I've seen this guy on a few chrome vids a while ago however i think he is too grounded so he went his own way however his a better reviewer. sorry im not a regular viewer don't know who this man is however he sold me on this product.
pretty high price to pay tbh, could get a dc to dc boost converter and connect the output side to the solar panel input on a power station. that setup would be like $50 for ~500w 12v battery - 12v boost converter to 60v - 60v 8amps into the solar panel input on the power station = ~500w charging from the alternator. personally would not try to pull more than 50amps from the alternator, unless you got a purpose built for constant charging.
also keep in mind that what i posted above is for the power station shown in the video since it says it can accept 11-60vdc at a max rate of 15 amps per pv port (1800w) some power stations wont be able to accept a 60v input depending on their max charge rate but most boost converters have a dial you can adjust for what you need, higher output voltage is better when running wires from your engine bay into your cabin(thinner wires)
@@rookm13This is what I was thinking as well a simple buck booster to the correct amp and voltage but your idea of connecting to the solar intake port is good. Is that where Joseph connected the alternator charger? Also I wanted to know what percentage the Eco Flow was at when he started so how low was it?
One of the best product reviews I’ve ever seen. I wish I could afford an ecoflow setup. Their really leading the pack with their innovative ideas. Someday 🤞
12 volt to 48 volt 15 amp Boost Converter, it will cost you a third the price and get you around the Amp limit of the lower voltage, Ecoflow controls how many amps the port will pull based on voltage so upping the voltage into the solar voltage range is what you need, also fun fact, you can take an off the shelf 48 Volt Lifepo4 battery and plug it into the solar input on the Delta and use it to charge the internal battery, then you can connect a separate Solar Charge Controller to that battery and increase your solar collection capability.
Love what Eco Flow created. Now there is a company who honestly THINKS about what No Mads need. Electrical stops so many. I know I do not want to, have to mess with, or think about honestly. Portable units are the way to go. Plug and play electrical. I know, not totally, but closer than having to create your own electrical system. Plus, less space required. My wonder is exactly how heavy is unit? And could wheels be added for easier movement. Coming from having scoliosis: weight and moving things are important. Living in Canada, its nice to have the extra capability of using as a charger for vehicle. Also, being cheaper than setting up a complete system is pretty amazing. I like. Thanks and safe travels
Yes they're certainly moving in the right direction when it comes to servicing overland adventure vehicles and I hope they continue to make improvements to serve that niche. The weight is different for each of the delta series batteries and all that information is on their website. The delta 2 is the lightest at 27lbs and the alternator charger is 5lbs. The delta pro has wheels, but it's also a much larger machine, however it also has the advantage of plugging it into a EV charge station which is pretty cool In its own right.
You can always make a little cart for it that suits your specific needs. Well ok maybe not necessarily you make it, but I hope you gather what I mean. I have my physical limits due to health as well and have had to get creative with things I'm no longer able to move and lift easily 🙃 Stay safe and well, much love ❤️ 🤙✌️
@@SharingTheWild Just want to point out - You mentioned the delta 2 to that person at 27lbs but your video was demonstrating the delta 2 max which is actually around 50+lbs. You might be misleading that person thinking they can get what they see in the video at only 27lbs and if weight becomes an issue in their own setup, this comment could cause an issue.
I have the Delta 2 Max, which is what I believe he's displaying in this video. it's one of the most capable all-in-one compact/ lightweight and QUIET setups current available. Mine weighs just under 50lbs and is well balanced between the handles for lifting. I'm sure you could put it on wheels easily. I bought one for myself and one for my parents as an emergency backup since the Delta 2 Max can run anything in a house other than maybe an electric hot water heater or a clothes dryer. Major limitation is that you're gonna run the battery out if you run heavy loads for any extended length of time. I have barely used mine yet, but I also wanted to use it as a standalone, all in one electrical system for a miniature camper build.
Yes, you gave them a good idea for van life suitability. Fun fact: Sharing the Wild does EcoFlow, Vancity Vanlife does Jackery and The CatLady in a Van does Bluetti.
With them all doing something different just gives us hands on knowledge to capabilities. Love it. They do the work and we get to enjoy. These companies are smart to offer items to No Mads.
Im a homeless truck driver this would be a game changer in my truck. Live what echo flow did here. Please echo flow send me this set up and ill review it on you tube from a truck drivers point of view. That would open up a whole new market for the company
Really great, honest review, Joseph! I'm happy to see a new Vanlife vid...not that I don't care for your diving stuff, but not something I can do physically. I know many of us were hoping to see you with your old buddies while Jeffie is back!
These van life tools are so great for you guys. I'm glad you can earn money advertising for them Joseph. We have a small power station in case of power outages.
I was just looking at these on the EcoFlow website so this is timely! I just bought a van and am going to a custom car audio place to get an estimate on them installing a larger alternator to fast-charge an Ecoflow Delta Max or Pro. Thanks to you and this video, I now know enough about this charger to decide if it's better than my original plan.
Wow finally something I can figure out. Oh wait, it figured it out for me already.😁I’ve been watching so many RUclips tutorials on power stations solar hook up battery powerer. This sound like it will cure my fear of buying what I can’t build on my own
Sounds like they need to build a their own 12-volt panel them from Echo flow Plug and Play and then you can plug everything you want and then into your van or whatever you're running pretty cool everything's becoming Plug and Play👍
Dang, what game changer !!! Appreciate your stating what all you have vs. this new equipt. Going to have to make a trailor pretty soon LOL Well done Joseph !
Yeah I feel that juggle too my friend, and it's not an easy time either. Love your self, love your enemy, grow perspective and take one step at a time.
I’ve seen videos of people using a 12 V male plug and just running the wires off of that to their fuse panel. I like your thinking of eventually connecting to those side ports, but for a low amperage 12 V system, the cigarette lighter could suffice.
other power stations have a 30 amp connector that can actually run everything. bluetti and pecron have it, same with oupes, and some others. its a new feature getting put on some of the newer releases.
