Check the current pricing/offers: amzn.to/3VfBvkR - Li Time LifePo4 Battery w/ Low Temp (230AH) On Sale amzn.to/418iTHf - Li Time LifePo4 Battery with Low Temp (100Ah) amzn.to/44YN8Am - Ampeak 2000watt Pure Sine Wave Inverter amzn.to/4f1CQ6h - Dabbsson DBS2100 Pro Power Station 2048Wh amzn.to/46jU9L3 - Renogy 100 Watt Solar Kit (includes solar controller) amzn.to/47GKejW - Renogy 200 Watt Solar Kit (includes solar controller) amzn.to/44w89Bn - Alpicool 12v Refrigerator amzn.to/3UnlI3u - Setpower PT55 Dual Zone Fridge ------------------------- Some of the products shown in this video were purchased by me, and some were provided by the manufacturers. ------------------------- BudgetTravelGuy is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for people to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. I also participate in other affiliate programs where I may be compensated for referring traffic. ------------------------- Other recent videos: ruclips.net/video/FBrXKj1DMIE/видео.html - What size power station do you need for van life? ruclips.net/video/mJggDvBl_vQ/видео.html - Vanlife Overnight At Police Station! ruclips.net/video/afKeTFolIjo/видео.html - The Ultimate Van Life Power Station? ruclips.net/video/SKOwQs5uBXc/видео.html - Easy Morning Routine In The Cargo Van ruclips.net/video/rkcy1icYiu0/видео.html - 3 Minute Night Routine In The Cargo Van ruclips.net/video/v9tDHxxmUdk/видео.html - The problem with 12v Fridges ruclips.net/video/MEE5tELNUjM/видео.html - Monster 2048wh Power Station ruclips.net/video/jscqT6UC6A8/видео.html - Minivan Camper Night Routine Tips ruclips.net/video/3WwHDx6DeEg/видео.html - Monster 12v Fridge (Setpower PT55) ruclips.net/video/B11-ocaj4p0/видео.html - Minivan Solar Questions Answered ruclips.net/video/JRSl1waZKSE/видео.html - Running Wires For Solar Panel Van Install ruclips.net/video/rJKWET24zuM/видео.html - No Drill Solar Panel Install (Metal Top Vans) ruclips.net/video/ARL8PCwlb9k/видео.html - Does Buc-ees Hate VanLifers? ruclips.net/video/1Ui5h5cMQsU/видео.html - Minimalistic Minivan Camper Build ruclips.net/video/zADRAs_1CKM/видео.html - Camper Van Inverter Install
With the good sales going on every Prime day and Black Friday, the power station is comparable in price to build your own. Especially if you ad a fast AC to DC charger for 1000 watts of charging. The real advantage of build your own is you can have spare parts and when something breaks you just need to replace that part. With the power station, you need to buy a whole power station.
I build power stations for a hobby. I work DC power in my job. I have built small (240wh) and larger (7200wh) systems. For this last black friday, Jackery had the 1000plus (1264wh, LIFEPO4) It has 2000w pure sine wave inverter BUILT IN, has ultra fast 1200w charger BUILT IN, has MPPT charging accepting 800w solar BUILT IN. Sale price was about $650 free shipping. You cant hardly buy those quality components cheaper and build yourself. You cant. Jackery the best? No. but this was a good deal. Let alone the bluetooth app control built in, 100w PD USB charging, etc. I know I can hookup multiple 12v100ah batteries in series for 24v and plug right into this thing greatly expanding its runtine.
