Overland Power

[bloc]

It’s 38l not 45 but and it’s about the same size as my RTIC 45qt cooler. Without ice taking up volume in the fridge, it really has more food storage volume than my cooler. On paper, it seems ideal for my use cases. Just a bit concerned it isn’t dialed in yet.

It’s not so much the overall volume as how the footprint needs to be under certain dimensions to fit my setup. And, not be too tall to open inside the rig.

 

[linuxgod]

For those that have been paying attention to battery banks longer than I.. are the certified refurbished Ecoflow models like the Delta II generally considered trustworthy?



Yeah that's the plan for me.

My Bluetti seemed brand new. I think a lot of these get sold and returned without any issues but the manufacturers won't resell as new. The ebay sales for these seem to come with a 2 year Allstate protection plan which is impressive for the consumer. See below:

Note that one of the cooling fans in my Bluetti started making noise while we were on our long trip last month. Typical computer fan bearing going bad. I contacted them to see about a warranty fix (even though the refurb units only have 90 days), then I got impatient and while waiting for a reply I just ordered a new fan for $11 from Amazon and swapped it. Then Bluetti got back to me, told me to use the "2 year Allstate Protection Plan" which came with the ebay purchase, and when I filed a warranty repair through that Allstate offered me a Visa card for 90% of the original price or the option to ship mine back and have it repaired. Since I was easily capable of fixing it I just took the money, and now mine is fixed and in the end the 768Wh unit cost me $75 (including tax).

 

[linuxgod]

If the form factor worked for me a fridge with built-in battery would be top of my list. I hope that gets developed further by competitors by the time I start looking to replace my current one.

Personally I wouldn't get the combined fridge+battery unless you want to tote the fridge around outside the vehicle. If something goes wrong with one part you're committed to getting both fixed (and needing to ship it back), the batteries add weight to an already heavy fridge, etc.

 

[bloc]

My Bluetti seemed brand new. I think a lot of these get sold and returned without any issues but the manufacturers won't resell as new. The ebay sales for these seem to come with a 2 year Allstate protection plan which is impressive for the consumer. See below:

Note that one of the cooling fans in my Bluetti started making noise while we were on our long trip last month. Typical computer fan bearing going bad. I contacted them to see about a warranty fix (even though the refurb units only have 90 days), then I got impatient and while waiting for a reply I just ordered a new fan for $11 from Amazon and swapped it. Then Bluetti got back to me, told me to use the "2 year Allstate Protection Plan" which came with the ebay purchase, and when I filed a warranty repair through that Allstate offered me a Visa card for 90% of the original price or the option to ship mine back and have it repaired. Since I was easily capable of fixing it I just took the money, and now mine is fixed and in the end the 768Wh unit cost me $75 (including tax).

Personally I wouldn't get the combined fridge+battery unless you want to tote the fridge around outside the vehicle. If something goes wrong with one part you're committed to getting both fixed (and needing to ship it back), the batteries add weight to an already heavy fridge, etc.

Good info, thanks for all of that.

 

[kcjaz]

Personally I wouldn't get the combined fridge+battery unless you want to tote the fridge around outside the vehicle. If something goes wrong with one part you're committed to getting both fixed (and needing to ship it back), the batteries add weight to an already heavy fridge, etc.

That was my initial thought too for camping but the EcoFlow fridge's battery is replaceable and can be pulled out and charges with USB C or just not used. You can buy the fridge w/o the battery if you want. I would probably buy the 300Wh battery as I would have other use cases for the fridge that don't involve the LC.

 

[linuxgod]

That was my initial thought too for camping but the EcoFlow fridge's battery is replaceable and can be pulled out and charges with USB C or just not used. You can buy the fridge w/o the battery if you want. I would probably buy the 300Wh battery as I would have other use cases for the fridge that don't involve the LC.

My 768Wh battery should run my fridge for the weekend. The Bluetti I have has a kind of crappy display, but running overnight it drops to reading 60% battery remaining (though it only has 5 battery bars). 300Wh will run for the day but I don't know that I'd count on it going 24 hours. If you're not driving around every day you'll certainly need more than 300Wh in any case.

 

[Aifer]

I watched a few of Will's reviews and went with the LiTime 100AH LiFePO4 battery with BMS and bluetooth. You can get below $300 now. Placed it under a drawer wing and tied down. Already had power run from starter battery to rear. Added a Victron DC-DC charger 30A. Charges 300W to the LiFePO4 battery.
Nice thing about LiFePO4 is you can discharge it much lower than other battery chemistries, especially AGM. I can monitor the battery, Victron charger and National Luna fridge using Bluetooth and phone. This solution works great for me. If needed, I can connect my Victron MPPT with solar panels for charging if stationary at camp for a few days.

