Yeah, kinda a bummer. I'd recommend the Pecron E3600LFP. It's a beast and has the 30amp DC output. The Black Friday pricing is amazing on the E3600LFP.

I have a full video about using batteries to charge power stations HERE: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qnyXe36jm9OXnpo I go through using a 48v battery in the video. It's a great option to extend runtime.

If you got the money for the DPU, I think it's an excellent option! 👍

Lol, how are ecoflow and others better? Smaller yes, better no.

I think that would work!

Yeah, it's all about what works for you! Thanks for your feedback Johnny.

I was surprised at that 21 watts! I'll have to do more testing.

No, it will pull too much power and blow the 12v cig socket fuse. Needs to wired directly to the battery.

Yes, you can definitely do that on this model. It would just require a little more custom wiring. This video was all about simplicity trying to be as 'plug n play' as possible.

Yeah.... this thing is HUGE! Smaller might be more portable LOL. Using the EG4 3000w inverter is pretty common. There are lots of videos out there about that one. I don't see an issue using a 50ah LFP battery, as long as you are aware of it's limits.

156lbs, but I know what you mean LOL.... The large DIY systems weigh about the same. Batteries are heavy!

I'm not sure I could afford schooling with the way tuition has risen recently!

If you connect into a transfer switch or generator inlet, it's grounded using your home's grounding system.

Thanks, it's been a fun project to work on!

Maybe a cart with 4 wheels would fit a huge battery like that? My Ruixu battery weighs 300+ lbs but it has wheels! Have you seen that option? The Ruixu Lithi2-16?

I had not seen the Ruixu before, looks like a great option. More bang for your buck than the EG4. It’s communicates fine with 6000xp?

@keenanthomson3253 the manual says luxpower compatible so I'm pretty sure it's good!

This thing is already 200lbs. What you describe would be over 500 lbs. So maybe you can install that on a wheeled rack, but no way a 2 wheel hand truck will do it.

I plan to do a deeper dive into this system in the future.

For a permanent setup, you'll get the best performance from a glass rigid panel. These aren't designed for full time use.

Yes, it supports 240v output and 240v charging at the same time, just not 120v charging and 240v output.

Let me know how you like that Victron inverter!

These are excellent points, thank you!

I doubt the fans could be swapped out for something more quiet. I think with time they will get better. Enough people need to complain about the fan noise and they will make a change. Power stations are basically silent now (the new ones) so it's a big difference.

I use the GO20 all the time. It's my favorite small fridge. Still going strong :) I haven't tested the APL20 so I don't have feedback on it.

There is a setting within the 6000xp to bond the neutral and ground. You'd just need to enable that setting.

@ thank you and I always enjoy your videos. 👍🏽

Can you elaborate? I'd love to hear about your problem and how this helps!

I totally understand. It was a leap of faith for me to build this thing. Overall....I still might like the 'newer' prebuilt systems more. The ones that have reasonable solar input levels! For example, they have quiet fans, they have a more compact footprint, the app / software integration is amazing.... you just don't get that on a DIY system.

Plug n play definitely has its benefits. They are much more refined! The downside to DIY is the cost. The initial purchase might be similar but adding accessories and batteries gets very expensive. For example, 10kwh of batteries on a DIY system can be around $2500. 10kwh on a plug n play system is near $5400!

I used the generator leg since this will not be grid tied and I will be charging it with a generator. I probably could have used either option. The settings on this unit are EXTENSIVE and it will take me time to get everything configured the way I want.

I think there are advantages to both sides. I need to do a better video talking about what I like about plug n play and DIY. If the added cost of a plug n play system is not an issue, I'd probably recommend the Jackery 5000 or the EcoFlow DPU since they are silent, compact, and the user interface is excellent. DIY wins with expandability cost and you can repair them yourself.

I'd say this is the first DIY unit that even comes close to the functionality of a larger power station. There are trade offs between the two.

I agree, this is not something you'll be lifting or moving around much.... but I'd say the same thing about the Anker, Jackery, and Ecoflow models as well. They all weight around 150lbs! DIY really shines when it comes to expandability. Adding 5kwh of batteries is around $1000, when adding expansion batteries on the prebuilt units is around $2000 to $3000 per 5kwh!

That's a good point. Big systems are expensive.

Glad you found it helpful.

on the solar side, i think it depends on what one considers mobile... in an emergency situation (to me) two or even four 425w 48"x62" panels would be something i would work with - and you'd probably have to rotate and pivot the panels from 10a-3p or whatev depending on your latitude... idk man - in a desperate times situation where you needed 240v, this is not bad - but i get the whole "what's your use case point" - just adding portable solar considerations (to me) wouldn't be deal breaker, all good man

To reasonably charge the F3800, I'd recommend at least 500w of solar panels, and even with 500w of solar it will take 8 hours to charge. You need a lot of solar to keep these batteries full. The main benefits of DIY are repairability, and expandability. If a part breaks, you can swap it out yourself, the whole system isn't garbage. Most backup scenarios you'll need at least 10kwh of batteries to run critical loads. For a DIY setup, 10kwh costs around $2500. For a plug n play setup, 10kwh costs around $5400. Price jumps dramatically as you add on batteries for a plug n play system (that's where they make their money, accessories and batteries).

@@Jasonoid you have good points and i would suggest that repair ability in an emergency is a no go for any system unless you have spare parts on hand. if using this day to day DIY has the advantage in repairs. i would still want something like the f3800 with its lower voltage solar. it is a massive power station i can lend out to a friend or one of my kids and they can use without them being overwhelmed with it.

@@arnoldreiter435 I'm still on the fence about which option is better. I really like how quiet and compact plug n play systems are. I'll have to do an in depth comparison later on the channel!

There is a relay in the 6000xp that allows you to adjust the bonding on or off. If you are going to be using a transfer switch, no need to bond the neutral and ground as it will be grounded from your transfer switch 👍

@ Cool, thanks.

That's definitely a benefit of going DIY

I appreciate the feedback! I am really liking the well designed newer systems.

I see your point but each component of this would have a warranty and it’s really more targeted towards people comfortable with swapping out components themselves. Not for everyone but cool nonetheless.

Thanks!

Sounds great!

You'll enjoy it for camping!

I'd say you'd want at least a 100 amp alternator for this setup to be running at the full 560 watts.

Make sure you check out my other F3800 videos going over workarounds to make it a better model!

Three feet of 10 awg wire with a 30 amp fuse on the positive side. Ring terminals on one end that connect to the Ruixu busbar and MC4 on the other to connect to the Low PV port on the Ultra. Super simple!

If you want a plug n play 240v system it's best to stick with a single unit. If you run two units for 240v and your loads aren't balanced on the 120v legs, which is really common, one power station will discharge faster than the other and it will shut off prematurely. If you go with a single larger unit, like the F3800, Jackery 5000, or Ecoflow DP3 or DPU you will not have that load balance issue. Did you see my DIY EG4 6000xp build video this morning?