RV Power Station Hack | Interior Back-Feed
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- Опубликовано: 28 сен 2024
- This RV Power Station hack is EASY and has amazing results!
-Please consult with a professional before modifying your camper
All portable power stations have 12v automotive (cigarette) style plugs. The majority are regulated to maintain steady voltage that our appliances love. By disconnecting or shutting off our battery, we can run our RV off a power station using one inexpensive cord! This extends boondocking, provides a warmer environment for the battery and can be a more economical and flexible way to invest in making our camper boondocking capable!
-The units capacity and your usage will determine run time (I use 150-350 watts per day)
-You will be limited to to ~10 amp (for me this runs fridge, furnace, fans, & lights)
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*The cable I use-
Double Male 12v
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These cords have been going in and out of stock fast, check frequently
-Always go with the shortest option that works
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- amzn.to/3rMm4CA
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Very well made video. You truly have a gift for teaching. Thank you!
That's really kind of you, thank you
Very helpful video. I've been using a Goal Zero 1000x power bank to power my RV, but in a way that was trying to charge the house battery, too. It worked, but the battery life wasn't good. Isolating the battery by turning off the converter, and back-feeding through one of the cigarette lighter ports promises to be much more efficient.
Here's a different way that is specific to the Goal zero too-
Using Goal Zero for RV Battery
ruclips.net/video/_MRIg0Szh-0/видео.html
this is exactly what i was looking for!! i want to take the 2 wires that would go to the battery and solder wires that does back inside my pop up and attach it to a 12v outlet so i can plug my power pack Thank you!!
It's a very convenient system, I love it!
Great job as always Brian! Do you have a video which shows you installing the 12V female cigarette receptacle in your bushwhacker and how you wired it?
Sure do!
Installing 12v plug | EASY cigarette socket camper RV
ruclips.net/video/7UtsfliirNg/видео.html
Another great video! Thank you.
We love all our power stations. Each has a job. We did just buy (3) 100Ah LiFePO4 battery's and Will Prowse's book. Just to build a system for our diesel heater on DC. Great to see how cheap everything is getting. But I will say a all in one unit is much more convenient any day just as you've stated!
Mark (& Teresa)
The prices going down is great news. Will’s book is a great resource, he’s made a huge impact on the industry.
@@DIYOutdoorLife ❤️
Hay i thought you where my professional battery Guy !! good info
haha...I dont think I can afford that insurance...lol
Thanks for directing me to this video - SO HELPFUL!!!
Glad it helped!
That's a great tip. I hadn't thought of using it that way before.
Really cool hack, I use it more and more on my trips.
Interesting! So I assume you could still use the AC plugs on the power station, while its connected to the DC port? Ill have to give this a try!
you sure can! It's pretty slick 😎
Just watched & revisited this video about back feeding . Does this work for 12v 30 ampOupes Mega 2 ???
Yes, works very well.
You can also do this with works with the full 30a instead of 10!
Using Goal Zero for RV Battery
ruclips.net/video/_MRIg0Szh-0/видео.html
@@DIYOutdoorLife 30 amps won’t blow 15 amp fuse on my male to male DC cable ?
@@bigjim-oj8bd current is drawn, not pushed. It will only blow the fuse if your camper draws over 15 A. If the camper draws that much, it's good that it blows to protect the wires within the camper. it won't blow unless running lots of large things at once.
If you look at the video I sent, it won't blow in that application until 30 A
How is this connection different than your video showing the Goal Zero connected at the anderson plug where we disconnected the battery?
It’s easier and more attainable but less capable.
The large goal zeros have a 30 amp DC Anderson output… MAX capability, no limitations, etc
The core has 15 amps (also very capable)
This method is 10 amps. You can run essentials but could come up against limits depending what you’re doing.
The Anderson connect is all around superior but trickier to do and requires a goal zero or lion energy.
This way is limited but can be done with any power station.
Hope this helps draw the difference.
Thank you for this wonderful information
I just found you.
I just bought a delt promax would i be able to set it up the same way in my RV
Yes you can, works great.
I'm glad you found us too, thank you for watching!
This is exactly what I have been trying to find a way to do! (Have a power station inside while boondocking in winter). I have two questions though. I don't have a battery kill switch like that but i found that there is a 10amp fuse built into my battery wiring. Would removing this fuse most likely be sufficient to isolate it from the rest of the wiring? Second questions is my current power station says the DC port is only 3amp. Do you think this will be sufficient to run a furnace fan and controller? Awesome video and thanks so much for your content!
