Power Station For Your Car? You Need This!

[@406Campr]

It worked! I was able to charge my Delta 2 at 410W while driving and running my refrigerator at the same time. I tested the hotplate and the electric kettle while parked. The hot plate boiled water in 2 minutes and the electric kettle took 4 minutes. The hotplate drew 1500W, and the kettle drew about 900W. The hotplate used 10% of power, and the kettle used about 8%. Recharged in 20 minutes. Amazon sold out of the Victron 12/24-20A converters (no surprise) so I bought mine from NAZ Solar. Ditching all of my propane gas, cook stoves, etc. Thanks Kai!

[@danielledelorme2537]

How many amp is your alternator?? Mine is 105 amp.

[@thefpvlife7785]

For 10 bucks an XT60(I) simple plug allows a 185w charge rate and double that rate with the double input ports of the newer ecoflow gens.

[@adventuresofmathiasandmarie]

After watching your first video I hooked my delta 2 up to my truck using a 500W pure sine inverter and a relay connected to ignition power. I set the AC charging to 400W through the app. It's been running perfectly since then and charging at 400W as long as the truck is on. 👍 Great videos.

[@Dieiamgi]

Im glad yours works! Does that let you use the plug in the back? Could you share a link to the one you bought?

[@dailydr1ver935]

What inverter do you have? I have a Renology 700 watt pure sign wave inverter and when I hook my Delta 2 up to it it trips the GFCI of the inverter and it won't charge.

[@adventuresofmathiasandmarie]

@@dailydr1ver935 try setting the AC charging to 300 or 400w in the app. 👍

[@Rj-22]

Hi please make a video of connection and how it’s work

[@frankbierschneider8785]

You can use bigger inverters if connected with thick cables directly to the battery/generator and from there via AC to the EcoFlow AC in. It's the quickest! You have to find the right dimensions to not overload battery/generator depending on both' capacity to supply power.

[@miniharez]

Ecoflow alternator charger is now $399, Ive been using it for almost a month in my van for my ecoflow pro. 800w when driving, 5-600w when parked. also if you left your lights on and you battery dies, you can jump start it through the generator. this thing is a game changer!

[@wiredotaku91]

It's on sale for 199$ right now

[@tonyinfinity]

You can get a 1500W inverter that will charge it at full speed for $150 LOL

[@miniharez]

@@tonyinfinity prove it and show me how big the set up is

[@Taran-d.B.23]

Can you do an installation Video please?

[@Taran-d.B.23]

@@tonyinfinity how should that work? The inverter gets hooked up directly to car battery while driveing?

[@davidlu5048]

Use the below information at your own risk. For what it's worth. I just put in this Victron 12/24-20A to a Ecoflow Delta 2 in my 1999 Toyota Land Cruiser 100 series I was worried about the load on the factory alternator so I did the following test: 1. placed current clamp on alternator positive lead to battery 2. turned on all accessories in the vehicle (hvac blower to high, seat heaters on, stereo on, defrosters on, rear HVAC fan on, head lights etc.) 3. found that with everything running the alternator was putting out ~92 amps I conclude from this that my land cruiser would be able to run at 92 amps continuous. With the nominal accessory load drawing ~60 amps (stereo, front HVAC fan) this means that so long as I don't run the rear HVAC fan, seat heaters, defrosters etc) I have ~30 amps continuous of head room to give to the Victron. I therefore conclude that Kai (Tinkerer) is correct that there is sufficient head room on my Land Cruiser to handle his proposed setup with no alternator changes.

[@abe1365]

Please make a “how to” wiring video for this setup! I have a 5th Gen 4Runner and Ecoflow Delta 2. I am very interested in your charging setup, but don’t want to mess up my factory electronics.

[@helenabha]

Just finished a similar setup with my 5th Gen 4runner, using Victron 12/24 15amp charger (use it as a power supply only), together with Ecoflow Delta 2. It pulls 25 Amp from the alternator with 280W reading on the Ecoflow Delta 2. It is very efficient charging, easily charge the Delta 2. It is necessary to keep driving the 4runner rather than just idling.

[@terriblehans]

If you make this “how to” video I’ll make it to my truck!

[@jerrygundrum1]

he tells you exactly how to do it... if you can't glean it from this video you probably shouldn't attempt it

[@LouisSubearth]

Use an unused fuse spot in your fuse box to wire up this inverter.

[@stuartstuart866]

I wonder how difficult it would be to swap out the Toyota non pure sine with one that is.

[@ChocolateManInThailand]

This video was pure precision. I purchased the exact same setup, but my installer swayed me towards 4 guage wire. Probably overkill, but I get 410 to 415 watts into my Delta Max 2 set up. Thanks for posting this!

[@nordic5490]

4GA is not over kill. I have 90A DCDC charging. I instlled 0GA directly from the alt terminal to the 150A fuse block in top of the guard / fender. Then ran 2GA to the removed middle row seats, to feed 2x DCDC chargers and charge 2x 120AH LFP batteries. 4GA really is the minimum if you want to recharge charge your LFP quickly.

