The ecoflow is now $199 it’s what I got mine for. The other thing the victron doesn’t do and I love victron as a company. I that it doesn’t trickle charge or do a full charge of the starter or main battery. The ecoflow does
Another great video. Thanks! I share the concern voiced @ 4:45 (overtaxing the alternator) and reached out to Ecoflow support twice. They did not understand the scenario. NOT confidence-inspiring. From other videos, I gathered that the Ecoflow device pulls the full 800W at idle, which seems like a possible problem for almost any alternator, even an upgraded alternator.
Hi there! thank you for supporting us by watching our videos! I agree that 800w at idle might be taxing on the alternator. An exception to this would potentially be an upgraded alternator or potentially even a second alternator.
I have a Transit with the dual factory alternators. I am running 3 of the Orion 50A in parallel and get 150A of charge capacity into a 1020Ah battery pack. One off CCP1 and two off CCP2.
This product is nice, but I think I have found a better option. I just purchased an Etaker combined alternator and solar charger that can accept between 300, 400, or 500 selectable watts input from your alternator, and up to 500 watts of input from solar panels, and combines those inputs into a 48 volt, 1000 watt output, that can charge many of the large power stations very effectively. I have a pair of Anker Solix F2000 power stations, that can accept 1000 watts of solar panel input for charging, when the voltage is between 32 to 60 volts, but only 10 amps if the voltage is between 12 and 31 volts. I will probably also get a drop down converter, so I can also charge stand alone 12 volt LiFePo batteries, as I have also just added two 300 amp/hour mini WattCycle 12 volt batteries to my RV electric system as back up storage capacity. The Etaker ?1000 (can't remember what letter comes before the 1000 in the name), was cheaper than the ecoflow, but now I see claims that some people have bought the ecoflow alternator charger for around $200, which is a great price for what you are getting, and considerably cheaper than the original price I saw for it, and one of the reasons I went with the Etaker.
@ Thanks, I try to make the best informed decisions I can, because I’m on a very limited retirement income. I’m still working on the final design for my DIY camping trailer because it’s going to be an expanding type, so that complicates the build a lot. I hope to start construction on it very soon and have it finished before the end of this coming summer.
I think the outline of the EF charger is misleading, as it should say “up to 800W”, as the 2 people I know that now have that have not seen over 700W. In any case, the biggest benefit is the charging of the main battery which provides peace of mind and mirrors the benefit of having a dual battery set up. It is pricey when converting converting to Canadian $$. Prior to knowing this was being released, I purchased the Victron 12/24 DC/DC 40A converter, and use the solar port on my Delta 2 Max to accept the charge. I’ve kept the voltage dialed down on the Victron so I stay just under 400W as a max input. I can turn it up more to get almost 500W, but I don’t want to stress out my stock alternator and prefer to keep the Victron running under max. Cost was only $180 Cdn
My EcoFlow charger goes right up to 801W in a few seconds and stays right there, whether I'm idling or driving. I'm in a Toyota RAV4 TRD, using its stock 150-amp/1800-watt alternator.
@@jameshoibybut most Van life folks do not want to drive every other day or more for 4 hours! That’s a lot of gasoline, which is expensive, and will put a lot of miles on the 🚐 vans. Maybe just going to the store l guess would be the time. Otherwise, l think just getting a propane combo 2000 Watt generator would be better. Plus it can power the entire van. Don’t have to move.
@@zalllon I agree up to… however the reason isn’t because of the charger, but the alternator. As a friend had one… and when he replaced his. Alternator with a bigger one, it started producing the full 800 watts.
Ecoflow sells a battery charging attachment. Or any other battery charger can accomplish that one perc. Id rather have a charger that can charge all batteries than just one.
Regardless of make, all are drawing more from your very important alternater. Up graded alternators are available from some brands , a wise choice. Using one of these devices coupled with an auto gearbox vehicle could strand you!
But wouldn't this result in more gasoline/diesel consumption ? Which is already so high in consumption... which is also very expensive ... I think keeping it to a minimum and just emergency / leftover charging if solar is not enough ?