Years ago, I started off with Jackery's (2), then a Bluette (1), and last, but not least, an EcoFlow. Gave my larger Jackery/portable solar panel to my son and his wife (they later bought an EcoFlow, for a house backup system), gave the Bluette to a friend, and now own 3 Ecoflow's, because I like them the best (fastest charge). One is for my house backup, and I have ridgid solar panels for that, along with a dual fuel generator, since I live in a cold climate, and can go many days with little sunlight during winter. The second is for use in my yard (I live on acreage), and the third is used in my vehicle (I also have the portable EcoFlow solar panels), while on trip's. This alternator charger is interesting, and I'll be looking into it.
These are not for me.. just makes more sense to build my own bank HOWEVER I love your approach to these reviews. Rather than coming across as a shill just plugging a bunch of stuff in to run it down, you seem to behave more like someone that got a fun new toy and wants to learn everything about it. That makes me watch these videos even if I don’t care too much about the particular product.
Sadly still over $2500 CAD for me, the big 3 companies never lower there prices more than 30%. I need to run a cpap when my boy and I go car camping so I will stick with a different brand that gives a better deal. Super happy for you to have this opportunity and this was a great video cept I couldn't get that code on the screen to work on a laptop or tv with my iPhone camera.
EcoFlow does sell refurbished unit's on ebay, that you can get for a much lower price, and they come with a warranty. I bought one, that I've had for four years now, and it work's just as well as the ones I bought new (I have 3).
Hey @ecoflow great job giving this guy your product to review. Hands down best explanation of features. ECOFLOW, PLEASE RELEASE A HIGH OUTPUT 12V DC PLUG FOR THE SIDE PORTS LIKE HE DESCRIBES. That would make this hands down the best option for overlanding. I’m already going to purchase this setup just because of this video. If you add the high output 12v capability, it will decimate all other competitors. Oh, and also make the app CarPlay compatible so I can keep tabs on my dash without opening my phone.
Great video! Wow! I couldn't tell how long it took to charge fully. I saw that the Ecoflow itself was only down 15%, but did you drive for an hour or more or less? Thank you!
Yeah I saw that I forgot to include that important detail. 🤦♂️ I ended up running a few errands and figured it got there after 75min or so of driving. Thanks by the way!
One downside of these all in one units is that if something fails, good luck getting it repaired without buying a whole new unit, as opposed to replacing just a single component in your traditional setup.
I’ve been with Ecoflow several years and have been the owner of 7 solar generators. I’ve never had a problem, though some have. Belongings to their Facebook groups finds a lot of peer support, along 3with employee contact often.
@@DirtyFeetHappyHeart Ecoflow has a 5 year warranty on a lot of their stuff. I had to do an RMA on a similar Bluetti unit ("only" 3 year warranty), and just sent it in and they sent me a new replacement back. Hopefully Ecoflow is similar.
Just build a rack with extruded aluminum, fit batteries, solar charge controller, DC/DC. You can get like 5 times as much electricity, cook all day, charge E-Bikes, run AC and computers ALL DAY. Build your own, from a professional electrician’s perspective, these units are highway robbery literally… anyone who says these are cheaper is full of bs lol
Great product(s), the reason you have a low voltage on your starter battery is because it needs to be replaced, anything less than 13 volts is borderline 👍🏼 Great video’
Wild, I was just wondering if there was something like this available. So far I've only had to use a power bank in my van. But I want to up my game by adding refrigeration. This sounds like it might just meet the needs! Exactly - I won't have to learn how to build and maintain an electrical system for my van. Very cool.
I love your reviews. They're so informative, objective, and thoughtful. Any product that you review will benefit from that partnership. You should really consider doing product consultation with a few worthy companies. It would be amazing to see what comes of that.
Here is one senario that just happened to a friend that would be a humbug saver. Your battery dies at a remote place and your battery jumper you have works, but the battery is so low on voltage that the engine will not run is you take the booster off. With this alternator charger in place, you can direct the charge from your solar battery to your starter battery and get to where you need to and replace the bad battery provided you have enough voltage left. This brings another point of charging up your solar battery when it gets to the halfway point so you always have voltage for this possibility. It is very similar to the fill up your gas tank upon reaching half tank so you ALWAYS have a reserve "just in case." Great video and the Delta 2 Max is the perfect "inbetween" unit Ecoflo makes. 👍👍👍
What a great setup, simple installation and easy to use. This could be a good choice for my truck camper. I would be able to tie into my shore power and maintain the 12v systems (camper and truck) easily... quiet, cost effective, flexible... hmmm Really well done video too. I appreciate your thoughts on this 👍
Oh, thank you! I purchased the Ecoflow 2 (not Max) with free solar panels and the 800 Alternator Charger (which is on back order) all for under $1,000 from another channel but she didn't do a video on it like this and this is terrific for someone who knows absolutely nothing about this kinda stuff. I'm going to save this so I can refer back to it when it's time to use it in my 2007 Chrysler T & C mini van and get on the road. Again, thank you.
I picked up a 12V 30 A DC to DC converter on Amazon for under $20. It gets under 300W but is good enough for my needs. If I was doing a full build I'd probably get the EcoflowDC to DC. I'm using the older Delta MAX.
Hi Joseph! Great Review Video! I will be curious after you've used it for a while as how well the product works for you ! I think it will be a game changer for a lot of people! T.Y. For Sharing this new product! :Great Video!🤗👍; ♥️🫂; See You on the next video 🙂
You said it's for EcoFlow power stations... but it's for EcoFlow Delta series power stations only using an XT90 cable ($599). It doesn't work for the River 2 series which has a XT60 plug. So for my River 2 Pro I have to buy a different product. The Pecron Smart Car Charger (DC1242-500) ($149) which will charge almost any power station at up to 500watts using an XT60i cable, or up to approx 320watts using an XT60 cable. I wish the EcoFlow 800watt Alternator Charger worked for the EcoFlow River 2 series.
