LiFePO4 Battery Bank - EASY Setup! RV and Off-Grid Power Solutions

[@handsomedubbledee]

You are the best person to ever talk about this stuff. I got a full gist of what I need to do. You explain everything so well. I agree with the people. Thank you so much for what you do. Wow

[@angelabrodie2483]

Brian, I cannot thank you enough for this valuable content. You are a born teacher and make otherwise intimidating content easily understood. I appreciate the fact that you also approach this from the perspective of someone not knowing anything about these topics because while I understand some of it, I am certainly a “beginner”. Not only am I looking at this type of a set up for camping and outdoor purposes but I am also looking at it from an emergency preparedness perspective so if you can incorporate some of that knowledge into content to help us decide what battery sizes would be good for which applications both in the home and at the campsite that would be extremely helpful!

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

You got it, that’s a very important topic. I appreciate you watching the channel, lots more content like this to come.

[@angelabrodie2483]

@@DIYOutdoorLife Love your channel and was so happy to know you are from NY! I am located in Upstate NY, so the 'Dacks are my favorite place to spend time. I have spent almost every summer in those mountains for the better part of my life.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

@@angelabrodie2483nice! What general area of the state are you in?

[@angelabrodie2483]

@ in The Rochester/Finger Lakes area. 30 Minutes from Letchworth! Would love to know if you’re ever going to be in that area or hosting a camping event there.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

@@angelabrodie2483 I lived in Brockport for four years!

[@PrepperSmurf]

Dude, Great Friggin Teacher U are… MORE content from U , along theses lines would be AWESOME

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Thank you so much, I’m glad that you watch the channel and enjoy it!

[@maderightamerica3216]

I'm glad I found your channel Brian. This is exactly the kind of content I'm researching. I counsel the homeless and unlike most who counsel the homeless I look for methods and systems to make their lives more bearable during their time spent living on the streets. I've designed an inexpensive off the ground camping unit that I can put together for approximately $500.00. I want to add an inexpensive power source that they can use to cook and heat their poertable sleeping units in inclement weather. Being cold on a winter night sucks I'm sure. Having an inexpensive way of being able to cook a hot meal and wash up with hot water is my goal, not forgetting having a way to charge their cell phones and tablets. What you are talking about in this video got my attention. Please do show what you use and how we can use your products to obtain our objectives. Thank you so muck brother. God bless you Brian.

[@petcuyvers]

Cooking and heating with 12 v / 24 v battery set ups can get expensive. Maybe a small 12 kettle could work but takes around 20 mins to 40 mins depending on size. Would work hot water in a hot water bottle.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

What an amazing project, I’d like to help anyway I can! One thing to look into, is heated pads that run on 12 V. It’s far more cost-effective to sleep on a heated pad, than it is to try to heat the air with batteries. Keep me in the loop!

[@rodneyreno5109]

Great idea guys. Maybe if you gifted a unit the tent city leaders could put it in the middle of camp..secure it. And it could be a public unit for the whole camp to share.

[@Laurence-k6o]

God bless you, you are an inspiration.

[@SouthwestStet]

Dude, this was such a great video. I’ve been watching a ton of portable power bank videos and you shed some light on a lot I didn’t know still. Just subscribed.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Welcome aboard! Thank you for watching the channel, we have dozens of portable power videos to check out.

[@travicle85]

Saving people so much money! You have gained a subscriber!

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Thank you so much for subscribing, welcome to the channel!

[@austinjlee]

Do a video on the other setups please!! Particularly with the alternator charger and inverter.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

You got it, coming soon!

[@kal7049]

@@DIYOutdoorLife Please include a pricing compassion as well.

[@S.JerseyJim]

This was amazing. My Jackery 2000 gets me through the day and night boondocking. This is with my 12v heater running at night on low. I want to camp in freezing weather but I need 12v heater pads for my 3 tanks on 20’ trailer. The add on Jackery battery pack is $1000! I can set up this system just for those a heck of a lot cheaper. Fantastic!

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

It really works great, keep me in the loop if you test something out. I’d love to hear how it does with the larger jackery pro

[@BartholomewJenkins69420]

man this is a game changer for me. i was looking at the all in one power stations and really bummed by their capacity considering your paying hundreds of dollars!

[@JohnJohnson-hl1vi]

I totally enjoyed your pragmatic approach, especially with its cost effective rationale. Thank you!

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Thank you, I appreciate you watching the video and leaving a comment 🙏

[@MrRankingToyan]

No Doubt B. Thank You. What fantastic options to bring into the light for everyone.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Thank you so much, I appreciate you watching our videos!

