Flexopower Li444 Review (2020) [ROAM]

When I went into trying out the Flexopower Li444, I went in asking myself "Are Dual Battery Systems Still Relevant?" Do we still need need to wire into the alternator to get power, especially with the great solar panels on the market these days. Well I tested it out on a couple of trips and this is my review on the product and I let you know what I think of the good old reliable dual battery system!
Here is a link to the Li444: bit.ly/FlexoLi444
and a link to the Mojave 150W Solar Panel: bit.ly/FlexoPanel
Check out bit.ly/ROAMSITE for more information about the Vehicle, and to tune into the Podcast, and purchase T-shirts and Hoodies to support the Channel.
Product Links:
The North Face Camp Duffel: Medium: amzn.to/2MB9d0J
National Luna 50L Legacy Fridge bit.ly/NL50LEG
FlexoPower 150W Solar Panel bit.ly/FlexoPanel
Frontrunner Expander Chair: amzn.to/2ZuWPVq
Frontunner Strachit: amzn.to/39n72rk
Frontrunner Flat Pack: amzn.to/2MDBDHz
RAM Mount M8 Ball: amzn.to/2ZwHx2l
RAM Cellphone Mount: amzn.to/37lilyr
Generic Air Compressor: amzn.to/2Q6NZdA
Blueridge Overland Water Bottle Pouch: amzn.to/2t9MSk6
Blueridge Overlanding Personal First Aid Kit: amzn.to/39lCzKz
SUV Doorstep: amzn.to/2Fpd9xM
Tire Pressure Gauge: amzn.to/357oWv0
Vehicle Equipment:
Tyres: 215/75/15 BF Goodrich KO2's on Stock Rims
Suspenion: bit.ly/DesSol4x4
Roofrack: bit.ly/EeziAwn
Awning: bit.ly/EeziAwn
Rooftop Tent: bit.ly/EeziAwn
Front & Rear Bumpers: bit.ly/Wildog4x4
Rock Sliders: bit.ly/Wildog4x4

[@uzumlubay]

Are you still using the "green box" system??? You said in the video when you installed it that it would probably not be your final solution. Just wondering if you have now come to any final conclusions as to the optimum bit of kit.

[@RoamOverlanding]

So part of trying this one was to see either side of the spectrum and then make my decision from that. I have decided to go for a permanent install on the National Luna DC-DC for running my fridge and lights etc, plus abit of usb charging. And then I got one of these li444 for my portable power solution for using my laptop and lighting equipment out when I’m filming and working 👌🏻

[@RoamOverlanding]

The green box with the 115ah agm battery in it, is just so bloody heavy, I’m scared I’m going to put my back out when I move it around. So I would rather have a dedicated portable option and then a dedicate hard install 👌🏻

[@KaYO_M]

If you add a 400watt inverter to your main battery you will be able to fully charger the 444 within 4 hours of driving.

[@uzumlubay]

@@RoamOverlanding Hope you do a video of your final install. Your detailed reviews explaining your decisions on selection of kit I am sure saves many people money and time. You are fortunate in that a lot of the best gear for overlanding is coming out of RSA.

[@RoamOverlanding]

The input is limited to 6.7A unfortunately. So I could just charge it with a cigarette plug from the dual battery system 👌🏻

[@DiaChen]

Thinking about getting a Jimny and someday setting it up like you have so all you in depth tech vids are very helpful. Keep them coming.

[@annettefalkson7346]

I changed the settings on my fridge to allow the battery to discharge more. So, you can sidestep the fridge’s safety mechanism which is not necessary with the lithium battery.

[@Leon-lp9fl]

Space and weight saver ideas for our little 4x4 must always be high on the list. Keep going as their must be much , much stronger portables out their. Thanks for the pro,s and cons.

[@unknownanon62]

It’s so unusual to see a KZbinr recommend something sitting out in the FRICKING wild! Keep going with your unique filming locations.

