Thanks for covering this subject, Jonnie. It was your video on the ease of attaching a fuse box to a power station that helped me decide to go with a power station rather than a more traditional solar set up. In a few days i will be beginning my 7th year full time in a van and recently installed a power station. I am currently at my winter camp on BLM land in southwestern Arizona. By the numbers, here’s a review of the amount of electricity i was able to generate in just a few short hours (between the hours of 6am and 3pm). In my van, i have an EcoFlow Delta Pro 3 with extra battery, an alternator charger and 400 watts of solar. This includes a drive into town and return of about 80 minutes or so (around 50 miles) and some driving around town for an additional hour or two generating electricity off of the vehicle’s alternator. The 400 watts of solar panels generated 571 watt hours of electricity. The alternator charger (which generates electricity while i drive) generated 1,860 watt hours. And 1,740 watt hours of electricity was added to my batteries while connected to an EV (electric vehicle) charging station via an adapter cable connected to the power station for 30 minutes. This amounts to a total of 4,170 watt hours of electricity generated in about 9 hours. This is the equivalent of a little more than 50% of my total battery capacity of 8,192 watt hours.
Wow, that sounds like an incredible setup. That is some major power in 9 hours time. So happy that my video gave you the direction you needed to get started. I'm in SW AZ too. Better weather than home and getting some work in. 🙂
Your video came at a perfect time. I was curious about charging my AC200P with the cigarette lighter while I drove. Glad you know it would blow a fuse. Thank you for the information.
Yes. I even tried to charge my Bluetti 700w with my cigarette lighter in my truck and it blew the fuse. Not sure why they say they can be charged that way.
Cigarette lighter charging was a nightmare! Don’t do it. I got an alternator charger and life is good. I only use the cigarette lighter to charge my phone. Thank you saying something.
If you are confused about mobile solar power, I HIGHLY recommend getting Will Prowse’s Mobile Solar Power Made Easy. I didn’t know anything about electricity until I read that. It’s an easy read for beginners and his RUclips channel is an invaluable resource for learning about setting things up and choosing the right products.
Oh wow! I have been wondering for so long how this is all done but was too afraid to ask. lol. Now I have a video to study and I a truly your student on this is. Thank you so much. You are exceptional at explaining. 🙏🇨🇦🙏
I am confused too. Why do you need the fuses if the power station is smart enough to regulate everything. I simply plug everything into the power station, I calculate what it can handle and make sure I stay way under the limit.
I live in Sedona, Az. I like to get out of town for the summers. I do want a nice van build and do want to have the power for freezer and bipap. Nice video
Omg. Im posting impaired. Great information here. Im listening to it again. For those intimidated by watts vs amp vs ac vs dc, I promise it becomes easier once you start. As Jonnie notes, get more power (ah) than you think you’ll need and get a good smaller back up power source. Check out Jonnie’s other videos on powering your van and electrical set ups. She’s got it down pat. 😊
Covered everything I was wondering about, and I didn't have a clue about the dc cord from bluetti to hook into the starter battery. That's a big game changer for me. Thank you for sharing your knowledge 💙💜🧡
I also figured in how much weight I was willing and able to carry on a daily basis when choosing a power center. But I needed a lot of portability. I ended up with two AC70’s.
Sorry missed the premiere. I love that you share your knowledge of power stations with everyone. I feel like you explain stuff so well. We’ve watched many people talk about power stuff and end up with the same questions or more before we watched them lol. We need to do a set up so we can charge while driving. Maybe one day we’ll work on that lol. Thanks for the vid and all the info.
Thank you. Your right about what item will be used into these power banks. Math homework is needed, take your time. Some may grab a small one for back up. These always something can happen.
Love your channel. I'm in the early stages of my van build. I'm going to put a 12v Velit rooftop AC on to use whenever I'm at places that have 120v power available. I've already installed a NOCO 15A 125v port plug to the inside of the van but not sure what converter to use to power the 12v air conditioner from that plug. I also purchased a Bluetti 2000L for all my 12v needs and plan on getting their Charger 1 as well. Thanks for your help.
Thank you so much. Unfortunately the noco shore plug will not handle the Velit AC. If you are going to use the Velit AC on shore power anyway, could you consider using a 120v AC unit instead? You will need the Bluetti D40 in your setup if using the 200L for your setup. Just FYI you can not use the Bluetti on the Velit at all because it will over amp the unit and you will get a fault. 👍 good luck with your build.
@@JonniesJourney Since I do not plan on having an elaborate electrical system I should purchase an AC air conditioner vs a DC air conditioner? I apologize for my lack of knowledge in this area. Just want to ensure I make the correct purchases for my build and how I plan on using it.
What a great video! You've answered so many of my questions already. But I'm wondering about a bluetti charger 1 vs. a pure sine inverter you talked about. What are the advantages & disadvantages? I'm planning on getting the charger 1, but now I'm confused, lol
What battery are you trying to charge. This will make the difference of which route to take. You can charge at 575 with the charger 1. You can charge at a higher rate with an inverter.
@JonniesJourney Thanks for answering! I have a bluetti eb70s that I will probably keep charging with solar. But I'm planning on purchasing the elite 200 as my main, and would want to charge it while I drive.
Ecoflow limits pull to 8amp from cigarette lighter and it will not blow a fuse but it is useless because it does not charge enough, basically 100 watts per hour.
