DC to DC charger vs AC Inverter

[WTITW]

Thinking through a more robust battery set-up. Been running a single AGM for house and start and it's been a bit limiting just keeping the fridge running. Keep running into voltage cutoff. Thinking about adding a 1kwh-2kwh battery system (ecoflow, Bluetti, etc.) as a house battery. Solar is slow and like a fully shaded campsite if I can find it. Ecoflow makes an 800w 'alternator charger' ($400), which I assume is just a Dc to DC charger. I'm wondering if a 2kw inverter would work as well or better. The new power stations all claim an hour or less on AC. I'd also have the added benefit of having the inverter to run a saw or cook off of if the battery crapped out, albeit with the truck running). The only issue is a 2k inverter would draw all of my 150Amps my stock alternator puts out...

Is anyone running an inverter on the stock alternator? Is running an 2K AC inverter off the stock alternator a pipe dream? @r2m, you've got a big inverter and 250A alternator don't you? Have you done any tests on amperage draw while it's under load?

I want to keep the battery as compact and portable as possible so thinking the commercial all-in-one units will be best for me and I'm behind on all my projects as it is so building one myself isn't appealing. I gues the drawback is I can't use a DC to DC charger directly with most commercial units... or could I?

 

[WTITW]

Actually, maybe the inverter is a bad idea -

Seems like I need to mix solar and alternator charging to live within my alternators means : /

 

[Acrad]

I’ve been experimenting with some power packs at my cabin. Testing a Grecell 2400W.. it has about 1843.2Wh of available power. I can recharge it at the high 1200W rate in about 90 minutes with my EU2000i. Room for a small 1-2k watt generator on the GX? Most of these units also allow pass through UPS like charging so it can still power things while the generator is charging the power station.

I know you mentioned not really wanting to do solar but the newer bifacial solar panels could increase your output as well.

Wind turbine?

Review of the Windwalker 250 RV Wind Turbine | Truck Camper Adventure

Review of the Windwalker 250 RV Wind Turbine, Truck Campers, RV, Recreational Vehicles, Slide-In, Renewable Source of Energy, Wind Power,

www.truckcamperadventure.com

 

[JayPixelGX]

I got a 200 ah lifepo battery and run a 3000 watt inverter off that. It has 2 50 watt color panels that on bright sunny days can get close to 1000%.

https://a.co/d/59Sbk4e

https://a.co/d/1GISJ32

It’s a surprisingly light battery but you need 0000 gauge wire to go to the inverter

 

[Acrad]

Always option to leverage 48V LifePO4 system to decrease need for heavy wire gauge as well.

 

[WTITW]

Wind turbine?

generator on the GX?

One kid, one wife, one 75lb dog. A tiny genie would take up the spot I would put my 1-2k battery : /

2 50 watt color panels that on bright sunny days can get close to 1000%

Not sure Im following. Two 50w solar panels or two 250’s? 1000%? Did you mean 1kw?

Problem is mainly space for me with a family in tow. I also prefer an all in one solution so I can take it out to use on video shoots. Need to have an inverter in system to run lights. The truck mounted inverter would have just topped up the station but now I see I’d smoke my 150A denso in about 5m.

Really wish my alternator didn’t go out a few days before a two week trip. Would have gone for a 250A Tucson.

 

[Acrad]

Have you calculated loads to see how often you think you would need to recharge say a 2000Wh power unit?

DC loads will always be preferable if you can since the parasitic draw of a large AC inverter can become quite a bit if you don’t have adequate power resupply source.

Most of the power stations I’ve seen tend to draw between 20-40 watts an hour with just the built in AC inverter turned on with no load

 

[HVLA]

One kid, one wife, one 75lb dog. A tiny genie would take up the spot I would put my 1-2k battery : /


Not sure Im following. Two 50w solar panels or two 250’s? 1000%? Did you mean 1kw?

Problem is mainly space for me with a family in tow. I also prefer an all in one solution so I can take it out to use on video shoots. Need to have an inverter in system to run lights. The truck mounted inverter would have just topped up the station but now I see I’d smoke my 150A denso in about 5m.

Really wish my alternator didn’t go out a few days before a two week trip. Would have gone for a 250A Tucson.

Dont look now, but they are on sale too.

 

[WTITW]

calculated loads

I don’t think you can cook with 12v. Havnt calculated loads, but on Id like to move to electric cooking and my electric water boiler burns about 50wh of my little 500wh box per boil! I cooked some steak fajitas on a hotplate and it ate 150wh. Energy density. The energy density delta between propane and electric is insane. Trying to make it easier on my wife who hates setting up gas appliances. I don’t think you can cook with 12v.

Dont look now, but they are on sale too.

Oh crap. Lets get a group buy going before they sell out : ) I try desperately to avoid the wind when I set-up.

 

[Acrad]

I think you can get a variant of 12V for pretty much any device these days.. more convenient and cheaper for 120V devices.. I hear ya

KickAss 12V 130W Portable Travel Oven

KickAss 12V Camping Oven - the perfect companion for travelers, campers, and adventurers. With its 12-volt power supply, this oven allows you to cook, bake, and warm your favorite foods while on the road.

kickassproducts.com

In the meantime you may just have to leverage the slow vehicle DC outlet charging on the go and the most compact foldable/high output solar panels out there even if you aren’t getting a full 400w…

Assuming you’d have space somewhere in or on vehicle for a fold up panel solution

Just an example

EcoFlow 400W Portable Solar Panel (Recommended Accessory)

Official EcoFlow 400W Solar Panel: ✓ Foldable ✓ Approx. 35.3lbs (16.0Kg). Click to learn more!

us.ecoflow.com

 

[WTITW]

space somewhere in or on vehicle for a fold up panel solution

Guess I’ll have to. Speed isn’t bad, I just like to be tucked back to the trees which means I’ll need a 50’ set of cables. Might just be rocking propane for the foreseeable future.