Alternator chargers are overlooked with most people going for solar. An internal combustion engine has around 200,000 W available and driving two hours per day with the EcoFlow alternator charger produces 1.6 kWh - more than enough daily energy for everything except air conditioning.
I have two of the eco flow batteries and also two of the extra batteries. I love mine! It’s going to come in handy during the hurricane season and my CPAP machine. The alternator battery would be great to have to.
So just remember you can buy higher output alts that are factory ( Do your homework on your SUV/Van/Car ) see if your model had a powerseat/heated which by default they come with a highout put And Or other compaded models ..I have a HO alt in my blazer from a Tahoe (145amp)
Fantastic review Joseph. What else could Ecoflow ask for. I hope they recognise a great asset in somebody like yourself for their company. I'm sure all full-time nomads like myself would love to have this exact setup. Safe travels there Joseph.🙋♀️🚐 🌏
I’m not sure I understand the need for this extra unit. First, you better make sure your alternator can handle the extra load of up to 800 watts. Though this device appears to take that into account and it regulates the charge, so that’s good. Second, as far as charging your power station, that can be done with more watts by getting a cheaper dc to dc converter. Step up the voltage and you’ll be able to charge quicker. (Amps are typically fixed, mine is ten amps.)
Pretty neat! It's easy for RV's & camper-vans to get filled up with so many systems (solar controllers, DC-DC chargers, batteries, bus bars, circuit breakers, cable runs EVERYWHERE, separate shunts & battery monitors, inverters, etc, etc). Having everything in one box greatly reduces electrical line losses and sure makes for a better looking and easier setup. My worry is that if one component goes bad (inside the EcoFlow unit), finding and repairing it would be more difficult (than the current standard/separate and accessible ones). Still, this is probably the future. Now if they could only make a smaller/better and reliable mini-heat pump....
Gr8 job. 1 thing you forgot are electrical tools, cable and connector costs. Those were significant for me. Also trouble shooting can be difficult. My 600 watt DC DC is costing about half a mile per gallon or about $.45 per hour. I need more usage to get a better number on this.
👋😀👍 Thanks for the review, Joseph. Very well done and informative. If I were ever to go full time, this is the way I would go for my electrical system.
So, it seems that it's pulling in excess of 60 amps from the alternator. Better make sure that the alternator is spec'd to pull that much on top of all the other energy demands from the electronics in the vehicle or you could shorten the life of the alternator.
Your right to think that and it's an important question. I asked it myself and looked at what I had to test that out and did my best to cover it in this video using the tools I had. That being said they do indicate on their website that it only uses the surplus energy from the alternator and won't hog it from the vehicles power needs. In my case I already have an oversized alternator in my van so it wasn't the best test case for their claim. Either way I did what I could to illustrate it in the best way I knew how and pointed out that the app gives you the option to set the limit on the output power anyway. On the other hand the unit may not be able to bridge the gap with all the vehicles tech out there, so it would be prudent to do your own research before pulling the trigger. That being said this a brand new product and like any new innovation to hit the market it will undoubtedly show it's true colours in time, then again DC-DC charger tech has been out for awhile now so it's not like ecoflow is reinventing the wheel here. On a side note I really appreciate your question and I'm kicking myself for not getting into it as much as I just did with this response to you. These are all really important things to consider and it would have made the video more useful to have had included this thought process. Maybe I'll do a follow up to it in the future, in the mean time I'll see what other questions and considerations are shared. Thanks again @Kyungshim6483
I would dial back the draw on the alternator to the point where sufficient power is being generated for day to day needs. You will figure this out as you use the system.
I worry about problems with internal batteries. How easy it is to change them out? In a self build system you just swap out a battery. What does one do with a solar generator?
Yeah me too. I think it would be wise of them to build a system that separates out some of the tech so it can be more easily serviced on the fly. It would also allow for more creative freedom on the installation which is very important in small spaces like vans. Not only does that make more sense from an end user perspective, but it's more ecologically responsible and economically sustainable for the company in the long run. I can't predict if they will go in that direction and I'm not connected to their engineering department, but seeing them come out with this new alternator charger as a separate plug in product leaves me thinking that they may just build upon this niche.
I have a delta 2 max I actually used 1.5in purple foam to inclose the unit I have 2 simple 12v temp controlled fans the temp sensor in near the output of the unit fans I left a full 1in air gap around the entire unit and under the bottom of the unit is a 80w 12v silicone heater pad with dual in line temp sensors that trip at -5c. I did dual with individual led panel lights, so if one fails, the light will stay on, and I can fix it without risk of the heater getting stuck on. All this is in a heavily customized runaway rouser camper. I have the ecoflow generator on the trailer hooked to propane. I swapped out the window style A/C for an inverter heat pump window style 12k btu unit draws about the same power as the original but 20-25% faster at cooling the unit and added an eletric heat option. I have 4x 480w bifacial panels on the roof with a custom tilt mount with actuators. And a sun tracker system I made. You can use the alternator system to power said fuse panel. You just need a small 12.8v lifepo4 battery, and the panel you can feed the alternator system in reverse to keep a small 12v system running happy. The internal battery system is 48v so the side connector will not help much for direct use.
Great video, bud. I almost went with the Renogy inverter and heavy duty cables to top up my Delta. I purchased the alternator charger and should be in soon. Cheers from sub-aquatic Vancouver!
