Charging gear: Alternator Charger · Car Charging Cable (car outlet to XT60) · EV Charger Adapter for F3000 · Anker SOLIX solar panels
Genuine Anker SOLIX with Anker's warranty, shipped from Upland, California to the lower 48 states.
Plug it into a wall outlet for the simplest everyday charge. Off-grid, use solar panels, your vehicle through the Alternator Charger, or a generator. The F3000 can also charge from a J1772 EV charging station with Anker's adapter. How fast each one works depends on the model.
Charge rates by model
| Model | Wall outlet (120V) | Solar, max | Other ways |
|---|---|---|---|
| C1000 Gen 2, 1,024Wh | 1,200W normal, 1,600W ultra-fast | 600W, 11–60V | 12V car socket |
| S2000, 2,010Wh | 1,150W standard, 1,600W ultra-fast | 400W, 11–60V | Alternator Charger (sold as a bundle) |
| C2000 Gen 2, 2,048Wh | 1,800W, 100% in 88 min | 800W, 11–60V, 17A | 800W with the Alternator Charger; AC and solar together, 100% in 58 min |
| F3000, 3,072Wh | 1,800W (120V, 15A) | 2,400W on two inputs (60V and 165V), 17A | 120V generator up to 3,600W; EV station up to 3,600W; 12V car input; Alternator Charger (sold as a bundle) |
| F3800 Plus, 3,840Wh | 1,800W | 3,200W on two inputs, 11–165V, 17A | 240V outlet or generator through the 240V Generator Input Adapter |
| S5000, 5,024Wh | Anker lists six ways to recharge and a full charge in 99 minutes. See S5000 vs F3800 Plus for the details. | ||
Figures are Anker's, as listed on our product pages. Times are Anker's where quoted.
1. Wall outlet
Plug the AC charging cord into any household outlet. It is the simplest way to top up before a trip and the usual way to keep a station ready as home backup. A few notes:
- The C1000 Gen 2 and S2000 have an ultra-fast mode at 1,600W as well as a standard rate.
- The C1000 Gen 2 and S2000 list 1,800W of bypass to your devices while plugged in, and the C1000 Gen 2, S2000, C2000 Gen 2 and S5000 list a UPS switchover of 10 ms (10 ms or less on the S2000) if the wall power drops.
- The F3800 Plus's 240V output is off while it charges from a 120V outlet, per Anker, and its TT-30R passes through only up to 1,440W in that mode.
2. Solar panels
Connect panels within the input's voltage and current limits. On the C-series and S2000 that means a 60V ceiling, so panels usually go in parallel. The F3000 and F3800 Plus take up to 165V, so you can run panels in series. Anker says the F3000 and F3800 Plus each recharge in under 2 hours with their full solar input in good sun.
For layouts that stay within the limits, see how many solar panels for an F3000 and PS100, PS200 or PS400 sizing.
3. Car 12V socket
Anker's Car Charging Cable runs from a 12V car outlet to an XT60 connector. Our C1000 Gen 2 and F3000 listings both name 12V car charging. It is the slowest way to charge: Anker says its Alternator Charger is up to 8 times faster than a car socket. Use the socket to trickle in some energy on a long drive, not to refill a big station. For other models, ask us before you buy the cable.
4. The Alternator Charger
The Anker SOLIX Alternator Charger is wired to your vehicle's battery and charges the station while you drive. Anker rates it at 800W into the C2000 Gen 2 and about 3 hours to fill a 2kWh station. We also sell it bundled with the C2000 Gen 2, the S2000 and the F3000. Anker publishes no F3000 charge time with it. Installation is covered in our Alternator Charger guide.
5. Generator
- F3000: a 120V generator through the 120V Generator Input Adapter, up to 3,600W through its TT-30 input, while passing up to 3,600W through to your loads. Anker says a fuel generator and solar together reach 6,000W when an expansion battery is connected.
- F3800 Plus: a 240V generator with clean sine-wave power through the 240V Generator Input Adapter: 3,300W on its own, 6,000W with a BP3800. See how to charge an F3800 Plus from a generator.
- Other models: plug the station's normal AC charging cord into a generator's household outlet, and it charges up to its wall rate if the generator can supply it. We suggest an inverter generator, or one with a clean sine-wave output.
Always run a generator outdoors, well away from doors, windows and vents.
6. EV charging station (F3000)
With the EV Charger Adapter, the F3000 charges at up to 3,600W from a public or home EV charger with a J1772 (Type 1) connector. It does not fit other connector types. We list it for the F3000 only. See charging an F3000 from an EV charging station.
Which way is fastest?
- At home: the wall outlet, or 240V on the F3800 Plus.
- At camp with sun: solar, up to 3,200W on the F3800 Plus and 2,400W on the F3000.
- On the road: the Alternator Charger, or an EV station for the F3000.
- In a long outage: a generator to refill, then shut it off and run quietly on the battery.
FAQ
Can I charge from solar and the wall at the same time?
On the C2000 Gen 2, yes: Anker says AC and solar together fill it in 58 minutes, against 88 minutes on AC alone. Our other listings do not give a combined figure.
Can I charge an Anker SOLIX from my RV's shore power?
Yes. Plug its AC charging cord into an outlet in the RV or at the pedestal, and it charges at its wall rate.
Do I need special panels?
No. Panels work if their combined voltage and current stay within the input limits above, and you have the right connector cable. Our solar sizing articles above give layouts that stay within the limits.