[@KLucero22]

Love this at 9:29 “They actually specialize in advanced leather products and also….dumpling makers??? It was at this point I decided it was not worth the risk to save $100 bucks” Perfectly said

[@gregandrews2800]

Great video...loved it. Nice to watch a video without any fluff AND full of technical details with full explanations. I'm guessing you're an engineer. Keep up the good work.

[@jeepncj7]

Just wanted to follow-up with an appreciation post for the research done here. I have been using a renogy 1k inverter to charge my D2 in emergencies, but that passthrough is what made me decide to switch. I have a use case where this will go in my prius for extended blackouts, or in my overland rig for fast charging. The spikes from home use on the passthrough made the decision easy. Thanks for all the legwork on this one.

[@underourrock]

I wonder if the Toyota inverter could have been upgraded to a higher quality one. I'm glad you broke down the cheap inverter spec questionability. They are usually good for about 1/2 of what they claim at most. I wouldn't ever use them for more than 50% of their capacity in "cheap projects" because it just isn't worth it. Really appreciate your video. Great job with the info!

[@Vigo327]

Late here but great video. I took my house 100% off grid last May and started doing some serious electrical mods to my 23' rv at the same time. I've gone through a lot of what you cover here and definitely think you did a good job offering detailed info within the scope of what you were trying to accomplish. With a topic like this the hard part is stopping yourself from branching out too far.. gotta draw the line somewhere! I guess the main thing i would reinforce is the value of using DC inputs vs AC inputs. As you point out, AC inputs are 'picky', have unintuitive traits (ie ac passthrough behaviour) and often have limited adjustability (such as you may be able to set a max battery charge current but probably not set an AC load limit, so there would be no hard and fast way to prevent exceeding your 400w truck limit even if it worked at all). I have done some experimentation with simply rectifying 60hz AC and feeding it to 'solar' inputs and have yet to have a failure. It seems to have a ton of benefits (adjustability, reliability, independence from other functions, etc) and i plan to continue my experiments past the ~1kw level i've already done and see if i can get up to 2-3kw (this is house and RV context, doubt youd need that in a truck camper). Anyway, if you are still learning/experimenting along these lines i highly recommend diysolarforum.com, im Vigo over there as well. Keep up the great videos.

[@jeffmcclain]

Finally! A well informed person with LOTS of great information (like the orange XT60i trickery) that is accurate and applicable on these power generators!

[@shaunozs1ra92]

This MGGi converter is useless if you use it high temps. I used one to boost 12v to 15v to increase the voltage for my Travel Buddy. It proved to be useless and kept cutting out too cool. Thanks for this video, great info

[@CLINTSTER77COX]

Ran across this researching for a project. But my situation is backwards. I want the battery pack to power a charger for a deep cycle car battery and run for at least 1 hour in between battery pack charges . All this for the purpose to delete the alternator and add an electric water pump to a mpg vehicle. Essentially a plug in at nights to charge the battery pack . Love the tinker channel.

[@dkkpollock]

So pragmatic! Busted a gut at only one FJ to burn. Sadly, I have had the equipment to install a dual battery setup with the Blue Sea Systems 7622 ML-ACR 12V DC 500A Automatic Charging Relay with Manual Control for longer than I care to admit. I am cutting up and crimping a pair of jumper cables for wiring. One day, I will go this power station route when I can afford it. It is so versatile.

[@schassis_eddi]

Now that Ecoflow released the 800W alternator, you should test that out

[@thefpvlife7785]

For 10 bucks an XT60(I) simple plug allows a 185w charge rate and double that rate with the double input ports of the newer ecoflow gens.

[@thefpvlife7785]

Now we all know it's due to the Ecoflow software set at 8A as not to overheat the external battery. Using a simple XT60(I) plug allows it to charge at 15A doubling the output to 185w or so.

[@craigwells3655]

Excellent work. You have saved many dollars for many people, not to mention the time and energy.

[@brianbrown9700]

Buddy there nothing i can say some one else hasn't said. Liked and subbed. Thank you. This is gold. Your going places

[@vicorrey4969]

Yes, please if you can make a "how to" wiring video, I would like to do this as well. I do not have delta or anything that big...yet, but I do have the glacier with the battery pack and I use it for work and overlanding and would like to do this set up.

[@andrewvickers4487]

I've been looking at how to charge a power station from a battery and your video was useful and well made - thank you. But then I looked at the price of that thing! I've since learned that a 500W inverter should work equally well, pending the wattage (and all Ecoflows have adjustable charging input I believe). Somewhat less efficient but then it's only a third of the price, no need for added DC cables/adapters, and you can get much more use out of the battery with the AC socket. I'm still pretty new with all this so any/all thoughts are welcome :)

[@k.andreas.t]

He actually talks about it at 05:29 and mentions at 5:51 that the delta 2 needs a pure sine wave. This kind of inverter cost significant more and could be overloaded in case you use more than 500w (if your inverter has just 500w) while loading, like he mentions at 6:12. This is how I understood it but maybe I am wrong

[@stuartstuart866]

Would love to see a video on replacing the Toyota modified sine wave inverter to a pure sine inverter of the same capacity. This would be a nice clean “invisible” upgrade

[@Urban-Primate]

I have 2 of the Ecoflow battery's and was looking for someone who had solved this issue. Thanks!