Hi Jonnie loving your videos and learning lots as I start my first little van build out. Wondering if I could seek your advice? I have a Bluettie EB55 that only has the 12v cigarette lighter output and two DC5521 outputs, not the aviation style. I have a total of 7 12v sockets I want to wire up, x2 USBc, x2 USBa, x1 FAN, and x2 led lights. Would recommend using the cigarette style output into a fuse box, then running my cabling, of the DC5521? I like the idea of the fuse box that then allows the easy power supply replacement if I change Powerbanks or just need a temporary alternative. Thanks again for your amazing videos and sharing the knowledge!
The 10amp cig to fuse block would be fine as long as you are not overloading the 7 cig plugs. Remember, you will likely have 450w of usable power to work with. On your power bank, it will tell you how many watts an item will pull each hr of use. Test these items individually and add them together. This will help you determine if your system will be enough. 👍
It makes most since lol , i bought a bluetti and bought two 12 volt batteries to extend my hours , not sure where to but the wires , to go from my bluetti to the batteries thanks
I went for the difficult solution, but it's worthwhile now where it's done. I upgraded my 2022 Ford based RV from 2x95Ah AGM batteries to 600Ah Lithium (7680 Wh) and added a 3000W inverter. Spliced into the already existing, from factory, electrical solution, so that all outlets in the RV now provides 230V, no matter if I'm connected to grid or not. And of cause implemented the correct ground handling, so that ground from grid will be used when connected to grid and when not, a neutral/ground bonding is applied, this happens seamlessly in a split second when the transition between grid/inverter takes place. This was not handled automatically by the inverter, so I had to to incorporate a relay to accomplish that. Also added new 230V RCBO guarded lines from grid entry to/from inverter to utilize the automatic transfer switch of the inverter and made the changes needed so that the batteries will only be charged (with a dedicated 30A victron DC charger) when on grid, to prevent the inverter from charging it's own source batteries (loop condition). Finally I added an extra RCBO just after the inverter output for extra safety. Most annoying part of this DIY was lack of documentation on the existing electrical system, which I didn't manage to get hold of. So made educated guesses backed up by measurements to make this possible. Also this particular RV has very little free space for holding the hardware (if you don't want to use the garage) so a lot of time went into figuring out where to place and connect equipment without ruining the two passenger seat positions.
Wow, it sounds like you have a great setup with all the mods that you did. I can honestly say that I have to do some research and look some of this up (which I love). Thanks for sharing this with us. Sounds like you should have no power issues at all 👍
Which size electric blanket & what does its manual say it draws on each setting? I have 2 electric blankets & between them there are settings from 10W to 85W.
Hello. New subscriber. Thank you so much for this video! I bought four 200w Renogy flexible panels, and I want to connect them to my two Bluetti 200L and B300. (I didn't want the Elite because it can't be charged with lead-acid batteries.) One 200L alone can take 1200W of solar, so I'm okay there, but I don't know how to connect everything to the solar. I read that I need an MC4 connector, but I have no clue what that is and how to make it work with the solar panels. I also have an alternator charger. I plan on having an AC (Ecoflow wave 2--GA is hot), a 64L refrigerator that pulls 45-60W, 2-5 electric cookers (not used at the same time), an immersion heater, a 12V electric shower, and a computer with a printer. The shower is the only DC appliance; everything else is AC. What is your suggestion? I can send this in an email, but others might have similar questions.
Check the open circuit voltage on the panels. They can not exceed 150v. If they do not exceed the limit you can connect them in series using the MC4 connectors. (Do a Google image search for visual) the Bluetti comes with the solar input cable needed to connect to the battery. Many people opt to get the D40 for their system so they can step down the 48v DC output. DC/DC charger, make sure you do not over volt your system. 150v max for PV and alternator combined.
@@JonniesJourney Thank you. Each solar panel has an open-circuit voltage (Voc) of 23.9V, so four would be a total of 95.6V. I don't think the 200L allows me to control how much charge I get from the DC/DC charge, but I could be wrong. It may be better to disconnect the panels and use the DC/DC charger if I plan on driving for many hours? How did you know I could not exceed 150v? Is that according to the battery station I'm using? So I use MC4s to connect the solar panels to each other and then use the Bluetti solar cord to connect the panels to the power station? I'm going to send you some cash. LOL. I feel like I should be paying you for this advice.
@danitza02125 the Charger 1 will let you control the volts going to your power bank. The default is 26v, so that would work. On a cloudy day, yes, you could disconnect solar and pull the full 56v in from DC/DC. Not sure if you know how to connect in series so I'll explain it. You have 4 panels layed out, each panel has a positive and a negative MC4 end. You want to take one of the wires from panel 1 and connect it to panel #2. Connect the remaining wire from panel #2 to panel #3. The remaining wire from panel #3 to panel #4. This will leave you with one wire on #1 and one wire on #4. These wires will get connected to your battery input cable. You will need extension wires to make them reach from the van roof into the van where the battery is located. I get the 20 foot extension cables f4om bouge RV off Amazon. They have MC4 connectors on one end and bare on the other for passing through a small hole on the van. They also have solar cable cover for about $11. Questions?
I really didn’t understand much of what you said, but that’s OK. I do, however have a question. Why do you need to put an inverter in your van if bluetti already has a built-in inverter?