I always enjoy your videos. But, this time you've glossed over a lot of details concerning costs for one type or another. For example, you mention the psw inverter as one of the three main DIY build components, but didn't expand on things required for operating such a device safely. In a 12v system, such an inverter will run upwards of $250 for a good brand and will require very large cabling. That 12v 230ah battery (I have the same model) has a BMS in it that limits the charge/discharge to 200amps. So, to be safe you are looking at 2/0awg cable that can handle such high amperage. That's going to require a big fuse and with lithium batteries, a "T-fuse" is recommended. Such a 225amp-250amp t-fuse will cost $80 or more with it's holder. You also should have a master isolating switch, a 12v fuse block and fuses for auxiliary loads, bus bars to connect everything together and fuses for the separate circuits (cooling fans, usb and 12v socket ports, etc.). A good shunt and battery monitor will run a couple more hundred. And then there are the special tools like lug and ferrule crimpers that an electrician might already have but would be a new purchase for most DIYers. And purchase mistakes will be made especially if you try to save money on bargain goods sold online. I purchased a hydraulic lug crimper online that was intermediate in price at $70. Turns out it was deceptively marketed (and marked) as awg specs when the dies were really metric. Similarly, I thought I was purchasing high quality welding/battery cable that was advertised online (including reference charts) in AWG standard only to later discover it was SAE specification which was relatively undersized. That coupled with thin-walled generic lugs, and the mis-marked crimper dies produced terrible and unsafe crimps. I ended up buying a professional crimper for $170 and high quality thick lugs and marine rated cable to solve that dilemma. (So caveat emptor. Buy quality brand name tools and materials local from an established local marine or electrical supply and save a bunch of headaches and will increase the safety of your DIY project.) You'll also need smaller terminals, crimpers, fuses, and wire as well as a few circuit breakers for the solar input and another for car/alternator charging if desired. And then there is wiring and sockets to allow charging from 110v shore power. Need a few USB outlets or 5520 DC ports? What about charging from the wall outlet at home or from shore power. posts when camping? You'll need an AC-DC charger. And if you are putting this in a vehicle, you'll probably want to have an enclosure for it, something like a large toolbox or modified cooler. What is your time worth? Add all that to the cost as well. And, you usually can't just buy one or two lugs, terminals, fuses, etc., but instead must purchase in quantity or in a kit which will leave you with a lot of surplus parts. That will make the second DIY project much less expensive than the first. My point is that there are a lot of hidden costs for someone just starting out with no previous electrical experience or tools. The plug-and-play power stations already have all these chargers, ports, fusing, fans, and monitors built-in, and in a very compact package. I think they are a bargain and that an initial DIY project will likely be more expensive, not less. I know in my case it certainly was. The benefits of the DIY build include being able to customize the unit to exactly fit your needs (1500w inverter vs 2000w inverter for example) with no need for extraneous components (do I really need two 5520 DC ports or six AC outlets?), and custom-sizing things like solar input. One big benefit has to do with replacing a component if it fails. You can't easily do that with a power station and so many become expensive paperweights. I have a pair of Ecoflow Delta2 power stations that are 1024wh each with 1800w psw inverters and many outlets built-in. It's all that I need for my basic camping needs. However, the technology intrigued me enough to wonder if I could build such a station myself. So I started a project that will have more capacity (2944wh) than the two Delta 2 units combined. Since I now have surplus wire, fuses and sundries, I decided to also build a smaller station (540wh) with a 50ah lithium battery dedicated to running a small 12v refrigerator/freezer when tent camping. I think the DIY builds are fascinating and worthwhile, but as someone new to electronics, I certainly don't consider them to be cheaper or as convenient as a power station purchased off the shelf, especially when a Delta2 unit is currently going for $399.99 during the 2024 Black Friday sales.