[@shelley131]

Great content for beginners, glad you did this. You could also connect the 12V batteries in series to double, triple, or quadruple the charging time of a portable power bank according to the voltage limitations of the solar input of the unit. Great job.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

I might get into this in a future video, because it’s a little bit more complicated. EcoFlow uses an XT 60 as well as an XT 60i. You have to trigger the solar charger with an XT 60i wired correctly to get best results, but they definitely like the higher voltage charging. Thank you for watching and commenting, I will do a video on this eventually .

[@Beekobah]

Was absolutely fantastic content, delivery, and planning of how you deliver the content. Subscribed

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Welcome aboard! Thank you so much for subscribing to the channel.

[@kirstenstrobel4387]

Wow! Just WOW! You make this so understandable for someone like me who doesn’t have any idea how to do this on our own!

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Thank you so much, good luck with the project!

[@robertarnobit5357]

I love your setup❤ saving me thousands of dollars this way.👍

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

That’s great to hear, makes me really happy when we save people money!

[@jwdl87]

This video was enlightening! I just bought a Bluetti EB70 (750wh) with a 200w solar blanket to work off grid. I also bought 200ah lithium batteries with a 40a dc/dc charger for the truck. I’m now just going to keep the EB70 and bring a backup battery to recharge. So good! Saved me hundreds of $

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

That’s great to hear, I appreciate you watching the channel!

[@dschroeder144]

This type of setup makes a lot of sense for our family to run our 12 volt refrigerator while camping. We never use the 110 inverter. Thank for the tips.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

12 V is the way to go for value and run time!

[@sbcplays]

Yes, alternator charger and inverter. Great simple explanation, one of the best!

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Coming soon, thank you for watching!

[@adventuresofthememorymakers]

Great video with a lot of good info. We speak the same language. Exactly why we power our camper with a 12v power station versus a big fancy power station running a higher voltage battery. That is a great price for a 100 amh 12 lipo battery with bluetooth and built in heater! I won't buy a lipo battery anymore without built in blue tooth monitoring. A bluetooth shunt is great but its a hard sell getting customers to spend the money for a shunt. Getting a battery with the bluetooth built in is much cheaper option and gives the owner much needed information.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

I’m with you in 100%. a lot of us thought that Bluetooth and apps and batteries was unnecessary, it’s now an essential part of the system!

[@J4Julz]

Your content is always so relevant, and I am really interested to learn more about the inverter use with a battery. I can see a world of possibilities!

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Thank you Julie, I have a video all about inverters coming soon!

[@bentheaquaman9436]

This is the info i was looking for ,for weeks. Thanks. Happy new year with lots of off-grid fun

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

That’s great to hear, happy new year to you as well!

[@berreywx]

Awesome content. I got the 800W Ecoflow alternator charger and it it helped to fast charge on cloudy days and poor solar after the hurricane and power was out for the whole week, I think viewers would appreciate that content

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

What a great application, turn your car into a generator!

[@globaleulogy1165]

Wow thanks dude! I’m just getting into this as a new way of life I would say and I have watched hours and hours of videos on the tube and have learned a lot. The way you just described the benefits of each just clicked for me in regards to conversion of the power and its losses or gains from each particular source. This now makes so much more sense like when I was in calculus in 10th grade and a switch goes off in your head and all of a sudden it’s like you can see the friggin matrix lol 😂 That was the first of your videos I’ve watched and now it’s time to take the red pill! You know the rest! Subbed!

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

You’re the best, I appreciate you tuning into the channel, I hope you enjoy the videos!

[@dbass1276]

Thank you, finally someone I can understand. You rock!

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Thank you so much, I appreciate you watching!

[@Lok8-]

I really enjoy your teaching style. There is no free lunch! Hope this finds you well on Thanksgiving Day!

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Happy Thanksgiving, thank you for watching the channel!

[@rodneyashcraft4440]

Great video!! I think with these natural disasters more people can use information like this. I just subscribed and will be checking out your videos soon. I highly doubt I’ll be disappointed. Great job.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Thank you so much for subscribing, I hope you enjoy the videos!

[@FrugalShave]

Another banger video. I wish more manufacturers would focus more on DC only solutions.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

I agree, maybe we can move the needle if we keep talking about it!

[@tonylizardi9373]

Excellent informative video my man! Much appreciated 🫡

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Thank you for tuning in!

[@semihkartal77]

Geat video thx. I can add things, if you buy 24v battery and 24v battery charger you can charge x2 times faster your ecoflow or any brand... only need 24v support and xt60i cable...

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

That is true, if you don’t need to power other 12 V appliances. If you do, you have to get a buck converter and that complicates things. You can also use an XT60i and charge a 15 A. Thanks for watching!

