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Vanlife / Overlanding off-grid battery solution(s) with solar

Surfy

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Sep 18, 2012
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We all know our discussions about the use of the Ecoflow River Pro as a electricity concept and battery setup in our rigs, to save weight and space. I did use this Setup for the last years, what was strong enough for fridge, notebook, smartphones, drone and even for charging my ebike during my recent trips.

A small and lightweigt battery box with everything embedded: wall charger, solar charger, inverter, battery.

Now at 2022 are some new solutions around who brings really a lot more Power for those who need that.

Today we can already buy the next generation of those devices. And we can see the first travellers out there, who start to cook with power consuming induction cooker with such "Portable Power Stations".

Here a concept for using at example the Ecoflow Delta 2 (LiFePO4) as battery for overlanding vehicle:

How to charge the Delta2 (LiFePO4)
Cigarette lighter socket (100 watts),
220v shore power (1200 watts),
Solar Charge Controller: 500 watts (11-60 V, 15 A)
optional: by 12v «dc dc booster» (example with 240 watts at xt60 Port)

What can the Delta2 power up?
2x USB-C with 100 watts
several USB-A connections
4x 220v sockets 1800-2400 Watt
12v cigarette lighter socket 12.6V 10A (126w Max)

Article: Ecoflow Delta2 (& other coming products):
Vanlife off-grid battery solution with solar power - [Leaving Land Cruiser Club]

In terms of price/performance/weight and compactness - hard to beat by an DIY Project. Too this solution is expanable by external batterys. The available App let you use the capable battery monitor and allows to adjust a lot of values (like charging power). You will find links to other upcoming products of bluetti. Too ecoflow will release the River2 inside of the next 2 weeks, for those who think that the delta2 is a bit overkill.

How we can use a "12v dc dc booster solution" for a stronger "in car charge" is explained too, this way can be used with other "Portable Power Station" brands like bluetti or jackery in a similar way.

Personally I would even consider this concept for a bungalow or tiny house together with solar - the delta 2 is strong enough to use 220v coffee machines, water kettle or induction cooktops or other 220v devices like a fridge or even a washing machine.

Surfy
 
Have been thinking for a while about the electrical power side of things for my 80. I like the idea of this much more than having to wire up a complete system from scratch. Main advantage for me is not having to do all the wiring, not something that I enjoy. Plus being able to take it out and potentially use in another vehicle is very appealing too.
 
With the tech available now I struggle to see the point of a DIY setup (if you’re not into that for fun I guess) when you can get a self contained unit… i can see why it made sense in the last, but today - not sure.

So i’m looking at a Jackery for the back of my rig, with the only electrical mods (in the rear) being a fridge port for when driving and a cigarette lighter port to charge the Jackery when driving. When parked up the Jackery powers the fridge, and the solar charger charges the Jackery.

What am I missing??
 
EF products are certainly very capable. My folks use a Delta Max for peak load shaving and we have a little River Pro for running all the gear in our ground tent.

If you don't want to or know how to build a custom system these are a great option.

I'm not sure either unit is designed for off-road overland conditions but for touring/vanlife plenty of people use these with very few complaints.

For the sake of argument I suppose the downsides would be:
you'll never have exactly the ports you need in the quantity you need them. A custom solution allows you to put as many ports where you need them.
Limited battery capacity and expansion options. A custom solution would allow you to pick a capacity that suites your specific needs.
Size and placement. The Delta's aren't small so it's placement in a truck will come with some compromises.

None of those are a deal-breaker in my opinion and one of these can be had for the same price as a redarc charge controller.
 
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Yup. For me it’s time & cost & knowledge mainly.

If we’re only doing 2-4 weeks per year & then camping weekends, i’m not sure a custom system makes sense.

If we were doing longer trips & self-sufficiency was needed then for sure. One day when i grow up…
 
That is exactly the point, we cant do a similar setup without exceeding the Price(!!), weight and used space.

And those units are portable, you can use it too for an energy outage or for bringing electric power into your garden for light, cooking or for fiiring up some other 110v /220v Tools

But yes, if we have special purposes, like using a strong 12v unit (Aircon, vehicle jumpstart, Hotwater Boiler) - there a DIY project has too their place.

But please - for those available battery solutions - look at the specs, look at the details.

Those Jackerys who are available on the market are junk, if you compare it against an ecoflow battery in the same price tag.

- Charging times at wallplug
- mppt solar charging capabilities
- strength of internal 110v / 220v Inverter
- USB-C 100 Watt Charging, the competiors mostly are limited to PD 60W
- battery technology (LiFePO4)
- Internal Wall-Charger (you just need a cable)

Jackery is junk. Is just used by instagram/youtube travellers who got payed well for showing it (like Eva Beck).

Compare the tech specs from a Jackery 1500 against a ecoflow Delta 2, - you will see that the device dont win in one point of comparison.

And the Jackery isnt cheaper.

To be fair - all of them are good enough or overdone for us who just want to run a fridge, smartphone and notebook. But why buying a device who need so much longer time for charging by wall plug or solar? Who needs an external power supply? Who cant run strong 110v/220v Devices?

trippin
 
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