A question, did you disconnect your already installed DC to DC charger ? Can the alternator cope with both DC to DC charger plus the eco charger at the same time?
the biggest issue with this device is the PRICE, $599 USD is freaking crazy, this device does 3 things, firstly it's a Boost Converter, it takes the 12/24 volt battery voltage of the car/truck and boosts it to 40-60 volts, it does this because the Solar Panel/Car Charger port on the Ecoflow determines how many amps it will draw based on the voltage coming into it so by raising the voltage it allows higher amperage which is what allows it to charge faster then the cigarette lighter charger. You can replicate this function with a Boost Converter to bump the 12 volt to 48 volt and get similar wattage of charging for about 100-150 bucks USD, the second thing it is is a Jump Pack and I suspect as a jump pack it's gonna be pretty useless simply because you can't push that many amps though the small wires and the third thing is the battery maintainer to which I ask who needs that if you have a jump pack? If this was $200 it would be well priced for what it gives you, if it was $300 I could understand, but as $600 you could pay a guy that knows whats he doing to recreate that setup cheaper. What this proves is Ecoflow knows they are screwing people over or they wouldn't be charging what they are charging for extra batteries, let me explain, the biggest Ecoflow extra battery (which is for the Delta Pro) at 3.6 KwH of capacity sells for $1,600 on sale, well I bought a 48v 100 Ah Lifepo4 battery (technically 51.2 Volt, so 5.12 KwH's) battery on Amazon for $1,100 and then spent another $100 on a 48v Solar Charge Controller that supports up to like 2800 watts of solar and a 150v solar VOC and simply plug that battery into the solar input on the power station and the external battery keeps the internal battery charged 24/7 and the solar charge controller recharges the extra battery, so I just replicated a LARGER extra battery for 2/3rds the price and increased solar intake capacity.
It looks like your van is a Dodge Grand Caravan. As far as I can tell, the stock alternator puts out 60 amps max at high RPMs. If you're pulling 800 watts at 14 volts, that's ~57 amps just for the Delta and you said you were running other things too. Did I get the van wrong? Do you have an upgraded alternator? Do you have a temperature sensor on the alternator to know how it's handling the load? I've been thinking of doing something like this and I'm just trying to understand some of the different scenarios and how people are handling them. If I understand correctly, you can control the charge rate on the Delta, so I was hoping you would show how you set that and why you chose a specific setting so I could learn something new.
Great review. I have been eyeing power banks and watching prices etc. The ability to charge from the alternator while driving is a huge plus and the idea that it helps maintain the vehicle battery and providing a jump if needed is great for added peace of mind when traveling is awesome. The power output seems very adequate Iand like that it is expandable. So all this combined with a coupon from Amazon, another 12% discount from Amazon and the nice 6% discount... convinced me to jump on this. I also added a 160w solar panel. Thought about going larger for the solar but with the alternator charging, I probably won't need the solar near as much except for extended stays and I think it is likely something I won't use much but handy to have.
The devils in the details. Standard car alternators will probably get fried on a regular basis. Need to factor in the price of a high amp alternator or even a second one if your engine bay has the space, otherwise alternator replacement will be an ongoing thing
Great video. I’ve owned 7 of the Ecoflow solar generators and have never had a problem. If I’d known this was coming I might have reconsidered driving to AZ and getting a hard panel installed a top my Sienna.
@@DanielRichards644 I didn’t say I bought them. Two were given to me by Ecoflow. I gave one as a present, sold another one to someone in need, and when my largest was stolen I replaced it with two smaller ones.
HEY ECOFLOW! You did the smart thing having this guy promote this. I'm buying it! He did exactly what I wanted to see
I've seen this guy on a few chrome vids a while ago however i think he is too grounded so he went his own way however his a better reviewer. sorry im not a regular viewer don't know who this man is however he sold me on this product.
Great news for us who don't know nothing about how to build all those electrical systems.
pretty high price to pay tbh, could get a dc to dc boost converter and connect the output side to the solar panel input on a power station. that setup would be like $50 for ~500w
12v battery - 12v boost converter to 60v - 60v 8amps into the solar panel input on the power station = ~500w charging from the alternator. personally would not try to pull more than 50amps from the alternator, unless you got a purpose built for constant charging.
also keep in mind that what i posted above is for the power station shown in the video since it says it can accept 11-60vdc at a max rate of 15 amps per pv port (1800w)
some power stations wont be able to accept a 60v input depending on their max charge rate but most boost converters have a dial you can adjust for what you need, higher output voltage is better when running wires from your engine bay into your cabin(thinner wires)
Ikr.... I was looking at his original setup like yup... This is one of those super ultra PhD spaceship setups that I will never understand
@@rookm13This is what I was thinking as well a simple buck booster to the correct amp and voltage but your idea of connecting to the solar intake port is good. Is that where Joseph connected the alternator charger? Also I wanted to know what percentage the Eco Flow was at when he started so how low was it?
One of the best product reviews I’ve ever seen.
I wish I could afford an ecoflow setup.
Their really leading the pack with their innovative ideas.
Someday 🤞
Thank you Bobby! I certainly put some time and thought into this one, but theirs always room for improvement too.
Yes so wish I could afford! Someday
I was just complaining about charging my delta through the 12 volt plug, and then i see this!
12 volt to 48 volt 15 amp Boost Converter, it will cost you a third the price and get you around the Amp limit of the lower voltage, Ecoflow controls how many amps the port will pull based on voltage so upping the voltage into the solar voltage range is what you need, also fun fact, you can take an off the shelf 48 Volt Lifepo4 battery and plug it into the solar input on the Delta and use it to charge the internal battery, then you can connect a separate Solar Charge Controller to that battery and increase your solar collection capability.
Love what Eco Flow created. Now there is a company who honestly THINKS about what No Mads need. Electrical stops so many. I know I do not want to, have to mess with, or think about honestly. Portable units are the way to go. Plug and play electrical. I know, not totally, but closer than having to create your own electrical system. Plus, less space required. My wonder is exactly how heavy is unit? And could wheels be added for easier movement. Coming from having scoliosis: weight and moving things are important. Living in Canada, its nice to have the extra capability of using as a charger for vehicle. Also, being cheaper than setting up a complete system is pretty amazing. I like. Thanks and safe travels
Yes they're certainly moving in the right direction when it comes to servicing overland adventure vehicles and I hope they continue to make improvements to serve that niche.
The weight is different for each of the delta series batteries and all that information is on their website. The delta 2 is the lightest at 27lbs and the alternator charger is 5lbs. The delta pro has wheels, but it's also a much larger machine, however it also has the advantage of plugging it into a EV charge station which is pretty cool
In its own right.