[@youcanthide004]

There will most certainly be some haters in the comments. But by enlarged this is absolutely genius. Very valuable information especially for some beginner. I’m a new subscriber and so far I’ve enjoyed all your content. Thanks and safe travels.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Thank you, I really appreciate this. There’s always haters, but we’re just trying to make content that helps people out.

[@pollyaloy]

Loved this video .yes I would like to see more of this content. Subscribed

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Thank you, I appreciate you subscribing!

[@filomenaregan1537]

Brian, nice vid thank you continue with all the electric for camping I’m very interested for my shuttle bus 😊 20:03

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

👍 thanks for watching

[@filomenaregan1537]

@@DIYOutdoorLife my pleasure I’m learning a lot thank u

[@Al-YT]

Great video. Greetings from Spain

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Hola! Gracias por ver mi video.

[@Nick-mq8sp]

Great content, just what i needed. Thank you

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Thank you for watching!

[@erico7430]

Great content, I was happy to see somebody else doing the same thing. I generally just get the solar charger that has the features I want then expand it's capacity with 12 volt camper batteries rather than just get the Mega priced "big brother". I haven't used Lithium 12 volts however, they seem to still be over priced for me. I'm not current on the prices now perhaps they are better

[@marknewland3736]

brilliant video mate

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Thank you, I appreciate it!

[@DartanyonPurdy]

Great video I think it’s going benefit your channel greatly In the coming years 🍻

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Thank you, I hope so! We’re starting to grow our subscriber base.

[@Anointingify]

Thank you for this revelations.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Thank you for watching

[@carutah]

Great information! Keep this type of content coming!

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Thank you, will do!

[@daylechipps7124]

Thanks!

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Thank you so much for supporting the channel, we really appreciate it!

[@bryanbryanmccoy7094]

My favorite way to use these batteries!!

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Definitely a great value, your set up rocks!

[@A_Well_Traveled_Man]

This is the video I have been looking for for 2 years. I was all the way down to actually building the batteries from eighteen six fifty batteries.Because these power stations are so expensive and the only reason why I need the setup is for the same reasons as helm going camping....

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

That is great to hear, I’m glad you found the channel!

[@KeyBored101]

Wow, this is a great video!

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Thank you, I appreciate you watching!

[@davidnmadu5801]

Brilliant video... thank you. Subscribed.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Thank you for subscribing, I appreciate you watching the channel!

[@Zkpe02]

Thank you for sharing these simple work arounds with others, it’s a money saver👍 simple and easy to do…Great video👍

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Thanks for watching, appreciate the feedback!

[@stanpacer9180]

Cool video man!!! thanks. You gave me some good ideas.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Thanks for tuning in!

[@neverwin2518]

Awesome video, love the instructional stuff when I learn something!

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Thank you, I appreciate you watching!

[@toddshook1765]

Great tips. Great way to rethink power supply

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Thank you, I appreciate you watching the videos!

[@johnmal5975]

I like the pecron car charger because it strikes a happy medium. It will charge your power station from that battery at 500 watts. Granted it is less then ecoflows 800 watts but its only 150 bucks compared to 600 bucks. You can use it with any power station brand it doesn't have to be a pecron. Great video as always!

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

We’ll have a video coming out soon. I’m 100% with you, the pecron is amazing for the price. What surprised me is the amount of extra features on the EF. It’s not just faster, it’s bidirectional and can do all sorts of other things. If you are just looking for alternator charge, pecron is a value. if you want to do battery to battery charging, and even use your power station to wall or solar charge the stand alone battery, the EF is the only game in town.

[@johnmal5975]

@@DIYOutdoorLife Eco flow is the Cadilac of this industry no doubt about it. As far as bang for your buck Pecron makes solar affordable for middle class people like me while still getting a good product. They are not the best power stations but they are well built and get the job done.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

@@johnmal5975I’ll try to show more of their stuff on the channel, I think you’re right

[@veganpotterthevegan]

It won't charge my two Bluetti's. Too much power and the Bluetti's overcharge protection won't allow any of that 500w in. If it were 300w, it would possibly allow 200w in

[@gregspeakman9337]

Nice vid. A good overview of this battery manufacturer.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Thank you, I think it’s a great bang for the buck!

[@jimb1312]

Great stuff Brian, keep it coming!

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Appreciate it! Thank you for watching the videos.

[@larrybell1305]

Great information.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Thank you, I appreciate it

[@MountainMan7.62x39]

This video earned you a sub. Great content, friend.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Welcome aboard! Thank you so much for subscribing.

[@jasonstag6971]

I actually live full-time and a bushwacker HD 10 I would love to attend one of the bushwacker camping trips that you attended

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

I will keep putting it out there when they’re coming up, would love to see you there!

