Zero Breeze Mark 2 Review

[@suesheane3671]

Love the way you deliver your videos . Just plain English and informative. Thanks

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Thank you, I really appreciate that you watch the channel.

[@rubychen1689]

The Mark 2's battery is designed to be charged separately, providing convenient options for users. I bought two batteries, so that i can charge one while using the other, ensuring continuous operation.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Excellent feature, Im actually using it and charging while I write this!

[@terrencebubb]

I’ve watched a lot of the reviews on this product, this is the best review by far. Very thorough, excellent thanks mate!

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Thank you, I appreciate that!

[@anthonygraham6449]

Hey Brian. I have been using mine while boondocking. I run it thru my bluetti and 4 panels. I curtain off a small space on my camper. Life saver

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

That’s really great to hear. I was hoping to meet someone using it. Any issues so far?

[@anthonygraham6449]

@@DIYOutdoorLife works great for local cooling. Low wattage. 200-250.

[@Inxochitlincuahuitl]

Great Info. I had to watch 5 other reviews to get the info and breakdown u showed If only I had come across this one first 😵‍💫🙃 Alot of people compare these to 5k window units and the square footage covered in homes so glad u broke down how different that is compared to a camper/rv/van.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Thank you, I’m really glad it was helpful. Thanks for swinging by!

[@rodbtelenetbe]

Thanks

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Thank you for watching!

[@mikekruse4674]

Thanks for this video. I've been thinking about one of these for a while now, but was worried about the build quality. Still trying to figure out how to keep it portable and run the ducting for our small Teardrop. Probably set the unit on a table or the tongue box and duct cool air and return through ports mounted to a door window. Would likely primarily use connected to shore power. Looking forward to your look at other unit you mentioned when you can afford that.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

The build quality looks great. I think the main thing is managing expectations. As you know, off grade aircon very difficult and expensive, this does an amazing job for what it is. Thanks for watching!

[@TamieAJ-de7wt]

Thank you for the informative review. I was looking to get the Zero Breeze Mark II for a Bushwhacker rally I'm going to in NC next month (other trips too but the one next month is my first hot summer trip planned with no electric hookups). I was told my campsite is mostly shade so I am wondering what type of portable power station I will need to run the unit for a few hours each night. I already have a 1000w solar Jackery but was planning to get a Goal Zero power station too but what level will I need to run this unit? I am struggling to get info that clarifies the energy needed to run this in my Bushwhacker 10HD. I'd rather have the power station than invest in the battery for the Zero Breeze, but want to make sure I have the juice to run it. I'd appreciate any help you can offer on how to set myself up with the energy needed for the Zero Breeze.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Hi Tamie! I'll see you at the rally!!! Can you send me an email at [e-mail] Just let me know it's Tamie from the comment and we'll take it from there... I have some awesome news.

[@1chumley1]

I am thinking about just making a super insulated sleep chamber in my camper with just enough room to sleep, sit and stand comfortably. The Zero Breeze would probably be able to keep it 70 degrees with no problem.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

With the circulating air, it will probably feel much colder than that. Let me know how you make out, it can be a lifesaver for offgrid AC.

[@jimb1312]

I'm really interested in your review after using this for a couple weeks in a hot environment. This has looked like a good fit for the bushwacker. But there are other reviews out there where people have used it beyond what it is designed to do and have not recommended it.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

I agree, a lot of what I saw in reviews had unrealistic expectations. I understand how difficult and expensive of a feat it is to make an off grid AirCon, but I also understand people spend big money and want results, even if it’s unrealistic. It does an excellent job in the Bushwhacker if you use it at night or point the outlet on you directly. Doesn’t work well when sun in shining..

[@Toomuchgearguy]

Fantastic info

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Thanks for watching. You and I both have too much gear…

[@daltonkennedy5488]

So what would the disadvantage and advantage of having the intake inside your truck topper? Wouldn't it be colder air coming out by re-circulating the already cooled air?

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

If you are using the unit inside, you have an advantage. Just vent the exhaust outside. If the unit is outside the tent, you have to pipe the cool air in, itll be less efficient

[@daltonkennedy5488]

@@DIYOutdoorLife the rear of the unit has the exhaust and the intake… can I use the intake to just re-circulate the air while the other side blows the exhaust air? It would be really-circulating colder air instead of the outside air. I’m also in a topper setup. It’s not like I’m going to go to sleep and never wake up again right lol.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

@@daltonkennedy5488With a unit like the EcoFlow wave 2, you can utilize the return that way to increase efficiency. With this zero breeze, that rear intake should be outside air, it blows over the rear coil. Unfortunately, this is a little different than a DC heat pump, and you're better off, blowing the conditioned air inside, and allowing the rear intake and exhaust to be outside.

[@daltonkennedy5488]

@@DIYOutdoorLifewhat would could be the damaging effects doing this?