Hey Nathan, thanks for watching. It’s really difficult for me to make recommendations without seeing it, I wouldn’t want to guess and have you do something that causes a problem.
What camper is it? Adding a kill switch is very cheap and easy, I made a video installing mine. Search for it in my channel and it’ll pop up, that might be a good start.
What kind of power station? Often times, there is small DC plugs like 5521,s that are 3A, does it have a cigarette style plug? 3amp limit might be too low and trip. I’ll know more when you share the exact unit.
Thanks 😀
Oh, It looks like I was mistaken! You're right I was reading the stats for the 2 5521 DC ports. Looks like the cigarette style port is indeed 10amp. And I definitely want to add a battery kill switch when I get some time to work on it so I will have to check out that video in more detail. Thanks!
@@nathanhardcastle6975 excellent, you’ll love this little trick for winter camping!
My dude! Thanks for the vidyas.
Thanks for watching, I'll keep them coming ...
Good information thank you👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Thank you for watching, good luck with the project!
Great video, is it possible to charge my camper battery directly off the power station 12 volt dc outlet? Maybe through a solar controller so I don't overcharge the house battery? Does that make any sense?
Sorry for the delay, I’ve been off grid for a couple weeks. You can do what you’re saying, you would want to use a DC to DC charger. Whether or not it’s practical would have to come down to how you use your set up.
Thanks for tuning in!
Bro you are a Profesional
Haha…thanks man!
Your vid is still providing value for newbies to the power station world and off-grid camping. I have a 24 foot travel trailer and live in Minnesota where spring and fall can be chilly. My origional plan was to do it the ineficient way and just use a 30amp to 110 converter and plug directy into the power station knowing that there would be loss of energy from stepping voltage up and then back down again. My standard AGM deep cycle battery can't always keep up. This is the most elegant solution I've found and you really helped a guy out - thank you!
Thank you so much, I really appreciate you watching, and commenting on the video!
I did this with a GZ 200 and it worked. I just tried with a new Goal Zero 500 and it did not work. The light on the output would flash and then turn red with no power output. Thoughts on why?
That's strange, especially since it worked with the 500. Does the 12 V output work for other things on your 500?
Yes. In fact I plugged the GZ with 12V male to male adapter into a 12V Battery Clip-On and Cigarette Lighter Adapter cord and connected that to the trailer lead acid battery and that worked. The trailer battery is dying and won’t hold a full charge. It was 10.5V and with the GZ connected the trailer showed 12.5V.
Thanks for your response. I saw your other video connecting the GZ 1000 with the Anderson connection but the 500 doesn’t have Anderson. Any suggestions on the best way to do this that bypasses the marine battery if the male to male 12V trick doesn’t work? The trailer is a NuCamp TAB and only trying to use the lights, the water pump and the heater control panel.
@@glennjo67thats the problem. Do not connect to the battery, the GZ 12v is output only. It's not a safe way to charge a battery. Disconnect the bat completely and try to run the RV off the GZ alone.
@@glennjo67 perhaps trying to add a new 12v outlet to the camper. Some people have had success adding a cigarette style plug right by their converter. Still makes me scratch my head that it works with the 200 but not the 500. There might also be an issue with the plug on the 500.
Is this an efficient way to charge the camper battery? In other videos you've posted you connect the power bank directly to the battery with a charge controller or simply plug the campers 30 amp plug into the battery bank (via a 15 amp plug). Wondering which way makes the most sense. My battery powers my 12v fridge and I'd like to extend it through the use of a power bank.
Hey Kevin, this does not charge your battery, this takes the place of your battery. Once your battery is turned off, it will maintain its charge and the power station takes its place. Rather than charging the battery, it prolongs runtime by taking turns with the battery to keep you out longer.
Each of the ways you mentioned have their pros and cons. Knowing which one to do when is key to great performance. Give that other video(w mult ways to use power stations) a rewatch, I explain the pros and cons, it gets easier when you do trial and error.
Thanks for watching!
Will backfeeding this way allow you to use the 110v outlets in the galley when you can't otherwise unless it's plugged in shore power?