[@barrybennett1292]

Great job and excellent detail, good info. Fyi, for my small van camp, I own 2 of the Renogy (non smart) Li Iron Phos batteries(5 years). Not dumb, they do have a full BMS each with temperature sensors. The Renogy smart batts just means they can network between the batteries if you want to do serial(which I think still isn't recommended for these batts). Regardless of Quality BMS or not, I have a Lithium House Charger/Inverter for my gas genny, a solar charger for my solar panels and a Victron 12-12-18 dc-dc for my alternator. The reason I only do 220 watts(87%eff=253W) on the alternator is so I can still fully run the van electricals(headlights 2x30W, battery 480W, AC fans ?W, stereo 100W) and not exceed 80% rated load on the alternator(Already wore one out). And it still charges my batts faster than my 300W solar panels. Last summer I was running an old 40A noco dc-dc when the alternator died mid trip, I limped to Walmart, bought a 30A charger, dropped the alternator belt, kicked the fuse on the noco and ran my genny to power the charger that then charged the engine batt while driving. Crazy but it worked.

[@benjaminstaley6805]

Good morning. I can really use your help help here. No one shows the [wiring process] to those of us wanting to implement your suggestion. So can you provide me an actual [wiring schematic or wire flow layout] CHART from battery to Ecoflow Delta? I really want to get it right the first time and avoid unnecessary risk. A accurate clean VISUAL would give some of us the confidence to get this project done before the next road trip. Thanks I look forward to your reply.

[@Big_Mafuta]

I went the inverter route as the Bluetti will only charge at 8 amps if voltage is less than 30. I believe Pecron solved this. Few videos on YT. PECRON 500W Car Charger DC1242-500 for Cars, RVs, Trucks, etc.

[@bradenb]

Another great video. I've been kind of working through a similar problem. I have a 100W mounted solar panel and a Delta 2, but just finished a trip that was cloudy nearly the entire time. The main reason I am still considering a custom dual battery setup is for my other DC accessories. I feel like this is the biggest weakness of the power station type units - they lack DC output capabilities. I like the idea of being able to wire my lights and compressor and all that to a battery that can easily output 100a at 12.8V or more.

[@TinkerersAdventure]

Good point. I wired my compressor to the starter battery before I had my previous dual battery. Otherwise, I would have hooked it up to the secondary battery.

[@ARLGD]

Thank you for sharing your experience! I completely agree that having DC output capabilities is essential for powering accessories during outdoor trips. Have you considered the Segway Portable PowerStation Cube Series? It offers a massive capacity, powerful output, and even has a waterproof design. It could be a great solution for your DC accessory needs.

[@stefanocerna6504]

Fossibot 2400watt con 2kw di accumulo lifepo4 800euro 25amper cc 12volt

[@rchiggs1]

Great video as always. I've watched a decent amount of power station and more general solar power-related videos, and this still offered new information and ideas. This approach seems to be absolutely perfect for my needs when I decide to start this type of project on my FJ.

[@maryetdave]

The advantage of the inverter is being able to leave the solar connected. When the vehicle is stopped it switches to solar automatically. Still wish it would do solar and AC charging at the same time. Or at least have dual mppt.

[@brandonvalenzuela1552]

Did a similar thing in my 4runner but i used a 1000w renergy inverter to fast charge ecoflow battery. Than changed the battery to a 27f agm and added the voltage booster pro. To accommodate the inverter.

[@helenabha]

I am planning to have the same configuration too. Which gen of 4runner? When you charge it, is it in idling or driving?

[@2001cusito]

Hi, which Delta do you have? I have the Delta 1300 (1200w max) AC charge. And I bought the Renogy 1000 inverter. I'm not sure if this inverter will suffice.

[@brandonvalenzuela1552]

i have a 5th gen 4runner. after replacing the battery to a 27f agm and installing the voltage booster pro. i could charge the battery while idling before hand with the stock battery and stock voltage settings it was drop the battery voltage below 12 volts and the inverter was not happy. @@helenabha

[@mikesmith1550]

My power seats are equipped with a 40A circuit and are rarely used. It is hot all the time. I could tap that circuit to power a charger through a relay controlled by the ignition switch and only hot when the engine is running. Very easy and accomplishes much. FYI.

[@tj_offroad]

Man you and Engineering Explained should team up for some videos. I really appreciate all the work and thought you put into them. I had a Iron Man Foamcell Pro suspension installed on my 100 series based off your analysis and I love it so far. Thanks again!