FWIW - I originally put in a dual battery in engine bay - AGM with Redarc BCDC, SBC around 4-5 years ago. LiFePO4 batteries were still pricey. Just replaced the Odyssey AGM (with the same AGM) which served me well over the years. I still use it for accessories and it's wired to Switch Pro. The setup has been trouble free for me. I typically run the fridge off this if I'm not stationary at camp for a few days. I can also easily switch Anderson connections from LiFePO4 battery to AGM aux. for flexibility.

Back to OP, I would go with a simple LiFePO4 battery setup in the interior cabin. Less expensive, less complexity and longer run times.

I also have this setup, @FrazzledHunter turned me on to the Victron 12|24 charging trick to the GZ 1500x. The Yeti Vehicle Integration Kit has some poor reviews on the initial release and I had already invested in the Victron DC charger.

The one thing I left out of my previous dual battery system was an inverter. That's where the GZ Yeti comes in handy when I need an inverter. I've run a Nespresso machine and small microwave off it, no problems. It's also handy to leave in tent to charge/run personal devices.

When you plan your power cable runs, consider adding an extra run or two and don't be shy on going with thicker gauge pure copper.

Hi Guys,
Thanks for the great review.
I am using this setting for 2 years: EcoFlow River Max to run my fridge with a LVD connected between my car battery and the EcoFlow (Low voltage disconnect module) from amazon:

Amazon.com

The main reason for this setting is that my LC200 already had a hot battery wire run to the back (installed by the former owner) and I wanted to charge the EcoFlow only when the car is running so the LVD is set to the correct voltage disconnect and its working great since then.

My challenge is that the EcoFlow can charge up to 8A and its too slow.

I would love to find a DC2DC charger like the Victron mentioned in this post but I need it to replace the LVD, meaning it should kick in only at a certain voltage (Alternator is running) and disconnect when car engine is off (since my battery wire is hot, connected directly to the battery) in order not to discharge the car battery when engine is off.

My Questions:
1) Does Victron have such a product (both DC2DC with low voltage disconnect)?
2) Any other relevant product?

Many Thanks,​

Aifer.

 

[Taco Supremo]

Personally I wouldn't get the combined fridge+battery unless you want to tote the fridge around outside the vehicle. If something goes wrong with one part you're committed to getting both fixed (and needing to ship it back), the batteries add weight to an already heavy fridge, etc.

I feel this way about those entire box units like the bluetti. It's always some junk cooling fan or some little part failing, rendering the whole unit junk. Planned obsolescence. Unless you're removing the power supply from the truck to be portable, go with a diy house battery and charger system that you can change components on as they get old etc. And, there is zero need for a 800w charger of any kind for these units IMHO. The optimum charge current for the new 12V LFP batteries is around 290W.

Hi Guys,
Thanks for the great review.
I am using this setting for 2 years: EcoFlow River Max to run my fridge with a LVD connected between my car battery and the EcoFlow (Low voltage disconnect module) from amazon:

Amazon.com

The main reason for this setting is that my LC200 already had a hot battery wire run to the back (installed by the former owner) and I wanted to charge the EcoFlow only when the car is running so the LVD is set to the correct voltage disconnect and its working great since then.

My challenge is that the EcoFlow can charge up to 8A and its too slow.

I would love to find a DC2DC charger like the Victron mentioned in this post but I need it to replace the LVD, meaning it should kick in only at a certain voltage (Alternator is running) and disconnect when car engine is off (since my battery wire is hot, connected directly to the battery) in order not to discharge the car battery when engine is off.

My Questions:
1) Does Victron have such a product (both DC2DC with low voltage disconnect)?
2) Any other relevant product?

Many Thanks,​

Aifer.

I installed a Kisae DMT 1250 to charge my LFP. It does all those things. Highly recommended via Wil Prowse and the solar gurus on DIY Solar Forum.

With that, as I was finalizing my schematics for my system, all of those guys ( who mostly deal with wiring their own yachts) were adamant about running a negative cable of equal aize and length all the way back to your starting battery if you're tying the system into your truck. Theses guys sleep on their yachts so thers an additional level of safety but they were all in agreement the chassis as a negative return to the starter batter is a bad idea and not the proper way to do things. In fact, not to code in the marine world, as I understand it. So I ran a pair of cable to my battery for my system.