It is for charging while I drive. I can charge AC this way and DC charging from solar. Now that they came out with the Charger 1 that can charge up to 575w/hr I will likely be switching to this on my builds.
@ when I get on the road, my plan is to get Solar connected to the bluetti and also connect the bluetti to the battery that I drive with. Like I said, I don’t understand a lot of this, but I think from what I’ve been reading and watching that that might be a good combination and work well with my Vitamix and my Instant Pot stuff like that
I have no doubt you have an amazing system set up, but truth be told, many people don't have that kind of money and just want to be living a great life out on the road however they can. Many people want an affordable, understandable, and self-servicing system, and these power banks are the answer for these people. I have seen full systems fail, and the owners have no idea where to begin looking. I'm happy you have whatever you have and happy that this system gets so many others out living their dreams. Safe travels.
Great info but I do have a question. I have bluetti elite 200 and purchased a cigarette plug to charge the bluetti from my truck battery while driving -- just to top it off a bit. It draws about 95 watts from the cigerette port and the plug gets hot but so far with just 20 min of testing the fuses are ok. Is this safe?
Good question. Not knowing the condition of the port you are using. I can say the cig ports do get hot. You are also right at 8amps consistently, so it would make sense it's hot. If you trust that it will hold the 95, you should be ok but...... it wouldn't hurt to ask for a charger 1 for your birthday 👍
I have the DC to DC charger for the blueetti. But there is only one intake port to charge I can either solar charge or DC DC charge. How do you say that charging solar and DC at the same time works
Another thing that can go wrong is the power bank's AC power brick/cord fails 😯 and you have to wait until a replacement arrives before you can recharge it. (Mine has burned thru 2 so far.)
Why would my bluetti ac180 completely discharge overnight while plugged into shore power? And not take a charge from the inverter while driving the next day? I got it rebooted by plugging it into my anker 535 12volt outlet.
How could I use my 2000WH powerstation only for my 120V needs, and set up a 12V system on a separate 12V battery that doesn’t need the inverter? I assume this would help efficiency.
In my opinion, if you are putting in the 12v system (lithium) it would be more efficient to add the inverter. The reason most go with the power bank setup is to simplify the whole electrical setup. If you are installing batteries for your 12v needs, you will need the solar, charge controller, fuses, and DC/DC charger. You may as well install the inverter for the AC needs. It would also be more efficient. But, if you want to go your route. Let's first determine how you are wanting to charge each setup?
I have done this in my small RV. I added 200ah lithium with solar coming in to power it during the day. I already had a Bluetti 200max that handles my AC needs and the house batteries handle my 12v needs. I can switch the solar to my power bank if needed.
I have a Bluetti AC200P with three Renogy Solar Panels 200 Watt 12 Volt each, Google says it will run a 5000 BTU AC for 2-4 hours however I cant find out if that's with solar panels keeping the generator charged or just the AC200P Alone.
Johnny i have a freedom coach on a ford transit van chassis would you put the wire from alternator to battery pack underneath van or try to put it inside the van i have ecoflow but haven’t hooked up the wire yet Who could i get to do rv place? machanic? Thanks
I try to get most of my wires inside when possible. That being said, it's not always possible. Get wire Loom to protect it when outside the rig. Any basic mechanic could do it. Typically, RV repair places are priced higher.
The whole point of having all in one power bank is not to deal with the fuses and such. Can you explain why you have such a complex set up? Lets say I only need to power one AC plugged heated mattress pad and one 12v heated blanket to stay warm. I simply plug it into my Ecoflow. I figured my Ecoflow is 1800 W and my heating set up takes about 150 watts per hour x8 = 1200, give or take plus allow 300 watts for inefficiency so 1500 watts. I am fine. What are these fuses for you got going there?
LEDs, Marine Fridge, maxair fan, water pump, gray tank ball valve, usbs and 12v plugs,. If you have more than 1 DC component, you need to fuse them this way. You can definitely use the bank how you are with 1 DC need and minimal AC need.
I thought i heard you saÿ you dont use a pure sign wave inverter , then you said you do use a pure sign wave converter ... ?? I Googled this and it said the newer appliances and electronics they recommend pure sign wave , over a modified sign wave inverter . My heering is poor so .... ??
Let’s say you’re just trying to set up a simple car camping van (for instance), and you want to be able to run a small fan, some lights, charge your phone, etc. Any of these battery banks will do that. You just turn the battery on and plug your stuff in and they work. I have 2 smaller ones, about 300 watts. If you want to go for longer go bigger, 500-1000 watts, or get a portable (fold out) solar panel to recharge with. Also very simple. Plug it in to the “input” on the battery, put the panel in the sun and wait. If you’ll be driving from place to place, you just plug the battery bank into your cigarette lighter. All the necessary cables came with the battery banks. A third way (and fastest) to charge is to plug in to an outlet at home before your trip.
You need to watch a lot of videos to get it. I am going boon docking full-time next year. The more I listen, the more I get it. She makes a lot of sense.
You don't need any of these if all you need is to keep your phone powered. There are many phone charging banks for very little money. There are so many different power banks out there that are very affordable. 👍
First, you’re doing your customers a disservice if you’re recommending and installing those power stations in your builds. Vans that size should have a minimum of (1) 24v 200ah battery with a charge controller, inverter and fuses.