: ) THANKS MUCH for sharing and Happy Turkey Day! I have bought a second 1200 watt power station for art time Vanning, BUT it saved my fridge as we lost power in the BIG PNWest storm last week. Maybe thinking a hybrid system next with a battery as you suggest to parallel the power station to up capacity. ALL the BEST and Cheers ! : )
Hey Kevin You recommend RockPals to me years ago. I have the 300 and the 600. They work great. Hoping anyone who needed solar panels etc takes advantage of cyber Monday Deals are fantastic. I'm building out my solar project for my RT next yr
My cargo minivan camper with 120w solar panel on the roof to a 75wh AGM battery has a been enough to run a 25L fridge, 2 marine vent-fans, lights, and a small 400w inverter. That is basically ok, but not enough for induction stove cooking (want to get away from propane & butane gas) At the time I did my conversion that was the only option even though I grumbled about the battery being only 75wh instead of a 100wh, & lithium wasn’t an option even though it would basically double usable battery power. Today they are offering to upgrade the battery to 100wh, inverter to 1000w, replace the type of chargers controller to a better/higher quality one, but would require rewiring the gauge to accommodate higher voltage. If it would fit I would rather get a 200wh lithium battery, but I’m not sure it would fit where the auxiliary battery is currently. I’m leaning towards a medium sized power station like a Jackery 1000v2 or something similar from Anker or Bluetti, maybe up to 1500. It all depends on their shape, so I’m measuring my nooks & crannies to see what will fit. Most of the 2000+ power stations are on the huge/ heavy did. Long term plan is to have a hybrid system.
I mostly agree. If you’re mainly running dc devices, don’t waste your money on a power station. Do a simple diy system. The upfront cost can sneak up on you with a DIY system, mostly tools, wiring, and connectors. If you go with a power station, try not to rely on solar, it’s not really that efficient. A dc to dc converter or a bluetti charger one is a much better option.
I should also add that I used your idea for my van. 100w solar panel, charge controller, and 100ah battery. I use it mostly for my fridge, but recently added a diesel heater and so far it’s been great.
Check the current pricing/offers:
amzn.to/3VfBvkR - Li Time LifePo4 Battery w/ Low Temp (230AH) On Sale
amzn.to/418iTHf - Li Time LifePo4 Battery with Low Temp (100Ah)
amzn.to/44YN8Am - Ampeak 2000watt Pure Sine Wave Inverter
amzn.to/4f1CQ6h - Dabbsson DBS2100 Pro Power Station 2048Wh
amzn.to/46jU9L3 - Renogy 100 Watt Solar Kit (includes solar controller)
amzn.to/47GKejW - Renogy 200 Watt Solar Kit (includes solar controller)
amzn.to/44w89Bn - Alpicool 12v Refrigerator
amzn.to/3UnlI3u - Setpower PT55 Dual Zone Fridge
-------------------------
Some of the products shown in this video were purchased by me, and some were provided by the manufacturers.
-------------------------
BudgetTravelGuy is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for people to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. I also participate in other affiliate programs where I may be compensated for referring traffic.
-------------------------
Other recent videos:
ruclips.net/video/FBrXKj1DMIE/видео.html - What size power station do you need for van life?
ruclips.net/video/mJggDvBl_vQ/видео.html - Vanlife Overnight At Police Station!
ruclips.net/video/afKeTFolIjo/видео.html - The Ultimate Van Life Power Station?
ruclips.net/video/SKOwQs5uBXc/видео.html - Easy Morning Routine In The Cargo Van
ruclips.net/video/rkcy1icYiu0/видео.html - 3 Minute Night Routine In The Cargo Van
ruclips.net/video/v9tDHxxmUdk/видео.html - The problem with 12v Fridges
ruclips.net/video/MEE5tELNUjM/видео.html - Monster 2048wh Power Station
ruclips.net/video/jscqT6UC6A8/видео.html - Minivan Camper Night Routine Tips
ruclips.net/video/3WwHDx6DeEg/видео.html - Monster 12v Fridge (Setpower PT55)
ruclips.net/video/B11-ocaj4p0/видео.html - Minivan Solar Questions Answered
ruclips.net/video/JRSl1waZKSE/видео.html - Running Wires For Solar Panel Van Install
ruclips.net/video/rJKWET24zuM/видео.html - No Drill Solar Panel Install (Metal Top Vans)
ruclips.net/video/ARL8PCwlb9k/видео.html - Does Buc-ees Hate VanLifers?
ruclips.net/video/1Ui5h5cMQsU/видео.html - Minimalistic Minivan Camper Build
ruclips.net/video/zADRAs_1CKM/видео.html - Camper Van Inverter Install
With the good sales going on every Prime day and Black Friday, the power station is comparable in price to build your own. Especially if you ad a fast AC to DC charger for 1000 watts of charging.
