Growatt
Growatt HELIOS 3600
Ranked #11 of 46 power stations we track.
A 3,686Wh LiFePO4 power station with a 3,600W inverter, a 240V outlet and a TT-30 outlet, expandable with up to four batteries, aimed at whole-home and RV backup.
Amphourly is reader-supported. When you buy through links on this page we may earn an affiliate commission, at no extra cost to you. Rankings come from our published scoring method, not from who pays. How we make money
Strengths
- 3,600W output with 120V outlets, a TT-30 and a 240V outlet
- Up to 2,000W solar input (12-60V)
- Four 100W USB-C ports
- Accepts up to four 3.6kWh expansion batteries
Watch out for
- About 99 lb, so it is a roll-around unit rather than a carry unit
- Fastest 1.5-hour charge needs 240V input; on 120V AC input is 1,800W and takes about 3 hours
- Growatt quotes both 15 ms and 20 ms backup switchover on the same page
Score breakdown
How the Growatt HELIOS 3600 scores: 8.2/10Methodology
- Battery chemistry16% weightLiFePO4
- Rated cycle life12% weightNot published
- AC output12% weight3,600 W
- Energy density12% weight37.23 Wh/lb
- AC recharge time12% weight90 min
- Solar recharge rate8% weight0.54 W per Wh
- Expandable8% weightYes
- UPS switchover8% weight20 ms
- Warranty8% weight5 yr
- App control4% weightwifi+bluetooth
Full specifications
| Brand | Growatt |
|---|---|
| Model | HELIOS 3600 |
| Battery capacity (Wh) | 3,686 |
| Battery chemistry | LiFePO4 |
| AC output, continuous (W) | 3,600 |
| AC outlets | 6 |
| Pure sine wave | Yes |
| USB-C ports | 4 |
| USB-C max per port (W) | 100 |
| USB-A ports | 2 |
| 12V car outlet | Yes |
| AC charging input, max (W) | 3,600 |
| Fastest AC recharge (min) | 90 |
| Solar input, max (W) | 2,000 |
| Solar input, min voltage (V) | 12 |
| Solar input, max open-circuit voltage (V) | 60 |
| Expandable with extra batteries | Yes |
| UPS switchover (ms) | 20 |
| Weight (lb) | 99 |
| App connectivity | wifi+bluetooth |
| Warranty (years) | 5 |
Specs last checked 2026-10-21.
What will it run, and for how long?
| Appliance | Draw | Inverter | Runtime | Runtime as a share of 24 hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ResMed AirSense 11 CPAP | 56 W | Runs | 2.3 days | |
| Wi-Fi router | 6.5 W | Runs | 20.1 days | |
| Smartphone charger | 10 W | Runs | 13.1 days | |
| Laptop computer | 50 W | Runs | 2.6 days | |
| LED bulb (60 W equivalent) | 9 W | Runs | 14.5 days | |
| Full-size refrigerator (ENERGY STAR) | 160 Wavg 51 W cycling | Runs | 2.5 days | |
| 12V portable fridge (Dometic CFX5 45) | 58 Wavg 7 W cycling | Runs | 18.7 days | |
| LED/LCD TV (about 45-inch) | 162 W | Runs | 19 h | |
| Window fan | 153 W | Runs | 20 h | |
| Drip coffee maker | 1,300 W | Runs | 2.4 h | |
| Microwave oven (1.25 cu ft) | 1,500 W | Runs | 2.1 h | |
| Submersible sump pump (1/2 HP) | 1,000 W3,000 W to start | Runs | 3.1 h |
Runtime = usable energy ÷ average draw. We count 85% of the rated 3,686 Wh as usable (3,133 Wh) to cover inverter and DC conversion losses. Fridges and freezers are averaged over their compressor cycle. An appliance runs only if its running watts fit the 3,600 W inverter and its start-up surge fits the 3,600 W surge rating. Wattages come from our appliance wattage table; try your own mix in the runtime calculator.
Which solar panels fit it?
