🔋 PowerStation Hacks to Get 350% MORE POWER! 🔋

[@sojourner57]

This is a very viable solution, thank you. I just think of the external batteries as being a replacement for solar. When the sun isn't shining, its like having the sun in a box, Granted, the "box" needs to be recharged, but as you said, this is an emergency solution to your power station running out of juice, no less than a gas or propane generator running out of fuel. Good stuff!

[@TheOldJarhead]

Yup! Exactly

[@ElectrabuzzXD]

Man, this was perfect timing! I got the Ecoflow Delta3 Plus I ordered and was thinking about how to extend its capacity inexpensively. Thank you, sir! o7

[@TheOldJarhead]

Cool! You can really crank out the power this way and with two 280AH or 310AH batteries in series you'd be able to run a LONG time!

[@solarmeateater]

36v battery setups are my preference for these 500w ports on the Delta 3. Either an actual 36v battery, or 3 12v will max out the wattage of the port. There is some wattage trimmed off the top since 36v will actually charge at more than 500w, but nothing is wasted, really. I used to have the math all worked out, but 24v only charged at something like 300w and I think the 36v has something closer to 560w potential, of course being amp limited to not exceed the 500w limit of the controller behind the port. That makes for 1000w passthrough potential if you use both ports.

[@TheOldJarhead]

12.8x3 = 38.4v x 20a = 768w -- if limited to 500w I'd go with the 25.6v option and keep the voltage below the MPPT threshold :D

[@solarmeateater]

Thanks. My memory is as bad as my blood pressure.

[@TheOldJarhead]

LOL mine too but I'm fast on a PC :D

[@Sasoon2006]

At 8:10, when you connect batteries in parallel, you should make sure that they have the same level of charge so they have the same voltage (or close to it). If one has higher voltage, current will start to flow from higher voltage to lower voltage battery until voltage is the same. If voltage difference is high, current could get very high, so cables could burn, or battery could get damaged.

[@TheOldJarhead]

Yes - correct.

[@captainkrunch6372]

What about series, I am going to put 2 24vdc batteries in series to recharge my bluetti ac180 on my boat. Should I disconnect them while recharging then with battery charger.

[@TheOldJarhead]

Series works well if you need the higher voltage. You can also charge them while in series if you have the proper charger (in this case 2x24v = 48v charger) connected correctly. At this point you're getting more into DIY Solar which is not a bad thing ;) -- I'd probably build a cabinet for the batteries with a buss bar and make sure all my wiring was equal length etc and then run the charger to the buss bar to ensure the batteries charge correctly. That has the added benefit of charging the power station at the same time if it's got enough amperage to do so.

[@davidlipke6530]

I bought a water bag for power loss to flush toilets until get my generator runnining to pump water and hot water heater . I have two power stations, an AC70P, 1000 w, and oupes mega 1, 2000 w. I recently purchased a 100 ah lifepo 4 and 10,20,35 amp charger. I thought about bringing the ac charger out camping for our 5 day camp but im hoping for sun to use two 400 watt panels , one for each power station to still get max overall watt charge any way. Your tech talk had my head spin since I'm new at all this amp, watt volt ohms stuff . However avanced , thank you keeping it simple .

[@TheOldJarhead]

I hope I helped some! :)

[@mickdeewisconsin5329]

Thanks for the great video. I have a question I hope you can answer for me. I have an Ecoflow Delta 2 Max. I would like to purchase a 48v 100Ah battery to use in situations that you've described in your video. My question is what charger can I purchase that will charge a 48v lifep04 battery? I've seen plenty that will charge 12v/24v batteries, but I can't seem to find one for a 48v battery. Can you recommend one? Also, how many amp charger should it be? For a 100Ah battery, I would think that a 20A charger would do the trick. Thanks for the help!

[@TheOldJarhead]

This would do the trick nicely: amzn.to/4g4CSen and yes 20a would be good as it's over 1000 watts

[@1GREATDANE]

8 280ah CHINS paired up in 24 Volt Packs with Victron Battery Balancers and 4 Renogy 200AH AGM Batteries and 4 24 Volt 100ah Lithium Iron Phosphate Batteries make up My whole Battery Reserve Bank on 2 heavy duty shelves for 40KWH

[@TheOldJarhead]

Nice!

