I tested the DJI Power 2000, here’s why it’s my new go-to on location

The power station market has been rapidly expanding in recent years, with the size and weight of the units reducing while capacities have increased. While most power stations are still aimed at the camping sector or those looking to go off-grid, either for a van life lifestyle, taking a studio, workshop or outdoor office offline, or more commonly as an uninterruptible power supply (UPS), the DJI Power 2000 is capable of all these, but also has a more refined aim.

Firstly, meeting all the demands of every other power station on the market, it features a decent 2KW capacity. Most households will consume between 8 and 10KW a day, just to put that in perspective. What marks the Power 2000 out against much of the competition is the maximum output that it’s capable of supplying to devices. Every device has a power draw, such as the Mac that I’m using at present, at 100W, and the two Godox RS60R units that I have charging on the desk, which is about 45W per unit. These devices are all relatively small in power requirements, but when you switch to toasters and kettles, two essentials when I’m out on site, or at least the kettle is, and the toaster is something I’d like to take but may be an extravagance too far, that’s a different matter.

That aside, both have a power draw of between 2000 and 3000W, far in excess of most power stations I’ve tested over the years, but just within the limits of this one. This makes it an ideal solution for use in the field or at home.

Obviously, being from DJI, photographers and videographers are the main focus, and the four AC socket points and array of other connectors make it a great power source when out in the field. If you’re looking for on-site power, then this is the most finely tuned power station for photographers’ needs presently on the market.

What really makes it stand out is the special connectivity that it has for DJI drones, enabling a fast charge, making this an essential for anyone flying DJI drones professionally.

The other major point about the battery is that you can use it as a power backup. Wire it into your mains. There is actually a bit of DJI electronics to enable this, and you can quickly expand the system, using it as backup power for your house if the electricity gets cut, or in a workshop as a continuous power solution. So, if you have 3D printers, etc, running, the print process isn’t broken.

2Kw, while a great deal out in the field, is quite a bit, at home, with that 8–10Kw of power draw, that capacity will quickly run out. Thankfully, there is the ability to increase the capacity by adding additional batteries with a maximum capacity of 22,528Wh.

On the surface, the DJI Power 2000 looks to be a great solution for home, backup power, and on-site power, and if the Power 1000 is anything to go by, this bigger version should be a real asset on-site.

The first thing that I noted about the DJI Power 2000 was its absolute build quality; it’s decidedly DJI with the dark Matt grey finish, small design details, and robust build that gives you that instant reassurance of quality.

The other good thing about the Power 2000 was that it arrived just in time to be used on a two-day job in a museum where power supply sockets are few and far between.

I have in the past used a power station to keep everything topped up through the day, especially lighting, but with a few aerial shots to capture with the drones, I knew that while I have quite a decent amount of V-Lock batteries, I would need to take an additional power source.

The first thing that struck me was the size and weight. OK, this is by no means light at 22 kg, and measuring 448×225×230 mm, it’s not exactly small, but when you consider the size and weight of the Bluetti AC200P https://camerajabber.com/reviews/bluetti-ac200p-expandable-power-station/ that I’ve been using for the last couple of years, the DJI unit is over 5 kg lighter and significantly smaller, meaning that on site in the trolley, it’s much easier to transport around. Making sure that it’s easy to carry and transport, there are two large carry handles and the ability to add brackets so that if you’re mounting additional units, everything stays tightly together.

The power station utilises a solid LFP battery built, which has been designed to ensure a lifespan of over 4000 cycles to 80% and excellent thermal stability.

Around the outside, there’s a good volume of power connectors, with 4× AC Output, 4× USB-C, 4× USB-A, 2× SDC, and the AC Input that goes into the mains for charging.

DJI has also considered that, as this power station is aimed at imaging professionals and content creators, it needs to be quiet. Some of the new high-capacity and output units that I’ve looked at this year have been incredibly loud in order for the cooling and fan system to keep the temperature in check. Here, the uni, while there is a small amount of noise, runs incredibly quietly, and through the test, that noise wasn’t picked up by the DJI Mic 3’s https://camerajabber.com/reviews/dji-mic-3-review/ while filming.

Alongside the hardware is the DJI Home App, which does require a dongle to be inserted into the unit to work, but this is a relatively cheap addition and will then give you the ability to connect to the control interface and the Home App so that you can operate the power station remotely.

A quick run through some of the key features and you can quickly see how DJI have adapted the power station format to be better tuned to photographers and videographers, and of course those using their drone systems. I fly a DJI Mavic 3, and while it is slightly older, the fast charging potential is still very much a feature.

Starting with the battery specification, this is a 2048Wh capacity power station with a 3000W continuous output. While there are other units with a similar output rating, this is usually a surge rating and not usable, which essentially means that you can plug in several high-demand devices, and the power station will be able to cope. I’ll cover the items that I tested in the performance section, but suffice it to say, it passed the kettle test, which was the most important one.

Power input is as important as output, and in the past, I have had several units from other manufacturers that offer this kind of capacity but take hours to gain that all-important 80% charge. Here, with the DJI Power 2000, you can gain a top-up to that 80% point in 45 minutes, so if you do stop for lunch and the landlord allows you to, then while you’re refuelling, so can the power station.

One feature that will really appeal to many looking for a home backup solution is the UPS mode that features a 0.01-second switch as we use 3D printers as a matter of course in the studio, for stands, brackets, props and custom fixes for almost every item of kit, having a fail-safe power supply has been essential to keep our range of Prusa XL and Bambu Labs H2D’s running. A power glitch, while recoverable with both, isn’t ideal. So, with a UPS power station, if the power does go out, it essentially doesn’t affect the print process. A more common use is to place the battery between power-critical appliances, such as a fridge.

