Thank you for this enlightening tutorial on charging our solar power station using the alternator! Your step-by-step guide was incredibly informative and easy to follow, empowering us to maximize the potential of our system. Grateful for your expertise and for sharing such valuable insights with the community. Here's to harnessing renewable energy in innovative ways! Keep shining light on sustainable practices! ☀🔋
Thanks for sharing. Its a great way to charge when the sun don't shine. I think up to 500W on the transit is a safe draw and should cause on problems. Just dont forget to turn it off when not driving.
This is interesting! We watched it awhile ago and need to watch it again later when we don't have a long van to do list taking too much brain space! We didn't even think we had that hookup spot on our seat and assumed it was specific to newer vans but Steve went out to look and sure enough, we do! But we don't have the access you show on the floor between our seats.
We had no idea it was there either! If you think it might help, maybe extensions to a different location might work. I'll let you know how it works out on our next trip.
It's pretty much plug and play, Ford already has a 50-amp fuse on that part of the circuitry. In addition, I would not recommend using it for anything else than simply charging the power station. (The Bluetti consumes about 450-500 watts)
@@OurRetiredLife That is good info to know. Half of solar panels? I'm looking at the Bluetti AC200Max (on Sale)... Bluetti doesn't make an alternator charger "yet" (like GoalZero)...i need to lookout your video several more time to figure out how you did it
Has anyone tried this to confirm it works? He did say 'Theoretically' at one point. I dont believe you can charge the Bluetti with multiple inputs. Since you have to change the input charging parameter in the Bluetti setttings on what its charging from.
Yes you can charge from both the AC(wall charger) and solar at the same time. I have been doing this for months. You may not understand the setup. You do not need to change any parameters. The bluetti has two inputs one for the solar/12V and one for the ac for the wall charger.
hey, do you know if powerstation Aferiy P210 I can charge with my 1500W car inventer . like plug an inventer to car battery and then inventer to powerstation thru AC plug. I would be very thankful for any info
I don't know about the specific model but if you charging it using ac adaptor you would normally use at home it should work fine. I connected the inverter just before the battery and the circuit on the transit has a fuse between my connection point and the battery. I only draw about 540 watts max from the cars alternator/battery since the fuse is 70 amps.
Once we started charging it from thr alternator, it now seems to have settled down. But we did not really get much support from Bluetti customer service unfortunately
The mysterious draw has been frustrating to me as well. I have gone so far as to open and close the switch on my Bluetooth at night before bed. Bluetti app, open close to AC. I have been thinking about installing a marine on/ off switch between bluetti and cabin to prohibit the ghost draw. @OurRetiredLife
We have not had a good experience with the Bluetti products. From what I've found, it would need twice as long to charge (if it worked properly). The inverter I chose is better quality, half the price of the Bluetti and charges faster.
Yes, it does - a 2000w inverter. It can only be used if the Bluetti battery has power. I used the extra inverter to convert the DC from the alternator to AC so that I can charge the Bluetti battery. It's simliar to the Bluetti charging from shore power.
We hope you enjoy our video of CHARGING our SOLAR POWER STATION using the ALTERNATOR - 2021 Ford Transit 250👍. LIKE. SHARE. COMMENT. Thanks
thanks for sharing your video of CHARGING our SOLAR POWER STATION using the ALTERNATOR - 2021 Ford Transit 250
Thank you for this enlightening tutorial on charging our solar power station using the alternator! Your step-by-step guide was incredibly informative and easy to follow, empowering us to maximize the potential of our system. Grateful for your expertise and for sharing such valuable insights with the community. Here's to harnessing renewable energy in innovative ways! Keep shining light on sustainable practices! ☀🔋
Thanks for sharing. Its a great way to charge when the sun don't shine. I think up to 500W on the transit is a safe draw and should cause on problems. Just dont forget to turn it off when not driving.
Great tip! Thanks for watching 😊
This is interesting! We watched it awhile ago and need to watch it again later when we don't have a long van to do list taking too much brain space! We didn't even think we had that hookup spot on our seat and assumed it was specific to newer vans but Steve went out to look and sure enough, we do! But we don't have the access you show on the floor between our seats.
We had no idea it was there either! If you think it might help, maybe extensions to a different location might work. I'll let you know how it works out on our next trip.
@@OurRetiredLife We look forward to the report! 🙂
The ground is in the same place...If it's a pre 2020 van, lift the rubber mat between the seats
Hi did you add a fuse to any of this or is it just plug and play with the ford transit connection?
It's pretty much plug and play, Ford already has a 50-amp fuse on that part of the circuitry. In addition, I would not recommend using it for anything else than simply charging the power station. (The Bluetti consumes about 450-500 watts)
Thank you for this video. I appreciate how you took the time to explain the setup. How is this additional way of charging the Bluetti working?
It's a game changer! We could have done well with this and only half of our solar power setup. We wish we knew this up front.
@@OurRetiredLife That is good info to know. Half of solar panels? I'm looking at the Bluetti AC200Max (on Sale)... Bluetti doesn't make an alternator charger "yet" (like GoalZero)...i need to lookout your video several more time to figure out how you did it
Greetings, after using this setup for a year, any issues with the alternator? Do you have dual batteries? @@OurRetiredLife
Has anyone tried this to confirm it works? He did say 'Theoretically' at one point.
I dont believe you can charge the Bluetti with multiple inputs. Since you have to change the input charging parameter in the Bluetti setttings on what its charging from.
Yes you can charge from both the AC(wall charger) and solar at the same time. I have been doing this for months. You may not understand the setup. You do not need to change any parameters. The bluetti has two inputs one for the solar/12V and one for the ac for the wall charger.
I realized that I have the AC200. The original model which doesnt allow you to do that. So you are correct, my apologize@@OurRetiredLife
hey, do you know if powerstation Aferiy P210 I can charge with my 1500W car inventer . like plug an inventer to car battery and then inventer to powerstation thru AC plug. I would be very thankful for any info
I don't know about the specific model but if you charging it using ac adaptor you would normally use at home it should work fine. I connected the inverter just before the battery and the circuit on the transit has a fuse between my connection point and the battery. I only draw about 540 watts max from the cars alternator/battery since the fuse is 70 amps.
Thx for posting! So inverter is pulling directly from van battery and unless the inverter is turned off, could drain the van battery correct?
Yes that's right. Don't let that happen!
Thanks for posting... a question. I also have the problem with the bluetti that it randomly goes from 30% to 0, have you figured out how to fix that?
Once we started charging it from thr alternator, it now seems to have settled down. But we did not really get much support from Bluetti customer service unfortunately
The mysterious draw has been frustrating to me as well. I have gone so far as to open and close the switch on my Bluetooth at night before bed. Bluetti app, open close to AC. I have been thinking about installing a marine on/ off switch between bluetti and cabin to prohibit the ghost draw. @OurRetiredLife
Why did you not use the Bluetti DC charging enhancer D050S instead of an inverter?
We have not had a good experience with the Bluetti products. From what I've found, it would need twice as long to charge (if it worked properly). The inverter I chose is better quality, half the price of the Bluetti and charges faster.
Doesn’t the blueitti have a built-in inverter?
Yes, it does - a 2000w inverter. It can only be used if the Bluetti battery has power. I used the extra inverter to convert the DC from the alternator to AC so that I can charge the Bluetti battery. It's simliar to the Bluetti charging from shore power.
Look into updating the software….
On the Bluetti? There does not seem to be an option to do that. Thanks though.
@@OurRetiredLife there should be a app you down load to your phone then it can connect thru Bluetooth to the Bluetti
@@mikei8957 The AC200P does not have Bluetooth.