You can always make a little cart for it that suits your specific needs.
Well ok maybe not necessarily you make it, but I hope you gather what I mean.
I have my physical limits due to health as well and have had to get creative with things I'm no longer able to move and lift easily 🙃
Stay safe and well, much love ❤️ 🤙✌️
Why do you need to move it around? Mine are in my vehicle full time with me.
@@SharingTheWild Just want to point out - You mentioned the delta 2 to that person at 27lbs but your video was demonstrating the delta 2 max which is actually around 50+lbs. You might be misleading that person thinking they can get what they see in the video at only 27lbs and if weight becomes an issue in their own setup, this comment could cause an issue.
I have the Delta 2 Max, which is what I believe he's displaying in this video. it's one of the most capable all-in-one compact/ lightweight and QUIET setups current available. Mine weighs just under 50lbs and is well balanced between the handles for lifting. I'm sure you could put it on wheels easily. I bought one for myself and one for my parents as an emergency backup since the Delta 2 Max can run anything in a house other than maybe an electric hot water heater or a clothes dryer. Major limitation is that you're gonna run the battery out if you run heavy loads for any extended length of time. I have barely used mine yet, but I also wanted to use it as a standalone, all in one electrical system for a miniature camper build.
Ahhhh knipex plier wrench spotted! I love those. Best adjustable wrench I've EVER used. Never slipped on me ever.
It's been a nice adjustment from the old crescent wrench. IMO a much better design and like you mine has never slipped.
Concur. We use them in aviation a tonne.
Yes, you gave them a good idea for van life suitability.
Fun fact: Sharing the Wild does EcoFlow, Vancity Vanlife does Jackery and The CatLady in a Van does Bluetti.
And each for their own reasons. 'Some' have their systems donated, or paid for by subs.
I've tried all 3 Brands... Bluetti is the WINNER hands down!!!
With them all doing something different just gives us hands on knowledge to capabilities. Love it. They do the work and we get to enjoy. These companies are smart to offer items to No Mads.
I’ve been pretty happy with my two Vtoman units coupled with a small portable solar array.
Excellent video Joseph, I learn a lot from you. Thank you
Im a homeless truck driver this would be a game changer in my truck. Live what echo flow did here. Please echo flow send me this set up and ill review it on you tube from a truck drivers point of view. That would open up a whole new market for the company
Ecoflow
Seems that something like this could pretty easily take the place of an APU, and it would be somewhat portable for other uses as well.
Joseph another great video. Thank you very much and yes I think it's very appropriate for Van life or a full time. ❤😊
WOW! Thanks Joseph Purfect for van life! Just needs a tracking device in it! Love ur videos
I don't know about the alternator charger but I'm sure someone could slip an air tag into the delta.
Chargers are useless no output
What great product from EcoFlow. Wonderful review.
What a great share with so much valuable info around powering up your van as your home! Well done as always!!!
Thanks so much for your detailed reviews. You always provide lots of relative info in easy to understand terms. I'm super interested in this set up.
Thank you! It was a project to be sure and it feels good to hear that. I also hope to do more informative videos in the future too.
Really great, honest review, Joseph! I'm happy to see a new Vanlife vid...not that I don't care for your diving stuff, but not something I can do physically. I know many of us were hoping to see you with your old buddies while Jeffie is back!
Yes, I was surprised you weren't there; maybe you had scheduling conflicts. ✌☮
Absolutely a lot of information, much appreciated Joseph 🤗🤗
These van life tools are so great for you guys. I'm glad you can earn money advertising for them Joseph. We have a small power station in case of power outages.
I was just looking at these on the EcoFlow website so this is timely! I just bought a van and am going to a custom car audio place to get an estimate on them installing a larger alternator to fast-charge an Ecoflow Delta Max or Pro. Thanks to you and this video, I now know enough about this charger to decide if it's better than my original plan.
I am so happy that EcoFlow sent you this Charger complex thingy. Am also glad you good so healthy are excited about up coming projects.
I agree, EcoFlow should add more DC output options for hard wiring it into an onboard DC circuits in a camper or whatever.
Wow finally something I can figure out. Oh wait, it figured it out for me already.😁I’ve been watching so many RUclips tutorials on power stations solar hook up battery powerer. This sound like it will cure my fear of buying what I can’t build on my own
Sounds like they need to build a their own 12-volt panel them from Echo flow Plug and Play and then you can plug everything you want and then into your van or whatever you're running pretty cool everything's becoming Plug and Play👍
Yeah I'd like to see them do just that.
Ecoflow
Might pick one up someday dude. Thanks.
Ecoflow should thank you for your reviews😊
Lol. he gets the unit they send for reviewing. He’s rockin’ ! 👍👍
I just got the Delta 2 package with included charger and solar panel, this will definitely upgrade my van life thanks for this info my friend 😊
Your homemade cabinet & electric setup blew me away!
Thanks! it was a ton of work. Hopefully I do a remake on the build series video with a more in depth sharing of the how too stuff.
Good video.
On the tapping into the side plug, that's 48v. But they could sell a step down converter to provide 12v.
Dang, what game changer !!! Appreciate your stating what all you have vs. this new equipt. Going to have to make a trailor pretty soon LOL Well done Joseph !
Happy may 24 long weekend bro Richmond Hill Ontario Canada 👏 🇨🇦 😎
And from Brampton Ontario
I’d probably be ordering this, but the transmission just went on my minivan. Time to let the savings build up again.
Yeah I feel that juggle too my friend, and it's not an easy time either.
Love your self, love your enemy, grow perspective and take one step at a time.
I’ve seen videos of people using a 12 V male plug and just running the wires off of that to their fuse panel. I like your thinking of eventually connecting to those side ports, but for a low amperage 12 V system, the cigarette lighter could suffice.
other power stations have a 30 amp connector that can actually run everything. bluetti and pecron have it, same with oupes, and some others. its a new feature getting put on some of the newer releases.