While the fastest way to charge the Power 2000 is to plug it directly into the mains, you can equally keep it charged through solar, be that a grid-tied energy storage solution, balcony solar systems or, in my case, two JA Solar panels strapped to the top of the shed outside the studio.

All these features can be found on other power stations. However, where DJI have created a path to creators is with the Dual SDC ports. These ports enable you to connect to DJI drones so that it’s possible to give them a fast charge, or at least their batteries, connect to expansion batteries up to that 22Wh max capacity or the WiFi dongle.

Getting started with the DJI Power 2000 is as straightforward as you would expect: simply plug it into AC power, give it a full charge, and then it’s ready to use.

A full charge takes about an hour and a half, with the first 80% rocketing to capacity in around 45 minutes before it switches to a more sedate trickle charge for the last 20%. This is common for most of these units, but still, it’s a fast charge.

Once the Power 2000 had completed its first full charge, I then inserted the Wi-Fi dongle, which is an additional purchase at £22, so not a great deal, and worth it. Not entirely sure why this isn’t just an integral part of the unit, as that would seem to have made more sense, and it does take up one of the SDC ports.

Anyway, the Wi-Fi connection enables you to run firmware updates, check and control the battery, which is just something that I find incredibly useful. Knowing how much power you have left for lighting is always handy, and actually, as I have the Power 1000 as well, being able to expand that storage from a decent 2000Wh to 3000Wh made a huge difference.

Once the Power 2000 was charged, I then headed out with the battery, installing it as a unit within the van for use on-site. Here, DJI also provided the trolley, which was useful, and with the Power 2000 on the base, other kits could be strapped in on top. This made it easy to pull around the location and also ensured that the power station had the venting it needed for cooling when in use, rather than having it in the trolley, where heat could potentially build up.

Through the day, the direct access to the AC ports enabled the laptops to plug in and charge as needed, and with about an hour’s charge per Godox RS60R  from the small power packs they’re supplied with, having the additional support of the Power 2000 to directly input power made a huge difference.

The feature that really marks this out against everything else is those SDC ports. Being able to plug in to expand the capacity with the DJI Power 1000  was helpful, but the ability to use the SDC to fast charge the Mavic 3‘s  batteries was incredibly useful. Through the day, the drones were in the air for several hours, shooting vehicles from a height, and when a battery hit 20%, knowing that I wasn’t limited to the flight times offered by the three batteries made a huge difference. It also meant that at the end of the day, I was able to top up the drone batteries on the way home.

With the Power 2000, DJI also supplied the 200W solar panel, which, through the test, maxed out at about 130W input, which is pretty decent in the UK. At home, I plugged this into my system, which outputs a maximum of 800W and close to 600W through this test. The maximum solar input is 1800W, which is impressive, and with the addition of two portable 400W panels, I managed 1000W and a three-hour charge time.

The other big feature that I was interested in testing was the kettle test. I have actually gone to the extremes of buying a 1kW kettle to make a coffee in the van. However, I still fall back on the Jetboil, which is far faster, even if you have several cups of tea and coffee that you’re making.

With the Power 2000 and the 3000W output, I was actually able to use the normal household kettle. So, I have now replaced the slow and small kettle with a standard one. However, it is worth pointing out that while the Power 2000 is perfectly capable of boiling a kettle, it is still a huge drain on the capacity. So, unless it’s for absolute convenience or a large group, I’ll probably remain using the Jetboil for now, at least.

A better use for that capacity was to run and charge everything from it. I was even able to run the Dangbei N2 Mini Projector  for several hours without issue.

Through the test, I used the DJI Power 2000 in a variety of different locations and scenarios. Firstly, as I was getting acquainted with the unit in the house, topping it up through AC power and running my laptop throughout the day, along with lighting and charging the batteries for the Sony A7 IV and Canon EOS R5 C. At the end of the day, I was a little shocked by my power requirements, at what would be just over 2KW, as the 2000 was completely drained by around 4 pm with an 8 am start.

Looking at my house electricity meter, this did seem to measure up, and actually, this means that I can charge the battery overnight on the cheaper rate and then utilise that power during the day, essentially saving quite a bit every day on electricity charges.

I then shifted the unit down to the studio and plugged it into the circuit down there with an adapter out to the lights, heating, computers and 3D printers. I usually have a 5000W UPS system in the studio, so a drop to 2000W was potentially an issue, and as the temperature dropped in the evenings, the heater proved to push the system a little too much, with the safety kicking in. I then switched the heater out, plugging that back into the normal system, and continued the test for a couple of weeks. The small Power 2000 proved to be big on performance. Monitors, lights, music and charging were all within its abilities, although additional capacity was added with two Power 1000s to take the total capacity up to 4KW. I also plugged in the 800W panels through the SDC to give a top-up charge to the battery throughout the day. At around £1000 for this capacity and feature set, this isn’t at all bad value.

The final test was out in the field, and here the Power 2000 really excelled, charging drones, being ultra-portable (if weighty), so that the trolley came in handy, and just being a good, reliable source of power. The fact that you can also give it a power boost in 45 minutes did make a huge difference.

While this system is good, there are a few things that bugged me during the test. The need for the Wi-Fi dongle, which takes up an SDC port, is annoying. Why it couldn’t have been integrated, I don’t know. Then there’s the switch on/off procedure, which requires the usual double press. While it works, you need to explain it to everyone unfamiliar with the system, which can also be a pain on-site.

Otherwise, with everything that’s on offer, it is superb value, and now I have serious considerations about replacing the van’s AC power supply with this smaller and more up-to-date option, especially now I see that there is also the DJI Power 1.8kW Solar/Car Super Fast Charger to wire this into the van’s alternator, or equally use it as a more permanent option for supplying power to the studio from the solar panels.