No, this will just give you 12v. You could always back feed like this into the galley 12v and use the 110v plug on the power station back there though, that comes in handy.
Perfect, thank you!!
I thought I had left a reply on my phone but maybe not, so I will do it again. Can I charge my solar generator using a separate solar device not associated with my camper, and a 12volt socket in my camper using the house battery and the USBP?
What power station? Do you mean USB-C, like power delivery?
Sorry, let me explain more. Have a Bluetti eb150. I have a separate portable 200 watt solar system which I use to charge it. But like you said, it takes a long time. I would like to continue using this method but would like to plug in to my 12v socket in my rv to assist in charging the EB150 faster using a method you explained. If that makes sense. Do I need a USB-c? Or can I use one of the simple 12v plug in with the recharge plug for charging cords.?@@DIYOutdoorLife
@@waynesmith8512 unfortunately, the eb 150 can not charge usb c... its a bummer.
It is capable of charging from solar and wall charger at the same time, but that doesn't help you Boondocking
Thanks Brian!
@@DIYOutdoorLife
Nice hack!
How is it a year later using this hack? Any untoward incident issues or additional tips?
I love it, I run the camper this way regularly, never an issue.
Does turning the cut off switch to off is safe enough without making the Anderson quick connect/disconnect? What about the solar panel on the roof that came with trailer which is always powered when there’s sunlight?
Thanks.
@@43delta turning off the master switch is enough of a disconnect if its wired properly.
If you have hardwired solar, you need to find a simple way to disconnect that. Again, depending on how your system as wire, the master switch may do that.
Essentially, what we're trying to achieve its total isolation. The regulated DC plug on the power station is an output. Only, it does not want to be charged through that plug or "paralleled" with another battery.
It's usually very simple to create the isolation, and then this is a great little trick for off grid power.
So i need a separate cut off switch too for the solar because even if the master switch is off position I can see from the Victron app that the solar is “still” charging the battery.
Thank you.
@@43delta not necessarily. It's fine for solar to charge the battery house battery, there just can't be any power to the fuse block when you use the pps. You might be fine by just shutitng the master switch.
I have a 12.8v 206AH litium battery , my fuse block is attached to the seat base (2018 Rpod180) I can lift the seat and it has an big empty space with the 12v plug in. any idea if it would work or is this battery to powerful for the wiring ? thank you. PS great video as usual. .
Hello, thanks for watching! To be safe, I would have to see exactly what you’re talking about. In order to get these power stations to back feed through their automotive plug, you have to ensure that is the only supply. If there’s a simple way to shut off your camper battery, you could power your camper this way.
@@DIYOutdoorLife "automotive plug," that's what I miss on the video. I use my Rpod in winter when I take care of a geology camp ..why up in the bush 9 hr drive. -25C or -13F. leaving the batteries outside hooked up ..not a good idea. I got to get it ready for February. my 206 amp hour bat should be able to run everything from the inside. lots more thinking and work to do for sure. Thank you for the feedback.
@@WilbertRobichaud moving that battery inside will be a huge help. You should be able to create new feed lines from your indoor lifepo to the converter
Can I connect power station to c ubs outlet to run small DC items such as gas furnace fan at night. Not sure about using car DC plug
No, USB interface has different voltage. The gas furnace, etc. is 12 V.
@@DIYOutdoorLife so do I need to add a 12 v car plug to inside rv
@@robertburns1886 if there’s not one already there, adding one like this would be easy-
Installing 12v plug | EASY cigarette socket camper RV
ruclips.net/video/7UtsfliirNg/видео.html
As I was thinking about my electrical knowledge limits in adding a 12v plug cigarette socket in a not so convenient place in my camper, I realized we have such a socket for the TV we do not use. There may be a 4 foot distance between this socket and the load center (who knows the actual feet in wiring?) Would that work? Anything I should check before attempting this connection? (Using a 1000W Jackery as a backup if that matters). Thank you!
That connection should work fine, if you blow a fuse, you’ll want to upgrade. With that short of distance, I think you’ll have no issues.
Thanks for watching
@@DIYOutdoorLife Thank you, your videos are always informative!
@@danpogonowski4344 I appreciate you watching!
@@DIYOutdoorLife It has been awhile, hopefully you are still monitoring this feed. I finally hooked up through the TV socket to my Jackery this season. It started up but then almost immediately it started surging where the Frig compressor would speed up and slow down and lights would brighten and dim, back and forth. Any idea if I’m doing something wrong or it just will not work on my setup.