[@YouTube_username.]

wow there are foam shocks now, neat

[@TheWolodo]

I use a Jackery Explorer 2000 Pro PowerStation in my Sprinter CamperVan. I charge it from the Alternator with 1440 Watts. The Jackery Solar Input can Accept 60V 24A. I simply use a DC / DC Converter from 9-15V from the Car that converts to 60,0V @ 24A. ❤❤❤

[@horandestudios]

May i ask for a littlemore extended explanation please? I have the same unit

[@tomdoyle813]

This was the first video of yours that I have ever watched and highly rated it. Keep up the good work!

[@troy3456789]

Careful which DC to DC charger you get; if it draws more than your available overhead, you'll give your alternator a hernia. Better to play it safe. Some alternators are not cheap or easy to replace. (Some do not have 20 amps overhead available). Call you dealership repair shop to be certain and play it safe.

[@TinkerersAdventure]

For sure, that’s the prerequisite for any electrical mods. At least for most late model toyota trucks and suvs, they can spare 400W with margin. But I cannot say for other vehicles.

[@theq-ster6981]

This is exactly why I went with the pure sine wave inverter! I still have the option of dialling in the charge rate from as low as 200W using the EcoFlow app, all the way up to 600W depending on what kind of driving I’m doing. The FJ Cruiser, for instance, will have battery drain for SURE pulling it’s upper limit of amperage with stop and go city driving. This is why they limited the stock inverter to 100W while driving. Problem with the DC-DC inverter, you can’t dial in or limit the charging rate! Great video though! Very informative!

[@troy3456789]

@@TinkerersAdventure 400 watts power at 13.6vdc (maxed out load) would draw a 29.4 amp load on the alternator (A little bit lower if the voltage output of the alternator is higher of course). Of course it's not good to max out an inverter, but I'd bet Toyota has a little room to spare without burning up the 400 watt inverter. An inverter is at peak efficiency at about 33% of max load (if its efficiency is observed on a bell curve).

[@troy3456789]

@@theq-ster6981 Pure sine wave inverters are the right choice for inductive loads and capacitive loads. They are a bit more costly (in terms of efficiency and overall loss) if you are using them for purely resistive loads like coffee pots, water boilers and electric blankets. In the case of your EcoFlow, it demands pure sine wave form of AC to charge it of course. Try to keep the load on your inverter at around 33% of its max rated wattage capacity. This will ensure its maximum efficiency and will keep it running its longest. Do not use a modified sine wave inverter to drive any inductive load if possible; as it can heat an AC electric motor and wear it out prematurely. AC motors hate modified sine wave electricity.

[@timothyfloyd2710]

Thanks for making this video. I recently completed the system in my 2021 Crewmax. It’s great. I added a Garmin power switch to turn it on and off. I also fused the high and low side of the converted.

[@PeakyBlinder]

I use the delta max with the alternator charger . It's amazing, and endless 240v in my van

[@ricklavis5292]

I installed an inverter in my Transit van and charge my Bluetti AC 200 max with the AC power block that came with the power station. It charges at just under 500 watts. With the Bluetti I can add another 500 watt power block If I wanted. I rarely use my Portable solar panel. Has worked perfectly for 18 months now.

[@lockandloadlikehell]

Which inverter did you buy?

[@patterninnovation5848]

"You Need This!" Yes I do. Didnt want a solar panel on my old LT40. Not sure if my alternator 45A is strong enough te keep up. But I can upgrade that to a 65 or 90A if needed. I will be using the circuit breaker as a main switch. I dont want it to charge allways if I turn my key.. I could wire an extra switch from the victron to my dashboard later. Easy setup. Maybe you can add part links for making the electrical wires. Setup to 23V pushing 330W.

[@archoncompsys]

Just FYI, using the Victron Orion-TR Smart 12/24-15 works quite nicely. Once you connect to it via bluetooth you can put it in "Power Supply" mode @30V and adjust the input voltage lockout/restart values such that it isn't active until your battery voltage is above the named value. Yes a little more expensive, but no trigger wire needed and it basically detects when your engine is on so no worries about draining your starter battery.

[@scialancajake2938]

On spec sheet, it shows the max output is 280w. So I guess is going to be a lower output compared to his set up?

[@archoncompsys]

@@scialancajake2938 I've got the 360w version...scroll down further on the spec sheet:)

[@scialancajake2938]

@@archoncompsys thank you!

[@toyotacruiser7729]

Greetings Good idea...so does that mean I just direct wire it and no switches necessary? Id like one in my fj. I want to use it to charge an ecoflow 2 max battery generator Thanks for any input!

[@scialancajake2938]

@@toyotacruiser7729 new update, EcoFlow is publishing their new car charger

[@Graybeard_]

It is important to consider your vehicle's alternator. Many alternators do put out a lot of watts, but almost all oem alternators can only do so for a very short time. I own a GMC Duramax Diesel 2500 truck. It has dual batteries and the optional high output 155 watt alternator. There are plenty of forum posts of folks frying their alternators because they had it running at max for 30 minutes. There are aftermarket alternators that can output 300 watts and do so for longer durations, but they run $800+. You can also add a second alternator, but then you need the electronics to manage two, and keep the vehicle's primary charging system isolated. Adding these big power banks to your RV or overlander is a game changer to off grid camping, but you can also find yourself stranded with a fried alternator.