[@rogerlikes]

Great video you are leading people on the right track. On some of the eco rivers that use the XT60I inputs, you can make an XT60I adapter (wire the Pin to the NEG side) to draw from a 12v battery at 15 amps vs the 8amps from the cig port connector. But again if over night charging with low draw loads like refrigerators you don't have to worry about it. The only thing is the cost of a high amp 120v to dc lifep04 charger to recharge that 12v battery. For my Adventure Truck I built a custom 280ah 3,500 watt hour battery. the truck has 200watts of solar, and an additional old large / heavy 250w panel that I can put on the rack during summer months when the truck is rocking both a 12v fridge and separate 12v Freezer. To make the story short last summer I caught covid, and just jumped int the truck and went camping for a week to self isolate in the woods with my starlink mini to run my business. What I learned was All the solar helps but if you are camped in the shade doesn't generate much power each day when my combined fridges used 350wh/day. I could conserve power by not using my induction cooktop and toaster. The key take away was an Ah Ah decision moment... Do I drag my Honda EU2000 generator, and a 5 gallon gas can to try to recharge my battery bank on extended stays in the shade, or do I shed the weight and bulk of the extra 250 watt solar panel (taking up roof rack space), Honda Generator, and 5 gallon gas can along with the weight heavy basket mounted to my front receiver hitch to only be able to recharge my 3,500 watt battery bank at 25 amps an hour (putting wear and tear on the generator) Or just get smart and bring along Extra Lifep04 batteries? Now I just bring extra batteries with the 12v cig plugs like you mention to run my 12v fridge and freezer longer. When you compare the weight savings it made sense for me. I hope this helps someone else. Roger

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Nice set up Roger, I’m glad you’re sharing your experience. Thanks for watching.

[@homesteadaquarius]

Thank you for this setup idea!

[@blueback21]

Wow excellent video

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Thank you, I appreciate you tuning in!

[@shwartz166]

Amazing content. Thanks!

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Thank you, I appreciate you watching!

[@nixquev]

I finally made the move and went full blast battery: bought a Silverado EV and running the camping trailer from it. No need for inverters or batteries now, got them in the car. Wish I could charge solar though (maybe with a tonneau cover or something?) but haven't found nice products yet. Love your videos!

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

That’s awesome, seems like a great set up! I hope they start coming out with some cool solar options for EVs.

[@nixquev]

@DIYOutdoorLife Thanks ! Problem is that you can't charge DC unless it's from fast chargers so charging solar means going from DC to AC and then back to DC in the car battery so there's lotsa waste. I saw a prototype super expensive charger from Europe but that's not in the cards for me. The truck was expensive enough 😅.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

@@nixquev exactly, but the future comes soon!

[@Dr.Pepper_not]

That was an awesome video. Thank you for making it. Yes I want to hear what you were suggesting.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Stay tuned, will have some new videos coming out on the topic soon!

[@OverlandOne]

Thanks for your video. I have a Bluetti AC200P (2,000 watts, 2,000 amp hours) and a smaller Bluetti EB3A that I am using in my van. I have been on the road full time for 1.5 years and in the winter, my 720 watts of solar can only get me through about 3 cloudy days before I have to crank up my generator. I have been thinking about expanding my system with a small 100 amp hour lithium iron phosphate battery like the one you demonstrated. I was unsure how I could charge it back up because my solar panels put out about 80 volts and without a controller it would fry the 12 volt. Thanks to you, I now see I can charge it back from the Big Bluetti using that ac charger you showed, so in effect it will still be charged using solar just not directly. And on those snowy winter days, I can plug that into the Bluetti's mppt port and expand the run time much cheaper than buying their expansion battery, which costs the same as I paid for my unit. Thanks for the information. I am now subscribed.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Thank you, keep us in the loop! I love hearing stories and learning from my full-time friends!

[@RobnDob]

Nice video mate. Just doing a lot of electrics in my van. If using a power station with a grounding screw. In what scenario would it grounding to the van if it’s self contained?

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Most of the time, you can maintain personal and equipment safety by just using the power station with its floating ground system. If you’re building your own, follow the instructions on the inverter. It’s usually pretty straightforward and simple, although there’s times with more advanced equipment, you have to use a neutral earth bonding device. For 99% of applications, it’s very simple to just follow the instructions on the manual… plug and play

[@RobnDob]

@ magic mate thanks.

[@JustineKC-g1y]

Hey! Great content. I got some great info from you about solar for my RV and we did off grid camping for the first time. Thank you! I'd love to see both the inverter and alternator charger be reviewed.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Thank you for watching the channel, those videos are coming soon!