@@reuven2010 I think the extra gasoline/diesel consumption from using a product like this is so minimal, that you would not notice it. Your alternator is producing excess electrical power while driving at normal speeds.
Does that mean the Victron is using an internal cold temperature sensor, which would cut off cold charging--even though the batteries had a heater and were warm enough to charge? Seems like that would need a manual bypass in order to really work at the most critical times.
Can I use two of these at the same time. One from delta to car. The second from delta to camper battery bank. Then, use the alternator to charge battery bank?
Hi I have an Anker C1000 charging station. I would like to charge it while driving. This station accepts 11-32V10A,32V-60V,12.5A(600W max). The alternator is 90amp. What charger should I use? Would an Orion-Tr 12/48-8A (380W) Isolated DC-DC converter be good. THANK YOU.
Be careful. Most alternators are not rated for full output over a long time. So if you pull too much power for too long, the alternator burns out. Some alternators are smarter and throttle back when they get hot. You need to check with the maker.
That Victron unit shouldn't even be being compared to the EF ALT Charger. They are two totally different things. The EF device ups the voltage to around 50VDC to suit the Lithium EF power stations XT150 port. Where as the Victron unit is purely for a second vehicle battery. Even if you feed that into the XT60i port of an EF Delta etc I wouldn't expect great results at that low voltage. It would be limited to 15A on a D2M for example. And if the Victron also has some sort of sensing circuitry expecting a standard battery it will be an even bigger mess as it fights with the EF MPPT circuitry.
Hello, I have one Delta Pro and no extra batteries. Can I use this charger and the EF Dual Fuel Generator at the same time, using both battery ports and two XT150 adapters?
I’m converting a 2003 Freightliner M2 that has 3 large truck batteries. Is there any special way to hook up the EcoFlow alternator charger with that many batteries?
I'm wondering if the factory alternator in my Promaster is powerful enough to run the 50A charger. Is there any way to test this, without damaging the alternator? Maybe with a temperature probe?
To verify, test out your 'max consumption' prior to buying, to size things up. I'm using a much less expensive (~$140) Victron 12 to 24V (adjustable up to 30V) 20A DC/DC converter for ~420W into the D2 or other solar charge controllers. Get/use a decent DC clamp meter to see what kind of amperage is comes off the alternator when you're powering as much possible, simultaneously. Add that number up for a 'current worst case consumption' figure, add ~50A for something like one of these, and give yourself at least a good 30% buffer between that and the alternator's rated amperage and you should be good to go. Additional power loads while driving likely. Most bigger vehicles should be alright running these. Maybe try to avoid AC usage at the same time, but for more specifics.. look for alternator info on amperage in parts catalogs / manuals for your particular model vehicle//alternator. Even sedans can have 175A alternators, so putting 30-50A should still give it headroom without running tons of stuff in your vehicle.
Check your factory alternator, ProMasters come with different amparage alternators, I think 180A or 220A. Mine came with the 220A and there's no issue running 40A DC-DC charger. I personally think it's a good idea to use DC-DC chargers in which the amparage can be controlled. For example, my DC-DC charger gives the option of selecting either 20A or 40A or turning off entirely. Yes, there's a lot of wiring labor involved but I think it is almost critical if you don't have a high average alternator. My DC-DC charger is from Renogy, and I don't think other affordable DC-DC chargers have these features--Ah, and Renogy DC-DC chargers have active cooling (fans that kick in when the unit gets hot) making it very desirable in enhancing efficiency. I intend to upgrade to 350A alternator and dedicate 80A of that to charging my solar batteries--I live in the PNW where the sun rarely shines in winter. Btw, I only run my DC-DC unit when the vehicle is in motion to not stress the alternator. Hope this helped!
There is a rating capacity on your alternator. that will tell you if you if it can handle the heavy additional load.. He does mention you can upgrade your alternator if it can't handle the additional load
Unsure if the code still works since it was on Prime day. But AC200OFF takes 200 off the price so hopefully it still works. Worth it with the code. Got it for about $270 total for the ecoflow.