I have had my setup for 4 years with great success. Many people are turning to these power banks due to the simplicity, affordability and space saving options. I do understand that they are not for everyone.
I want a powerbank to be a backup for my in house system on my boat - i DID NOT KNOW YOU COULD DIAL DOWN THE IMPUT AMPERAGE!! I can charge it from my inverter whilst the engine is on 😂 subbed.. 🫡
@JonniesJourney super, thank you! My inverter is a 600w modified sine wave one. Am I asking too much of it? Am whiling away the UK winter catching up on your back catalogue of videos, bit of a treasure trove! Amazing how so much is useful to me on a canal boat - if you're ever over here you should check out the off grid canal nomads community 👍😊
I have so many vans out on the road with the Bluetti powering all there needs. If you know how to use them to the fullest, they are great options. Millions of people use these power banks now.
You lost me at hello. 🫤 😂Just kidding. Great info. We will be driving to San Diego mid February, our daughter is coming home from deployment. We wanted to spend a day or two there in Qtz. I’ll text you to see if you’re still out there. I also need to get with you for the window covers. I just haven’t had time. Rudy had surgery again in December this time he had his Rt side rotator cuff repaired in June he had the left side done. Anyway, be safe and we’ll talk soon.
Thanks for covering this subject, Jonnie. It was your video on the ease of attaching a fuse box to a power station that helped me decide to go with a power station rather than a more traditional solar set up. In a few days i will be beginning my 7th year full time in a van and recently installed a power station. I am currently at my winter camp on BLM land in southwestern Arizona. By the numbers, here’s a review of the amount of electricity i was able to generate in just a few short hours (between the hours of 6am and 3pm). In my van, i have an EcoFlow Delta Pro 3 with extra battery, an alternator charger and 400 watts of solar. This includes a drive into town and return of about 80 minutes or so (around 50 miles) and some driving around town for an additional hour or two generating electricity off of the vehicle’s alternator.
The 400 watts of solar panels generated 571 watt hours of electricity. The alternator charger (which generates electricity while i drive) generated 1,860 watt hours. And 1,740 watt hours of electricity was added to my batteries while connected to an EV (electric vehicle) charging station via an adapter cable connected to the power station for 30 minutes. This amounts to a total of 4,170 watt hours of electricity generated in about 9 hours. This is the equivalent of a little more than 50% of my total battery capacity of 8,192 watt hours.
Wow, that sounds like an incredible setup. That is some major power in 9 hours time. So happy that my video gave you the direction you needed to get started. I'm in SW AZ too. Better weather than home and getting some work in. 🙂
Your video came at a perfect time. I was curious about charging my AC200P with the cigarette lighter while I drove. Glad you know it would blow a fuse. Thank you for the information.
Yes. I even tried to charge my Bluetti 700w with my cigarette lighter in my truck and it blew the fuse. Not sure why they say they can be charged that way.
@pattya1679 Wow. I was about to figure out how to. Yikes. Thanks for sharing.
Yep, sending the cord is misleading for sure. 😔
Cigarette lighter charging was a nightmare! Don’t do it. I got an alternator charger and life is good. I only use the cigarette lighter to charge my phone. Thank you saying something.
I tried charging my Bluetti EB55 with van 12V port and it was very slow. Thank goodness it didn't blow the fuse. Now I know.
Awesome video. Thank you very much for sharing. It's a steep learning curve, but I'm understanding so much more because I listen to your live chats.
Thank you Vicky, I'm happy that this is a help for the community. See ya Tuesday 🙂
Love that you started with knowing that the efficiency and needing to calculate that into the size battery needed❤
Thank you. It is very important to calculate that in. I have seen too many people buy small and need to upgrade way too soon. 👍
If you are confused about mobile solar power, I HIGHLY recommend getting Will Prowse’s Mobile Solar Power Made Easy. I didn’t know anything about electricity until I read that. It’s an easy read for beginners and his RUclips channel is an invaluable resource for learning about setting things up and choosing the right products.
Absolutely 👍
He's made that book free now.
Oh wow! I have been wondering for so long how this is all done but was too afraid to ask. lol. Now I have a video to study and I a truly your student on this is. Thank you so much. You are exceptional at explaining. 🙏🇨🇦🙏
Awesome, thank you. Good luck with your setup. I'm here if you have any questions. 👍
Great power bank and solar info..even tho it still confuses me a bit. Thanks for all you do! ❤🌼😊
Thanks Deb
I am confused too. Why do you need the fuses if the power station is smart enough to regulate everything. I simply plug everything into the power station, I calculate what it can handle and make sure I stay way under the limit.
I live in Sedona, Az. I like to get out of town for the summers. I do want a nice van build and do want to have the power for freezer and bipap. Nice video
Thank you 😊
Always appreciate your knowledge and support in helping everyone with their vans.
Thank you so much. 🙂
Omg. Im posting impaired. Great information here. Im listening to it again. For those intimidated by watts vs amp vs ac vs dc, I promise it becomes easier once you start. As Jonnie notes, get more power (ah) than you think you’ll need and get a good smaller back up power source. Check out Jonnie’s other videos on powering your van and electrical set ups. She’s got it down pat. 😊
Thank you Deborah 🙂. I did see your comment 😊 . It truly does get easier. 🙏
Covered everything I was wondering about, and I didn't have a clue about the dc cord from bluetti to hook into the starter battery. That's a big game changer for me. Thank you for sharing your knowledge 💙💜🧡
Yes, the Charger 1 is a game changer. 👍
I also figured in how much weight I was willing and able to carry on a daily basis when choosing a power center. But I needed a lot of portability. I ended up with two AC70’s.