[@rungerer50]

Mid 1960s on a dairy / hog / laying hen farm during North Iowa blizzards! The house was full electric!!! Engine vacuum from the tractor ran the milking machines. The other tractor donned a PTO pulley which using a belt ran the well pump. A pot belly wood stove in the basement heated the house. Lighting by electric and kerosene lanterns. I wish there had been a big generator - even tractor PTO driven. 😊

[@TheOldJarhead]

Those were the days!

[@royrobinson4636]

I have nothing to add to that ~ Great job! 🤠

[@TheOldJarhead]

I'm glad you liked it!

[@Zbee167]

Great information! Thanks for sharing.

[@TheOldJarhead]

Thanks for watching!

[@LilRedDog]

LOL!!! Fill the bathtub. When I was a kid we still had a water tower and power outages don't take out gravity. Then we switched to pumps ~1980 and I cannot remember the power ever taking out the water... But that is where it comes from: Towns switched to pumps and if they had too few pumps because they were a small town it would take the water with it.

[@TheOldJarhead]

Must have been nice! We had to fill the tub and even often pots and pans

[@rungerer50]

Mid 1960s on a dairy / hog / laying hen farm during North Iowa blizzards! The house was full electric!!! Engine vacuum from the tractor ran the milking machines. The other tractor donned a PTO pulley which using a belt ran the well pump. A pot belly wood stove in the basement heated the house. Lighting by electric and kerosene lanterns.

[@TheOldJarhead]

Sounds like a very resourceful and independent setup!

[@hlm34]

Thanks!

[@TheOldJarhead]

Thanks so much!

[@TromboneAl]

Filling the bathtubs--that really take me back. About hooking the two batteries to the power station: does it really matter that you connect to the positive on one battery and the negative on the other? The two negatives are connected by a wire. Something I'm missing?

[@TheOldJarhead]

Yes, it ensures an even draw from both.

[@stevepriority4219]

If you're doing this for a one time thing, no biggie, but if you're going to set this up for a few weeks, months, or permanently, then yes, you need to have one cable on each battery so they charge or discharge evenly. Otherwise you wear one battery out faster.

[@TheOldJarhead]

👍

[@TromboneAl]

@@stevepriority4219 Hmm. The two negative terminals, for example, are connected with a very low resistance wire, so I'd think connecting to one would be equivalent to connecting to the other.

[@TheOldJarhead]

I'm not an electrical engineer but everything I've read on battery banks (and learned in my 3 decades in Telecom with DC power) is that it is always best to draw from the bank off separate batteries with equal length conductors to ensure the draw is even across the battery bank.

[@theresamagill6678]

Great information. Just ordered a Pecron lfp1500. I would love to get some information on what to buy to add more reserve power with a battery to it. Also, what type of charger to get to keep the battery charged up. Just subscribed to your channel and appreciate your info.

[@TheOldJarhead]

Hi, and welcome :D That's a great Power Station that I'm actually testing right now. Good choice! For a battery I'd look at this one: amzn.to/41662FH it would give you double the power of the Pecron in reserve and weighs in at 55lbs (bigger ones are great but weigh more, smaller ones are great but less bang for your buck) and comes with a 1000 watt charger. To connect to there GX16MF5 connection to get maximum wattage off the battery you'll need this: amzn.to/3CHTlqg (I haven't tested this yet because I don't have the adapted cable but just ordered it myself for testing!).

[@HeadRusch1]

I decided to pick up a 280ah LiFePo4 for this specific purpose, keeping an aging Goal Zero Yeti going more than it's rated 1400wh to keep a fridge/freezer and Comms powered-up. Now, I need the thread's recommendation on an inexpensive Battery Monitor. I can spend $100 and get Victron, which seems like overkill for my use (putting this battery on it's charger once every month to top it off and hoping I never need to use it), but the inexpensive branded example from the battery company I purchased (Eco Worthy) is getting some pretty iffy reviews on Amazon regarding ease of use and setup. Thoughts? TY!