 

[WTITW]

I think I just found the solution to my electrical issues and the AZ heat:

 

[r2m]

Thinking through a more robust battery set-up. Been running a single AGM for house and start and it's been a bit limiting just keeping the fridge running. Keep running into voltage cutoff. Thinking about adding a 1kwh-2kwh battery system (ecoflow, Bluetti, etc.) as a house battery. Solar is slow and like a fully shaded campsite if I can find it. Ecoflow makes an 800w 'alternator charger' ($400), which I assume is just a Dc to DC charger. I'm wondering if a 2kw inverter would work as well or better. The new power stations all claim an hour or less on AC. I'd also have the added benefit of having the inverter to run a saw or cook off of if the battery crapped out, albeit with the truck running). The only issue is a 2k inverter would draw all of my 150Amps my stock alternator puts out...

Is anyone running an inverter on the stock alternator? Is running an 2K AC inverter off the stock alternator a pipe dream? @r2m, you've got a big inverter and 250A alternator don't you? Have you done any tests on amperage draw while it's under load?

I want to keep the battery as compact and portable as possible so thinking the commercial all-in-one units will be best for me and I'm behind on all my projects as it is so building one myself isn't appealing. I gues the drawback is I can't use a DC to DC charger directly with most commercial units... or could I?

For those who've been on here a while, the links I'm giving, I've posted before.
Jake, this what I have:
Inverter: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0131PZ9J2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_image?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Chainsaw: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0131PZ9J2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_image?ie=UTF8&psc=1
When using the chainsaw, If it's hard wood or a thick log, I need someone in the drivers seat keep the RPM's up, otherwise the inverter will trip off and have to wait about 30 seconds for it to come back on again.
I love the inverter, but I too am not pleased with my battery setup either.
Would love to relocate the house battery from being next to the start battery and replace the start and house batteries with some monster size batteries, but there's just no space for two and I REALLY don't want a second battery inside the back of my rig.

Regarding your preference for shady campsites and solar, with an extension cord, you can place the panels anywhere. Anyways, you'd need to probably rotate them a few times to follow the sun for max energy.

The whole wind turbines are great, but we aren't driving 40' motor homes with a ton of space and wind turbines take up a lot of space, not to mention they should but positioned pretty high.

If I do the adventure trailer, then I may consider going with what I mentioned above about having just one big 'ol battery up front and then one or two on the trailer being charged all the time, either while driving or with a tender when in the garage.

 

[jeremy j]

Thinking through a more robust battery set-up. Been running a single AGM for house and start and it's been a bit limiting just keeping the fridge running. Keep running into voltage cutoff. Thinking about adding a 1kwh-2kwh battery system (ecoflow, Bluetti, etc.) as a house battery. Solar is slow and like a fully shaded campsite if I can find it. Ecoflow makes an 800w 'alternator charger' ($400), which I assume is just a Dc to DC charger. I'm wondering if a 2kw inverter would work as well or better. The new power stations all claim an hour or less on AC. I'd also have the added benefit of having the inverter to run a saw or cook off of if the battery crapped out, albeit with the truck running). The only issue is a 2k inverter would draw all of my 150Amps my stock alternator puts out...

Is anyone running an inverter on the stock alternator? Is running an 2K AC inverter off the stock alternator a pipe dream? @r2m, you've got a big inverter and 250A alternator don't you? Have you done any tests on amperage draw while it's under load?

I want to keep the battery as compact and portable as possible so thinking the commercial all-in-one units will be best for me and I'm behind on all my projects as it is so building one myself isn't appealing. I gues the drawback is I can't use a DC to DC charger directly with most commercial units... or could I?

I am not too far down this onboard power rabbit hole but I have an EcoFLow Glacier fridge that I used on my trip to Colorado last month. I was worried about keeping it charged with just my alternator so I did a little research in to the DC to DC chargers. I saw Tinkerer's YouTube channel mention this DC to DC converter and it is much cheaper than the Ecoflow. It isn't 800w but still seems to be pretty fast.

https://amzn.to/3Z3YBh8

In the end, I didn't need more than the 12v from my battery to keep my fridge charged since the battery is only 298Wh.

 

[WTITW]

Brilliant. That looks like a great way to go and a lot cheaper and a bit more compact than a DC-to-DC charger. Not quite as fast as an inverter but with the added benefit of not melting my alternator in 30 seconds : ) Thx!!

 

[WTITW]

In the end, I didn't need more than the 12v from my battery to keep my fridge charged since the battery is only 298Wh.

I love the built-in batteries and had one on my last fridge (now my backyard beer fridge). I switched to a smaller fridge for my current drawer-mounted set-up, which needed less height to stay under my gear shelf. Mine was 300wh, too. I just used the 100w inverter for that one, which worked great for moving everyday trips. Unfortunately, my 500wh power station's power supply had a similar issue to Tinker's adventure, it just kicked off a few seconds after plugging in. I think it was overdrawing as the power supply was like 120w. Still too slow, anyway. I think the DC converter plus solar would be the best way to get most of my juice from driving then I could chase solar if I wanted to around camp.

Does anyone know what I'd be giving up by going DC converter instead of DC to DC charger? Charger I would assume, would have a better app, if the converter has one at all, but that's not really needed if using a power station with built-in charge controller and app like the ecoflows.

 

[r2m]

One thing I forgot to mention about using our fridge with our house battery, is I always start and run my car about 5 or 10 minutes before I go to bed and when I get up in the morning just to ensure I don't get dead batteries.