Perfect. Meeting your needs in every aspect is #1.
Great info, no one tells people these tips!
Thank you
I love the way you explain things. So helpful!
Thank you Dee. I appreciate it.
Sorry missed the premiere. I love that you share your knowledge of power stations with everyone. I feel like you explain stuff so well. We’ve watched many people talk about power stuff and end up with the same questions or more before we watched them lol. We need to do a set up so we can charge while driving. Maybe one day we’ll work on that lol. Thanks for the vid and all the info.
Thanks Felix 🙂
You are awesome. I am getting ready to purchase a van. I have a bluetti 2048 just like yours:). Thank you for explaining things so well.
Awesome, happy to help
Thank you! I'm taking notes...doing van life next year.
Happy to help. Have fun planning 🙂
Great video. Just got home late last night and watched this morning.
Thanks friend. We miss you.
Always a pleasure to learn and have fun watching your videos.
Se safe🙏
Thank you so much.
Ver=y educational for me. I really appreciate you going over this information.
I'm happy to be of some help
Great video. Clear explanations. Love it.
Thank you 😊
I really am confused why you dont have way more subs, your channel is so informative. Thankyou
❤️❤️❤️ thank you
You are an amazing font of information! Thank you so much for sharing!
Yiu are very welcome. I'm happy to help.
Thank you. Your right about what item will be used into these power banks. Math homework is needed, take your time. Some may grab a small one for back up. These always something can happen.
AKA Kenneth Bailey ❤Always such a Joy to see You !!!❤😂
Awe, thank you. 😊
We love your knowledge and taking the time to share your best practices with our community. Oh yeah, we love you, too!
🤣 love you guys too ❤️ thank you.
Jonnie, this video is very informative!!! You really made it easy to understand the processes!
Thanks Gracie 🙂
Girl! Wow! What great information! Thank you!
You're welcome, happy to help.
Great advice
Thanks Veronica
Love your channel. I'm in the early stages of my van build. I'm going to put a 12v Velit rooftop AC on to use whenever I'm at places that have 120v power available. I've already installed a NOCO 15A 125v port plug to the inside of the van but not sure what converter to use to power the 12v air conditioner from that plug. I also purchased a Bluetti 2000L for all my 12v needs and plan on getting their Charger 1 as well. Thanks for your help.
Thank you so much. Unfortunately the noco shore plug will not handle the Velit AC. If you are going to use the Velit AC on shore power anyway, could you consider using a 120v AC unit instead? You will need the Bluetti D40 in your setup if using the 200L for your setup. Just FYI you can not use the Bluetti on the Velit at all because it will over amp the unit and you will get a fault. 👍 good luck with your build.
@@JonniesJourney Since I do not plan on having an elaborate electrical system I should purchase an AC air conditioner vs a DC air conditioner? I apologize for my lack of knowledge in this area. Just want to ensure I make the correct purchases for my build and how I plan on using it.
I think this was designed for me, the refrigerator and CPAP are my two power necessities.
😊 hope it was helpful. 👍
What a great video! You've answered so many of my questions already. But I'm wondering about a bluetti charger 1 vs. a pure sine inverter you talked about. What are the advantages & disadvantages? I'm planning on getting the charger 1, but now I'm confused, lol
What battery are you trying to charge. This will make the difference of which route to take. You can charge at 575 with the charger 1. You can charge at a higher rate with an inverter.
@JonniesJourney Thanks for answering! I have a bluetti eb70s that I will probably keep charging with solar. But I'm planning on purchasing the elite 200 as my main, and would want to charge it while I drive.
Is that 575h watts per hour? With the charger 1 and can we use that with the 180? @@JonniesJourney
Thank you for the information about power station.. I have a small jackery. Looking for a larger one.
Thanks for watching 😊
Ecoflow limits pull to 8amp from cigarette lighter and it will not blow a fuse but it is useless because it does not charge enough, basically 100 watts per hour.
Exactly, you would have to drive all day. 🙄
For folks with minimal power requirements and small power stations (under 500wh), the cigarette charger is fine.
Hi Jonnie loving your videos and learning lots as I start my first little van build out. Wondering if I could seek your advice?
I have a Bluettie EB55 that only has the 12v cigarette lighter output and two DC5521 outputs, not the aviation style. I have a total of 7 12v sockets I want to wire up, x2 USBc, x2 USBa, x1 FAN, and x2 led lights.
Would recommend using the cigarette style output into a fuse box, then running my cabling, of the DC5521? I like the idea of the fuse box that then allows the easy power supply replacement if I change Powerbanks or just need a temporary alternative.
Thanks again for your amazing videos and sharing the knowledge!
The 10amp cig to fuse block would be fine as long as you are not overloading the 7 cig plugs. Remember, you will likely have 450w of usable power to work with. On your power bank, it will tell you how many watts an item will pull each hr of use. Test these items individually and add them together. This will help you determine if your system will be enough. 👍
Thank you so much jonnie for this very helpful video ❤
thanks Lynne
It makes most since lol , i bought a bluetti and bought two 12 volt batteries to extend my hours , not sure where to but the wires , to go from my bluetti to the batteries thanks
The connections are on the side. Which Bluetti did you get?