[@TheOldJarhead]

Check on LiTime and Redodo, I think they both have them

[@intoeverything2023]

Coastal NC. Everything you just said is very true!

[@TheOldJarhead]

I was there in Jacksonville during Hugo.

[@stedyone1090]

Thanks for sharing 👍

[@TheOldJarhead]

You bet!

[@donttrickimtricky.8567]

Do we have to splice the xt60 cable into the 12 to 24 v converter if we decide to charge at that speed?

[@TheOldJarhead]

Yes and most of those come with very nice and easy to use splices

[@donttrickimtricky.8567]

@@TheOldJarhead ty

[@donttrickimtricky.8567]

@@TheOldJarhead are the watt cycle 300 ah mini the best in terms of price size ?. The size being it's most impressive feature IMO? But is there better?

[@TheOldJarhead]

I think the Watt Cycle is a good battery as are LiTime, XZNY, Redodo and others (all about the same I think) so this one amzn.to/3Z9itxO (which may be what you looked at) is a great price for the AH it has. This one www.redodopower.com/products/12v-300ah-lithium-battery?ref=iiplxgbc has some discounts that aren't shown but again, I think the Watt Cycle might be the best deal (haven't looked at the other black Friday deals).

[@peterwalton1502]

Will the Aferiy’s internal charger charge the batteries please?

[@TheOldJarhead]

Not while connected to the solar port.

[@ChuckisOutside]

Do I need to disconnect the battery from the power station to recharge it?

[@TheOldJarhead]

Nope :D Just plug in a charger and as long as the charging voltage isn't higher than the solar input it will be fine!

[@rnkustomz]

Any idea if it would be a problem to charge those batteries via solar with a seperate charge controller, while connected to the power station at the same time?😊

[@TheOldJarhead]

You should be able to do that no problem!

[@Barc7580]

Do you have an opinion on the new BLUETTI Charger 1 Thats similar to what you are doing here ? Great video… thank you

[@TheOldJarhead]

I haven't seen it but they make good products so I'm sure it would be a good unit to have. What's the rated wattage on it?

[@Barc7580]

@ variable both in and out. Comes with an app to select the power station you are using (all brands) and selects the output to max that the solar port can handle. Hook the input to a 12v battery and pass the max solar thru.

[@TheOldJarhead]

Nice

[@spockmcoyissmart961]

Remember to have the correct charger for your battery. Lead acid vs lithium charger.

[@TheOldJarhead]

You are absolutely right!

[@DANG--]

Wow!

[@TheOldJarhead]

Wow indeed!

[@MYOB100]

Could you give us links for all the cables you’re using?

[@TheOldJarhead]

Yes! Sorry I missed those -- here they are: XT90 cable amzn.to/3AwPPhE and XT60 cable amzn.to/4eioXzV -- I'll put them in the description too. Thanks!

[@MYOB100]

@@TheOldJarhead Thanks, that’s reallly helpful.

[@TheOldJarhead]

You bet!

[@tomgarciaaz]

When you get into the bigger power stations the solar rules change. For example my mango power e has a solar requirement of 60-150v dc 20amp max and 2000 watt max. How about a solution for those scenario's? ;) Funny how solar inputs are always much smaller than the 110v option.

[@TheOldJarhead]

For me, at that point I'd just go with DIY Solar setup instead which would be less expensive and have a lot more power. However, for a system like that, two 51.2v LiFePo4's would do the trick :D

[@shanebrownrigg8632]

love it

[@TheOldJarhead]

Thanks!

[@comictrio]

I've going to look into buying one of the XZNY 310AH for use with my Eco flow Delta 2 power stations. The XZNY 310AH has much more capacity then the Delta 2 smart battery and is priced nearly the same. Thanks for the video.

[@TheOldJarhead]

AWESOME, you'll love the added power!

[@goodcitizen4587]

12V is such a SLOW charge tho. Could use a buc converter to upvolt it. Or just get a 48V battery (25Ah is just $220) and get 500W+ charging.

[@TheOldJarhead]

@goodcitizen4587 Correct. For the Aferiy an up convertor to 24v is the ticket as you amwillvgwt 512watts

[@OUFan2]

Who do you buy your rigid solar panels from and what wattage size rigid solar panels do you like to use?

