Whether it's backing up essential home circuits in a power outage or hitting the road in a van or RV, the ways in which people use a Goal Zero Yeti Power Station vary greatly. However, no matter what your usage might be, Yeti care and maintenance remains the same. We’ve pulled together a few tips and tricks to help you get the most out of your Yeti experience, and keep your portable power station running through whatever comes your way.
KEEP IT CHARGED
Try to keep your Yeti power station topped off at all times. This is an easy trick to always ensure your Yeti is ready for anything; however, it’s also the number one thing most Yeti owners forget to do on a regular basis. In addition, we recommend using your Yeti periodically to keep its battery in best working condition, even if you don't necessarily need a constant source of big power. For example, we suggest getting in the habit of using your Yeti as your phone charger each night.
THE STADIUM EFFECT
When recharging your Yeti, or any battery for that matter, you’ll notice your battery quickly filling up in the beginning, then very obviously slowing down when trying to charge up the last several percentages. Why does this happen? It's called the stadium effect. Think of how quickly a stadium fills up when the doors first open – there are hundreds of open seats so it’s easy to find the one you want. Eventually though, there are only a few open seats scattered about the stadium and people must maneuver around to find the spot they want. Thus, filling those seats takes longer. The same theory applies to recharging your Yeti power station. At first, it’s easy for energy to flow in and take up empty space. As time goes on and there is less space available, it takes longer for the energy to fill in the holes.
COLD WEATHER USAGE
If you’re planning on using your Yeti in cold (sub-freezing) conditions, there’s a possibility you’ll run into some issues. When Yetis are too cold (32°F), they will stop accepting a charge, and if they’re even colder (-4°F), they’ll stop outputting power. A simple solution – keep your Yeti in a cooler. That extra layer of insulation and the natural heat created by the Yeti during use or while charging will help keep your Yeti working well in those frigid temperatures.
HOT WEATHER USAGE
Just like the Yetis don’t particularly enjoy extreme cold, they don’t operate at peak performance when placed in extreme heat either. They can stop accepting a charge at around 113°F and stop outputting power at around 149°F. Keeping proper ventilation around your Yeti at all times will help mitigate any potential mishaps while working in extremely hot conditions. In order to better protect them, we’ve also added special features into the Yetis, such as automatic cooling systems. If you have a Yeti power station in the back of your car on a hot summer day and you hear a noise, it’s probably the fan kicking on to keep it cooled off.