Great info. Thanks!
Thanks for watching 👍
Enjoyed the vid. Got hooked. New subscriber 😊
Awesome, thank you so much.
Good advice thanks for sharing
Thank you 😊
@ very helpful
Thank you
This info is invaluable.
Thank you 🙂
When you think you have enough power, triple it And you still won't have enough
🤣 it does feel like that some days.
you look so pretty in this video! Your hair is amazing..... You go girl!
Awe, thank you 😊
Great info.
Thank you 😊
Eco flow also has cord for dc to dc charging they came out with before bluetti did
A cord for a cigarette port?
❤ love your work
I went for the difficult solution, but it's worthwhile now where it's done. I upgraded my 2022 Ford based RV from 2x95Ah AGM batteries to 600Ah Lithium (7680 Wh) and added a 3000W inverter. Spliced into the already existing, from factory, electrical solution, so that all outlets in the RV now provides 230V, no matter if I'm connected to grid or not. And of cause implemented the correct ground handling, so that ground from grid will be used when connected to grid and when not, a neutral/ground bonding is applied, this happens seamlessly in a split second when the transition between grid/inverter takes place. This was not handled automatically by the inverter, so I had to to incorporate a relay to accomplish that.
Also added new 230V RCBO guarded lines from grid entry to/from inverter to utilize the automatic transfer switch of the inverter and made the changes needed so that the batteries will only be charged (with a dedicated 30A victron DC charger) when on grid, to prevent the inverter from charging it's own source batteries (loop condition). Finally I added an extra RCBO just after the inverter output for extra safety.
Most annoying part of this DIY was lack of documentation on the existing electrical system, which I didn't manage to get hold of. So made educated guesses backed up by measurements to make this possible. Also this particular RV has very little free space for holding the hardware (if you don't want to use the garage) so a lot of time went into figuring out where to place and connect equipment without ruining the two passenger seat positions.
Wow, it sounds like you have a great setup with all the mods that you did. I can honestly say that I have to do some research and look some of this up (which I love). Thanks for sharing this with us. Sounds like you should have no power issues at all 👍
Thanks for the great info!
Happy to be of some help.
Great video!
Thank you
OMG You're so good ❤
Thank you so much.
Gonna miss the chat but will watch later.
Very interesting info
Thank you 👍
Subscribed
😊👍 thank you
Could you recommend what battery I need to use an electric blanket fir at least 7 hrs at night?
Which size electric blanket & what does its manual say it draws on each setting?
I have 2 electric blankets & between them there are settings from 10W to 85W.
I recommend a DC blanket if you can find one, check the watts drawn on high and multiply by 10. This will account for some efficiency loss.
Good info.
Thank you 🙂
I wish I could have understood.......i got nothing.... maybe I will stick with ice😂😂😂
I will be doing a video soon with just the basics. I have several people with the same thoughts as you "got nothing" LOL
@@JonniesJourney I'll watch for it thank you
"POWER" is "Watts" (Rate of delivery)
"Watt Hours" is Capacity.
Yep 👍
I have a Bluetti AC300 as a main system, and 2 Jackerys (500 : 1500) as backups.
Very nice. 👍
So which is the proper sine inverter?
Pure sine, not modified sine.
Pure sine wave 👍
Hello. New subscriber. Thank you so much for this video! I bought four 200w Renogy flexible panels, and I want to connect them to my two Bluetti 200L and B300. (I didn't want the Elite because it can't be charged with lead-acid batteries.) One 200L alone can take 1200W of solar, so I'm okay there, but I don't know how to connect everything to the solar. I read that I need an MC4 connector, but I have no clue what that is and how to make it work with the solar panels. I also have an alternator charger. I plan on having an AC (Ecoflow wave 2--GA is hot), a 64L refrigerator that pulls 45-60W, 2-5 electric cookers (not used at the same time), an immersion heater, a 12V electric shower, and a computer with a printer. The shower is the only DC appliance; everything else is AC. What is your suggestion? I can send this in an email, but others might have similar questions.
Check the open circuit voltage on the panels. They can not exceed 150v. If they do not exceed the limit you can connect them in series using the MC4 connectors. (Do a Google image search for visual) the Bluetti comes with the solar input cable needed to connect to the battery. Many people opt to get the D40 for their system so they can step down the 48v DC output.
DC/DC charger, make sure you do not over volt your system. 150v max for PV and alternator combined.
@@JonniesJourney Thank you. Each solar panel has an open-circuit voltage (Voc) of 23.9V, so four would be a total of 95.6V. I don't think the 200L allows me to control how much charge I get from the DC/DC charge, but I could be wrong. It may be better to disconnect the panels and use the DC/DC charger if I plan on driving for many hours? How did you know I could not exceed 150v? Is that according to the battery station I'm using? So I use MC4s to connect the solar panels to each other and then use the Bluetti solar cord to connect the panels to the power station? I'm going to send you some cash. LOL. I feel like I should be paying you for this advice.
