Like you, we’re on the go a lot and our electronic devices are power hungry. We needed a way to keep our electrified lifestyle powered. So, we put Dometic’s PLB40 portable battery through it paces and along the way we paired it with solar charging. In the end we learned some surprising things about the PLB40.

The PLB40’s LCD screen is clear and the information is easy to read.

Dometic’s PLB40 Portable Battery Basics

Dometic’s PLB40 portable battery is specifically designed to power the Dometic CFX line of powered coolers (and other non-Dometic coolers) as well as other 12V items while off-grid. Power is supplied via the integrated lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) battery cells to the tune of 40Ah. It’s important to note that LiFePO4 batteries offer advantages over many other types of batteries. Benefits include a long life span, fast charging, wide operating temperature range, high energy density, and a low self-discharge rate. The PLB40 weighs in at 16.6 pounds, has a stainless steel handle for easy transport, an IP44 rating, and a built-in LCD screen that displays a variety of battery performance information. It’s also built rugged for outdoor use.

The PLB40 has three types of output sockets: USB, two-pin, and auxiliary power.

Dometic’s PLB40 Portable Battery Output and Charging Options

The PLB40 has a trio of socket types for output power. There’s a pair of 2.4A USB sockets, a 15A “cigarette lighter” socket, and a 15A two-pin socket for portable refrigeration. The unit has an integrated charger and can be charged three ways. You can use the included DC charge cable to charge it from a “cigarette lighter” socket. Another option is via the included 10-amp AC power supply unit. And finally, there’s a DC solar power charge option. An Anderson SB connector is used for DC charging. It’s because the PLB40 has a built-in charge controller that you can plug a solar panel directly into the battery. Just make sure the panel outputs 8-25V with a maximum charging current of 10A. Dometic says the PLB40 can charge from 0- to 100-percent in approximately six hours and the battery’s lifecycle is said to be up to 2,000 charges.

There are two charge sockets on the PLB40. There’s a socket for home charging and a Anderson SB connector for DC charging.

Hot Weather Didn’t Faze the Dometic PLB40

During testing of the PLB40 we often used the battery in extreme conditions while powering thirsty electronics. One of the most brutal things we asked of the battery was to power our large Dometic CFX 50W electric cooler while both were locked in a vehicle with a high interior temperature. This was common when we visited the beach near our Florida home as was the near triple-digit temps of the vehicle’s interior. Never did we have an issue with the battery overheating or underperforming as it powered the cooler. And often we kept the powered cooler’s thermostat set at 0 degrees F to keep our ice cream frozen.

With its trio of charge sockets the PLB40 can handle anything from cellphone charging to powering an electric cooler.

Dometic’s PLB40 is Versatile

We’ve found numerous uses for the PLB40, both at home and off-grid. During a lengthy home power outage, we used the battery to charge cellphone, flashlight, and tablet batteries, as well as cell phone portable power banks and a powered cooler (to keep perishable food cold). While camping off-grid we used the PLB40 to charge the batteries in our cellphones, two-way radios, flashlights, and GoPro cameras, in addition to our powered cooler. We haven’t had the need, but Dometic says the PLB40 can power a small inverter up to 150W.

This is the screen that briefly appears when the PLB40 is powered up. As you can see, a variety of information is available to the user.

How is the PLB40’s Battery Life?

We’ve found the PLB40’s battery life to be darn impressive. Of course we take standard actions to extend the PLB40s battery life if we know it’s going to be a while before we can charge it. For example, we often pre-cool our powered cooler on home AC power. Eliminating the cool-down draw results in extended use time from the battery. Recently, on a hot day, we didn’t pre-cool our powered cooler. We just used the battery to cool the unit from 80-degrees to 39-degrees F and then we loaded the cooler with drinks for an all-day foray. The battery and cooler spent the day in the car where interior temps were over 90-degrees. We accessed the cooler’s contents throughout the day and after 9 hours the PLB40 still displayed 59 percent battery life. Conversely, we’ve pre-cooled the powered cooler to 39-degrees prior to a 9-hour foray in cooler temps. We returned home with a displayed 82-percent battery life. These are some of our experiences, yours may vary depending on several factors including the draw of the electronics you’re charging or powering, ambient temperature, initial battery level, and so on.

Our 80W solar panel has proven to be a valuable asset when we’re off-grid for an extended period, and it charges the PLB40’s battery on-the-go.

Solar Charging Dometic’s PLB40 Portable Battery

As we began to use our PLB40 even more off-grid we looked at ways to utilize the unit’s solar charging capability. It’s a major feature that we weren’t using because we didn’t own a portable panel. So, we added a portable trifold 80W solar panel to our off-grid power collection. The result was remarkable. Thanks to the PLB40’s ability to charge while providing power, we were able to dramatically extend the PLB40’s off-grid use. For example, at the beach we connected the solar panel to the PLB40. Depending on factors such as the thermostat setting of the cooler, the interior temp of the vehicle, and available sunlight, the panel would replace the power used by the cooler and it kept the battery level at or near 100 percent the entire day. Not once did we have the portable battery version of EV “range anxiety” during long beach days. Charging the PLB40 with the solar panel wasn’t necessary in most use case scenarios due to the battery’s impressive life, but for extended use of the battery it was awesome. We also used the solar panel to charge the PLB40 during extended home power outages.

The Bottom Line

In the end, we were surprised that we found so many uses for the Dometic PLB40. And we found its capability to power a wide range of electronic devices to be most impressive. Now we wonder how we got along without it. We think Dometic did a fantastic job designing and building the PLB40. Quality is on point, battery life is remarkable, and the flexible charging and power socket options are solid. If asked what we’d like to see added to the PLB40, we’d say a USB-C socket. Overall, the PLB40 is a massive problem solver for those of us who embrace the electrified lifestyle. At time of print, we’re seeing the PLB40 price tag from $679-$900 depending on retailer.