@@danpogonowski4344 I would start by adding a 12 V socket near the converter. Use good materials and try it again, I suspect you might be having an issue on the plug side. It could be your Jackery acting up but it’s tough to say without being able to see the set up. Were you able to look at the read out on the Jackery?
Would a 16 gauge cord be better than the 14 gauge you are suggesting or it doesn't make any difference?
No, the higher the gauge, the smaller the wire. 14 gauge is a thicker wire with less loss. 14 is superior but 16 will work. hope this helps!
Thanks! Ordered the 14 gauge...
Great video! Did you do a video on installing that DC port on the inside?
No, I suppose I should. It was too hard to film with the camper lights off..lol We're the only ones left out, with the original 10SS, maybe I'll throw something together.
In the meantime, you can use a splitter on the port in the galley.
So glad i found your channel. I’m 69 and will start my first camping expeience May 5. Your advice and tips are excellent. Thanks again for all the great info.
Thank you so much, I appreciate you watching! I’m excited to hear that you’re getting out and planning some camping!
Thank you for testing and sharing our products! We hope that everyone can enjoy our products!
Glad you saw this. Keep making good products for low prices… people are sending great feedback 😀
@@DIYOutdoorLife Will do!
Brian, how do I hook this up if my camper does not have a automotive style socket? Can I run a dual sided male 110v extension cord with one end plugged into the power station and the other my trailer outlet? Thx! Great idea!
That’s not a good idea, big time shock hazard and you don’t gain all the efficiency benefits from being on DC.
Does your camper not have an DC outlets? I would add one if it doesn’t
Installing 12v plug | EASY cigarette socket camper RV
ruclips.net/video/7UtsfliirNg/видео.html
Ordered the cable and tried it out. Works! Thx man. Been trying to figure this one out for a bit. I removed my RV battery completely...don't need it on my small InTech Flyer Chase. This new config runs my maxxair fan at 10% all night easily at barely a 3 watts draw. . When i plugged the PPS into my shore power the draw was 34 watts. Again thx for creating your awesome content that helps us all. Cheers.
Thats awesome, thank you for watching and following along!
Can you connect a 12v adapter to the 120 watt outlet so this can work? Or do I have to install a 12v outlet ?
Since they are different power systems, that work differently, you can only do this through a 12 V port. Here's a video for an easy install.
Installing 12v plug | EASY cigarette socket camper RV
ruclips.net/video/7UtsfliirNg/видео.html
Hi! Do you think this will work if we have a 3 way fridge? TIA
It should, run the refrigerator on gas and it will draw very little DC power.
I'm kinda a newbie. My new jayco only has 12 v outlet/ inlet. It says TV only with a power button. Can I use that ?
Hey Micheal, what is the fuse size on the TV only circuit on your Jayco. It should be labeled in your fuse box.
I’m pretty sure it’s 10 to 15a, which is perfect. I did a little homework and I think they put that sticker there because people continue to plug-in inverters and blow the fuse. Before proceeding, I just want to make sure it’s not fused too small.
@DIY Outdoor Life Thanks Brian, I find your videos very informative, and you seem like a really cool guy. Im not into the tear drops, but i can apply your knowledge to some of the things i want to do. I believe it's a 10 a. What about the on / off button. It lights up blue when on. I'm assuming it has to be on , (With no other power source, of course), but how will I know if it's on with no power? I'm thinking of just swapping it out for a regular 12v outlet. What do think? Thanks again !
@@michaelsumner8384 I’m not entirely sure I’m following.
Disconnect the tow vehicle seven pin plug from the camper .
Disconnect shore power
Disconnect any solar, if any.
I am not sure what power station you are using, but it will have a button that turns on the 12v dc outlet. If your camper is using less than 10a, it will power it.
This might require you to use limited things, depending on how many DC gadgets are in your camper. Start by turning them all off, then turn one thing on at a time. This allows me to use my small 12 V fridge, furnace, lights, water pump. If you go over 10a it will trip.
The 12v outlet on the camper (TV only) has a power on / off button. It lights up blue when on. Just wondering if that switch would mess thing up or if I'm better off just getting rid of it and replace with a standard 12 v outlet w/ no switch.? Thanks
Btw ...I'm using the oupes 600 like the one in the video
oops... I waited 7:30 for bat talk in an orange thing...
