itel 500W Portable Solar Power Generator Review and Performance Test

The iTel 1000Wh Solar Power Tank with 500W Power Output has been making waves recently; hence, I got one a week ago to properly test and share my experiences with it. To straighten the record, this is not my first portable solar power generator. In fact, I started using MTN Lumos in 2018, and then the Qasa 100W solar portable we reviewed a while ago, and several more variations over the years. So, I’ll be taking my previous experiences into account as I quickly review this iTel 500W Portable Solar Inverter Generator with 1kWh LiFePO4 Lithium Battery.

The iTel 1000Wh solar generator is a portable power supply that offers 500W output, which is sufficient to power any television set, laptop, bulbs, and a couple of other devices simultaneously, thanks to the double power output ports. This power tank can be charged via solar panels or electricity, and you can use it while it’s charging. Here’s our honest review explaining the installation procedure, setup complexity, and overall performance.

iTel 1000Wh Solar Generator Unboxing

As shown in the short video above, these are what to expect with a new purchase of the iTel 1KWH solar inverter power tank:

1. The iTel 1000Wh solar generator with 500W power output
2. The device-mounting kits (which include: 2 PCS of mounting brackets, 2 PCS of expansion screws, 2 PCS of rawlplug fishers, and 4 PCS of sunk screws, as shown in the image below).

3. An RNB2-4L Cable Lock
4. AC power supply cord for charging the residential energy storage system with the main grid
5. Photovoltaic DC power cable for connecting the unit to the solar panel
6. 2 PCS of 10AH 250V Ceramic Tube Fuse
7. The user manual
8. The warranty form and qualified certificate

iTel 1KWh Solar Power Tank Overview

Looking at the unstable, constantly rising cost of petrol (fuel) in the country, a petrol generator is no longer the first choice of alternative power source for the average Nigerian home; an affordable solar generator or rechargeable portable inverter/battery power storage system is. You don’t even need to be a “Tech Bro” or “internet enthusiast” to want this additional, portable power supply source as a Nigerian or African at large. The Itel 500W portable solar power tank comes as one solid alternative power solution for homes and offices.

First of all, this won’t replace having a standard petrol generator, but it’s portable, gives you more control, and most importantly, it’s noiseless. So, the iTel 1000Wh power tank is a 500W capacity portable power generator that comprises an inverter and a 1 kWh lithium-ion battery. It integrates a 500W pure sine-wave inverter, a 400W PV-input MPPT controller, and a 1000Wh battery. Hence, it can charge via AC power (NEPA electricity) or DC power (solar panels) and can be connected to your existing solar system setup if you have one already.

The 1000Wh battery capacity means that, on a full charge, you can get up to 8 or more hours of uninterrupted power from this generator, depending on usage. It supports rapid charging – meaning that the battery can charge from 10% to 100% within 2 to 3 hours (depending on your charging source).

It’s Best For:

• Home backup power.
• Office backup power
• RV/camping trips.
• Eliminating emergency power outages in business centers.
• To run small off-grid systems or servers.
• To independently power your Starlink, Analogue CCTV camera setups, Automated gate/door system, and other important setups that don’t normally come with built-in power storage solutions.

Price and Where to Buy?

Depending on your location and the store you’re getting it from, the iTel 1000Wh solar generator costs from ₦290,000 to ₦330,000 for the system itself, excluding solar panels and wires (cables you’d need to install or set up the system). A full purchase with a 580W solar panel and extended DC cables will take the cost price to over ₦400,000.

You can get it from Jumia, their official site, big energy stores around you, or big online shopping malls.

iTel 500W Solar Power Generator Features

Here are some of the most prominent features of the iTel 1KWh power energy tank with a 500W clean power output:

1. 3-in-1 Power Station

The unit combines three components in a single housing: a 500W pure sine-wave inverter, a 400W PV-input MPPT charge controller, and a 1000Wh LiFePO4 battery with 6,000 charge cycles. This is what allows it to accept solar and grid power, store it, and output clean AC power without needing separate external components.

2. Rapid Dual Charging

When both solar (up to 60V input) and grid power are connected at the same time, the unit can go from empty to fully charged in 2 hours. Charging via AC power only (grid) takes roughly 3–4 hours for a full charge, and on solar panels alone, 6+ hours depending on panel wattage and sunlight conditions (It was much lower on a Jinko 585W Bifacial panel – from our test result).

3. Industrial-Grade Battery

This portable power system conceals a 1000Wh LiFePO4 (lithium iron phosphate) battery cell, rated for 6,000+ charge cycles, which translates to roughly 8–10 years of realistic daily use. But what you might get eventually may not be up to this life expectancy.

4. Seamless Backup

The iTel 1KWh has a UPS-style switchover of under 20ms when grid power cuts out. That’s fast enough that sensitive electronics such as routers, Starlink kits, smart TVs, and all that typically won’t reboot or lose connection during a power outage, since the switch happens faster than most devices register a power loss.