[@UltimaBuilder]

Brian, n00bie RV owner with 1,000 questions. I will only put one here. I watched your recent YT on these Temgot, the EcoFlow, and the Renogy batteries. The RV I purchased has 2x Costco 6V 200A GC in series. I just bought a Renogy 400W solar kit to install and tank heaters. I may be putting the cart before the horse and want to have a well-balanced system, so I'm asking if the Temgot is a better (midrange) choice, given the more advanced BMS and features (heater) over the EcoFlow. Considering 1x200A, or 2x100A. My first electrical shakedown trip will be in mid-December. There will be no water in any tanks. I thank you for sharing your knowledge on YT, as does my 2016 Keystone 202QBWE. I'll happily use your codes when purchasing.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

The Temgot would be a great choice with the larger sizes and internal heaters. With heated batteries, I prefer running one battery rather than connecting multiple in parallel. Sometimes the heater on one turns on before the other and causes problems. I’d much rather use one battery with the higher amp hours for the heated optionsz

[@stephenodell-x7s]

Brain great video. I have Bluetti battery’s on Renogy solar panels. Like that I can use 100 or a 200 amp hour battery to add to my electric arsenal. Would really like to see more with solar controler to add to my panels that don’t have a controler on them.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Will do!

[@tonyvernon8908]

Thank you 💪 subscribed as even a simpleton like me could understand the importance of what you were saying. Other channels i felt like i was a few university accolades short.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Thank you for subscribing, I appreciate you watching the channel.

[@zoetropik]

Really useful video; thanks so much for making it. I've had fixed rooftop PV for a decade but am now looking into portable backup power options, mostly for emergencies like extended blackouts, etc. Looking online at the various EcoFlow power stations, I immediately saw it would be eye-wateringly expensive to get a unit that wouldn't run out of juice within a few hours. Somehow it never occurred to me to get a smaller EcoFlow and couple it with one or more dedicated external batteries to boost its capacity! Definitely food for thought! Anyway, I've liked and subscribed, so I'll look forward to your future videos. ;-)

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Thank you so much for subscribing, I hope you enjoy the videos on the channel!

[@richardmiller4304]

Great class!

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Thank you so much for watching!

[@tomlambert1833]

Great advice

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Thank you for watching!

[@MYOB100]

This is great. I had been wondering if it would be safe to do this with the car plugs to increase capacity on my Jackery Explorer 1000v2. Please do another one about how to add an inverter to speed up charging. Lots of the other videos about this involve soldering, or they pass over quickly on exactly what cables to get and/or how to connect them. You explained it clearly and found a really easy way for us to do this. Thanks.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

You got it! Thank you so much for watching, lots more content coming.

[@immagood2]

I like this guy. Well done!

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

I like you too, thanks for watching!

[@davidmason1043]

If you get a couple xt60i cables, fuse the positive, you can use that to bypass 8a limit, and dual input to the delta 2 max for around 385-400w input from the external battery. Also good for alternator charging, although gotta be careful not to stress alternator too much, so you could add a relay for a switch, or just use 1 xt60i cables for ~200w, which should work fine with most alternators.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Bingo! I have a nice set up to run with XT60i. I will probably get into it with the future video, I didn’t wanna overwhelm. Since they prefer voltage over current on these EcoFlows, using a 24 V battery or two in series is a nice upgrade.

[@stephen_LaserLuster]

Short the middle data pin to the negative side to get a faster charge. Data pin to positive will limit the charge rate to 8 amps.

[@biglittledude496]

Would love to see a video on how to hook solar up to passively charge the big orange batteries then using the eco flow as the main terminal for power usage

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Will do, there’s lots of older videos on the channel where I connect charge controllers as well. Check out the solar playlist.

[@twloughlin]

Terrific video - thanks. I love how simple it is to get DC power this way. Don't pay $150 for that lousy Anker Solix C300 unit when you can do this! Here's my video request list. 1. Can you create something similar that can draw 30-50 amps of DC power? 2. Where do you think the tipping point is between adding an inverter and solar charging as compared to an AIO unit? 3. Many content creators do a DC capacity test, where they tell you that the DC capacity of a PPS is XX% of its rated capacity. I think this is the common way they explain how the regulated aspect of a PPS draws excess power. 4. I would love to get your take on the so-called "handtruck" power stations popularized by Will Prowse and Lithium Solar. I assume they are not very portable, but by using a server rack battery and an EG4 inverter/charger they offer a lot of power in a small package. 4. How about a video demonstrating how you can run a teardrop completely on DC power - no AC required. I'd love to see that! I've now completely occupied your entire winter! 😂

[@major__kong]