Definitely should work fine. I've seen the Ecoflow one tested on alternators under 150A without issue. Unless you have a lot of other high-draw electrical stuff going on in your truck/SUV/auto, it should not be a problem, even at idle.
The Ecoflow Delta 2 Max inputs (MX4, 2 of them) are 15amps max. So the Victron can deliver a maximum of 17v with 15 amps to the Ecoflow. Which is a maximum of 255Watts (times 2 because 2 MX4 input ports). This seems underwhelming.
Hi, I’m underwhelmed by soooooooo much nowadays. Having a smaller less capable solar input reduces costs but also limits peak charging and thus extends time. I like the DC to DC, new one runs cooler, both offer ability to put a controlled high current into the lithium battery. The controller stops you just frying the wires and your battery. You can also use it as a charger for a flat battery from your lithium battery because it controls the ampage and sets the voltage. Take care all M
Where? These Orion XS 50 amp 98% efficiency 12-12V DC chargers are new and don't really seem 'out there' for purchase yet. They're not exactly cheap either, but they're still cheaper than that Ecoflow $600. To its credit, though, the ecoflow does come with fairly nice cables though, it seems. If I see it deeply discounted to under $300, I might get it for that reverse charging capability alone. Super useful with a companion 12V LFP for expanding a Delta 2 or similar.
The ecoflow is now $199 it’s what I got mine for. The other thing the victron doesn’t do and I love victron as a company. I that it doesn’t trickle charge or do a full charge of the starter or main battery. The ecoflow does
Another great video. Thanks! I share the concern voiced @ 4:45 (overtaxing the alternator) and reached out to Ecoflow support twice. They did not understand the scenario. NOT confidence-inspiring. From other videos, I gathered that the Ecoflow device pulls the full 800W at idle, which seems like a possible problem for almost any alternator, even an upgraded alternator.
Hi there! thank you for supporting us by watching our videos! I agree that 800w at idle might be taxing on the alternator. An exception to this would potentially be an upgraded alternator or potentially even a second alternator.
I have a Transit with the dual factory alternators. I am running 3 of the Orion 50A in parallel and get 150A of charge capacity into a 1020Ah battery pack. One off CCP1 and two off CCP2.
This product is nice, but I think I have found a better option. I just purchased an Etaker combined alternator and solar charger that can accept between 300, 400, or 500 selectable watts input from your alternator, and up to 500 watts of input from solar panels, and combines those inputs into a 48 volt, 1000 watt output, that can charge many of the large power stations very effectively. I have a pair of Anker Solix F2000 power stations, that can accept 1000 watts of solar panel input for charging, when the voltage is between 32 to 60 volts, but only 10 amps if the voltage is between 12 and 31 volts. I will probably also get a drop down converter, so I can also charge stand alone 12 volt LiFePo batteries, as I have also just added two 300 amp/hour mini WattCycle 12 volt batteries to my RV electric system as back up storage capacity. The Etaker ?1000 (can't remember what letter comes before the 1000 in the name), was cheaper than the ecoflow, but now I see claims that some people have bought the ecoflow alternator charger for around $200, which is a great price for what you are getting, and considerably cheaper than the original price I saw for it, and one of the reasons I went with the Etaker.
That is an impressive setup, you've really done your research!
@ Thanks, I try to make the best informed decisions I can, because I’m on a very limited retirement income. I’m still working on the final design for my DIY camping trailer because it’s going to be an expanding type, so that complicates the build a lot. I hope to start construction on it very soon and have it finished before the end of this coming summer.
That sound awesome! Best of luck
I saw a video about the Ecoflow alternator charger being hooked up to be able to charge other batteries like River pro??
Is this EF charger only for Ecoflow batteries? Is this not charging any other brands?
Yes only for EF power banks.
@@VanLandare you sure about that ?