Years ago, I started off with Jackery's (2), then a Bluette (1), and last, but not least, an EcoFlow. Gave my larger Jackery/portable solar panel to my son and his wife (they later bought an EcoFlow, for a house backup system), gave the Bluette to a friend, and now own 3 Ecoflow's, because I like them the best (fastest charge). One is for my house backup, and I have ridgid solar panels for that, along with a dual fuel generator, since I live in a cold climate, and can go many days with little sunlight during winter. The second is for use in my yard (I live on acreage), and the third is used in my vehicle (I also have the portable EcoFlow solar panels), while on trip's. This alternator charger is interesting, and I'll be looking into it.
That looks ideal for the removable camper set up i want to do in my van!
I've had my EcoFlow River Pro for about 2 years and love it. I want to buy one of the larger Delta units soon.
These are not for me.. just makes more sense to build my own bank HOWEVER I love your approach to these reviews. Rather than coming across as a shill just plugging a bunch of stuff in to run it down, you seem to behave more like someone that got a fun new toy and wants to learn everything about it. That makes me watch these videos even if I don’t care too much about the particular product.
All good.
Well done!
Sadly still over $2500 CAD for me, the big 3 companies never lower there prices more than 30%. I need to run a cpap when my boy and I go car camping so I will stick with a different brand that gives a better deal. Super happy for you to have this opportunity and this was a great video cept I couldn't get that code on the screen to work on a laptop or tv with my iPhone camera.
EcoFlow does sell refurbished unit's on ebay, that you can get for a much lower price, and they come with a warranty. I bought one, that I've had for four years now, and it work's just as well as the ones I bought new (I have 3).
Great info, thankyou.
Cool review. A really cool product from Ecoflow!
Great job explaining all the functions!
Hey @ecoflow great job giving this guy your product to review. Hands down best explanation of features. ECOFLOW, PLEASE RELEASE A HIGH OUTPUT 12V DC PLUG FOR THE SIDE PORTS LIKE HE DESCRIBES. That would make this hands down the best option for overlanding. I’m already going to purchase this setup just because of this video. If you add the high output 12v capability, it will decimate all other competitors. Oh, and also make the app CarPlay compatible so I can keep tabs on my dash without opening my phone.
Great video! Wow! I couldn't tell how long it took to charge fully. I saw that the Ecoflow itself was only down 15%, but did you drive for an hour or more or less? Thank you!
Yeah I saw that I forgot to include that important detail. 🤦♂️ I ended up running a few errands and figured it got there after 75min or so of driving.
Thanks by the way!
One downside of these all in one units is that if something fails, good luck getting it repaired without buying a whole new unit, as opposed to replacing just a single component in your traditional setup.
Repairs aren't something I have heard of anyone needing to do. Raises a great question about what happens when they do need.
They also have 5 year warranty…
I’ve been with Ecoflow several years and have been the owner of 7 solar generators. I’ve never had a problem, though some have. Belongings to their Facebook groups finds a lot of peer support, along 3with employee contact often.
@@DirtyFeetHappyHeart Ecoflow has a 5 year warranty on a lot of their stuff. I had to do an RMA on a similar Bluetti unit ("only" 3 year warranty), and just sent it in and they sent me a new replacement back. Hopefully Ecoflow is similar.
Just build a rack with extruded aluminum, fit batteries, solar charge controller, DC/DC. You can get like 5 times as much electricity, cook all day, charge E-Bikes, run AC and computers ALL DAY. Build your own, from a professional electrician’s perspective, these units are highway robbery literally… anyone who says these are cheaper is full of bs lol
Great product(s), the reason you have a low voltage on your starter battery is because it needs to be replaced, anything less than 13 volts is borderline 👍🏼 Great video’
8:11 Cool Back to the Future DeLorean setup 😁
Wild, I was just wondering if there was something like this available. So far I've only had to use a power bank in my van. But I want to up my game by adding refrigeration. This sounds like it might just meet the needs! Exactly - I won't have to learn how to build and maintain an electrical system for my van. Very cool.
Sounds like an easy unit to use. Thanks for the review.
I love your reviews. They're so informative, objective, and thoughtful. Any product that you review will benefit from that partnership. You should really consider doing product consultation with a few worthy companies. It would be amazing to see what comes of that.
Nice that looks awesome and convenient
Dude, that's an awesome electric installation. Nice job.
Thanks! 👍
Here is one senario that just happened to a friend that would be a humbug saver. Your battery dies at a remote place and your battery jumper you have works, but the battery is so low on voltage that the engine will not run is you take the booster off. With this alternator charger in place, you can direct the charge from your solar battery to your starter battery and get to where you need to and replace the bad battery provided you have enough voltage left. This brings another point of charging up your solar battery when it gets to the halfway point so you always have voltage for this possibility. It is very similar to the fill up your gas tank upon reaching half tank so you ALWAYS have a reserve "just in case." Great video and the Delta 2 Max is the perfect "inbetween" unit Ecoflo makes. 👍👍👍
DIY build power units were the way to go prior to 2022. Today in 2024 buy an Ecoflow to meet your needs and more. Excellent video.
Love your honest reviews.
What a great setup, simple installation and easy to use. This could be a good choice for my truck camper. I would be able to tie into my shore power and maintain the 12v systems (camper and truck) easily... quiet, cost effective, flexible... hmmm
Really well done video too. I appreciate your thoughts on this 👍
Oh, thank you! I purchased the Ecoflow 2 (not Max) with free solar panels and the 800 Alternator Charger (which is on back order) all for under $1,000 from another channel but she didn't do a video on it like this and this is terrific for someone who knows absolutely nothing about this kinda stuff. I'm going to save this so I can refer back to it when it's time to use it in my 2007 Chrysler T & C mini van and get on the road. Again, thank you.
Great video ❤thank you 🙏🏼 so much. I'm getting one because of how great you did !!! Looks like a game changer 🙌🏼
Have you caught up with Jeffie bear since he's been back?