👍
Hi Brian, I did this to my trailer after buying a portable power supply. In my case rather than using connectors to disconnect the house battery I used a three way switch like those used on boats. So in this way there is no way to have the two batteries connected at the same time. Also this switch has 3 positions Off, battery 1 and battery 2 so the switch also serves as a master cut-off switch for the 12v.
Great channel and great info.
Thats a great option, thanks for swinging by!
recently on ebay vtoman had refurbished units for sale.....their 1500 power station was $279 fukn dollars. insane it was even best offer. and they are pristine and smell new. i got the jump 600 for like $130 plus tax.....i am waiting and praying that the 1500 refurb unit goes on sale again for $250-280. i didnt get it when i first saw it because i knew nothing about power stations and brands. but vtoman is very high quality the only thing i dont like is the limits on charging watts. my 600 is like 80 watts max charging. i think the bigger units go to like 200watts maybe 400. but that says a lot about vtoman being on the safer side and making longer lasting units that dont charge hyper fast.
That's a great score, hard to beat that price! I hope you're able to score a great deal.
Wtf?? Didnt know this was possible
Pretty sweet
Just came across the ALLPOWERS S2000PR0 model that promises plug & play with the built in 30 amp rv plug ready. Any thoughts?
You will find that it doesn't last long. Just because it can run 30a, doesnt mean it can sustain that load.
In general, the reason why hacks like this work so well, is that running off DC is orders of magnitude more efficient than running on an inverter.
Can you try this on your camper how well it held up? Thanks.
@@43deltait doesnt hold up well, but theres some tricks to help.
Disconnect your battery before plugging it in, a disconnect switch works well.
By doing this, you won't allow the camera to charge the battery off of low power station, it won't last much longer that way.
Find a place to keep the Power Station out of the weather and set up a few hundred watts of solar.
Since so much power is wasted in the double conversion of using it this way, you have to account for that was more solar . If you get the extrasolar, it is very convenient and nice to use it this way.
well, is does that orange thing have a bat ?
A “power station” is a lithium battery with an inverter, ac charger, solar charger, shunt, usbs etc built into one.
I just bought an Anker Solix 1000 and I want to try this on my Casita TT. I was wondering about the fuse situation, but from what you show in this vid, the backfeed will include the fusebox in the system. Thank you for your videos!
Just make sure youre tapping into a fuse that will protect the wire youre using. Thanks for watching the video!
@@DIYOutdoorLife not sure I understand - you mean the wire from the power station? If I tap into a 12 volt outlet, would that normally have a fuse? Thx
@@BobWadeGuitar I was thinking that you were adding the 12 V outlet. You're good to go if there's one there.
@@DIYOutdoorLife Great. Ya it has two 12v outlets.
Awesome vid as per the usual!
I appreciate you tuning in!
Hi Brian! Two things. First, the link for the double male 12v cigarette lighter cord shows that the cord is "currently unavailable" (edit: that's only for the 6' length. Other lengths are available). Second, I am a little unclear about that 12v outlet on the wall. Is it wired to be an input plug for feeding energy from the power station into the camper, or wired to be an output plug to power external 12v DC devices? Or...both? Thanks.
Hey Tom...wow...it sold out! I guess people are jumping on it. I will include some options or different lengths until the 6' is back in stock. THANK YOU for telling me.
The beauty of the set up is the plugs and conductors are 2-way, they don't care which way the electrons are flowing. This is a normal 12v plug that would typically be used as an outlet.
As long as you're shut off the other sources of energy to the fuse panel, it will "back-feed" this way. No special plugs.
@@DIYOutdoorLife As always, thanks for your quick reply. I think, though, the technology is beginning to surpass this hack. Check out this Will Prowse video on a $579 CHINS LiFePO heated battery. You should find it interesting. Comparing current battery options with a Battle Born may no longer be the standard, as other high-quality options are dropping in price. ruclips.net/video/pKFh7eXeY-s/видео.html
@@twloughlin Of course I caught that within an hour of launch...lol... Us battery nerds stick together.