With the Kisae unit, it had both a negative return circuit to the starter battery and also a grounding circuit that is connected to the vehicle chassis. They are not the same circuit. Nor trying to scare people but the old style way of installing subwoofers and using the chassis as a negative return and a ground was HIGHLY frowned upon for this, and as mentioned, not even to code for marine applications. Take that fwiw.

 

[linuxgod]

Hi Guys,
Thanks for the great review.
I am using this setting for 2 years: EcoFlow River Max to run my fridge with a LVD connected between my car battery and the EcoFlow (Low voltage disconnect module) from amazon:

Amazon.com

The main reason for this setting is that my LC200 already had a hot battery wire run to the back (installed by the former owner) and I wanted to charge the EcoFlow only when the car is running so the LVD is set to the correct voltage disconnect and its working great since then.

My challenge is that the EcoFlow can charge up to 8A and its too slow.

I would love to find a DC2DC charger like the Victron mentioned in this post but I need it to replace the LVD, meaning it should kick in only at a certain voltage (Alternator is running) and disconnect when car engine is off (since my battery wire is hot, connected directly to the battery) in order not to discharge the car battery when engine is off.

My Questions:
1) Does Victron have such a product (both DC2DC with low voltage disconnect)?
2) Any other relevant product?

Many Thanks,​

Aifer.

What’s the highest charging input supported by the ecoflow? Can you do 24V or 48V? If so a simple 12-24 or 12-48 converter is like $20 and you can put that after the LVD so long as the wire leading up to the LVD is of sufficient gauge to handle more amperage.

 

[tbisaacs]

Hi Guys,
Thanks for the great review.
I am using this setting for 2 years: EcoFlow River Max to run my fridge with a LVD connected between my car battery and the EcoFlow (Low voltage disconnect module) from amazon:

Amazon.com

The main reason for this setting is that my LC200 already had a hot battery wire run to the back (installed by the former owner) and I wanted to charge the EcoFlow only when the car is running so the LVD is set to the correct voltage disconnect and its working great since then.

My challenge is that the EcoFlow can charge up to 8A and its too slow.

I would love to find a DC2DC charger like the Victron mentioned in this post but I need it to replace the LVD, meaning it should kick in only at a certain voltage (Alternator is running) and disconnect when car engine is off (since my battery wire is hot, connected directly to the battery) in order not to discharge the car battery when engine is off.

My Questions:
1) Does Victron have such a product (both DC2DC with low voltage disconnect)?
2) Any other relevant product?

Many Thanks,​

Aifer.

The victron has a voltage threshold and time delay for when it does / does not charge. I’ve ran mine for almost 2 years and it’s set and forget.

 

[TeCKis300]

I'm pretty sure a Victron Orion-Tr Smart charger can be adapted as as a high power charger for external batts. They can be set to power supply modes, and more importantly, have built in engine-on detection and or low voltage detection functions.

 

[tbisaacs]

I'm pretty sure a Victron Orion-Tr Smart charger can be adapted as as a high power charger for external batts. They can be set to power supply modes, and more importantly, have built in engine-on detection and or low voltage detection functions.

ack

 

[TeCKis300]

With that, as I was finalizing my schematics for my system, all of those guys ( who mostly deal with wiring their own yachts) were adamant about running a negative cable of equal aize and length all the way back to your starting battery if you're tying the system into your truck. Theses guys sleep on their yachts so thers an additional level of safety but they were all in agreement the chassis as a negative return to the starter batter is a bad idea and not the proper way to do things. In fact, not to code in the marine world, as I understand it. So I ran a pair of cable to my battery for my system.

With the Kisae unit, it had both a negative return circuit to the starter battery and also a grounding circuit that is connected to the vehicle chassis. They are not the same circuit. Nor trying to scare people but the old style way of installing subwoofers and using the chassis as a negative return and a ground was HIGHLY frowned upon for this, and as mentioned, not even to code for marine applications. Take that fwiw.

Boats are going to be different than vehicles for negative returns/grounds. Boats classically don't have conductive structures (yes AL ones can be). Ground runs are sized for only the specific component. There's also the concern to galvanic corrosion of the hull, the fact that it's sitting in a pool of conductive fluid, and passengers that may be wet and become the path of least resistance when touching things. So new components should be independently grounded back to the power source.

In a car, it's actually best practice not to use ground conductors. It is a risk in a different way in that any new negative conductor becomes the path of least resistance (versus chassis). Whether when in disrepair (like a engine/chassis ground is compromised), or possibly accident, then a particular negative ground run becomes the path of least resistance to any number of electronics that it was never sized for.