The real advantage of build your own is you can have spare parts and when something breaks you just need to replace that part. With the power station, you need to buy a whole power station.
Thank you Kevin.
Very helpful info.
Happy Thanksgiving to you & yours.
I build power stations for a hobby. I work DC power in my job. I have built small (240wh) and larger (7200wh) systems. For this last black friday, Jackery had the 1000plus (1264wh, LIFEPO4) It has 2000w pure sine wave inverter BUILT IN, has ultra fast 1200w charger BUILT IN, has MPPT charging accepting 800w solar BUILT IN. Sale price was about $650 free shipping. You cant hardly buy those quality components cheaper and build yourself. You cant. Jackery the best? No. but this was a good deal. Let alone the bluetooth app control built in, 100w PD USB charging, etc. I know I can hookup multiple 12v100ah batteries in series for 24v and plug right into this thing greatly expanding its runtine.
I always enjoy your videos. But, this time you've glossed over a lot of details concerning costs for one type or another. For example, you mention the psw inverter as one of the three main DIY build components, but didn't expand on things required for operating such a device safely. In a 12v system, such an inverter will run upwards of $250 for a good brand and will require very large cabling. That 12v 230ah battery (I have the same model) has a BMS in it that limits the charge/discharge to 200amps. So, to be safe you are looking at 2/0awg cable that can handle such high amperage. That's going to require a big fuse and with lithium batteries, a "T-fuse" is recommended. Such a 225amp-250amp t-fuse will cost $80 or more with it's holder. You also should have a master isolating switch, a 12v fuse block and fuses for auxiliary loads, bus bars to connect everything together and fuses for the separate circuits (cooling fans, usb and 12v socket ports, etc.). A good shunt and battery monitor will run a couple more hundred. And then there are the special tools like lug and ferrule crimpers that an electrician might already have but would be a new purchase for most DIYers.
And purchase mistakes will be made especially if you try to save money on bargain goods sold online. I purchased a hydraulic lug crimper online that was intermediate in price at $70. Turns out it was deceptively marketed (and marked) as awg specs when the dies were really metric. Similarly, I thought I was purchasing high quality welding/battery cable that was advertised online (including reference charts) in AWG standard only to later discover it was SAE specification which was relatively undersized. That coupled with thin-walled generic lugs, and the mis-marked crimper dies produced terrible and unsafe crimps. I ended up buying a professional crimper for $170 and high quality thick lugs and marine rated cable to solve that dilemma. (So caveat emptor. Buy quality brand name tools and materials local from an established local marine or electrical supply and save a bunch of headaches and will increase the safety of your DIY project.)
You'll also need smaller terminals, crimpers, fuses, and wire as well as a few circuit breakers for the solar input and another for car/alternator charging if desired. And then there is wiring and sockets to allow charging from 110v shore power. Need a few USB outlets or 5520 DC ports? What about charging from the wall outlet at home or from shore power. posts when camping? You'll need an AC-DC charger. And if you are putting this in a vehicle, you'll probably want to have an enclosure for it, something like a large toolbox or modified cooler. What is your time worth? Add all that to the cost as well. And, you usually can't just buy one or two lugs, terminals, fuses, etc., but instead must purchase in quantity or in a kit which will leave you with a lot of surplus parts. That will make the second DIY project much less expensive than the first.
