Goal Zero Yeti Buying Guide

The Goal Zero Yeti is making waves in the world of solar generators and for good reason.   Before you spend your money on any solar powered generator, we  you to understand what features are the most important.

What Makes the Goal Zero Yeti So Popular?

Goal Zero started with a mission to offer portable power solutions across the world that are sustainable, safe and effective. The company works to help the poor, yet offers a product that can help everyone.

And through innovation, the company has been able to grow, deliver on their core mission and change the world.

When you purchase from Goal Zero, you’ll benefit from:

Rock Solid Warranty

Batteries, power packs and solar panels all come with a standard one-year warranty. The only exception is if you purchase an Open Box product. Open Box products have a six-month warranty.

But what if you’re not satisfied at all with your Goal Zero Yeti?

The company offers a 30-day money back guarantee. If you’re not satisfied with your purchase, you can return your product and there are no questions asked. Open Box products are the exception and do not offer a guarantee.

Build

Goal Zero’s quality assurance is exceptional. The company uses the best materials to create a product that they can personally guarantee for 30 days. The company knows that you’ll love their products because they only create the best in portable power generation.

What is the Best Solar Generator for Camping?

If you’re looking for the best Goal Zero Yeti for camping, your best bang for your buck is going to be the 3000 model. The 3000 is the company’s most powerful power station, offering a 3,075 Wh capacity that will be able to power most appliances and devices for days.

Expensive but reliable, the 3000 model can be used as a home backup power station, but it is often used in camping.

The unit is powerful enough to run 10 high-powered devices at one time. Goal Zero has a patent pending on the power station’s Pure-Sine Wave AC Inverter. The inverter is rated for 1,500 watts of continual use and can surge as high as 3,000 watts as needed.

For campers, this means that you can run virtually any device or equipment you need.

The generator provides enough power to operate:

• Swamp coolers
• Tools
• Pumps
• Blenders

You can even run a refrigerator on this power station. When you’re out in the wild, you want it to be quiet. You want to hear the wind rustling through the leaves, you want to smell nature, and you want to embrace everything.

Since the 3000 relies on built-in batteries, there are no fumes or noises at all.

There’s one thing I want to mention: charging. This top-end unit gives you multiple options for keeping the battery charged.  You can plug the power station into your electrical outlet at home and then use the solar generator kit for keeping full capacity on the road.

While we know you don’t want to rely on your home as a power source, the added convenience is a nice option at this price point.

The solar kit offers the solar panels and everything you need to power the generator using solar energy.

When you purchase the 3000, you’ll find that it has no additional maintenance required and comes with an app that allows you to:

• Check the station’s power levels at any time
• Turn off one of the many ports
• Update firmware

The mobile app allows you to control your Yeti at any time.

Weighing 68 pounds, this model comes with numerous power outputs:

• 4 USB ports
• 2 AC outlets
• 12V socket

Powered by a long-lasting lithium ion battery, the generator can power an entire refrigerator for 40 hours. If you want to run a television, you can at any time for 30+ hours. If you need to recharge your smartphone, you can – up to 150+ times on a single charge.

If you’re hiking with someone who may need medical equipment, this is the perfect generator for you. It will run any piece of equipment you need.

And when a device or equipment is pulling more than 1500 watts of power over a long period of time, the power will be cut off. This is a safety feature which allows the generator to keep its charge and also protects the unit’s battery.

There’s also a built-in battery management system designed by Texas Instruments. The battery system will continually monitor the state of the battery to ensure it’s running properly.

Since you’ll be using this model for camping, it’s also important to know that it’s heavily insulated. You can use the generator outside in the snow or elements. A cooling system is built into the unit so that it can cool itself down if temperatures are too high.

Due to the heavy weight, you may be wondering why I would recommend this generator for camping.

It comes on a cart.

You can wheel the generator wherever you need it.

Operation is easy, too. The front panel of the generator has a display which tells you:

• Input and output measurements
• Time to full recharge
• Usage time remaining
• Battery percentage

Battery shelf life is 10 to 12 months per charge. If you forget to charge the unit for a few months, it will still have plenty of juice left. The unit also comes with fast solar charging thanks to the built-in MPPT module.

The module allows you to charge the unit in just six hours using the solar panel bundle (completely optional).

If you’re going camping or need a high-end solar generator, the 3000 unit is your best option. Purchase the optional solar panel bundle and you’ll be able to use your generator anytime, anywhere.