I picked up a 12V 30 A DC to DC converter on Amazon for under $20. It gets under 300W but is good enough for my needs. If I was doing a full build I'd probably get the EcoflowDC to DC. I'm using the older Delta MAX.
Hi Joseph! Great Review Video! I will be curious after you've used it for a while as how well the product works for you ! I think it will be a game changer for a lot of people! T.Y. For Sharing this new product! :Great Video!🤗👍; ♥️🫂; See You on the next video 🙂
I don’t have the new charger yet, but having owned 7 of their solar generators, I’ve never had any problems.
As you were saying, They should add an XT60 output so you can have 25-30Amps of 12v output.
I’ve seen this unit on their website. What a simple way to charge a solar generator up when solar isn’t an option
Liked and Subscribed
You said it's for EcoFlow power stations...
but it's for EcoFlow Delta series power stations only using an XT90 cable ($599). It doesn't work for the River 2 series which has a XT60 plug.
So for my River 2 Pro I have to buy a different product. The Pecron Smart Car Charger (DC1242-500) ($149) which will charge almost any power station at up to 500watts using an XT60i cable, or up to approx 320watts using an XT60 cable. I wish the EcoFlow 800watt Alternator Charger worked for the EcoFlow River 2 series.
Alternator chargers are overlooked with most people going for solar. An internal combustion engine has around 200,000 W available and driving two hours per day with the EcoFlow alternator charger produces 1.6 kWh - more than enough daily energy for everything except air conditioning.
Ecoflow just killed the DYI in me, now with two items I have all the power needs of my lazy lifestyle
I have two of the eco flow batteries and also two of the extra batteries. I love mine! It’s going to come in handy during the hurricane season and my CPAP machine. The alternator battery would be great to have to.
Wow! That review was amazing, very informative. Appreciate you very much for taking the time to review this power station. Take care 😃
Now I can build my own hybrid vehicle!
I don’t like power stations but a lot of van lifers use that 12 volt output to a power distribution center just like you talked about. Cheap and easy
So just remember you can buy higher output alts that are factory ( Do your homework on your SUV/Van/Car ) see if your model had a powerseat/heated which by default they come with a highout put And Or other compaded models ..I have a HO alt in my blazer from a Tahoe (145amp)
If you do use the ECO FLOW 12 splice a couple of them together and double heat shrink them together
Fantastic review Joseph. What else could Ecoflow ask for. I hope they recognise a great asset in somebody like yourself for their company. I'm sure all full-time nomads like myself would love to have this exact setup. Safe travels there Joseph.🙋♀️🚐 🌏
Cheers buddy
I’m not sure I understand the need for this extra unit. First, you better make sure your alternator can handle the extra load of up to 800 watts. Though this device appears to take that into account and it regulates the charge, so that’s good. Second, as far as charging your power station, that can be done with more watts by getting a cheaper dc to dc converter. Step up the voltage and you’ll be able to charge quicker. (Amps are typically fixed, mine is ten amps.)
That was very cool. Thank you for that information Joseph. It's amazing how this tech continues to develop!
great video Joseph !
Pretty neat! It's easy for RV's & camper-vans to get filled up with so many systems (solar controllers, DC-DC chargers, batteries, bus bars, circuit breakers, cable runs EVERYWHERE, separate shunts & battery monitors, inverters, etc, etc). Having everything in one box greatly reduces electrical line losses and sure makes for a better looking and easier setup.
My worry is that if one component goes bad (inside the EcoFlow unit), finding and repairing it would be more difficult (than the current standard/separate and accessible ones). Still, this is probably the future. Now if they could only make a smaller/better and reliable mini-heat pump....
You do a great job explaining complex systems.
Great video. We just picked one up with the delta 2 max and 2 extra batteries on a killer Amazon Mother’s Day deal.
Gr8 job. 1 thing you forgot are electrical tools, cable and connector costs. Those were significant for me. Also trouble shooting can be difficult. My 600 watt DC DC is costing about half a mile per gallon or about $.45 per hour. I need more usage to get a better number on this.
👋😀👍 Thanks for the review, Joseph. Very well done and informative. If I were ever to go full time, this is the way I would go for my electrical system.
Eco flow do have a house fuse box. I think I seen a vlog about there units and how diverse there unit are
So, it seems that it's pulling in excess of 60 amps from the alternator. Better make sure that the alternator is spec'd to pull that much on top of all the other energy demands from the electronics in the vehicle or you could shorten the life of the alternator.
Thinking the same thing, it may require an alternator upgrade.
Your right to think that and it's an important question. I asked it myself and looked at what I had to test that out and did my best to cover it in this video using the tools I had. That being said they do indicate on their website that it only uses the surplus energy from the alternator and won't hog it from the vehicles power needs. In my case I already have an oversized alternator in my van so it wasn't the best test case for their claim. Either way I did what I could to illustrate it in the best way I knew how and pointed out that the app gives you the option to set the limit on the output power anyway.
On the other hand the unit may not be able to bridge the gap with all the vehicles tech out there, so it would be prudent to do your own research before pulling the trigger. That being said this a brand new product and like any new innovation to hit the market it will undoubtedly show it's true colours in time, then again DC-DC charger tech has been out for awhile now so it's not like ecoflow is reinventing the wheel here.
On a side note I really appreciate your question and I'm kicking myself for not getting into it as much as I just did with this response to you. These are all really important things to consider and it would have made the video more useful to have had included this thought process.
Maybe I'll do a follow up to it in the future, in the mean time I'll see what other questions and considerations are shared.
Thanks again @Kyungshim6483
I would dial back the draw on the alternator to the point where sufficient power is being generated for day to day needs. You will figure this out as you use the system.
@@SharingTheWild why did you oversize the alternator?
I worry about problems with internal batteries. How easy it is to change them out? In a self build system you just swap out a battery. What does one do with a solar generator?
Yeah me too. I think it would be wise of them to build a system that separates out some of the tech so it can be more easily serviced on the fly. It would also allow for more creative freedom on the installation which is very important in small spaces like vans. Not only does that make more sense from an end user perspective, but it's more ecologically responsible and economically sustainable for the company in the long run.