[@Montana_Outdoor_Adventures]

Great video, I just got a Delta2 for my overland Jeep setup and found this while searching for ways to supplement my on board solar. This helps me out!!!

[@daviddecker100]

Super big Thank You for this video. It's like you read my mind. Your video is going to save me a ton of money and time. Was going to go with a secondary battery for the same reason (recharging the power station). I didn't have the time, know-how or effort to solve the problem, but you did it for me. Very grateful for the knowledge. Keep the videos coming, they are perfect!

[@Jasonoid]

Lots of great stuff in this video! Thanks for sharing your experiences. I was on the look for a decent voltage converter for this type of project as well. I've also used the Amazon boost converters with passive cooling. I wish they had one with active cooling. A decent 12v to 36v 30 amp option would be great if it had active cooling. Then you'd only be running it at a 50% load and it wouldn't get very warm.

[@TinkerersAdventure]

Thanks! Yeah I looked for awhile. It is difficult to find a step up converter with high enough power. There are plenty of step down with high power.

[@dandnguyen]

They make 12V to 48V step up converters that should theoretically lower the amperage even more.

[@ARLGD]

Thank you for your comment! I completely agree with you about the need for active cooling in a voltage converter. Have you considered the Segway Portable PowerStation Cube Series? It has a massive 5kWh capacity, powerful output of up to 2200W, and even features waterproof technology. It's a versatile powerhouse that can definitely meet your needs for outdoor projects. Let me know if you'd like more information!

[@jeffmorris993]

Finally got it to work in my 2021 RAM 1500. Charging at about 405 watts!!🐻

[@1stRanger]

Behold new 800W Alternator Charger! Bidirectional too.

[@thefpvlife7785]

Agree but for 10 bucks an XT60(I) simple plug allows a 185w charge rate and double that rate with the double input ports of the newer ecoflow gens.

[@janettecabauatan9292]

Can you do a review on the new Ecoflow alternator charger? Thanks

[@GraveyStain68]

FYI for those who want something that works just as well without all the customization the PECRON 500W Car Charger DC1242-500 works for ecoflow too and its only $150

[@StillCine.Pictures]

…Just when you’re not looking, Ecoflow released: EcoFlow 800W Alternator Charger at $699 CDN. It also monitors your car battery.

[@geraldhenrickson7472]

Finally, a better method than an inverter which could toast your alternator.

[@diesel112358]

Awesome video! Thank you for this!! I installed a Bluetti eb55 in my FJC. I wanted to utilize the vehicle inverter to charge but ran into 2 problems. 1) My fridge blocks the outlet. 2) I could not find info on if the inverter produced a sine wave or not (your video answers this). I decided to install a 12v outlet in the back along with an MC4 connection point for solar. Works well for now, but if I ever need a higher charging rate, I know what to do now!!

[@1dgram]

Excellent analysis and advice!

[@MrSuperman258401]

I have f150 hybrid with propower onboard, so I can just put it generator mode for 2400w or 7200w if you get the upgrade. Just plug my Delta 1300 into AC outlet in the bed to charge at 700 w with no load and higher when there was a load.

[@HimitsuYama]

Thanks for sharing. I used an Amazon 12 to 24V converter to charge my Delta 2 from an inexpensive LiFePo secondary battery via the XT60i port at 24V x 15A or 360W. As you noted, the converter got *very* hot so I added an inexpensive fan to it (with thermostat); it now stays around 104° F, the thermostat setting. Works fine, but I am a big fan of Victron products so will likely soon go with your approach. My vehicle has a Renogy 30A DC-DC (alternator and solar) charger for the service (fridge) battery. I hadn’t yet considered charging the Delta 2 from that, but thanks for the idea! Your videos provide excellent and to-the-point information. Thank you!

[@charminbaer2323]

Thank you for the video, very informative. I'm going to Burning Man for the first time and bought a 12V refrigerator. My friend is letting me borrow his Jackery power station to run it and a few other small electronics. Eventually I want to convert a cargo trailer into a camper trailer, and ONLY run 12V + solar. I even plan having a 12V A/C unit as well, so I'm trying to learn as much as possible.

[@Irishgrl68]

I am having the same issue, with my brand new Ecoflow River 2 Max.

[@bodyzoasispersonaltraining9186]

Amazing for off grid overlanders... how can we also have solar panels in this set up as well for those parked often.

[@ePinzi]

That is exactly my question. Did you make any progress?

[@jeepncj7]

Very cool. Glad you kept with this for the Delta 2. For me, if I decide I need more watts charging I may just still go something like a Bestek 500 inverter (ignition on only), and then DC for just solar. Right now I have it hooked up to just DC, that has an always hot solar and a house battery (with LVD). I'm glad you skipped the Amazon one, I was getting the same feeling when researching this!

[@cilupercio]

I haven’t had time to fully test, but my Bestek MRZ5011BU didn’t work on my Delta Pro. I suspect it may be my “smart” alternator, but need to look into it more.