[@RoamOverlanding]

Thank you! Will do!

[@salahalsulaiman]

The separate tent is amazing too , makes the car lighter and more aerodynamic too 👍

[@softroadingthewest]

Thanks, I appreciate this insightful review. Timely for me as I have been struggling with power management and keeping all my various devices charged over the course of a busy day of filming on the trail and not having a reliable way to recharge in the evening (I'm always afraid to charge stuff off my starter battery for very long after setting up camp). For those not necessarily needing a full dual-battery setup, something along these lines seems like valid alternative, plus the advantage of being able to take it out of the car and to your tent or even to your home if needed.

[@RoamOverlanding]

Exactly why I wanted to show this to people, not everyone is a hardcore overlander

[@henrygreen19]

Very interesting. Something to investigate thoroughly before jumping in !

[@OverlandTrax]

Nice video, keep them coming!

[@trevorhart4120]

Another great video. Agree with your conclusion. I have an off grid office. I use a Goal Zero Lithium 400, very similar to your battery. With a laptop, 27" monitor and modem running I draw about 54 watts. So I get a full day of use without any sun. On the roof of my office I have a 220W panel, in a sunny day I get up to around 130W input so more than enough to keep it topped up. Although Goal Zero are a lot more expensive they have many good options for charging and outputs.

[@RoamOverlanding]

I love the idea of an off grid office! You have just given me an idea 😂

[@AkhonaNgquba]

Great video. You are right in many of your points. I have this pack and I have used it for more than a year now. This is certainly not a replacement for a dual battery system but gives you a great inverter, great portability of power for load shedding (been working from home so it helps at home). I have had to run the fridge on AC due to the problem you raised on the fridge seeing the voltage at "low" so not really pulling the available power so if you want to extract all the power in the system you must use the AC side for the fridgr which is inefficient so will run for a shorter period but gets you all the power to run the fridge. If you do this and you drive from Johannesburg to Cape Town while charging on the cigarette lighter port you will get to Cape Town with 2 bars on the battery so the efficiency is really bad but you will have cold drinks.

[@RoamOverlanding]

Thanks for the awesome feedback Akhona! I’ll keep the AC idea in mind when I’m in a pickle. But I run both a dual battery and use this one, and it works really well 👌🏻

[@stefandutoit7868]

Taking a little corona break with this, thanks man!

[@RoamOverlanding]

Enjoy!

[@madelenesilbernagl636]

HI, a bit of advice, please. Will I be able to run a national Luna Ice machine off the flexopower Lithium555 power pack?

[@victorburzlaff9380]

ha ha ha ha ha... . 7:52 Load shedding for fun :) :) ;) hillarious, maybe not for fun but incompetence to plan ahead.... love your passive humor...

[@joseph4481]

Good stuff, this is good content

[@RoamOverlanding]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@kevanharding9716]

Does your fridge have a low battery cut out voltage adjustment...most do for protection of the fridge and the battery ,if so adjust it to the fridge cut out voltage higher eg higher to allow aux battery to operate.. Just a thought.

[@RoamOverlanding]

It does and I set it on its lowest setting :) It still cuts out when the battery hits aroundd 20% with my fridge

[@malphotography953]

Would you be able to have a small portable solar panel on top of the tent to only charge this unit while driving and then charge the fridge from the car.

[@RoamOverlanding]

That is a good idea, the only problem is every time you want to set up your tent, you would be needing to move your solar panel etc. What I found is that while driving, running the fridge off a 12V plug in the car works great, and then charge the Li444 from the other 12V socket; best of both worlds, then you will have plenty of charge after your drive to run the fridge through the night.

[@thunderstorm4wd882]

1. Its not a replacement for a dual battery system, its a addition to power supply. 2. If you have space for that thing, then you have space for a 75AH AGM.