I think the outline of the EF charger is misleading, as it should say “up to 800W”, as the 2 people I know that now have that have not seen over 700W. In any case, the biggest benefit is the charging of the main battery which provides peace of mind and mirrors the benefit of having a dual battery set up. It is pricey when converting converting to Canadian $$. Prior to knowing this was being released, I purchased the Victron 12/24 DC/DC 40A converter, and use the solar port on my Delta 2 Max to accept the charge. I’ve kept the voltage dialed down on the Victron so I stay just under 400W as a max input. I can turn it up more to get almost 500W, but I don’t want to stress out my stock alternator and prefer to keep the Victron running under max. Cost was only $180 Cdn
My EcoFlow charger goes right up to 801W in a few seconds and stays right there, whether I'm idling or driving. I'm in a Toyota RAV4 TRD, using its stock 150-amp/1800-watt alternator.
@@jameshoibybut most Van life folks do not want to drive every other day or more for 4 hours! That’s a lot of gasoline, which is expensive, and will put a lot of miles on the 🚐 vans. Maybe just going to the store l guess would be the time. Otherwise, l think just getting a propane combo 2000 Watt generator would be better. Plus it can power the entire van. Don’t have to move.
@@zalllon I agree up to… however the reason isn’t because of the charger, but the alternator. As a friend had one… and when he replaced his. Alternator with a bigger one, it started producing the full 800 watts.
How did you "dial down" the victron? thank you
Ecoflow sells a battery charging attachment. Or any other battery charger can accomplish that one perc. Id rather have a charger that can charge all batteries than just one.
Regardless of make, all are drawing more from your very important alternater. Up graded alternators are available from some brands , a wise choice. Using one of these devices coupled with an auto gearbox vehicle could strand you!
But wouldn't this result in more gasoline/diesel consumption ? Which is already so high in consumption... which is also very expensive ... I think keeping it to a minimum and just emergency / leftover charging if solar is not enough ?
@@reuven2010 I think the extra gasoline/diesel consumption from using a product like this is so minimal, that you would not notice it. Your alternator is producing excess electrical power while driving at normal speeds.
Does that mean the Victron is using an internal cold temperature sensor, which would cut off cold charging--even though the batteries had a heater and were warm enough to charge? Seems like that would need a manual bypass in order to really work at the most critical times.
can this be mounted under the hood in the engine bay this is the location of my house battery
I believe so
I own an EcoFlow Delta 2 and not buying as this is proprietary. Thank you for the video. Like the Victron.
Thanks for watching!
How is it proprietary? I'm sure I've seen other videos showing this Ecoflow alternator charger working with other brands of power stations.
This an excellent explanation!!!
Glad you liked it
Can I use two of these at the same time. One from delta to car. The second from delta to camper battery bank. Then, use the alternator to charge battery bank?
Use an A / B switch like they use on boat batteries. I don’t think charging both at the same time would be the best choice.
@@Krombop.M you have to consider how much power your alternator can produce first.
Hi I have an Anker C1000 charging station. I would like to charge it while driving. This station accepts 11-32V10A,32V-60V,12.5A(600W max). The alternator is 90amp. What charger should I use? Would an Orion-Tr 12/48-8A (380W) Isolated DC-DC converter be good. THANK YOU.
Be careful. Most alternators are not rated for full output over a long time. So if you pull too much power for too long, the alternator burns out. Some alternators are smarter and throttle back when they get hot. You need to check with the maker.
How do I charge my Bluetti AC180 while in the woods without solar panels? Thanks
Take your eco flow battery to charge it
Thank you for this presentation. It is always interesting and very well explained.
That Victron unit shouldn't even be being compared to the EF ALT Charger. They are two totally different things. The EF device ups the voltage to around 50VDC to suit the Lithium EF power stations XT150 port. Where as the Victron unit is purely for a second vehicle battery. Even if you feed that into the XT60i port of an EF Delta etc I wouldn't expect great results at that low voltage. It would be limited to 15A on a D2M for example. And if the Victron also has some sort of sensing circuitry expecting a standard battery it will be an even bigger mess as it fights with the EF MPPT circuitry.
Does Victron comes with cables or in other way, what comes with victron?
Hello, I have one Delta Pro and no extra batteries. Can I use this charger and the EF Dual Fuel Generator at the same time, using both battery ports and two XT150 adapters?
What would the charging voltage and current be if you charge your car battery from a power station?
