrace your steps or try updating the firmware of your Satellite Batteries through the app.
The app contains the following features:
Theoretically, you can control the SuperBase V through Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. If you're able to connect to one of these services, you'll be able to voice control the power station or set automations based on the power station's charge or discharge status, for example, to charge it at night, when electricity rates are cheaper. Unfortunately, our version of the app wouldn't let us log into Amazon, and the Google Assistant button brought up the Amazon Alexa screen, so we couldn't connect these services to test voice control or automation.
With a massive battery capacity and an almost overwhelming number of ports, the SuperBase V6400 is powerful and versatile enough to charge your entire house and your electric vehicles. Let's look at the details.
Both the SuperBase V6400 and the B6400 Satellite Battery have a capacity of 6,400Wh. You can pair up to four Satellite Batteries with each SuperBase V, amounting to a total of 32kWh. Furthermore, you can run two Super Base Vs in parallel, yielding a total capacity of up to 64kWh. That's enough to fully charge a Tesla Model 3 running on a 60kWh battery or power an average American home for two full days and more.
Can the SuperBase V actually charge an electric car, though? It actually can.
The SuperBase V6400 has all the inputs and outputs you could possibly need, including a 240V 6-20 plug, which you'll also find in a Tesla wall charger. Both batteries use a 3,800W pure sine wave inverter with 7,600W surge capacity. Using AmpUp, the SuperBase V6400 can run certain appliances that typically need up to 5,150W on its own or 6,600W when connected to a Satellite Battery.
What stands out most is its industry-first dual 120/240V output, meaning you can charge your 120V and 240V devices at the same time. Other power stations, like the Oukitel P2001, support both 120V and 240V charging, but not at the same time. Dual-voltage charging is great if you want to top up your 240V electric vehicle or run your 240V oven at the same time as you're powering your 120V-based entertainment system.
Another key feature of a backup battery is the ability to act as an uninterruptible power supply (UPS). The SuperBase V6400 features two zero-downtime UPS charging ports (type 5-20, 120V, 15A in the US version; 100V in Japan version; not available in EU, UK, or AU versions). So if you're running your house on the grid and the power goes down, the SuperBase V will kick in immediately to supply power to connected appliances.
Aside from standard 120V AC, USB-A, USB-C plugs, and the previously mentioned 240V 6-20 plug, the SuperBase V6400 also contains a 120V TT-30 plug and an Anderson output port, which can power your RV at 30 amps.
Need more output ports? Check the side panel for Anderson, car, and DC5521 outputs.
At some point, you'll have to charge your SuperBase V6400 or your B6400 Satellite Battery. Each unit contains an MPPT solar controller for solar input through an XT90 connector. The SuperBase V6400 can take up to 3,000W at 12-150V DC and 25A, while the Satellite Battery itself can be charged at a maximum of 600W (12-150V DC / 10A). At maximum capacity and under ideal conditions, you can charge the SuperBase V6400 in 2.5 hours with solar power alone.
Expanded fully, this setup can be an emergency power center to run your home essentials for over a week, or with enough solar panels, you can even run your entire whole house, off-grid indefinitely. Zendure Satellite Battery can be charged and discharged independently.
If you're looking for the ultimate, long-lasting power station that can scale up to run your entire house for days or, provided you have sufficient solar power, completely off the grid, the Zendure SuperBase V6400 and its B6400 Satellite Batteries are currently the most powerful option on the market. What sets this system apart from the competition is that it's portable, modular, and easy to install by yourself. If you already have a transfer switch installed at your house, this system is essentially plug-and-play. Zendure also offers a home panel with EV outlets.
While other competitors, like Bluetti, have entered the market with similar portable and stackable systems, Zendure's SuperBase V6400 currently offers the most comprehensive package in this segment, i.e. the only one with semi-solid state batteries, the first one in the industry with dual 120/240V operation, and one of the few that offer zero-downtime UPS. What might also win you over if you value portability are the Zendure SuperBase V6400's powered wheels, which other systems, like the Bluetti AC300, are missing. Another downside of the Bluetti is that its B300 satellite battery only has a capacity of 3,072Wh, while the AC300 has no battery capacity at all, compared to the Zendure's up to 6,400Wh for both the base station and the optional satellite batteries.
While the Zendure SuperBase V6400 can literally power everything, up to 5,000W by itself or up to 10,000W when using two SuperBase Vs in series, it might of course be overkill for your needs. In our tests, the cooling fans were rather loud, even when powering low-wattage devices, so if that's an issue, you should look for a quieter alternative. If you have a limited budget, a smaller system with fewer features might also be a better option for you. In that case, look into the Bluetti AC300 and B300 power station combo.
The SuperBase V6400 is best for those seeking maximum portability and backup power for off-grid use or extended grid outages. If your system will be stationary and frequently recharged, however, the SuperBase V4600, i.e. the lower-capacity LiFePO4 version, might be more cost-effective, too.
Zendure successfully completed a Kickstarter in November, but while they're shipping the first units, their crowdfunding efforts continue on IndieGoGo.
While completing a PhD, Tina started writing about consumer technology in 2006 and never stopped. Now also an editor and SEO expert, you can find her on Twitter or hiking a nearby trail.
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