[@TheOldJarhead]

I bought my panels from sunelec.com in AZ, and if I were buying today, I'd look for 409-509w 36-47v panels

[@junkerzn7312]

I use this method all the time. But please put a fuse inline near the battery terminal for each cable going into a power station. Usually a 15A fuse is plenty but check to see what the power station pulls. Hanging a lot of thin cables off a battery without proper fusing is a recipe for a fire. In anycase, since the power station typically limits at 8A or so, I prefer using a 24V (25.6V LiFepO4) battery. I don't generally series 12.8V LiFePO4 batteries. Better to use the proper higher native voltage instead. So at 12.8V you'll typically get 90W to 120W charging. At 25.6V you'll typically get 180W to 240W charging. If the power station can accept 60V+ on its input, then plugging in a 51.2V LiFePO4 battery will get you 360W-480W charging, roughly. And of course a power station that can charge faster than 8A or 10A... like 15A (some of the EcoFlows for example), will charge even faster. Great point on charging multiple power stations. A large LiFePO4 battery has a lot of current capability. If you think about it, a battery that can push 100A (or more) and a power station that eats only 8A... that single battery can charge 12 power stations at once without even breathing hard. BMS current capabilities really depend on the application. High-burst-current capabilities are very dangerous. If you parallel multiple batteries together the combined burst current their BMS's will allow can overwhelm a smaller cable. That is, the cable resistance can be too high to actually hit the high-end current limit so the BMS's will happily sit there for 30-60 seconds while the cable catches on fire. Another problem paralleling high-burst-current batteries is that the combined current might exceed the I.R. of your fuses, requiring a more expensive fuse for safety. So most regular batteries only allow bursting up to 2x the battery rating. Most notably, a 100Ah battery typically has a 100A BMS capable of bursting to 200A, and even though it can do more the BMS is programmed to trip off immediately above 200A. A trolling motor or golf-cart LiFePO4 battery might have a BMS configured with significantly higher trip points to handle the motors, but those batteries should generally NEVER be paralleled beyond two batteries due to the fire risk with smaller cables not instantly tripping-off the BMS. Some LiFePO4 batteries don't have over-current protection at all and are very, very dangerous because of that. A LiFePO4 cell can typically source 1000-3000A of current in a dead short. If you need lots of power, you do it with a higher voltage battery. e.g. a 48V (51.2V LiFePO4) 100Ah / 100A battery running at 100A can push 5000W continuously. To do that with 12.8V you would need a 400A BMS and 400A cabling... yuch. -Matt

[@TheOldJarhead]

I use breakers in all my power setups and agree 100%. For demonstration purposes I'm just hooking up the battery to show what you can do, but yes, they should always be fused. As for charge factors, also agree (which is one reason I put in the step up converter in the description of the video. I have no problem paralleling or putting batteries in series and have done it for a very long time. In fact, XZNY and all other battery companies provide guidance on doing so and while I agree, today it's easy to just buy a 48v LiFePo rather than put on in series, I can't lift those bigger batteries anymore. So, putting 4 12v batts in series works for me ;) But to each their own. This video is merely a demonstration of what can be done. Personally, I think tossing the PS and building your own is better :D

[@junkerzn7312]

@@TheOldJarhead Yup, mostly agree.. though just being a higher voltage does not make a battery heavier. A 200Ah 12.8V battery has exactly the same energy capacity as 50Ah 51.2V battery. Same capacity, same weight, 1/4th the current, and 1/16th the thermals. And putting the higher voltage batteries in parallel is far more robust a solution than putting lower voltage batteries in series. And easier to scale-up later on as well (just add more batteries one at a time, in parallel). -Matt

[@TheOldJarhead]

Great point

[@thefpvlife7785]

Great insight. Thanks for sharing

[@hlm34]

⁠@@junkerzn7312 Matt, great insight to safety. I have an Ecoflow Ultra, low side PV minimum 30-150v 15 amp max, my chosen battery is 51.2v 25 amps lithium. If I put (2)in series for 51.2v 50 amps output, do I use a 50 inline fuse? Also, the internal mppt will only allow 15 amps max@ 1600 watts. Just trying to select the correct fuse for the load. Thank you

[@r3d3y3z]

Can only push 12v at 10amps no?

