As of the time of writing this, more than 1000 days will have passed since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. For all that time, our energy system has been under constant threat. Over these 1000+ days, most of you have likely already equipped yourselves with power stations, uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), energy storage systems, inverters, and/or power banks. I, however, have a unique position. I have ALL of the aforementioned equipment, with several items in multiple copies. And I’ve had them for a LONG time, which has given me a vast amount of experience. I could simply review the Prologix 1200 inverter and the Prologix 12V 100AH GEL battery. But instead, I’ll offer a recommendation on who would find this set useful, convenient, and who it is primarily intended for.
Prologix 1200 technical characteristics
- Type: line-interactive (Line-Interactive)
- Full power: 1200 VA
- Active power: 1000 W
- Output waveform: pure sine wave
- Input voltage: 145-275 В
- Output voltage: 203-238 В ± 5%
- Switching time: <10 ms
- Connection of external batteries: 12 В
- Input voltage range: 140-275 В
- Power supply voltage: 220 В
- Switching time: 4-6 ms
- Charging current: 10 / 20 A
- Type of connection to the network: euro plug
- Type of connection to the battery: terminals
Market position
I’ll start by saying that this particular set isn’t cheap. The Prologix 1200 (model PLP1200XL) costs $166 or €157. The Prologix 12V 100AH GEL battery is priced over $240 or €227. Overall, this is the expected price for versatile models, as you’ll see later.
Exterior and peripherals
Briefly about the devices – they are heavy. Over 40 kg when combined. This is normal, as batteries aren’t lightweight – but keep in mind that you won’t be able to carry this weight easily by hand. Also, like with all the Prologix devices I’ve reviewed, the manual for the inverter and the battery is available on the warranty card. Simply scan the QR code, and it will provide a link.
Visually, the inverter and the battery look exactly as you would expect from an inverter and battery. The Prologix 12V 100AH GEL battery is grey, with two differently colored F12 or M8 type terminals.
The nameplate on the body is also present, as a colored print directly on the plastic. It contains basic information about the capacity and the manufacturer. The inverter is more interesting. On the front, we have buttons for BAT, CHR, POWER, MODE, and ENTER. Above the buttons, there is an LCD screen displaying presets and settings.
I see what you mean—it’s not a screen that outputs any image you want to see, but only pre-programmed ones. It’s clear from the photo. I just haven’t seen something like this in a long time, so I thought I’d highlight it. On the sides, there are only ventilation holes. At the back, there are two Schuko C13 outlets, soldered cables for connecting to the battery, a soldered power cable, a 10A fuse, and a fan.
Specification
It’s worth noting that Prologix offers a range of inverters. Their power output ranges from 600 VA (480 W) to 1500 VA (1200 W). The highest model in this series is rarely found in Ukraine, but it is the only one that supports both 12V and 24V batteries.
The Prologix 1200, with the model number PLP1200XL, allows you to adjust the battery charge current from the grid (10 A, 20 A, or maximum). It is compatible with three types of batteries: gel, LiFePO4, and AGM. The unit can function as an inverter, UPS, or even work with solar panels. The manufacturer offers a 24-month warranty.
Keep in mind that the PLP1200XL is a versatile model designed for multiple markets. As a result, the supported voltage range is from 145 to 270 V, the input frequency can range from 45 to 65 Hz, and the output voltage can vary between 203 and 238 V, or even from 150 to 255 V, depending on the operating mode.
What is the advantage?
Now, the question. Why did I praise the Prologix 1200 and Prologix 12V 100AH GEL so highly compared to alternative power backup solutions? Firstly, the format of the inverter and battery is similar to comparing a PC to consoles. Yes, consoles are great for gaming and are relatively inexpensive. But if you need it, you can build a PC with components that consoles can’t even dream of.
The situation is similar with the “inverter-battery” combination. You have a power source that guarantees the maximum consumption of components. You also have a capacity source that ensures how long the components will run. Both can be selected and replaced according to your preferences.