@danitza02125 the Charger 1 will let you control the volts going to your power bank. The default is 26v, so that would work. On a cloudy day, yes, you could disconnect solar and pull the full 56v in from DC/DC. Not sure if you know how to connect in series so I'll explain it. You have 4 panels layed out, each panel has a positive and a negative MC4 end. You want to take one of the wires from panel 1 and connect it to panel #2. Connect the remaining wire from panel #2 to panel #3. The remaining wire from panel #3 to panel #4. This will leave you with one wire on #1 and one wire on #4. These wires will get connected to your battery input cable. You will need extension wires to make them reach from the van roof into the van where the battery is located. I get the 20 foot extension cables f4om bouge RV off Amazon. They have MC4 connectors on one end and bare on the other for passing through a small hole on the van. They also have solar cable cover for about $11. Questions?
@@JonniesJourney Thank you so much!
Welcome Danitza
Hey you ladies coming to Ironwood Meetup in Marana in like ten days?
we will be in Ironwood 👍
@ our paths meet again from cracker barrel parking!? see you there!!!
I really didn’t understand much of what you said, but that’s OK. I do, however have a question. Why do you need to put an inverter in your van if bluetti already has a built-in inverter?
It is for charging while I drive. I can charge AC this way and DC charging from solar. Now that they came out with the Charger 1 that can charge up to 575w/hr I will likely be switching to this on my builds.
@ when I get on the road, my plan is to get Solar connected to the bluetti and also connect the bluetti to the battery that I drive with. Like I said, I don’t understand a lot of this, but I think from what I’ve been reading and watching that that might be a good combination and work well with my Vitamix and my Instant Pot stuff like that
I'm trying to understand, I can be out in my vehicle unless I use a CPAP?
I have no doubt you have an amazing system set up, but truth be told, many people don't have that kind of money and just want to be living a great life out on the road however they can. Many people want an affordable, understandable, and self-servicing system, and these power banks are the answer for these people. I have seen full systems fail, and the owners have no idea where to begin looking. I'm happy you have whatever you have and happy that this system gets so many others out living their dreams. Safe travels.
thank you I’m looking at a bluetti & eco flow I would use it to run my domestic cooler foe 4 day average camping trip
I have had great luck with both Bluetti and EcoFlow 👍
@ how long will either one run the cooler before it has to be charged
❤
😊
Great info but I do have a question. I have bluetti elite 200 and purchased a cigarette plug to charge the bluetti from my truck battery while driving -- just to top it off a bit. It draws about 95 watts from the cigerette port and the plug gets hot but so far with just 20 min of testing the fuses are ok. Is this safe?
Good question. Not knowing the condition of the port you are using. I can say the cig ports do get hot. You are also right at 8amps consistently, so it would make sense it's hot. If you trust that it will hold the 95, you should be ok but...... it wouldn't hurt to ask for a charger 1 for your birthday 👍
I have the DC to DC charger for the blueetti. But there is only one intake port to charge I can either solar charge or DC DC charge. How do you say that charging solar and DC at the same time works
My bluetti input has 2 sets of MC4 input. It's the EliteV2
Another thing that can go wrong is the power bank's AC power brick/cord fails 😯 and you have to wait until a replacement arrives before you can recharge it.
(Mine has burned thru 2 so far.)
True, I am happy to see the newer banks without the brick.
Why would my bluetti ac180 completely discharge overnight while plugged into shore power? And not take a charge from the inverter while driving the next day? I got it rebooted by plugging it into my anker 535 12volt outlet.
is it out in the cold
We were camping with a small heater going. So at least above freezing.
Both batteries and heater plugged into heavy power strip. The heater and anker 535 were just fine.😮
Very informative but too much for my brain😂. Suggest organizing d wires nicely so they dont appear like spaghetti wires. Otherwise good info
@@kandplambheaters draw a LOT of power. Even small ones.
What about jackery 2000v2 vs 200 elite?
I'm not a fan of Jackery because you can't charge the bank with an existing solar setup. MC4 is standard on almost all banks but theirs.
How could I use my 2000WH powerstation only for my 120V needs, and set up a 12V system on a separate 12V battery that doesn’t need the inverter? I assume this would help efficiency.
In my opinion, if you are putting in the 12v system (lithium) it would be more efficient to add the inverter. The reason most go with the power bank setup is to simplify the whole electrical setup. If you are installing batteries for your 12v needs, you will need the solar, charge controller, fuses, and DC/DC charger. You may as well install the inverter for the AC needs. It would also be more efficient.
But, if you want to go your route. Let's first determine how you are wanting to charge each setup?
I have done this in my small RV. I added 200ah lithium with solar coming in to power it during the day. I already had a Bluetti 200max that handles my AC needs and the house batteries handle my 12v needs. I can switch the solar to my power bank if needed.
I have a Bluetti AC200P with three Renogy Solar Panels 200 Watt 12 Volt each, Google says it will run a 5000 BTU AC for 2-4 hours however I cant find out if that's with solar panels keeping the generator charged or just the AC200P Alone.
Johnny i have a freedom coach on a ford transit van chassis would you put the wire from alternator to battery pack underneath van or try to put it inside the van i have ecoflow but haven’t hooked up the wire yet Who could i get to do rv place? machanic? Thanks
A wire that hooks from van battery to my ecoflow dc to dc charging It came w my evoflow
I try to get most of my wires inside when possible. That being said, it's not always possible. Get wire Loom to protect it when outside the rig. Any basic mechanic could do it. Typically, RV repair places are priced higher.