- Solar input up to 2,000 W
- Voltage window 12–60 V
- Connector not published
| Panel | Rated | Voc | Connection | Solar-only recharge | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Renogy 400W N-Type Portable Solar Panel Blanket | 400 W | 39.2 V | Adapter: MC4 to the station's solar port | 12 h | Renogy |
| Renogy 400W Lightweight Portable Solar Panel Suitcase | 400 W | 47.2 V | Adapter: MC4 to the station's solar port | 12 h | Renogy |
| Anker SOLIX PS400 Portable Solar Panel | 400 W | 57.6 V | Adapter: MC4 to the station's solar port | 12 h | Anker SOLIX |
| EcoFlow 400W Portable Solar Panel | 400 W | 48 V | Adapter: MC4 to the station's solar port | 12 h | EcoFlow |
| EcoFlow 400W Rigid Solar Panel | 400 W | 37.1 V | Adapter: MC4 to the station's solar port | 12 h | EcoFlow |
| EcoFlow NextGen 220W Bifacial Portable Solar Panel | 220 W | 21.5 V | Adapter: MC4 to the station's solar port | 22 h | EcoFlow |
| Renogy 220W Lightweight Portable Solar Panel Suitcase | 220 W | 23.3 V | Adapter: MC4 to the station's solar port | 22 h | Renogy |
| BougeRV 200W Foldable Portable Solar Panel | 200 W | 21 V | Adapter: MC4 to the station's solar port | 25 h | BougeRV |
| Renogy 200W N-Type Portable Solar Panel Blanket | 200 W | 19.6 V | Adapter: MC4 to the station's solar port | 25 h | Renogy |
| Anker SOLIX PS200 Portable Solar Panel | 200 W | 57.6 V | Adapter: MC4 to the station's solar port | 25 h | ShopSolar |
| BLUETTI SP200L 200W Portable Solar Panel | 200 W | 24.6 V | Adapter: MC4 to the station's solar port | 25 h | BLUETTI |
| BougeRV 200W N-Type ShadePower Solar Panel | 200 W | 36.4 V | Adapter: MC4 to the station's solar port | 25 h | BougeRV |
| Rich Solar MEGA 200 Portable Briefcase Solar Panel | 200 W | 22.2 V | Adapter: MC4 to the station's solar port | 25 h | Rich Solar |
| EcoFlow 110W Portable Solar Panel | 110 W | 21.8 V | Adapter: MC4 to the station's solar port | 45 h | EcoFlow |
| BLUETTI PV100 FX Flexible Solar Panel | 100 W | 41.4 V | Adapter: MC4 to the station's solar port | 2.0 days | BLUETTI |
| EcoFlow 100W Flexible Solar Panel | 100 W | 20.3 V | Adapter: MC4 to the station's solar port | 2.0 days | EcoFlow |
| BLUETTI SP100L 100W Portable Solar Panel | 100 W | 24.62 V | Adapter: MC4 to the station's solar port | 2.0 days | BLUETTI |
| EcoFlow 100W Rigid Solar Panel | 100 W | 20.3 V | Adapter: MC4 to the station's solar port | 2.0 days | EcoFlow |
| Rich Solar MEGA 100 | 100 W | 22.8 V | Adapter: MC4 to the station's solar port | 2.0 days | Rich Solar |
| BougeRV Yuma 100W CIGS Thin-Film Flexible Solar Panel with Pre-Punched Holes | 100 W | 30.5 V | Adapter: MC4 to the station's solar port | 2.0 days | BougeRV |
Recharge time is from empty with one panel in full sun: 3,686 Wh ÷ the lower of75% of the panel's rating or the station's solar input limit. A panel rated above the input limit is safe as long as its Voc fits, because the station only draws what it can take. MC4 panels need a standard MC4 adapter cable, which many stations include. Wiring two panels in series doubles the Voc, so check the total against the voltage window. Try any pairing in the solar panel matcher.
7 panels that don't fit
- Jackery SolarSaga 200W Solar Panel: its 8mm DC plug doesn't fit the unpublished solar port
- EcoFlow 125W Bifacial Modular Solar Panel: its XT60 plug doesn't fit the unpublished solar port
- Goal Zero Nomad 400: its brand-specific plug doesn't fit the unpublished solar port
- Goal Zero Nomad 200: its brand-specific plug doesn't fit the unpublished solar port
- Goal Zero Nomad 100: its 8mm DC plug doesn't fit the unpublished solar port
- Goal Zero Boulder 100 Briefcase: its 8mm DC plug doesn't fit the unpublished solar port
- Goal Zero Boulder 200 Briefcase: its brand-specific plug doesn't fit the unpublished solar port
How it compares
| Spec | Growatt HELIOS 3600 | OUPES Mega 2 | BLUETTI Elite 100 V2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Score | 8.2 | 8.3 | 8.1 |
| Battery chemistry | LiFePO4 | LiFePO4 | LiFePO4 |
| Rated cycle life | — | 3,500 | 4,000 |
| AC output | 3,600 W | 2,500 W | 1,800 W |
| Energy density | 37.23 Wh/lb | 42.23 Wh/lb | 40.96 Wh/lb |
| AC recharge time | 90 min | — | 70 min |
| Solar recharge rate | 0.54 W per Wh | 1.03 W per Wh | 0.98 W per Wh |
| Expandable | Yes | Yes | No |
| UPS switchover | 20 ms | 20 ms | 10 ms |
| Warranty | 5 yr | 5 yr | 5 yr |
| App control | wifi+bluetooth | wifi+bluetooth | wifi+bluetooth |