I’m converting a 2003 Freightliner M2 that has 3 large truck batteries. Is there any special way to hook up the EcoFlow alternator charger with that many batteries?
I'm wondering if the factory alternator in my Promaster is powerful enough to run the 50A charger. Is there any way to test this, without damaging the alternator? Maybe with a temperature probe?
To verify, test out your 'max consumption' prior to buying, to size things up. I'm using a much less expensive (~$140) Victron 12 to 24V (adjustable up to 30V) 20A DC/DC converter for ~420W into the D2 or other solar charge controllers.
Get/use a decent DC clamp meter to see what kind of amperage is comes off the alternator when you're powering as much possible, simultaneously. Add that number up for a 'current worst case consumption' figure, add ~50A for something like one of these, and give yourself at least a good 30% buffer between that and the alternator's rated amperage and you should be good to go. Additional power loads while driving likely.
Most bigger vehicles should be alright running these. Maybe try to avoid AC usage at the same time, but for more specifics.. look for alternator info on amperage in parts catalogs / manuals for your particular model vehicle//alternator. Even sedans can have 175A alternators, so putting 30-50A should still give it headroom without running tons of stuff in your vehicle.
Check your factory alternator, ProMasters come with different amparage alternators, I think 180A or 220A. Mine came with the 220A and there's no issue running 40A DC-DC charger. I personally think it's a good idea to use DC-DC chargers in which the amparage can be controlled. For example, my DC-DC charger gives the option of selecting either 20A or 40A or turning off entirely. Yes, there's a lot of wiring labor involved but I think it is almost critical if you don't have a high average alternator. My DC-DC charger is from Renogy, and I don't think other affordable DC-DC chargers have these features--Ah, and Renogy DC-DC chargers have active cooling (fans that kick in when the unit gets hot) making it very desirable in enhancing efficiency. I intend to upgrade to 350A alternator and dedicate 80A of that to charging my solar batteries--I live in the PNW where the sun rarely shines in winter. Btw, I only run my DC-DC unit when the vehicle is in motion to not stress the alternator. Hope this helped!
There is a rating capacity on your alternator. that will tell you if you if it can handle the heavy additional load.. He does mention you can upgrade your alternator if it can't handle the additional load
Unsure if the code still works since it was on Prime day. But AC200OFF takes 200 off the price so hopefully it still works. Worth it with the code. Got it for about $270 total for the ecoflow.
@@1ENDUSER I got mine for $199
My alternator has 270amp. Would these devices work with my alternator?
Definitely should work fine. I've seen the Ecoflow one tested on alternators under 150A without issue. Unless you have a lot of other high-draw electrical stuff going on in your truck/SUV/auto, it should not be a problem, even at idle.
The Ecoflow Delta 2 Max inputs (MX4, 2 of them) are 15amps max. So the Victron can deliver a maximum of 17v with 15 amps to the Ecoflow. Which is a maximum of 255Watts (times 2 because 2 MX4 input ports).
This seems underwhelming.
Hi, I’m underwhelmed by soooooooo much nowadays.
Having a smaller less capable solar input reduces costs but also limits peak charging and thus extends time.
I like the DC to DC, new one runs cooler, both offer ability to put a controlled high current into the lithium battery.
The controller stops you just frying the wires and your battery.
You can also use it as a charger for a flat battery from your lithium battery because it controls the ampage and sets the voltage.
Take care all M
Thanks, will it work with Jackery power stations?
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This can not charge bluetti, right
At the moment the Ecoflow is only for a certain number of their own devices.
There is one person who conect Anderson cables from.the ef alternator and got power in to the blueti on the solar charging port
I feel I've seen this already
Where? These Orion XS 50 amp 98% efficiency 12-12V DC chargers are new and don't really seem 'out there' for purchase yet. They're not exactly cheap either, but they're still cheaper than that Ecoflow $600. To its credit, though, the ecoflow does come with fairly nice cables though, it seems. If I see it deeply discounted to under $300, I might get it for that reverse charging capability alone. Super useful with a companion 12V LFP for expanding a Delta 2 or similar.
Wow great vid just bout the ecoflow alternator on sale …