The whole point of having all in one power bank is not to deal with the fuses and such. Can you explain why you have such a complex set up? Lets say I only need to power one AC plugged heated mattress pad and one 12v heated blanket to stay warm. I simply plug it into my Ecoflow. I figured my Ecoflow is 1800 W and my heating set up takes about 150 watts per hour x8 = 1200, give or take plus allow 300 watts for inefficiency so 1500 watts. I am fine. What are these fuses for you got going there?
LEDs, Marine Fridge, maxair fan, water pump, gray tank ball valve, usbs and 12v plugs,. If you have more than 1 DC component, you need to fuse them this way. You can definitely use the bank how you are with 1 DC need and minimal AC need.
@@JonniesJourney Thank you. Makes sense. I like to keep my van simple.
I am super confused. I have ac200l and the dc to dc does not charge the unit. I was told that that is to charge a house battery.
Try the DJI power station.
Will check it out
Where's Jonnie? Joannas Journey.
I'm Jonnie 🙂
I just need one to piwer up my cell phone ,so I dont have to run the engine and use up my gas
I thought i heard you saÿ you dont use a pure sign wave inverter , then you said you do use a pure sign wave converter ... ??
I Googled this and it said the newer appliances and electronics they recommend pure sign wave , over a modified sign wave inverter .
My heering is poor so .... ??
I did say pure sign by mistake and in white letters wrote Modified. Sorry, I did mispeak. I use pure sine wave inverters. 👍
@JonniesJourney well I won't Fire you just yet ... 🤣
You explain things good , my heering is lousy .
Is there a bank that is simple,simple simple. Not interested in being confused with a bunch of settings ???
Really depends on how much power you need. They really are not hard to get used to.
Let’s say you’re just trying to set up a simple car camping van (for instance), and you want to be able to run a small fan, some lights, charge your phone, etc. Any of these battery banks will do that. You just turn the battery on and plug your stuff in and they work. I have 2 smaller ones, about 300 watts. If you want to go for longer go bigger, 500-1000 watts, or get a portable (fold out) solar panel to recharge with. Also very simple. Plug it in to the “input” on the battery, put the panel in the sun and wait. If you’ll be driving from place to place, you just plug the battery bank into your cigarette lighter. All the necessary cables came with the battery banks. A third way (and fastest) to charge is to plug in to an outlet at home before your trip.
OMG, you lost me long ago. Way to much info for my little brain.
It can be confusing. Certain things fo by volts, some by amps and others by watts. Reach out if you have any questions.
Keep watching Jonnie and others. It gets easier to understand the more you watch.
You need to watch a lot of videos to get it. I am going boon docking full-time next year. The more I listen, the more I get it.
She makes a lot of sense.
@jbee5258 thank you so much.
I HIGHLY recommend getting Will Prowse’s Mobile Solar Power Made Easy book. I didn’t understand anything until I read that. Easy read for beginners.
Yeah ,a big one for every day and a smaller one from r emergency. Yeah as if every one ne gas that kind of money
You don't need any of these if all you need is to keep your phone powered. There are many phone charging banks for very little money. There are so many different power banks out there that are very affordable. 👍
Save up, the sacrifice is worth it.
First, you’re doing your customers a disservice if you’re recommending and installing those power stations in your builds. Vans that size should have a minimum of (1) 24v 200ah battery with a charge controller, inverter and fuses.
I have had my setup for 4 years with great success. Many people are turning to these power banks due to the simplicity, affordability and space saving options. I do understand that they are not for everyone.
how long are you going to be here in Q?
Mid February. 🙂
@JonniesJourney still at plamosa?
@rvgrandmacharlotte4604 yes
I want a powerbank to be a backup for my in house system on my boat - i DID NOT KNOW YOU COULD DIAL DOWN THE IMPUT AMPERAGE!! I can charge it from my inverter whilst the engine is on 😂 subbed.. 🫡
Thank you. You can decrease the amps on the AC300 and others you can set to silent mode and it will decrease the AC input 👍
@JonniesJourney super, thank you! My inverter is a 600w modified sine wave one. Am I asking too much of it?
Am whiling away the UK winter catching up on your back catalogue of videos, bit of a treasure trove! Amazing how so much is useful to me on a canal boat - if you're ever over here you should check out the off grid canal nomads community 👍😊
@TheLampini what power bank are you charging from the 600w inverter? Thank you for watching the videos. 😊 canal nomads? How cool
Stop merchandising Bluetti that shit don't work , stop making money off people 😢🖕
Many people have had great success with Bluetti, can you get any other brand to work for you?
I have so many vans out on the road with the Bluetti powering all there needs. If you know how to use them to the fullest, they are great options. Millions of people use these power banks now.
You lost me at hello. 🫤
😂Just kidding. Great info. We will be driving to San Diego mid February, our daughter is coming home from deployment. We wanted to spend a day or two there in Qtz. I’ll text you to see if you’re still out there. I also need to get with you for the window covers. I just haven’t had time. Rudy had surgery again in December this time he had his Rt side rotator cuff repaired in June he had the left side done. Anyway, be safe and we’ll talk soon.
Reach out anytime Celeste. Give me a holler if in the Q area.
Great video!!
Thanks Sis 🙂