[@joeblow1942]

I bought and tried the Bestek inverter that HoboTech recommended and couldn't get it to to work with my Delta 1300.

[@jeepncj7]

@@joeblow1942 Interesting. I have a renogy 1000 watt pure sine inverter that I hook up to my Prius and the Delta 2 just fine. For my 4runner I'll eventually get the Bestek unit (500w) and try it out.

[@joeblow1942]

@@jeepncj7 Yeah, Delta 2 is different.

[@Fuzzyeyebrowsyo]

Checking the Bestek 500 online states that it is a Modified Sine Wave inverter. It may be the same wall that Ky hit when plugging into the built-in AC plug in the car. Seems like EF power stations only work with Pure Sine Wave.

[@MrSquidDaddy]

I just set up the Mggi 12/24-20 on my diesel truck and get 350W. The only change I made from your plan was to add a 2 minute timer delay on start up to avoid the glow plugs and the charger both pulling current at the same time. Excellent idea, thanks!

[@angeljia3506]

Do you have a link for the delay timer?

[@lakorai2]

This will work assuming your power statio supports 24v solar charge input. Many power stations, like Pecron, need 30v or higher. In this case you can use a Daygreen 12v to 48v or 56v step up transformer and a 120a high powered 12v relay.

[@Christg617]

Nice job and well explanation of each topic concepts. Very efficient and thorough.

[@unrealheadcase]

Good step by step on your thought process for overland Ecoflow charging solutions.

[@scottandchels6813]

This is good infomation. I went with a 2000w inverter which means I can put way more watts into my bluetti while driving.

[@ric8361]

@scottandchels6813 That is very dangerous! You will find your starter battery may die frequently and runs out of use in short term. If your alternator is not sufficient to supply all its loads including your car radio, AC, heater, lighting all those stuffs, plus loads from your monster $2000w inverter, your starter battery will function as "power supplier" (vs being charged by alternator which is what you would think), attempting to make up the power input-output difference (aka, drawing your starter battery even if your car is running). Thank me later if you understand this. Good luck.

[@scottandchels6813]

@@ric8361 thanks for your reply. Are you saying that my 180amp alternator will not be capable of supplying 500 watts of power to my Bluetti ac200max via a 2000w inverter or are saying that it doesn't work like that and that the power will be drawn straight from my battery? Do I need a DC-to-DC charger?

[@ric8361]

@@scottandchels6813if you only load 500w to your 2000w inverter, it might work. I do not know what your car is and what extra amp your alternator can spare. Observe your starter battery voltage over time. I hope it works for you. But if you by any chance load ~1000w from your inverter, you will certainly run into problem. The rule is that if your alternator can not sustain ALL loads, your starter battery will do the work, attempting to make up the difference.

[@scottandchels6813]

@@ric8361 Cheers, it's a 2018 v6 Vw Amarok. It will never be drawing more than 500 watts (probably more like 400). I'm only using the 2000w inverter because I bought it on a really good sale. I will keep a good eye on it and I will do some more research and testing.

[@WillProwse]

But then your PV input is taken. Not ideal if you have a permanent mounted solar array connected to your unit. Cool work around though. I would just buy a cheap inverter and charge off that. The efficiency difference is not that big and you can use that inverter for all sorts of stuff. And you can find that converters data sheet by other manufacturers. Just get a larger output one. Those are fantastic actually and very heavy duty. Just run it at 100% and see how long it lasts lol it might surprise you. Or not. Fun test for sure

[@TinkerersAdventure]

That’s true. AC charging allows solar plugged in. Haha, I do like how tiny those cheaper converters are. Hope someone test it out fully. Love your content btw. I was going to upgrade my dual battery setup before making the Delta 2 work. Learned a lot from your videos.

[@tomahawk8754]

The solution would be a DC automatic switch module.

[@ChrisZBr0wn]

I have a dual battery for the truck, another one in the trailer, and use a 12-24VDC converter to maximize charging my solar station as well (why not have a third backup)

[@MobileSolarConsulting]

I thought I was the only one. You are a hero.

[@tybrady4598]

I bought a Victron 12 v to 24 v 10 amp converter. It was $65. Yes, slower than 20 amps, but I didn't want to overload my electrical system.

[@mattmentzer8610]

Best answer here is to ditch the EcoFlow & get a Bluetti. In my rig, I use the AC200P and dual fast charge via a 2000w inverter and dual ac chargers - each putting out nearly 500w. 2000wh battery charges from zero to full in under 3 hrs.

[@haroldskinner1783]

Found your channel by accident, great content. thanks for sharing.

[@mtheory3]

This is a game changer and it making me take a second look at the Delta 2

[@John_thetrader]

in the end it comes dawn to your alternator ... the more you pull the harder the wear on it... thats why some have a dual setup ...one for the 12v system ...and one thats 24/48v for charging batteries ....so you dont overcoock your 12v alternator because its not realy made to charge up a big bank of batteries each time you drive.... or install a bigger alternator 12v that has more amps so if you now have 60...try to find a 120amp alternator ... then you can change the dc dc convertor to a bigger amp one also ...and i would not load an alternator of 80amps (bigger diesel auto for example) with a 80amp load ... if you do a 60% it will last a longer time (your alternator) ... soo FIRST read your car engine specs look up what alternator you have(what amp it can give contiuously) ... then buy a converter ...