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

The mark 2 has an intake on the front, that is the air that is intended to be cycled into the condition space. That's why there's an advantage to installing it inside. That would be the intake that you would try to pipe into the tent if it was possible. They don't sell anything to make it possible, you would have to make your own. I have a suspicion it has to do with the engineering around the airspeed. If you pipe something to it, you would have to use a fan for the return air. As for the return air on the back, you're just going to lower your efficiency and performance by doing that. The air from the front and back are not mixed, it just runs through a heat exchanger. You're going to end up drawing a lot of the cool air back out of the tent and the front exchanger is not going to be able to to remove the same amount of humidity.

[@MrMoeVideo]

Very good review. I now have a few questions that I could look up, but it wouldn't help others if I just find the info myself😁. Ok, So if I used the unit outside and "piped" it into my teardrop, is the unit waterproof or do I need to install it in an enclosed location? That brings up the second question. If it is installed in a tongue box for example, with the intake and exhaust lines routed through ports drilled into the box, will I also need vent holes to keep the unit from overheating? In other words, will the unit keep itself cool if it is in a sealed box?

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Great questions, it is not waterproof and needs to be sheltered a little. In the video, I mention putting it in a tent, awning or annex room… you’ll have to do something. As for the box, the unit will be cooled by the inlet and exhaust, it would do well in a set up like you mentioned.

[@dannyeugenewaits9486]

Fantastic!! You did your homework!

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Thank you for watching!

[@jdm44456]

Have you tested Ecoflow portable air con ?

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

I’m working on it. Nice unit for sure, harder to use with tiny camper and very very expensive.

[@aaronchapin9331]

Thanks for this review; I'd seen previous videos of this device being "busted" as an iniegogo scam, and it seems this company did itself no favors with adverts of smiling people on beach loungers in an open-air environment "enjoying" air conditioning. As you say, there's a very specific use-case for a device like this and I can understand why it's gotten such a bad reputation with marketing missteps like that.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

yea, it's also pretty easy to hate on, that's why I talked about expectations. What they did is an engineering marvel but it's still new tech, bound to be far from perfect. I saw some of those ads and had a chuckle.

[@valmiller4338]

Thanks for sharing but I do find the Mark 2 lacking in power since it only has 2300BTUs.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Yea, 2300 will be limited for a lot of applications for sure. Thanks for watching.

[@Ajjakakkaka]

Hey man, you said it has timers? I can’t find any info on the timers in the manuals? Can you elaborate

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Sorry, I'm on the road right now on a winter road trip... no AC with me. Hopefully someone else can answer. Are you running off of a zero breeze battery or from 110?

[@twloughlin]

First things first. For clarity, let's get the prices right out front. This 2800 BTU unit is $999, and the battery is an additional $699. The combo package comes in at $1499. The cheap 5K BTU Frigidaire window unit on Amazon is currently $159. A Black&Decker 8K BTU rolling portable unit costs $329. So clearly, this kind of engineering has a very high price tag. If I were to buy this unit (which I wouldn't), I would not buy the battery, but instead buy another portable power station I could charge via solar dedicated to the AC. So while I think this unit is a little bit nuts, I thank you for the clearest, most understandable review of it that I've seen. From a DIY point of view, this is anything but. If I'm building a $100K Mercedes diesel Sprinter Van build out that's Instagram-worthy, then OK maybe this makes sense to show I have the coolest stuff. I'm still looking for a boondocking A/C solution for my Class C, but this is not it. "A" for effort, though. 😉 EDIT - I would not bother spending the money to review the EcoFlow Delta if you haven't already. It's got all the same problems as this one, is also very, very expensive, and is proprietary to boot. People can see the reviews on HoboTech's channel - you've got better things to do.😄

[@neverwin2518]

Agree with PPS vs the battery pack. If you’re already spending that kind of money it would be worth spending a few hundred more to upgrade to a solid PPS that would have far superior functionality by comparison IMO

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Hey Tom, I agree with your assessment here completely, except one major point. A 5k BTU window air conditioner draws between 3500-4800 watts per night. Obviously the 8000 BTU unit draws considerably more… I have a couple modifications to cut those numbers in half, but you’re talking about an enormous capacity requirement. In order to run one of those systems, 300-400 ah of LiFePO for one night? If the BTU capacity could get you there, running this main system w cheap 24v lifepos is a huge savings. Definitely agree on avoiding their batteries unless it’s a value add for other reasons (sizing or convenience). I have been running battery powered air conditioning in the teardrop for a couple years, usually just to take the edge off. Typically involves bring a homemade solgen or $4,000 worth of company made PPS. I don’t think I care to be bothered with the set up (running hoses etc) in my tiny set up, but this will be the clear winner for a lot of people. 1200-2000 watts per night. As for you giant rig, you might wanna look at battery powered heat pumps. Also pricey, but incredible in performance and efficiency.

[@twloughlin]

@@DIYOutdoorLife Well, as you say, AC is the K2/Holy Grail of boondocking. The idea of a battery-powered heat pump is one I hadn't thought of. More research awaits.