[@streakychambers658]

Maybe it’s not relevant to the portable pack in the video?... but I’m concerned about the use of dedicated plugs and sockets for these units that make it a problem to mix & match other brands of solar panel... or maybe the input plug is a weird one that I’d have a problem replacing if it got lost or broke. I agree with your conclusion... they’re a nice little gadget to have sitting on the camp desk but if it doesn’t run a fridge without the panel etc it’s no use to me. Good video.

[@paulza9068]

You should try powering fridge from the 230 Vac sockets as the lithium battery should allow full discharge until cut off at 11V is reached. Will lose some efficiency due to the Inverter.

[@RoamOverlanding]

Also a good idea, maybe I’ll do a test and see how long the fridge runs on either and make a decision as to which works best

[@FourLowAdventures]

I bought something similar to yours (look up Jaycar 42 amp hour if reading this from Australia). What I found in my research was that the lithium batteries when sold on their own are often much bigger and heavier that they need to be because the manufacturers put them inside a large case and add weight to make them seem right to people that are used to lead acid batteries. Total cost was $270. A dual battery system would have cost me at least 3 times that, to have installed in the engine bay. And I can charge it outside the car too. In my opinion it's much better than a dual battery system for my needs.

[@Alex-gh9uv]

Enough to power a fridge at night?

[@FourLowAdventures]

@@Alex-gh9uv I'm not sure about that but I think so

[@christianjason]

I have been thinking along the same lines. What is the Amperage of your cigarette outlet in the Jimny? My Wrangler has a standard one with 5 Amps, but also has one with 20 Amps, this should be more than sufficient to charge the battery even while in use, should it not? Hope you are well, stay healthy, things are getting hairy in the US.

[@RoamOverlanding]

Hey CJ, the input on the pack has a draw restriction, so it will only take a maximum of 6.7A but that’s great to know you have one capable of 20A, that’s fantastic

[@christianjason]

Roam Overlanding 😅 Indeed! I was too eager to post my response and did it before reaching that part. Dual battery setups are great if you plan to do over landing. The only thing I need to be careful with is overall weight. After adding a Winch, rock sliders, bull bar and a few other things, it starts adding up. I loved the location of you chose to film, seeing your vids always puts me in a mood to drop everything and head out camping😎 Thanks again!

[@axelcartwright4507]

I definitely like the inverter! But for powering my fridge, nah I would stick to my dual battery:) like you said definitely a portable power pack. I’ve seen on take alot that there is a direct replacement lithium battery but pricey!

[@RoamOverlanding]

Totally agree!

[@LandRoversOverland]

... sticking a leisure/second battery under the bonnet isn’t great advice. All battery types [agm, lithium, lead acid etc] - including your vehicle’s starter battery - suffer from the heat. The battery for the Defender is always under the front seat and the majority of dual battery systems are mounted on the correct side of the firewall! With regard to the topic you have a point; I’d agree with you, and have both systems.

[@RoamOverlanding]

I definitely agree with that; but it’s just a typical way things are run for example running a dual battery for winching or for lights. I would run an additional 45AH cranking battery in the engine bay on the Jimny just for extra power for when I put a winch on.

[@LandRoversOverland]

... adding a second ‘cranking’ battery is a good idea for splitting the supply to a winch. Best would be to use a DC-DC charger like the RedArc BCDC1250D which would smart charge the ‘winch’ battery and is also solar input compatible - green energy priority.

[@RoamOverlanding]

@@LandRoversOverland Indeed. I currently am using the National Luna 25A DC-DC for my "leisure" battery for running the fridge etc. Might even just use a classic solenoid kit to connect the two cranking batteries; so its topped up whilst driving and can be linked up when winching.

[@australianmade2659]

I’ve got a domestic plb40. It’s lithium phosphate and does 2 days on the Engel. I’m either connected to solar or the 12v in the ute tub. I only connect to the car if it’s overcast. Otherwise 40amps is all I need

[@RoamOverlanding]

Very interesting. Do you know how much current it accepts to charge the battery?