[@underourrock]

Yeah, a 300 to 400w draw on the alternator is significant. You bring up a very good point about alternator life being a bit of a tradeoff, but a fair one.

[@wizzosends]

I use a River 2 Pro which only accepts 200w solar. I am guessing I would be better off with an AC inverter connected to the power station to charge?

[@danielledelorme2537]

Just put mine in my van...it works beautifully....merci 😊

[@tobiasjfmostert]

Thank you for the awesome advice. I have implemented your solution in my FJ and it works like a dream! Please could you Explain why your (or all FJ's) are unable to support 800W via the Ecoflow Alternator Charger? I presume it is because of the 80Amps Alternator? My LC 150 has a 120W Alternator. Again, not an Autolec, just love to play and learn while tinkering!

[@Verdigris.]

Now that it's available would you use this instead? EF ECOFLOW 800W Alternator Charger

[@roundstone2020]

You are awesome. This is the first of your videos I've seen... Subscribed. ❤

[@Atarix777]

Very interesting video, thx for that. I love that you talk about good quality as the marked is just full of crap devices.

[@danielpark1643]

Hello. This is Daniel. Thank you for you show me idea how to charge fast to ECO Flow power station from car cigarette lighter port. I have 2019 Toyota Sienna minivan. I try to charge my ECO Flow River 2 power system as fast I can. I usually hook up with charge cable from cigarette lighter port. It works as it is supposed to, but too slow. So I try to use your idea to charge faster. I tested with Amazon special 12V DC to 20V 200W converter. I bought solar charger connector with XT60I-F connector and I connected that to DC-DC converter. Before I tested, I figured out cigarette lighter fuse and it is 15A. Theoretically, it can carry only up to 180W (12Vx 15A). But DC-DC converter is 200W. So I thought it may blow car fuse. And it happened. Sure ECO flow draw more than 200W and in a seconds, 15A car fuse is blown away. I am wondering is there any way to keep charging without blowing fuse or not. Do I need 180W less capacity DC-DC converter? I saw your video shows you can charge 224W with non XT60I-F connector, and you can charge 416W with XT60I-F connector. How you do that? Cigarette lighter port can carry max.180W. You may connect different port somewhere. Could you tell me some Idea how to utilize 180W full power to charge without blow fuse? Let me know, please

[@luisgonzalezjr.7465]

Great comprehensive presentation.

[@cyclemoto8744]

Great info. thanks for sharing. Have always been interested in these power stations however cost is excessive compared to DIY solution.

[@erikm5753]

The only issue I see is not being able to use the alternator and solar at the same time w/ 1 entry port, same in the Pro. So we cannot simply wire the cig charger from EcoFlow into the solar charging wire, combine them? Or combine from a converter or charger? I am curious if EcoFlow will ever allow their portable units to compete with the van and RV systems they are trying to sell.

[@russveinot5754]

@ thoughts here. Why not parallel 2 converters. It is still cheaper than the Victron. Also, ALWAYS add a small fan to blow across this type of unit(s) and it (they) will stay cool. Great info and nice research on your part.

[@Fparrish]

Great vid, just came across it. I have yet to build out any secondary battery system or purchase a portable power pack. Starting from scratch and I think a potable power box is the way to go for my needs 👍🏼

[@jshaw6600]

My Goal Zero Yeit Link charges at 850 Watts from the alternator with the yeti Link vehicle integration kit.

[@douglaswindsor120]

Thank you for the video I've been asking why we can't get more watts out of a automobile altinator for charging a solar generator as a gasoline truck van altinator puts out 60 amp diesels are 24 volt DC and 60 amps a bus has 100 amps so far non can answer past its too much for the wires so thanks for the how to do it

[@backyardhotrods9885]

I want to move my power station from Jeep to my trailer...could I use the + & - from my 7 pin harness into the DC converter and then into my power station? Thanks and great video.

[@justinsuzor8222]

Thank you so much, I have tried for so long to get this right. Much appreciated

[@eugenedarvell8470]

Hi, great video. you need to do an updated video of charging a Ecoflow delta 2 or max . Ecoflow bought a DC to DC charger specially for vehicles for interest in your views on this keep on making great videos

[@Hanniboon]

Have you considered the alternator's output power? Usually stock alternator runs at 80-90% of it limit when full loads, especially when the main battery is low. For example, You went to 3 nights camping off-grid. Your main batt is low, your aux batt is also low. And you decide to charge both at the same time on the road on the way back home. This was my situation that burned down my alternator (over-load). There is another trick to bypass the 8A charging limitation to 15A by adding a resister between negative and common of xt60i but I would like to not do that. Accidently break down alternator on the trip of nowhere is no joke.

[@petecoventry6858]

Get an Ioniq 5 - plug socket in the middle seats is 4KW!