[@TheOldJarhead]

The Aferiy can take 20A but it was about full and ramps down. I've seen it draw 512w from a 25.6v battery

[@r3d3y3z]

Ok thought so. I was thinking adding the bluetti charger1 to boost charge from 12vbattery. I run a bluetti ac180 and a 25.6v 100ah diy. Waiting on the 200 elite. But I will basically solar charge the diy and trickle charge the 2 bluettis

[@TheOldJarhead]

They have the DC to DC charger but I like the Redodo for $40 less and it has an MPPT built in for solar. Either way, I also like multiple means of charging them up.

[@r3d3y3z]

I might need to look at the redodo. That bluetti stuff is expensive hahaha. From Fl. Prayers to those in nc and tennessee

[@TheOldJarhead]

Haha, you saw my response meant for another, but yes! Prayers to all! If you didn't see the video on the Redodo, it's the one about my camper a few days ago. I will be installing that unit in my Jeep and love that it can take 600w of solar! Woot!

[@CubbyTech]

Western Washington wasn't without power recently

[@TheOldJarhead]

That's what we heard on the radio but after making the video we heard it was downgraded to 9000 people. Doesn't matter though, as the principle is the same and it isn't like we all haven't been without power :D

[@jasonbroom7147]

How can that power station draw "500 watts continuously, until they were dead", when those are only 12.8v batteries and the charge controller won't draw enough amps, *at that voltage* to input 500 watts of fake solar? Wouldn't you need to put those in series, creating a 25.6v power source for the charge controller, in order to get anywhere near 500 watts going into the power station? That unit has a 20-amp limit on the SCC, so you would get no more than about 270 watts worth of "solar" charging into the P210 power station. Even if you configured those two batteries in series, 500 watts is about the most you would get coming in, so if your load was 1,000 watts or more, the 2,048wh battery in the P210 would be depleted in about 3 hours...long before the external batteries were dead.

[@TheOldJarhead]

I could have mentioned this and afterwards added into the description what's needed. In order to get the full power via those 12.8 batteries you will need to either run them in series (which I didn't do as mentioned) or add a step up converter to get them to 24v (24x20a=480w). Of course, all power stations are limited to their MPPT requirements. Now, if you have to draw 1000 watts continuously than frankly NO power station is right. Build a DIY Solar Power setup and run all the power you want. I don't see Power Stations for that purpose.

[@donttrickimtricky.8567]

@@TheOldJarhead can you just bake me a pizza using the pizzazz pizza oven. That's all I need to survive in this world. Lol

[@TheOldJarhead]

@@donttrickimtricky.8567 😆🤣😂

[@donttrickimtricky.8567]

@@TheOldJarhead So I picked up a river 2 yesterday for $115 and redodo 140 amp Bluetooth battery for 160 out the door. Now I just need to get all those connections to charge my river using the battery and get the redodo DC to DC. And I think I might be set. Portable water heater is next. Im trying to do a stealth truck build for my 88.

[@donttrickimtricky.8567]

Would running everything out of the hood be a better option since it has an extra battery tray. Or is behind the seat better?

[@thefpvlife7785]

90% of us should prep for a brownout situation and not an Armageddon.

[@TheOldJarhead]

I agree. It's hard to imagine the worst case scenario, however, it's easy to imagine days without power because I've already lived that many times ;) and I wouldn't even say a 'brown out' as that usually implies periodic outage due to saving energy, I'd say 'extended, unplanned, power outage' because those will happen.

[@1979Iceman]

Connecting to one terminal on each battery or connecting to both terminals on one of the two batteries makes absolutely zero difference.

[@TheOldJarhead]

Incorrect. By connecting to one on each you force it to draw off both equally.

[@putheflamesoutyahoo1503]

u left out how george washington found Merica

[@TheOldJarhead]

Well since GW did not find America, why would I include that?

[@Maleekus]

happy Liberation Day everyone!

[@TheOldJarhead]

Amen!