#1 isn't hard. The reason it's hard to get that many amps out of a commercial unit is because they run a 48V battery to run the inverter, and the DC loads are an afterthought because most people need the AC not the DC. To get 30-50 amps DC, you have to connect directly to the battery and not through a DC-DC converter. I've done it many times to run large 12VDC loads with various combinations of powerpole connectors from the typical 15/30/45 connectors, to SB50, and up to SB120. You can find powerpole blocks and bulkhead connectors. You can also find 100W USB PD chargers that will run off 12VDC from places like Cool Gear. I basically dump a battery into a pelican-style case (Harbor Freight has cheaper weather-proof pelican cases) with a solar charge controller and powerpole block. #3. I think Will means portable in the sense that you can tuck it away in the corner of your garage when you don't need it. I wouldn't consider a hand truck to be portable like taking it camping. #4. If he doesn't care (I'm not monetized and don't plan to be), I'll mention my other persona / channel where I do just that for the most part (you can also see my battery box video with 100A+ 12VDC output). I have a video of me doing it to my F150 where I'm running things like amateur radios, refrigerated coolers, USB PD chargers, etc off a 12V auxiliary battery system with solar charge capability. I'm also a few hours to a day away from posting something similar I did to my Hiker camper but also added reading lights and a 12V fan near the head of the bed. I did add an inverter, though, as a concession to my wife for some of her creature comforts.

[@twloughlin]

@@major__kong Thanks Major. I don't see a link to your "other persona," only to the site for your major_kong location. Did I miss something?

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

@@twloughlin it might not let him link, here it is- youtube.com/@littlemiamifab?feature=shared

[@major__kong]

@@DIYOutdoorLife Sorry, I'm just catching up. That's looks correct.

[@Elizabeth-tg7jo]

Awesome vid - subbed from Alaska. We like to jerry rig things together.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Welcome to the channel! I love Alaska, and yes, it’s home to some of the best bush fixes!

[@nyrubin]

Wow didn't know about the 15-20% loss in efficiency by using the usb outlets

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Not usb, 110 ac outlets

[@kwas27]

Thanks for the video and good info

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Thank you for tuning in!

[@anthonyarroyo2672]

New to the channel I just bought a delta pro ultra with to battery, each of those batteries cost almost $3000 and have 6000wh I saw that big battery you had was almost 6000wh I was wondering is I could use that as a replacement to one of there expensive battery to run with the other ones I have

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Yes, although it’s far cheaper, it has its ups and downs. It works extremely well with the alternator charger, I did a video on that. Otherwise, it’s not as easy to charge quickly, like the ultra batteries are. It’s a great addition, and it’s an inexpensive way to add some real capacity, especially if you have an alternator charger.

[@Thom1973]

good day........ at timestamp 17:45 I would love to see more videos of you setting up systems using inverters and solar and all kinds of charging and storing power set ups

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

You got it, more videos to come!

[@Thom1973]

@DIYOutdoorLife kool

[@woodbearpig6943]

@diyoutdoorlife please do a video on the ETAKER fleet1000 Its a dc to dc charger. My plan is to use that with my high output alternator, solar panel and power station. But i also want to add that 460ah temgot from this video and have it all run in sync, any thoughts would be much appreciated!!!

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

I’m off grid right now, when I get into service, I’ll look into what you’re talking about. Sounds exciting 😀

[@a.galindo]

Can we get a video for AC power. I need a powerstation that only has for AC I dont need all that other stuff Im not sure if there is anything out there like that. thanks for your great video

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

I recently put out a video on inverters, that’s all that they do. If you just need AC, connect an inverter to a battery like this and you’re off to the races. If you don’t want a system like that, there’s a lot of inexpensive power stations out there that have an AC inverter and some simple USB’s. The price has really come down on them.

[@lakayfreddiecastillo2599]

I find you channel very interesting. Now you depleted your battery , how do you charge your extra battery to your alternator? Is it possible to charge your extra battery from your alternator using Bluetti charger 1 . Never seen a video like this maybe you can do it. Thanks !

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Thank you, I have some videos coming out soon!

[@vonheise]

Great information. I have a couple power stations but have not plugged into my Ram's 12-volt socket due to fear of blowing a fuse. Will a car 12-volt receptacle handle a power station input amps?

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Yes, almost every power station on the market comes with a 12 V charging cable. It’s designed to draw under 10 A, which is industry standard for the 12 V socket in our vehicles.

[@jasonaxe9692]

Nice video, I am looking to create a very basic back up power system. I have been looking at something like the anker c200/c300 solix but this could be a nice addition or alternative to it.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Just as you said, whether as a stand alone or a back up to boost the anker, this should work great and save money.

[@AndronicusKomnenos]

Could you solar charge the battery (with a solar charge controller) and simultaneously run power to the EcoFlow from the battery?