[@Powerpickle68]

While it is good that people are trying to figure this out, the best overall option right now is to use a small gas generator for the ac charging in the field. A simple solution for the charging issue.

[@OFFICIALUND]

even the smallest gas generator takes up a huge amount of space and adds a huge amount of weight.. plus you have to carry the fuel.

[@Michael-sx9qv]

Thanks for sharing. This makes charging way more. convenient. Any idea how a dual charging setup can be wired for a permanent solution? Since there is only one power input for 12V Alternator and solar panel on the roof. It would be great not to switch the plugs everytime we drive or park the car. Thanks

[@altcode1510]

Great work Kai! Belive it or not... Today, I was thinking about your previous Ecoflow Delta 2 video and I was wondering if Ecoflow did or were going to do a firmware upgrade. Wow! The power of Synchronicity. Glad to see the viewers helped you find a solution. I will use it when I get the Ecoflow delta 2 for a trip in late summer. Thanks a lot for the excellent research for your videos. They are very informative.

[@mannyfragoza9652]

Very interesting! I simulate a solar panel using a 36 volt ebike battery ( into my Ecoflow Delta Mini) to run my chest Freezer. I get over 12 hours of run time before i start drawing from the Delta Mini.

[@OFFICIALUND]

Could you explain a little more? I'm curious. You're using a battery to charge a battery? Are you pedaling the bike on a stationary platform to charge the bike's battery?

[@SandyCats]

Awesome vid. Didn't even know converters exist. Much more efficient than an inverter! Thanks for the callout as well!

[@PatrickRich]

Interesting. I've been doing this for a while on my EcoFlow River MAX and Anker powerhouse II. I'm not trying to get max power though, just using alternate power sources to supplement input on low solar days. I just put about 60% back into my EcoFlow using gold mount camera batteries at 14.5 V Nominal. I've also moved from my EcoFlow to Anker and vice versa with no problems, but it is capped at the 8A input limit. I also tried the ebay boost/buck converter and came to the same conclusion you did based based on heat. Heat is my enemy. Using a solar generator for my house loads has been an issue with the heat. I found that my Anker would overheat pretty regularly in the summers here in Utah and stop charging, though it would keep supplying DC to the fridge. I added an aux fan to the ANKER to help but it still gets toasty. A 12v DC battery is way less picky. With a separate battery and charger you heat two things separately - Charger losses and Delta T in the battery cells. With a solar generator those two things are stacked and in an enclosed case. My River Max says 113F is max temp for charging, and its really easy to hit that if Im parked up for even a few hours in the sun. I also rigged up a voltage sensing relay for my anker such that it charges via solar input (on the roof) if there is sufficient voltage and charges from the anderson plugs that are ignition hot when the car is running. That way I can take advantage of Solar when Im stopped when the fridge is really drawing current thanks to the high ambient temps in the car. I've played with a switch mode power supply to simulate the solar input side to run the fridge as a home freezer when I don't need it in my car. During the day the solr comes to the voltage sensing relay and then into the Anker which runs the fridge off DC. When the sun sets the relay switches to the switch mode power supply that came with the anker to charge off the 120VAC. The switch mode supply I used seemed to work with the River too, but again, I limit the input current to 6 or 8 amps which is fine for my smaller battery (566w/hr or 388 w/hr)

[@FJCTrailHunter]

Hey Patrick, I just bought the River 2 Pro, it is my understanding that the input charge is limited to 10amps, is that what you refer to? In other words I could not use the above 15amp victron?

[@SparkedInnovation]

Glad you figured out the dc to dc charging through the solar charging port and sharing your findings! Down the road if you wish to explore fancier options maybe you can integrate a canbus controlled alternator to vary its output to charge the delta 2 optimally as well. Awesome channel and thanks for sharing your ideas 🎉 and findings.

[@babbledmuch]

I was thinking the same thing and using a Wakespeed regulator.

[@SparkedInnovation]

@@babbledmuch cool just looked up your wakespeed regulator idea.

[@mariodasilva8729]

Clear and to the point! Much better than others who might give along history of their build which has nothing to do with the final decision! Thanks so much, I have decided to follow you on the Delta! But do tell what you did with the Orion 12/24?

[@injectionAI]

This is nice, but I ended up just installing a 1000w inverter and charge my delta pro at 700w from the alternator

[@jameslillian8627]

Awesome video. I wonder if their is any possibility of a split cable for both DC charging and solar charging or if the cross voltage will cause havoc

[@erikm5753]

Probably not recommended. You would need a diode to stop it from running into the panels or from the panels into your converter. With the converter, you will probably get enough power while driving. Just use your solar when you are not driving and the alternator while you are driving.

[@jameslillian8627]

@@erikm5753 I ended up doing a 5 pin relay that links the solar and DC charger. The trigger voltage is power from the DC charger(which itself is on a relay from the battery tied to my ACC circuit) when the truck is off the relay links to solar. When on the DC charger. Useful when I run a fridge but don't turn on the truck for a few days.