 

[rlynch356]

I have done a lot of this over the years and a couple of thoughts..

1) when using something like a 100ah lithium battery, I think about charging with regard to how long you typically drive in a day... I tend to go smaller on the DC/DC charger than what most people do but since I typically drive 6+ hours when on trips, so taking 4 hours or so to fully charge is not an issue, I don't need it to charge in an hour. This reduces load on the alternator and really when a fridge is full and running it does not need much power to maintain.

2) I plan capacity so that I am left with at least 50% at the end of the night or whatever period you are striving for (if you using a CPAP, induction cooktops, etc).. you may need more rated Ah Capacity (watts) than you think, which affects point #1..

3) you should have an idea what everything draws in a typical situation (say if its hot out, etc).. and plan your capacity and charging accordingly.

4) the only real way to get more amps out of an alternator is one that is built for more amps from the start. smaller pulleys work for a while but tend to burn out the alternator faster, and in the 200 its low and exposed to water egress so I am thinking a sealed water cooled alternator is the way forward when this one gets maxed out. It will be expensive.

I am building a wiring cabinet (which I'll offer for sale as a DIY or "Built" via my company), that will house a 300ah battery, DCDC charger, solar, inverter, fusing, and some other bits.
I started this since I wanted to go all electric for my cooking and water heating, and that requires more power, especially induction.. I will also increase my charging to 40 or 50amps.. once I get my results from a testing trip done.
I am also adding a full time solar panel on the roof, since I leave my fridge on 24x7..

I build my own systems since while the all-in-one systems are pretty cool they just don't have the capacity or the serviceability I would like
I do think they are a great option for a lot of people though..

 

[kcjaz]

Update. Pulled the trigger on an EcoFlow Delta 2 from Amazon. There is currently a $350 coupon which makes it $619. Still haven't decided on fridge but am leaning toward the EcofFlow glacier. I'm going to put off the fast charger for now and just use it with the cig charger or the cruiser's 100w inverter when driving. I'm hoping that will be sufficient for weekend camping and it seems like it will be. Once I get a better feel for this and how I really use it, I'll adjust from there.

 

[NYC570]

Update. Pulled the trigger on an EcoFlow Delta 2 from Amazon. There is currently a $350 coupon which makes it $619. Still haven't decided on fridge but am leaning toward the EcofFlow glacier. I'm going to put off the fast charger for now and just use it with the cig charger or the cruiser's 100w inverter when driving. I'm hoping that will be sufficient for weekend camping and it seems like it will be. Once I get a better feel for this and how I really use it, I'll adjust from there.

Can you limit the Ecoflow AC charging to 100w? If not, you'll blow the fuse of the 100w inverter.

 

[kcjaz]

Can you limit the Ecoflow AC charging to 100w? If not, you'll blow the fuse of the 100w inverter.

That’s a good question and I’m not sure of the answer. If you can’t, your right, that won’t work. If if it is possible, the inverter also needs to be a pure sine wave and I don’t think this is what I have in the LC. Im hoping the 100w cigarette lighter DC supply is generally enough. Ultimately, I think adding a dc/dc charger to mimic a solar panel and an actual roof top solar panel would be a good solution. Get what you can with solar and have the ability to augment with alternator charging via the dc/dc converter or charger if needed.

 

[Gazziza]

The Ecoflow DC-DC Charger is on sale for $199 with a $200 off coupon. It’s on sale for $399, enter “AC200OFF” at checkout to get an additional $200 to bring it down to $199.

800W Alternator Charger Perfect for Off Grid Energy | EcoFlow US

Charge on the go with EcoFlow 800 W Alternator Charger designed to top up your station while driving and maintain readiness wherever you travel.

us.ecoflow.com

 

[kcjaz]

The Ecoflow DC-DC Charger is on sale for $199 with a $200 off coupon. It’s on sale for $399, enter “AC200OFF” at checkout to get an additional $200 to bring it down to $199.

800W Alternator Charger Perfect for Off Grid Energy | EcoFlow US

Charge on the go with EcoFlow 800 W Alternator Charger designed to top up your station while driving and maintain readiness wherever you travel.

us.ecoflow.com

that must have just dropped or I missed it yesterday when I found the $399 sale. I sure didn't see an additional coupon. $199 is a deal.

 

[kcjaz]

EcoFlow battery arrived today. It’s smaller than what I was expecting. Plugged it in to the wall and it’s charging at 1200 watts. I’m eggar to test this thing out.

Whisky bottle for scale only.