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Yes, no problem

[@markall8641]

Brian this is awesome stuff! I'm new to the solar/ off grid power idea. I have a Hiker Trailer that I've had for 2 years now gotten used. It came with a Lead Acid battery and would someday like to upgraded it someday soon. Could you show what you would add to something like this? mostly we just use D.C. power, I have a 600 watt inverter, renogy solar controller, and it came with a zamp suitcase, and a 90watt glass panel on top off 2021 build. maybe upgrade to MPPT and will my Noco battery charger work or do I need a new one? this video was very helpful if I didn't get that out. Thanks Again. Mark

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Upgrading to a lithium battery on your Hiker is a great idea. It’s always best to use an MPPT when you can. The NOCO can charge lithium batteries, but I’ve never been very happy with it. On my Hiker, I went with the Victron wall charger and couldn’t recommend it any more. Thanks for watching!

[@Laurence-k6o]

Help we need you in the uk. Power cuts are soon coming. With your idea I can have a cheap set of batteries. Thanks.

[@kal7049]

Great explanation! A EcoFlow Delta 2 is the equivalent to your small 100 AH battery. Both are 100AH. EcoFlow is offering great deals and will be discounted for Black Friday. Like you explained, the EF stations already have the various output connections, inverter, and battery charger installed. The stand alone battery, requires you to purchase 12v connectors cable, battery charger and inverter, which are not cheap. When you buy all those extra parts for the stand alone battery, the price is going to be comparable to a discounted EF Delta 2 which charges fully in 1 hour from a wall outlet. Could you do a cost comparison between a EF Delta 2 and what it costs to duplicate that with the 100AH battery plus all the separate parts? It is worth noting, that once you buy a separate battery charger and inverter, you could use them on other stand alone batteries. So there is some savings there.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

These are great points and I definitely do a lot of videos on the EF power stations, it’s hard to go wrong there. Your numbers, however, are a little bit off. The Delta two is just over 1000 W hours, this is 1300 . On the DC side, you’re just over 80% efficient, you’re going to get just over 800 W hours - with this you get 1280. This video focuses on DC set ups, for the reasons we talked about . Although you’re not going to beat the all-in-one systems for ease of use, for the standalone batteries on 12 V use, you’re getting considerably more for your money. I have a EcoFlow Delta 3+ video coming out very soon, will discuss some of the breakdown . Both options are incredible, it’ll come down to preference.

[@lawdog516]

Please more Brian !!!!!!!

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

You got it, I appreciate you watching the videos! More to come…

[@jorgeruelas4800]

Just started learning about this stuff. Is it possible to hook up a solar panel to the power station to charge the battery or batteries with the accessories you showed? Except the 8x charger at the end of video. Thanks

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

The alternator charger certainly makes this streamlined and easier. Although it’s more wasteful, you can plug a wall charger into the power station. Another option is to buy a charge controller that allows you to switch the solar back-and-forth from the power station to the battery.

[@shannonpriestley3833]

Thanks!

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Thank you for watching!

[@calcustom5026]

Please make a video where you build your own power station using the 460am batter, inverter, alternator charger, etc., you mentioned.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Will do, thank you for watching!

[@Dr.Pepper_not]

Again thanks for the recent info videos. You came through for Black Friday!!! Question: how do you tell the percent charge a battery has WITHOUT the display/app like on the Temgot (i.e. using another product)? Temgot currently has the Smart 12V 100AH LiFePO4 WITH Touchable Display & APP Monitoring for $250 and WITHOUT the display and monitoring for $170. The EcoFlow (likely overall a better battery?) is now $30 more for $200. (I don’t need a heater.) Would the Victron IP22 Smart Car Battery Charger 12V 20A ($171) tell you the % charge of the battery? If so it is $82 more than the Temgot charger for $89 but I could then pass on the blue tooth battery saving $70 and for a net $12 more get a more high-end charger (or spend $11 more for a 30A)

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

You can get a pretty good estimate from the Victron charger or just checking the voltage and looking at a table. The voltage of the battery gives you an estimate of its state of charge, although it’s far less accurate than it is with lead acid batteries. To get accuracy, you need to buy lifepo4 monitor, which is going to be more money than getting it built into the battery. It’s definitely a worthwhile investment to get the touch screen on board monitoring.

[@Dr.Pepper_not]

@@DIYOutdoorLife Thanks. That makes sense. Used your discount to buy the EcoFlow battery for $186 (THX! - Hope helps you in some small way). Waited a day then ALSO the alternator charger with Delta 3 Plus (rationalizing only $100 more than the regular $90 battery charger with way more functionality though I won't hook to car). Now getting into serious spending! Need to stop watching you! 😁🤔

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

@@Dr.Pepper_nothaha… I’m in the same boat. I end up buying tons of stuff just for the channel now 😂

[@dlwightman]

Can you just direct wire into the fuse box of a truck camper to run the 12V things in the camper? Lights, furnace, and fridge on propane?