I still struggle with affordable heated lifepo4 and agree with Will that I wouldn't buy one. Insulate first and then add your own 12v heater like an RV water tank pad or seed germinator. The future looks promising. I'm very excited to see the prices come down, the KiloVault is amazing if the price would settle a bit. I work exclusively with LifePo4 for my side business, it cracks people up that I'm still an RV hold out for the time being.
As far as build quality goes, very cool to see Chins step up, their early stuff was an accident waiting to happen.
Thanks for the comments, you know I always appreciate it!
Hey Brian, I'm trying to hook up my Oupes 600 power station to energize my Bushwhacker 10SS like you did in this video. I can't get it to work. For starters I don't have the indoor 12v plug like you do on yours. So, I am trying to energize via my only 12v plug in my galley kitchen. No dice. I've tested the plug when my battery was connected (it isn't hooked up now) and it works.
I'm at a loss on why this isn't working and how to fix it. Any ideas?
Thanks,
Chris Pace
Hey Chris, I would need some more info. I actually added that plug to the interior of my BW, I have a video on the channel of how I did that.
What is the power station doing? When you say it doesn’t work, is it resetting the button on the power station or just not powering things?
Did you double check all of the alternative power sources I talked about in the vid. It must be disconnected from the seven pin plug to your vehicle, no solar hooked into the trailer, definitely no shore power, and as you said no battery. Those are the most common issues.
Let me know what the power station is doing and we can take it from there.
Awesome vid! Love your videos - I am a true electrical novice!
1. My battery is buried in the rv! Is it ok to only isolate my battery by turning “on” the battery isolation switch? 2. I have a new and a small Bluetti EB3A power station (with inverter). Can I use this to run my propane and electric furnace fan and some led lights? 3. What size of cable do you use (length and amp) when using your power station? I see where you have three sizes in you Amazon store. Please tell me I won’t set my trailer and blow up planet earth? I bet many people will want to see your responses to these questions, too!😊 Thank you.
Haha… I appreciated this comment.
If you turn the Master switch off, that is an acceptable way to isolate. Just make sure youre disconnected from your tow vehicle, shore power, and solar. You want this to be the only thing powering the camper.
The EB3a is very very small. I’m actually using one to charge my phone as I write this comment. You will have to do some testing, I suspect you would get a decent run time but nothing too long.
The shorter the cable, the better. Use the shortest one you can for your application, the ones I linked are sufficient for the current.
Hi Brian, Thank- you for this channel which has helped me immensely since I've never owned a camper before! I have a BW 10 HD, and would like to run my AC with a portable power station so I'm not limited to shore power. I'm wondering how the wiring in these campers work to run the AC. Does the AC work when you plug in the shore power only, or does it work with the amount of amperage in the wiring of the system? With the hack you are showing, would I be able to power the entire BW including the AC using the cigarette outlet in my galley or Anderson plug on the Goal Zero 1000 Core which has a 20 amp cigarette output and an Anderson outlet as well.
Hello, thank you for watching the channel, I'm happy to help anytime I can.
Unfortunately, the electrical system will not work in the way that you inquired . AC and DC I have different voltages and are a different way of flowing electrical force.
I order to get 110V alternating current, you will need to be plugged into shore pwr, an inverter, generator,or a power station.
Since air conditioners consume an immense amount of WH, you will likely find that you need a huge power station ..3000wh or more to get good run time
Hi Brian, I’ve really enjoyed your videos. Can I ask you which video of yours contains the Anderson power pole plug attaching it to the battery so I can plug my power bank directly into the batteries.
Hey Keith, here it is-
Using Goal Zero for RV Battery
ruclips.net/video/_MRIg0Szh-0/видео.html
Hey Brian, great video. First question, why go with the shortest cord you can find? If I have a on board inverter, wouldn't that power the AC outlets as well instead of running extension cords to the solar generator? I have a Geo Pro and it came with a 1000w inverter.
Hey, thanks for watching!
The name of the game here is efficiency. You’re only going to be able to stay off grid, and have power, for as long as your capacity lasts.
An inverter uses, and wastes, a ton of power. You’ll have to make up for this by using a very large expensive battery.
This video is about an economical way to go off grid, dry camping on a power station. The DC plug used this way, is typically 40% more efficient than an inverter… there’s no conversion or standby consumption.
You keep the cable short because it runs more amperage with less loss in potential. All of these things really add up.