[@australianmade2659]

Roam Overlanding 8 amps. And it’s not mppt. However I just came back from a trip of 6days with 40 minutes driving per day and the rest on solar and ran the fridge and charged 4 camp lights. I let the battery stay connect to the car battery for an extra hour at night if needed and that 8 amps has no risk of draining my ute battery. I carry a jump starter just in case. But when you don’t have the space you make some compromises. Sure dual battery is great but you can get by with a little extra manual intervention with the right battery. store-au.dometic.com/blog/dometic-plb40-faqs

[@KaizenOz]

What size Engel? And which solar panel are you using? I’m looking at buying the plb40 and a fridge here in Aus

[@australianmade2659]

DieRunning1 Engel 45 fridge freezer and a renogy 100w black panel. You can get renogy on eBay and they are good value for money. I’ve now got a split Andersen plug with one to the panel and the other to an ignition driven 12v source off the engine. I use the Engel cover and it sits in the tub running all the time. I’m in the ute for work so it’s been going for 6 months now and is always full.

[@unimog404]

My Unimog will get the big battery bank and inverters and probably solar :) The nice thing my workshop is near a company that makes that stuff :) So I gonna figer it out with them. and yes I habve enough payload and space for a ncie system :) But this portable system looks great only yes indeed the charging function is a bit weak :)

[@anbu999]

Why questioning dual battery setup on Jimny when you have roof top tent installed on it ?

[@RoamOverlanding]

Because I already have a lot of stuff, and a 32KG battery in the back is a whole mother thing to think about.

[@anbu999]

@@RoamOverlanding IMO jimny is more of backpacking + swag style overland.

[@Tomdogful]

@@anbu999 I agree wholheartly. Think light

[@KaYO_M]

I have the 444 and have been using it with a 40l fridge for 2 days without an issue. The only problem is the cigarette charger is stupid and I'm intending on putting a 400watt inverter to charge it while driving. PS. I also use it to run a 50watt electric blanket on cold days.

[@leedaleseidle]

bmadikgetla what climate? What vehicle?

[@KaYO_M]

@@leedaleseidle double cab in south Africa. I keep 2 windows always open. I set my fridge at 0 degrees.

[@RoamOverlanding]

I love the idea of setting up a 50w electric blanket, because this is the perfect thing to use for that! I managed to fridge for a day or two, but the second we spent a day at camp without driving, it messed it all up. And then the cigarette lighter kept getting bumped out the socket, and we had rain so couldn’t use the panel. The solar panel happily runs the fridge all day. It’s just night time where it would drop to the point where the voltage protection in my fridge would kick in.

[@leedaleseidle]

bmadikgetla thank you👌🏻 I think this would be a good idea for me, just for a weekend of camping with my jimny then 👌🏻

[@leedaleseidle]

Roam Overlanding so I think if you’re gonna be parked to for the day you have to have a solar input

[@4lifemaggots]

Hello mate what color is your paint job?

[@RoamOverlanding]

It’s Medium Grey, from the factory 👌🏻

[@khaledeponera6070]

I'm in East Africa (Tanzania) where can I purchase this?

[@RoamOverlanding]

I think pop them a mail or check their site here bit.ly/FlexoLi444 and you can find out if they offer shipping

[@khaledeponera6070]

@@RoamOverlanding thanks.... you the best..

[@Zavalik]

I really think this kinda of "solar generators" (so they called it... kinda offensive to generators rs but anyway)... its cool, but I'd look for more power... the model you are showing provides 40AH... I have a dual battery in my car (Pajero Sport), with a 70AH battery and sometimes I just wanted a little more of those batteries. Furthermore, I kinda have fears about lithium batteries turning on fire when the car is on the heat of sun... I don't know, maybe its not important, but it concerns me.

[@alexm8837]

I wont believe someone who says they're from South Africa unless they have a moan about load shedding

[@RoamOverlanding]

😂😂

[@ahmedbhana8301]

A good option but when comparing against dual battery, dual battery is the better and more cost effective option.