5. Smart Grid Adaptation

Interestingly, this unit tolerates unstable input voltages between 90V and 300V, while keeping output distortion (THD) under 3%. In practice, this means it can charge safely even when your compound’s electricity is fluctuating, without the surges damaging the battery or the inverter frying connected devices.

6. Solid Build and Sturdy Casing

Unlike some itel phones, this power station’s quality was in par with some of the best solar products in our collection. I actually opened up the unit to confirm the battery size, as weight alone shouldn’t be the only thing I should be looking at (please don’t try this on your end – as it’d void the warranty). The quality of the MOSFETs, capacitors, and inductors used was actually great, unlike the MOSFETs on a generic unit I bought some years back that fries like every eke market day🤣.

Overall, the build quality is great, and the internal components are solid with protective adhesives attached to the connecting ribbon ends, capacitors, etc.

1KWh Itel IESS-05K10N Power Tank Vs. Other Portable Solar Generators in my collection: My Personal Review

As stated earlier, I am not new to portable solar energy storage systems, as the 60W MTN Lumos I bought in 2019 is still playing a small role in the family house now in 2026. To digress a little, I first used MTN Lumos in 2018, bought the Eco variant in 2019, and still went ahead to get the premium variant that comes with 2X 80W panels in 2020. Moving away from Lumos portable power, I have used Lutian 1000W Output solar portable, Qasa solar portable, Sunking solar generator, and generic solar power stations.

So, over the years, I have used different types of solar solutions, including “all-in-ones” and full solar inverter solutions. Today’s review will focus mainly on these three that are right here with me. I started the test with a 250W solar pressing iron, Magcubic Android projector, and a few other gadgets, and then ended it with a 600W hand blower. The full performance will be published on our YouTube channel a few days from now.

To sum up the results, they all perform well within their power ratings. The burst power in the iTel power tank was also impressive, as it properly powered the hand blower that’s rated above 500W without draining the battery.

How to install or set up the iTel solar portable power tank

While the power station is actually “Plug and Play”, the exact use case is what determines if you can do this by yourself or need the services of an electrician or solar installer. In an office setting with just a standing fan, a table-top printer, and a diffuser all connected to a power extension is the easiest to manage. Just connect your power tank to the mains and then the extension to the power station’s power output port and turn it on.

That’s all; your office is now fully powered by this portable solar generator and will charge with the main grid at any time there’s light from NEPA (PHCN). This setup is also applicable to you if you just want to power your TV and other gadgets around the TV console area using a single socket or extension.

If you want to power your entire house with it, or need to connect a solar panel to the unit, do a load separation and all of that, then the services of an electrician or solar engineer/technician would be required.

To mount it on the wall by yourself, you can follow the guide in the user manual or simply copy what I have done in this attached photo as a quick pointer.

What To Expect From The iTel 500W Power Station?

As mentioned earlier, this is a portable power generator for powering small accessories and devices at home. It can power any electrical device or appliance with a power of less than 500W, which includes TVs, home theatre systems, laptops, phones, IoT devices, Starlink router, and other small devices. But if you’re going to connect multiple devices and appliances to this solar generator, make sure they don’t collectively exceed a 500-watt power draw.

While some refrigerators, freezers, and inverter ACs may be rated below 500W, it is not advisable to run them on this power tank. So, when using the iTel 1000Wh portable generator, you have to be calculative; it gives you control over what to turn on and what not to turn on at a time.

This device can be used while it’s charging, but that can make it charge slowly (depending on the connected load). While it isn’t built for refrigerators, I tested one inverter fridge on it, and it worked perfectly well. You can comfortably power the standing fan and lighting points in your self-contained and one-bedroom flat apartment with this solar generator.

My Review and Verdict

Short version: The build quality was so good that I had to open the inside to check the internals. I didn’t want to have a repeat of the bad experiences I had with my first and only iTel smartphone ever bought.

Long Version: The IESS-05K10P itel 500W Solar Generator with 1000Wh Lithium-ion Battery is a solid option for small homes and offices needing a reliable portable backup power solution. It’s built well on the outside and inside, and comes with a massive 1KWh lithium-iron phosphate battery. My generic 300W solar portable, although smaller, makes more noise than it, making it a perfect solution for indoor use.

It’s worth the price, as I’d easily recommend it to homes, small offices, and businesses powering a critical segment that needs an uninterruptible power solution – such as CCTVs, door contact sensors, smart locks, etc.

The Obvious Con: While I wasn’t dissatisfied with their design and product quality, the lack of a dedicated 12V DC output port posed a serious concern. This is because I have a dedicated DC line powering DC bulbs that I was unable to connect directly to this unit. After all, there’s no port for it.

Persons with a dedicated DC line for solar fans and similar gadgets will have an issue with this. The only way around it will be to get a 12V DC charger, which will permanently take up the extra power output port that would have served other important purposes.

Conclusion

The iTel 1000Wh portable power generator is an ideal system for freelancers, tech bro, small families, campers, and/or frequent travellers. You can use it as a standalone power storage/supply source (after it is fully charged), or connect it with the grid or your existing solar setup. For the price, it makes a lot of sense, and it’s definitely a perfect substitute for those noisy tiger generators.