Zendure ACE 1500 - Power where you need it!

I've been using the Zendure Ace 1500 for a little while now, and I want to tell you why I think this piece of kit is a perfect addition to your SolarFlow system (HUB2000 / HUB1200) and also performs brilliantly as a standalone device.

The Ace 1500 is an add-on for your SolarFlow, letting you charge the batteries not only via the solar panels but also via AC—in other words, the mains power from your energy provider (a maximum AC input of 900 watts, which is adjustable in the app). This works in the same way as the new SolarFlow Hyper model.

What's more, the Ace 1500 makes your SolarFlow system island-capable. In this case, that means you can use devices up to 1500 watts via the two integrated sockets. You can also charge your smart devices—smartphone, tablet, headphones, or other USB gadgets—via the integrated USB ports.

The best part is that you can use the Ace 1500 not just as an extension to an existing SolarFlow system, but also as a standalone, portable device. For me personally, this is the main use. I use the Ace 1500 when camping to charge our e-bikes, when we're spending a day by the lake to power all sorts of gear, or to inflate the paddleboard with a compressor.

To be able to charge the batteries in standalone mode, the Ace 1500 has an XT60 input, which you can connect solar panels up to 400 watts to. I'm currently using Zendure's flexible solar panels for this. We recently took our caravan to South Tyrol for a cycling trip. In the evenings, when we got back from the mountains, we charged the e-bikes via the Ace 1500, and during the day, while we were out, the batteries recharged with solar energy. If the stored energy wasn't enough, the rest just came from the campsite's power. We packed up the Ace and batteries, set it up securely at the campsite, and that’s how we smartly saved some money.

On the subject of batteries: The Ace 1500 can use up to four Zendure batteries. You can also combine different types of Zendure batteries (a maximum of four). Just like the Zendure Hyper 2000, the device is simply placed on the battery and, if needed, connected to the Ace 1500 via the battery cable supplied with the Hub 1200/2000. The photo below shows my HUB2000 with an APSystems inverter and the Ace 1500. I'm not using the solar inputs on the Hub 2000 here, because the flexible solar panels on my garden shed roof are connected to the Ace via the XT60 input.

For me, the Ace 1500 is a perfect replacement for a classic power station in an off-grid scenario. This setup is also ideal for continuing to make use of batteries that you might no longer be using in your stationary SolarFlow / Hyper system. Imagine you've upgraded your main Zendure system to AB2000X / AB2000S and reached the maximum expansion limit—you can then continue to use the leftover AB2000 batteries for your mobile power station.

Just like the other SolarFlow devices, the Ace 1500 can be easily integrated into the Zendure app and controlled via Bluetooth or WiFi.

For instance, you can see how much energy is being generated by the connected solar panels at that moment, how many watts the device is charging at via AC, and the charge status of the connected batteries.

What's more, for those who have a dynamic electricity tariff based on the Nordpool Day Ahead database, there's also the option to smartly manage the charging and discharging of the batteries based on the electricity price. When electricity prices are low, the batteries charge, and the output is reduced. Conversely, the output is increased when the market price is high, so you have to draw less energy from the supplier.

To do this, you first set in the app what tariff counts as low, normal, or high for you.

After that, you can decide how the Ace 1500 should react when it reaches the respective price category.

When my Ace 1500 isn't out and about with me, it lives in my garden shed. It's connected to two AB1000s and the HUB2000 there. The system gets its power from four flexible Zendure solar panels mounted on the roof of my garden shed.

Because I'm interested in sustainable energy generation and the 'do-it-yourself' nature of the SolarFlow system gives me huge enjoyment, I try to use every spare inch of my garden for solar energy. With the Hub 2000 and the Ace 1500, I feed energy into the house's grid, use it directly for the lawnmower (which I just plug into the Ace 1500), or to charge the e-bikes. Recently, I've also added some garden lighting with individual spotlights.

I'm sold on the Ace 1500 because it significantly expands the functions of the SolarFlow system, because thanks to its island-capability, I become even more independent in how I use the energy I generate, and because the device is flexible enough to be used both on-grid and off-grid.