[@twloughlin]

@@DIYOutdoorLife Looks like BougeRV has gotten into the portable AC game. $1099-150 coupon=$949.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

@@twloughlin I’m sure the flood gates are blown open now. I’ll wait for someone to do it better, these all look like copy cats for the same price.

[@OrthodoxRainbow]

I've been checking this bad boy out for years. It's a good alternative for some situations but if I had the 1000$+ to spend I would probably stick with a battery power system.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Yea, it’s steep. Battery AC is still a tough but to crack.

[@johnwdavisjr]

this would have been great for the tacoma situation.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

I talk about that in tomorrows video. Whyyyyy didn’t I bring it…lol

[@nicklamberti7222]

Love your channel, I was wondering if you still have the schematics for the Bushwhacker 10 hd, if so can you please send me a copy? I'm modifying my trailer & it would be great to know where all the studs are located. Cheers

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Hey Nick, I have some production photos that were helpful. Shoot me an email at [e-mail] and I’ll send them to you. Thanks for tuning in!

[@eladsgarr]

Second that. I have the 10FB but I’m sure most is transferable to other models. Would be really nice too get wiring diagram/ schematics.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

@@eladsgarr just sent some to Nick, feel free to email

[@BlueVenomMojave]

Great easy to follow review Brian, can't justify the cost though, lol

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Yikes right… cheaper than the system I ran at the rally though…lol

[@BlueVenomMojave]

@@DIYOutdoorLife haha, that is true

[@cardinhamkilligrew9712]

what would you think about this in a sailboat? 120 sqft with 6ft ceilings.... and half of that is 3 feet ceilings - in bedrooms....? supplemented by fans. Sunshades on the deck of the boats to keep directed heat off. Many time its high 80s and 90s...just want it tolerable like 70's

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

I think that’s a perfect application, and most importantly, your expectations are right. This will be a life saver if you set it up to blow on you, it feels ice cold that way. It does struggle to chill whole rooms like larger plug in units. Hope this helps.

[@RM0818]

I think this is cool (heh) stuff. Yes, it's price-prohibitive at this point but that will change in time. The low power draw running on DC is what changes everything. I view this very similarly to the 12v coolers that are so prolific now. As the secop compressor is mimic'd and made by more manufacturers, nice "mid-tier" units are out there at affordable prices - making them a great choice for boondocking versus a standard AC/household unit. I feel these direct current air conditioning units (DC/AC...or AC/DC units?) will evolve and follow a similar trajectory. Prices will come down...they will be available in various footprints and BTU ratings so you'll be able to pick what suits you. There will be more options. This is still pretty nascent tech with only two real products out there doing it. I'm glad they are blazing the trail. Like many, I can't justify the current cost - but I imagine in time, I might. I'd wager the market will eventually force them away from proprietary connections like Ecoflow's to allow compatibility with a broader range of standard connections.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Bingo bingo bingo! I’m right there with ya.

[@jamesmerritt4032]

Anything to help get a good night sleep when you have to get up and tear down camp and drive all day is a great investment so your well rested for the day ahead

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Good night sleep is key to happy camping and going a lot… exactly!

[@lorneserpa5888]

How many amps 12v DC does it consume?

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

10 or less

[@ViewFromMyBackyard]

Damn I thought we were cool with our pizza oven. Brian out here with a whole ass a/c. What's next? Portable wine cellar??

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Haha… portable pool table?

[@ViewFromMyBackyard]

@@DIYOutdoorLife you know it wouldn't be regulation size!

[@neverwin2518]

This thing sort of reminds me of the proton pack from Ghostbusters.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Haha… Definitely designed by ghost buster fans

[@1chumley1]

The fact that it has an inlet and an outlet means it is way more efficient than a wheeled portable AC.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

👍 It’s efficiency is impressive for sure.

[@squatch2461]

🍻

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Cheers!

[@ronaldalsup9517]

Good review but for the price it is asking. I really can't justify getting one.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

I hear ya, it is pricey. Hopefully we see a price drop in the tech.

[@justinfowler2857]

Man I need to start a KZbin channel just to get free stuff to "review." 🤣🤣🤣

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

Haha… it has its pros and cons. Thanks for watching!

[@cliffwendy3765]

Bad advise to put the input duct outside. Stop trying to cool the outside air. Cool the inside air and force the exhaust outside.

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

I’m not sure you understood what I was saying. The unit sits and vents outside and the cool air blows inside. Thanks for watching.

[@cliffwendy3765]

@@DIYOutdoorLife there has to be a vent for the unit to receive air to cool and a vent to expel dry cooler air and an exhaust for warmer air to cool the compressor. It seems silly to make the unit draw warm moist outside air when it should draw from cooler drier inside room air. You’re explaination included many ways to position the unit based on the user’s effort. Your video has excellent content, nice review!!

[@DIYOutdoorLife]

@@cliffwendy3765 ahhh… it was I that was confused, I get what you’re saying now. I thought you were talking about the exterior mounted option. If you were getting duty cycles on a sealed interior space, you would gain efficiency and avoid pressurizing the space by drawing return air inside, exactly.