Sorry for the long answer. In short, this trick allows you to run things like lights, fan, furnace, and fridge for much much longer than an onboard battery and inverter.
This is a really cool idea Brian!. Akin to running a large generator at home to back feed into your curcuit panel.( safety disclaimer :consult a proffessinal if not experienced ) AND remember to pull your main breaker (don't just flip it off) so you don't fry a lineworker!!!
Exactly. I've got a lot of great use out of this and think it's another great way to get value from portable power stations.
Question
Is it possible to utilize the 120v and power the outlets with the portable powerstation? Like instead of plugging into the cord outside the rv, can I plug it into an outlet and run my tv?
Yes, few ways to do that.
The easiest however, is just plug the TV directly into the power station. Is that possible?
Nice. Wasn’t what I expected even better So I have been researching like crazy. I’m going to go with a renogy 12v 200ah gel for the house and have my Bluetti 240 as the extension battery.
Great stuff, you’ll love it!
Hi Brian - The converter went out on my travel trailer. Could I wire a SOGEN in to do its job somehow? Thx!
Yes, but you’d need to make some changes and some moderate experience would be helpful.
You can disconnect the wire that charges from your seven pin plug on your tow vehicle. If you’re handy, you can wire it to a 12 V plug that charges the power station.
You can wire the 12 V section of the Power Station to the fuse block. That will power your DC appliances. If you have a power station with high output DC, this is really nice. Bluetti AC models, eco flow delta pro and goal zeros yetis have that output.
If you have solar, wire it right into the power station.
You can also use the inverter on the power station to make your outlets work in the camper.
If you have some experience, this is all very doable and relatively easy. It can be a little bit much if you’re a total beginner with electrical. If the converter went on my camper, I would definitely replace it with a modern power station.
Thanks for tuning into the channel!
Brian, you ARE our professional ! And good tip to isolate the camper battery and still get power to the camper, easier then making up Anderson cables.
haha... ut oh 😂
it's really handy, I love using it this way in the winter
I could see large power stations replacing the RV battery, converter, and inverter on new RVs.
I've been doing it for years now and love it. It's higher performance, less money, and more versatility.
Great video! I would not have thought to do that. I just put together a battery box with a 100Ah lithium iron phosphate battery for use by the fridge but was thinking I'd to have to pull the fridge out to get to the power connections (T@b 320 clam shell). This is much easier! Thank you!
That's great to hear, I appreciate you watching the channel.
Were you able to power the RV directly from the battery box? Basically connecting the 12v plug directly to the battery?
Can you back feed the 110 volt system?
Yes, but I’m not showing that… lol
Can I use a portable power station as my only source of power for my trailer? Is there a way to wire that in?
Yes, it works out great. Remember, this is for very light use though.... lights fans lp furnace
So I could use the 12v in the galley to do this?
Yes, I do it all the time. It's nice to have the outlet and usb's on the power station inside, but the galley works great.
I love this, but the only 12v outlet in my camper is in the kitchen for the fridge.
Want to try this?
Installing 12v plug | EASY cigarette socket camper RV
ruclips.net/video/7UtsfliirNg/видео.html
@@DIYOutdoorLife, thanks!
Excellent video👍🏼👏🏼😊😎
Thank you!
Great tip!
Thank you, hope it helps out. Happy camping!
What about plugging in your 20 amp sure power cord into the outlet on the power station? Then you could use your regular plug ins as well in the camper right? Thanks for the video!
Check this video out (linked below). Although that will work, when you’re using a large enough power station, it’s very in efficient. This method will run 30-40% longer than plugging in through shore power. There’s something to be said for both way🙂
Portable Power Stations Uses with Campers | Tips Tricks & Hacks
ruclips.net/video/mU8iZZGlk_8/видео.html
@@DIYOutdoorLife nice I’ll check it out.. I don’t believe our fridge runs off the 12v power, it’s an older pop up camper. Also my power station is the 1000w Bluetti so it stores quite a bit.. also have the 200w solar panel for it. 👍
@@SolidBold00 you’ll get some use out of that for sure but I expect you’ll see what I mean. It’s an amazing thing to be able to do, it just doesn’t work well for prolonged trips. Give it a whirl and circle back to me, the solar will help big time.
@@DIYOutdoorLife Thanks for the replies brotha.. another question. So are you running the 12v dc output on your power station into a 12dc outlet in your camper? Even though it’s an outlet, it will allow power to go in as well?