[@kimmer6]

A lead acid starting battery might run out of charge trying to run these things. Run the furnace all night and the truck might not start in the morning. A 100 amp hour deep cycle lead acid battery can be directly replaced with a small lightweight 50 amp hour lithium battery. Lithium batteries have some downsides, too. Can't charge them below freezing or you instantly destroy it. Change camper lights to LED bulbs and they need about 1/10th the amps as a tungsten fillament light bulb.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Although you can do that, you run the risk of really running down your truck battery and possibly damaging it. It’s a far superior system to install a separate battery in the camper section of the truck. I would definitely go with the lithium. As the other comment her suggested, you want to select the right one. If you go with cold temperature protection, you won’t damage anything. If you need to charge and cold temperatures, go with one of the heated options that are cheaper than ever.

[@mattmccallum2879]

Any pointers on how to charge the standalone battery back up while traveling? I love the idea of adding capacity to my power station, but I’m curious about the recommended/best ways to charge it back up as quickly as possible. Since EcoFlow released their own 12v battery, I was wondering if they might ever release a parallel plug for their proprietary port on the side of the Delta series that would basically allow you to manage charging and discharging through the power station and have that affordable option for increasing capacity.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

There are a ton of options, but EcoFlow actually released the exact product that you’re talking about, video coming soon. You can attach a solar charge controller, and charge your battery with solar . You can use the standalone charger when you have shore power, like I discussed in this video . I will do a video very shortly on the alternator charger. amzn.to/3O5dWr0 This will allow you to charge the standalone battery from your power station . You can use solar, your tow vehicle or a wall charge to charge up your power station and transfer to the standalone battery… total game changer!

[@mattmccallum2879]

@ thanks! I was hoping for another way of doing it besides paying $600 for that Ecflow alternator charger…maybe one day they’ll make a cable that goes from the proprietary dc port to battery terminals and let us get a little more creative with our setups now that they’re making 12v batteries! Fingers crossed!

[@TimRoyalPastortim]

The ecoflow price has come way down. Use 100ah 12 volt with river 2 pro. Love it. Also use with 2000 watt inverter, Mppt controller and a 20 Amp dctodc charger in the car to keep the lifepo4 battery charged.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

That’s a great system, even the new EcoFlow power stations are being offered at excellent prices!

[@kal7049]

This would be a great video! Show how to recharge a EcoFlow power station. Contact EcoFlow and ask them to send you their new 100AH stand alone battery. If I’m remembering correctly, their stand alone battery is priced about the same.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

@@kal7049 EcoFlow 100Ah LiFePO4 Battery Review + Promo Code! kzbin.info/www/bejne/aqTRgWx5ocSHrpY

[@BucolicAholic]

Id like to see a documentary exclusively about the evolution of batteries...it'd probably have to be a series though. Uh oh, just had my daughter and already Im liking dad jokes. Its happening

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

LoL

[@king1ny]

Hi brian were using multiple powerstations to power up led lights That plug into the power staions most packs are 500wh.can we use a setup with an inverter to do the same thing like you said we dont need all the bells and whistles. Thanks if you could advise for any kind of set up, appreciate it.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Look for 12 V LED lights. There’s tons of options now. With those, you can run them off the 12 V section of your power station or directly off one of these 12 V batteries. By going with DC lights, you’re gonna see a huge improvement in your run time and they’re not very expensive . Thanks for watching!

[@theGiggityGiG-is2kx]

So, are those 12 volt usb plugs essentially an inverter? Like if you hooked up your MacBook Pro?

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

It’s not an inverter, but you can hook it up to the MacBook Pro. Check out the video I did recently on inverters, I talk a lot more there about this topic. Your MacBook Pro runs on DC, so no inverter is necessary . When you plug your MacBook into the wall, it uses a converter to charge with DC. This skips the need for that altogether and goes DC to DC.

[@theGiggityGiG-is2kx]

​@@DIYOutdoorLife Yeah, I guess I should have put one and two together on that. I have your inverters vid in a tab from yesterday to watch. thanks. Ill continue over there

[@ryanl4175]

Have you tried this with xt60 and orange connector?

[@ryanl4175]

O-ring

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Yes, if you get the proper XT 60i, or convert the one that comes with it from the MC4, you can eke out more charge. you can’t just use any XT 60, you have to get the xt 60i with the proper connection from center to hot. The best bet is to get the EcoFlow brand one and convert that to ring terminals