There it was. The feeling something big is brewing. It started with the kind of eerie stillness Midwesterners know to worry about. The birds were quiet. The clouds looked like my first attempt at oil painting – moody, thick, and brooding.
When the wind hit, it was all-out chaos. Not one, but two trees came down in my yard. A mature oak and and a beautiful black walnut. The massive oak branch went first. You would think it was just a twig ripping off the trunk. It sounded like cannon fire when they fell. The walnut tipped at an angle that made us grateful – away from the house. If it was going to go, that’s the way it needed to go. Still though – it was the centerpiece of our yard and I’m admittedly heartbroken.
Of course, the power went out too. We’re not new to this. But this one was different. Bigger. Meaner. Later, when I opened my breaker box and saw one stubborn breaker stuck in the off position – refusing to switch back – I knew we weren’t just waiting for the grid to come back.
Cue the 4Patriots Patriot Power Solar Generator 1200.
A little prep goes a long way
4Patriots was kind enough to send the Patriot Power Generator 1200 a few months back. I’ve tried gas generators before and they tend to be loud, smelly, and a sometimes a pain to keep running. The 1200 appeals to me because it is quiet, solar-powered, and doesn’t require me to hoard fuel like a doomsday prepper.
It shows up in two boxes, well-packed, and includes everything I need – solar panel, cords (including a 25 ft. extension), and obviously the generator itself. I charged it right away (solar and AC options), ran a couple tests, and stowed it in my garage. I wasn’t exactly sure how I would write this up, I figured I’d be testing it out to charge my phone and some random stuff.
Turns out I needed it the week of July 28th.
When the lights go out, the 1200 shines
When we didn’t have power, I had the Patriot Power Generator 1200 out and humming. Well, not really humming. This thing is whisper quiet. I carried it into the kitchen and immediately plugged in the essentials:
- My phone
- A small lamp
- Wi-Fi router (thankfully, the internet still worked)
- A mini fan
The display on the front is simple. You know exactly how much power you’re using and how much you’ve got left. Even better – when I hooked the solar panel up the next morning, I could see it recharging in real-time. Just stick the panel in the sun and you’re back in business. It’s not instant, but it’s enough to keep the essentials going while the grid sorts itself out.
The generator handled everything I threw at it. It didn’t blink. While I didn’t test everything it claims to support, I used it for a few hours that night. I charged two laptops. I even tried it with a TV briefly to keep up with the local news. And all without a single drop of gas.
Quiet, clean, and tough
There’s something comforting about being able to carry your power source. At just under 30 pounds, I could haul the 1200 up the stairs without pulling a muscle or waking the baby. This is a welcome reprieve because the 2500x is double the weight and a bear to lug. The handles are sturdy. The design feels durable – def built for people who actually plan to use this thing, not just show it off.
It’s also safe to use indoors. No fumes, no carbon monoxide warnings, no worrying about whether your extension cord is too long or too cheap. I had it running in our kitchen without issue.
The solar panel folds up neatly. It’s lightweight and setting it up took all of 60 seconds. You just angle it toward the sun and plug it in. That’s it. And even on a mostly cloudy day, I still got a slow trickle of charge.
Not a whole-home solution and that’s okay
Let me be clear – this isn’t going to power your AC, fridge, and washer/dryer all at once. It’s a portable generator, not a whole-home backup system. But in my case, it kept us comfortable, connected, and calm. And when you’re watching the temperature climb inside your house and the utility company says, “Could be 36 hours,” it’s just good to know there’s a backup plan.
There’s peace of mind in knowing I have off-grid power that actually works – and works pretty dang quietly.
Summing it up
The Patriot Power Generator 1200 from 4Patriots isn’t a gimmick. It’s not some overpriced solar gadget. It is a legit, portable and easy-to-use backup power solution. It came through when I needed it – trees were down, the breaker was apparently toast, and the grid was dark.
It won’t solve every problem. But it might just solve your biggest one when the lights go out. Now, if I could just get it to pay for the electrical repairs on my breaker…