What the Yeti 1400, 1000 and 400 Models Have to Offer

You might not need a generator as powerful as the 3000, and while it may be the best bang for the buck, you’ll find plenty of other options available:

• 1400
• 1000
• 400

Each model number corresponds to the wattage that the Goal Zero Yeti is able to produce. And one of these models may be a great choice for you if you want to pass on the 3000. Keep in mind that you can buy a solar generator kit for these models to go completely off-grid.

I recommend purchasing the optional panel bundle, but it’s completely up to you.

Goal Zero Yeti 1400

The 1400 comes with WiFi to offer use of the Yeti app – it’s the same that comes with the 3000. The 1400 is able to produce 1425Wh lithium power and can power up to 10 devices at once. The patented inverter is included to make the unit more efficient.

USB and USB-C delivery ports are available with the USB-C port delivering 60W of power.

You can use this model to power:

• Lights
• Television
• Computers
• Blenders
• Refrigerator

If you need to charge your laptop, tablet or smartphone, you can with the 1400. The handy app allows you to check the unit’s battery level and disable ports. The 1400 has the following ports available:

• USB
• USB-C
• USB-PD
• 12V

No gasoline is used, so the 44LB generator is able to remain silent during operation and never produces a gas smell or other irritating fumes.

Operating temperatures are 32 – 104 F.

An advanced cooling regulation system is also in place to keep the internal components cool while in use. The cooling system ensures the portable generator’s lifespan.

Battery shelf life is an impressive 10 – 12 months, and you can run a refrigerator on this generator for up to 26 hours. Recharging from the wall takes 25 hours, and with the solar panel kit, you can recharge the unit in 30 hours or so.

Goal Zero Yeti 1000

The 1000 has 1045Wh of silent generation with a 3000W surge. The unit can power up to seven devices at once, and it is significantly smaller than the 3000 or 1400.

You can use the following ports:

• 4A USB
• AC
• 120W 12V

Clean exhaust and no toxic fumes, this model is versatile, and will able to be used indoors and outdoors. The model charges in about 25 hours from an AC outlet. Under optimal operating conditions, the solar option can recharge the unit in as little as 4.5 hours.

Shelf life is 10 to 12 months for the charged battery, and there’s no maintenance required.

The unit weighs 40 pounds and has dimensions of: 15.3” x 10.1” x 9.3”.

Users love this option as a smaller, long-lasting generator. One user was able to plug a 12V fridge into the unit and operate it for 72 hours. The battery life remaining was still at 51% when the unit was unplugged.

When the battery level drops, voltage levels remain consistent so that all of your devices can remain charged. There is a cut off system that will stop charging a device when the battery level is too low.

So, when you’re powering a 12V fridge but the battery level can only produce 10V, it will stop trying to power the fridge and allow for other less demanding items to be powered.

Goal Zero Yeti 400

The smallest Goal Zero Yeti is the 400. But don’t let the small size of the 400 stop you from considering it. If you’re going on a camping trip or need to power items in your RV, the 400 can help.

The Goal Zero is able to keep all of your necessities charged:

• Smartphone
• Laptop
• Tablet

And the 400 weighs close to 30 pounds and has a compact size of 10.25” x 8” x 8”. An ATM lead acid battery powers the 400, and the Pure Sine Wave inverter is still built into this compact model.

LED lights indicate the battery’s charge level, and you’ll find that there’s a solar charging port along with:

• 12V ports
• 2 AC ports
• 2 USB ports

A power management system is built into the unit to ensure that you cannot overcharge it. Overcharging can lead to battery depletion and loss of battery capacity. Thanks to the power management system, you’re able to keep the battery at a high capacity level for longer.

Setup is very easy. Plug the unit into a power source, allow the battery to charge, and that’s all. You can purchase a solar panel kit for this model, too.

Smaller in capacity, the 400 operates at 428Wh with a 1200W surge. Seven devices can be charged at one time, and the battery can be replaced if needed. The shelf-life for this model is 12 months, so you can be confident that it will work even if you last charged it months ago.

Goal Yeti offers a complete lineup of generators that produce zero emissions and no noise production. When you purchase one of these models, you’ll have a one-year warranty and the ability to replace the batteries as needed.

A lot battery shelf life keeps the unit operational when you need it most.

And if you want to have complete freedom from a power source, I highly recommend purchasing the optional solar panel kits.