It’s important to note for the future that if you plan to buy the Prologix 1200 and choose a Prologix 12V 8AH battery, it might be problematic. The inverter’s specifications list recommended battery capacities for specific charging currents—either 10 A or 20 A. For a 10 A charge, the minimum acceptable capacities range from 65 to 120 Ah, and for a 20 A charge, from 120 to 250 Ah.
The larger the battery capacity, the better. Series connections don’t affect this. However, if the capacity is too small, the batteries may start to swell over time, potentially leading to a fire hazard. We’ve already discussed basic fire safety measures for your apartment, but it’s important to remember that all inverters on the market, not just the Prologix 1200, should come with recommendations regarding minimum battery capacity. You should choose a battery based on those recommendations.
Even with a 65 Ah battery, you will still be able to power your PC, refrigerator, or boiler for several hours during a blackout. And don’t forget about series connections if you add another battery, like the Prologix 12V 100AH GEL.
This isn’t possible with power banks, charging stations, or UPS systems, as the batteries inside cannot be replaced. While some charging stations have modular batteries, they come at a significantly higher price, especially when compared to the combination we’re discussing today.
Yes, the inverter and battery have external cables. Yes, for safety, you should buy protective covers for the connections. Yes, it’s advisable to keep them out of reach, in places where they can’t be kicked or where hot liquids like tea won’t spill onto them. Yes, transporting them is much more cumbersome and heavier. And no, there is no mobile app for monitoring or control.
But all of these models have one advantage that only UPS systems offer. They are designed to work as emergency power sources. A power station or power bank is not designed for this purpose. Specifically, a power station experiences self-discharge due to the internal circuitry. And if the station is turned off to conserve battery, the components connected to it will stop working as well.
In other words, pass-through charging support doesn’t mean that you can leave a power station connected to a fridge or water heater and expect the power supply to seamlessly switch over. If your power station is constantly discharging and recharging between 99% and 100%, the memory effect will kick in, and the internal battery will “think” that its minimum capacity is not 100%, but closer to 35% or even 50%.
To fix this, you’d need to discharge the station completely and then recharge it to 100% a few times. Do you have the time for that, especially with blackouts happening? Do you have the time to do this regularly? That’s the key issue. For the “set it and forget it” scenario, only certain power stations with a dedicated UPS function, as well as uninterruptible power supplies and inverter-based systems, are the right fit.
Drawbacks
Now, for the drawbacks. On the battery and cable out of the box, I noticed some minor damage. On the cable, it exposes the conductor slightly, but not enough to be a major issue. The protective caps would have covered it completely—if only they were included in the package, which is somewhat ironic.
But my main concerns are with the instructions. I would have liked to see it more detailed, especially explaining all the necessary functions of the Prologix 1200. For example, the manual doesn’t mention that the minute-long beep after switching to UPS mode can be turned off.
How? By pressing the power button once after the switch to battery power. This needs to be done every time—if you don’t do it, the beep will continue indefinitely.
In fact, a silent operation mode for inverters is something I will continue to demand from manufacturers. There’s no reason not to include it in inverters, as it allows them to be used not only in offices but also at home. As for the operation of fans, I won’t say much—none of the devices that use 12-volt batteries function as UPS units without noise.
Fans must always operate because the efficiency of an inverter never reaches 100%. This means there are always energy losses that transform into heat, which needs to be dissipated. However, this is unavoidable and doesn’t interfere with activities like sleeping. Unlike the constant beeping sound, which can be quite disruptive.
Conclusions
When considering each of these models individually, the Prologix 1200 inverter and the Prologix 12V 100AH GEL battery raise almost no concerns. When combined, they form an almost flawless solution for powering household components that don’t require extra intervention, such as water heaters, servers, refrigerators, or PCs. Just purchase rubber protective caps for the terminals, and you’re good to go. So, yes, I recommend it!
Read also:
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- OUKITEL P2001 Plus Portable Power Station Review