[@RoamOverlanding]

I Definitely agree with that. But it’s damn nice to have a truly portable power pack that doesn’t have to live in the car. It’s been super nice for Loadshedding 👌🏻

[@Tomdogful]

@@RoamOverlanding Like you say, would be perfect with a few improvements like accepting a larger charge from either solar or the vehicles system and up the voltage so no issue running a fridge. With your laptop, it prob runs on 19Volts. There are 12-19 v chargers which are prob more efficient than via a 240v ac charger and inverter. Thanks for the review

[@markyeadon7271]

A nice piece of kit but too expensive ( ZAR 9000 ) as you would still need a dual system to run the fridge. Easier to add an inverter into a dual battery system.

[@RoamOverlanding]

Indeed. A solenoid kit from National Luna and an AGM battery would set you back maybe 5000 plus a small inverter. Like I said for me it’s worth having both so I can confidently drain the one and my fridge and lights remain uneffected 👌🏻

[@gj0628]

It’s not much smaller than battery but less power if money not the issue dual battery with bcdc way better stored even in back of small rig

[@RoamOverlanding]

However this is 5kg; which is what makes it incredibly portable; It's also more versatile because it can be used at home. I think our "Load Shedding" in South Africa is a pretty unique problem, but we can get the electricity shut off for 2-4hours each day up to 5-7 times a week, when its really bad. So something like this works a treat!

[@gj0628]

Roam Overlanding true load shedding is for all overlanders lol. I think it’s based on your power needs really. I love your rig and channel thx for sharing

[@davidwoods80]

Nice, but shockingly expensive in USD, if I'm doing the conversion from Rand correctly.

[@RoamOverlanding]

I think its about $500 but I could be wrong

[@davidwoods80]

@@RoamOverlanding No, I was. It's about $450 USD. Someone could buy it there, and carry it home as carry-on in the plane, it's so small! (if they'd let you past security!)

[@RoamOverlanding]

@@davidwoods80 haha I think it exceeds the maximum WH of lithium you're allowed to fly with. However I believe Flexopower used to have offices in the States; so they probably have the ability to ship that side if necessary. You can always get in touch on their site and see what they're capable of shipping.

[@salahalsulaiman]

No more need for fixed battery systems even in larger cars

[@autoplus4069]

🤙🤙🤙🤙👍👍👍

[@Fearl3SS84]

in short it is a glorified Mobile UPS or battery pack for your laptop..

[@RoamOverlanding]

In addition to keeping all my camera gear charged. Considering I am a photographer and filmmaker, that’s pretty damn important to me.

[@geoffatgandm9983]

🤣🤣🤣Loadshedding ..... Because muppets👺

[@sikandinc]

The problem is in the market these devices cater to and the chemistry. For deep cycle applications, for us overlanders, LiFePO4 chemistry is highly desirable especially because it comes as close to being a true "drop in" as one is going to get out of a Lithium system. But these systems try to be super small, light weight, and therefore compromise on the battery chemistry, size, and components they use. If you can't charge something at at least .4C then it is of little practical value to off-road/off-grid applications. This thing, even at its .15 to .2 C charge capability only gets about 500 cycles. Imagine if they enabled it to charge at .5C. LiFePO4 on the other hand, is more expensive, and heavier/bulkier but you can charge it at .5C and still get 3,000+ cycles out of it even when drawing it down to 0% (100-0% discharge). But a pack like that with the 40-50 Ah with a proper BMS is going to be too expensive for these portable units. Dometic is one of the few OEM's that makes one.

[@azproductionz786]

4 hours is not good for just a laptop, change laptop, I can run my MacBook retina for 6 hours from my small 10,000 man power bank

[@RoamOverlanding]

asif khan I have a 6 core i7 and an RTX2060, it needs that power.

[@azproductionz786]

@@RoamOverlanding ok