My point is that there are a lot of hidden costs for someone just starting out with no previous electrical experience or tools. The plug-and-play power stations already have all these chargers, ports, fusing, fans, and monitors built-in, and in a very compact package. I think they are a bargain and that an initial DIY project will likely be more expensive, not less. I know in my case it certainly was. The benefits of the DIY build include being able to customize the unit to exactly fit your needs (1500w inverter vs 2000w inverter for example) with no need for extraneous components (do I really need two 5520 DC ports or six AC outlets?), and custom-sizing things like solar input. One big benefit has to do with replacing a component if it fails. You can't easily do that with a power station and so many become expensive paperweights.
I have a pair of Ecoflow Delta2 power stations that are 1024wh each with 1800w psw inverters and many outlets built-in. It's all that I need for my basic camping needs. However, the technology intrigued me enough to wonder if I could build such a station myself. So I started a project that will have more capacity (2944wh) than the two Delta 2 units combined. Since I now have surplus wire, fuses and sundries, I decided to also build a smaller station (540wh) with a 50ah lithium battery dedicated to running a small 12v refrigerator/freezer when tent camping. I think the DIY builds are fascinating and worthwhile, but as someone new to electronics, I certainly don't consider them to be cheaper or as convenient as a power station purchased off the shelf, especially when a Delta2 unit is currently going for $399.99 during the 2024 Black Friday sales.
: ) THANKS MUCH for sharing and Happy Turkey Day! I have bought a second 1200 watt power station for art time Vanning, BUT it saved my fridge as we lost power in the BIG PNWest storm last week. Maybe thinking a hybrid system next with a battery as you suggest to parallel the power station to up capacity. ALL the BEST and Cheers ! : )
Thanks kevin good tips!
Hey Kevin
You recommend RockPals to me years ago. I have the 300 and the 600. They work great. Hoping anyone who needed solar panels etc takes advantage of cyber Monday Deals are fantastic. I'm building out my solar project for my RT next yr
Thank you for sharing your thoughts
My cargo minivan camper with 120w solar panel on the roof to a 75wh AGM battery has a been enough to run a 25L fridge, 2 marine vent-fans, lights, and a small 400w inverter. That is basically ok, but not enough for induction stove cooking (want to get away from propane & butane gas) At the time I did my conversion that was the only option even though I grumbled about the battery being only 75wh instead of a 100wh, & lithium wasn’t an option even though it would basically double usable battery power. Today they are offering to upgrade the battery to 100wh, inverter to 1000w, replace the type of chargers controller to a better/higher quality one, but would require rewiring the gauge to accommodate higher voltage. If it would fit I would rather get a 200wh lithium battery, but I’m not sure it would fit where the auxiliary battery is currently. I’m leaning towards a medium sized power station like a Jackery 1000v2 or something similar from Anker or Bluetti, maybe up to 1500. It all depends on their shape, so I’m measuring my nooks & crannies to see what will fit. Most of the 2000+ power stations are on the huge/ heavy did. Long term plan is to have a hybrid system.
I mostly agree. If you’re mainly running dc devices, don’t waste your money on a power station. Do a simple diy system. The upfront cost can sneak up on you with a DIY system, mostly tools, wiring, and connectors. If you go with a power station, try not to rely on solar, it’s not really that efficient. A dc to dc converter or a bluetti charger one is a much better option.
I should also add that I used your idea for my van. 100w solar panel, charge controller, and 100ah battery. I use it mostly for my fridge, but recently added a diesel heater and so far it’s been great.
A couple of the larger power stations add the ability to charge at an EV station
That would be nice. We get a lot of cloudy days in the sunshine state, especially if there's a tropical system in the area.
Kevin Howdy My Friend I Hope All’s Well With You And Your Family 🤗❤️🙏🏼👼🏼 Stay Safe Happy Thanksgiving Y'all can't
Hey Rose....Merry Christmas...and you're still my hero !!!!
@ awe Thank You! Merry Christmas I was Very Pleased to have met you and Hope our paths cross again someday My Friend! 🤗❤️🙏🏼👼🏼