Yes, they conduct either way. Super easy. Just follow the pointers in the vid about disconnecting any other source.
Great video Brian. Would I need a 1500 to 2000 solar generator if I want to use the AC or heater from time to time?
Hey Dan, what camper do you have include the type of air conditioner and heaters.
@@DIYOutdoorLife I am goingnto start to build a tear drop with a pop top. I would imagine a 1000watt solar generator would work for everything, but the AC or space heater, correct? I can buy a small 5K or 8K btu AC. Preferably a high seer rating, correct? What are yiu thoughts on building a solar generator-like the EG4 all-in one with the EG4 battery server pack. Good value for the potential watts and watt hours.
@@danemmerich6775 1000 watt hour power station should do a great job keeping up with the light duty stuff (lights, fan, USB, water pump etc).
If you utilize a propane furnace, you won’t need much battery for that either.
I would stay away from electric heat if you’re looking to be off grid.
Air conditioning can be very difficult, I can run my 5000 BTU window unit for about one night on 2000 watt hours. With some solar to recharge, this can get you by in a pinch. If you live in a real hot area and will need it regularly, you should look at a DC air conditioner or consider a gas generator for the really hot trips.
@@DIYOutdoorLife thanks Brian. Exactly what I needed to hear. I do love how you use your Solar Generator for powering your teardrop. Is there anyway to gimmyrig the Anderson connectors to another connector or ??? To hook up to another SG besides the Goal Zero which has the Anderson hookups?
@@danemmerich6775 Anderson plugs are extremely easy to adapt, it only takes a minute. The problem is, it’s not just the Anderson. Goal zero is providing a 30 amp DC plug… 99% of the others only provide 10 amp. This is what allows you to run the major stuff like you see me doing.
Bluetti AC models and Ecoflow delta pro have similar plugs, I haven’t found a cheaper PPS that has it yet
Great tip. It worked for me with no issues! Thanks!
That’s great! What power station are you using?
@@DIYOutdoorLife Ecoflow River Pro. Love it!
@@DigginTheNorth Solid unit! Love that people are doing this little trick.
Great video.
Thanks for the visit!
I figure your camper has an inverter, otherwise no need to disconnect the battery, I think.
We might have cross signals on this. The camper has a converter and a built-in battery charger. I’m running the camper on the power station by back feeding.
There’s no inverter on the camping, this system allows you to use the power station as the camper battery. You have to disconnect the main battery so it doesn’t try to charge the power station by setting them in parallel.
Hope this helps. Thanks for watching!
@@DIYOutdoorLife Got it. I thought you have plugged in A/C cable to power up all A/C receptacles.
good call...you can do that too but I'm not going to show that...lol
@@DIYOutdoorLife Watched your video showing you replacing fixed battery with Goal Zero Yeti. Is that doable with Oupes station? What cable would you use if there is any available?
@@malanalan1 this is the way to do it with the Oupes. The goal zero has a 30amp dc output, Oupes does not. 🙁
Love the content, love the vibes! Just earned yourself another fan and subscriber!
Thank you so much, that means a lot!
Slick idea Brian. Do you know of any long term negative effects using this method?
None really. The DC output is a low current output of 12v just like the camper battery puts out. Being limited to 10a will mean you can do less, but there’s nothing harmful.
Thanks for watching.
What is the difference between plugging in the 12v car connector from a power station in this video and connecting a high power dc port to the battery via an Anderson connector like in the other power hack video you made?
The main difference is high end capability vs ease of use.
The Anderson allows 30 amps at 13.5V on yeti X (less on other models)
The car connector allows 10a before tripping, which can cover essentials … the Anderson can do more but the auto requires almost no modifications to work.
You’re the man. I bought a pop-up camper as I have a family
Of 4 and a big dog.. but I have to say the tear drops are super appealing to me due to your videos. Lots of good info for my pop up too!
Haven't thought of this. Awesome idea. Thanks
Thanks for watching, hope it helps out.
If you do not disconnect the main battery, would the power station along with the main battery give you 'twice' the time of battery power?
No, you would want to do one and then the other. Both on at once is a bad idea. Most of the time, it would trip the 12v port on the power station, but with some models, they would attempt to balance potential with the camper battery… very bad. Never both on… hope this helps!