I can't predict if they will go in that direction and I'm not connected to their engineering department, but seeing them come out with this new alternator charger as a separate plug in product leaves me thinking that they may just build upon this niche.
I have a delta 2 max I actually used 1.5in purple foam to inclose the unit I have 2 simple 12v temp controlled fans the temp sensor in near the output of the unit fans I left a full 1in air gap around the entire unit and under the bottom of the unit is a 80w 12v silicone heater pad with dual in line temp sensors that trip at -5c. I did dual with individual led panel lights, so if one fails, the light will stay on, and I can fix it without risk of the heater getting stuck on.
All this is in a heavily customized runaway rouser camper.
I have the ecoflow generator on the trailer hooked to propane.
I swapped out the window style A/C for an inverter heat pump window style 12k btu unit draws about the same power as the original but 20-25% faster at cooling the unit and added an eletric heat option. I have 4x 480w bifacial panels on the roof with a custom tilt mount with actuators. And a sun tracker system I made.
You can use the alternator system to power said fuse panel. You just need a small 12.8v lifepo4 battery, and the panel you can feed the alternator system in reverse to keep a small 12v system running happy. The internal battery system is 48v so the side connector will not help much for direct use.
link for amazon says it's not available to ship to canada
Not sure if you’re full time camper but I’m curious when you’re at home, what do you usually do with your battery in the van?
This video helped answer a lot of questions, thanks
Very interesting video Joseph, I’m not an “electrical” person at all but it’s still interesting. 😊 good to see ya.
Great video, bud. I almost went with the Renogy inverter and heavy duty cables to top up my Delta. I purchased the alternator charger and should be in soon. Cheers from sub-aquatic Vancouver!
Why not use it to charge your AGM batteries instead
A question, did you disconnect your already installed DC to DC charger ? Can the alternator cope with both DC to DC charger plus the eco charger at the same time?
Yeah I definitely did disconnect the other dc-dc charger. I actually filmed it but decided not to include it in the video.
Thank You
I ammmmmmm buying it!!!!
the biggest issue with this device is the PRICE, $599 USD is freaking crazy, this device does 3 things, firstly it's a Boost Converter, it takes the 12/24 volt battery voltage of the car/truck and boosts it to 40-60 volts, it does this because the Solar Panel/Car Charger port on the Ecoflow determines how many amps it will draw based on the voltage coming into it so by raising the voltage it allows higher amperage which is what allows it to charge faster then the cigarette lighter charger. You can replicate this function with a Boost Converter to bump the 12 volt to 48 volt and get similar wattage of charging for about 100-150 bucks USD, the second thing it is is a Jump Pack and I suspect as a jump pack it's gonna be pretty useless simply because you can't push that many amps though the small wires and the third thing is the battery maintainer to which I ask who needs that if you have a jump pack? If this was $200 it would be well priced for what it gives you, if it was $300 I could understand, but as $600 you could pay a guy that knows whats he doing to recreate that setup cheaper.
What this proves is Ecoflow knows they are screwing people over or they wouldn't be charging what they are charging for extra batteries, let me explain, the biggest Ecoflow extra battery (which is for the Delta Pro) at 3.6 KwH of capacity sells for $1,600 on sale, well I bought a 48v 100 Ah Lifepo4 battery (technically 51.2 Volt, so 5.12 KwH's) battery on Amazon for $1,100 and then spent another $100 on a 48v Solar Charge Controller that supports up to like 2800 watts of solar and a 150v solar VOC and simply plug that battery into the solar input on the power station and the external battery keeps the internal battery charged 24/7 and the solar charge controller recharges the extra battery, so I just replicated a LARGER extra battery for 2/3rds the price and increased solar intake capacity.
I have 460ah lifepo and limited all the battery charging to 20a.
It looks like your van is a Dodge Grand Caravan. As far as I can tell, the stock alternator puts out 60 amps max at high RPMs. If you're pulling 800 watts at 14 volts, that's ~57 amps just for the Delta and you said you were running other things too. Did I get the van wrong? Do you have an upgraded alternator? Do you have a temperature sensor on the alternator to know how it's handling the load? I've been thinking of doing something like this and I'm just trying to understand some of the different scenarios and how people are handling them. If I understand correctly, you can control the charge rate on the Delta, so I was hoping you would show how you set that and why you chose a specific setting so I could learn something new.
Awesome video and COOL build!
Thank you! Cheers!
Great review. I have been eyeing power banks and watching prices etc. The ability to charge from the alternator while driving is a huge plus and the idea that it helps maintain the vehicle battery and providing a jump if needed is great for added peace of mind when traveling is awesome. The power output seems very adequate Iand like that it is expandable. So all this combined with a coupon from Amazon, another 12% discount from Amazon and the nice 6% discount... convinced me to jump on this. I also added a 160w solar panel. Thought about going larger for the solar but with the alternator charging, I probably won't need the solar near as much except for extended stays and I think it is likely something I won't use much but handy to have.
Solid information. Great video, thank you. Looking forward to this charger.
800W from your alternator is asking for more than surplus. a temp check of the alternator might save you a future breakdown.
The devils in the details. Standard car alternators will probably get fried on a regular basis. Need to factor in the price of a high amp alternator or even a second one if your engine bay has the space, otherwise alternator replacement will be an ongoing thing
@@j.b.9895 much less the installation/strategic fabrication. this is what deterred me from using a higher amp rated converter.
Great video. I’ve owned 7 of the Ecoflow solar generators and have never had a problem. If I’d known this was coming I might have reconsidered driving to AZ and getting a hard panel installed a top my Sienna.
You have a problem if you've bought 7 Ecoflows, by that point you could have built a whole house setup.
@@DanielRichards644 I didn’t say I bought them. Two were given to me by Ecoflow. I gave one as a present, sold another one to someone in need, and when my largest was stolen I replaced it with two smaller ones.