Ok, I'm pullin' the trigger on a power station........

[INTJohn]

What can I say?
I'm an old skool flood acid bat man and its time to retire my truk house Trojan j185. Had it for 7 years and I'm sure I can get one more winter out of it but I'm not waiting till its no longer useful. I'll team it up with the 185 I have 12 volting The Box and probably get 3 more years or 4 from the pair. Bought them both over 7 years ago.

SOooo, been researching the dogshit out of agm's, life4's & power stations, etc and its been hard to wanna let go of the $$$ to, you know, join the 2020's but after go n down all the trails to all of the options, back tracking' so many times, weighing' this and thinking' "damn tha just don't make sense or add up" and then haven' to gotta turn around and say, "damn maybe tha just dooo make alotta sense" this way, that way and $$$ way....

WHEW!!!!!!!!

........and then I've my 120 watt solar panel that has no li4 setting so I'ld need to buy a new charge controller if I went Lif4; but power station $$?? when I already have a 1200 watt pure sine inverter too that can handle all my stuff.
.......sooo, maybe just get a damn good gam or a lif4?, you know, tie it to my inverter on 1 side and the panel on the other? but I'ld need to get a smart charger to hook up to my gen. cobble this hook up that.... I'm getting took old 4 this shit! sayn......
........and then I blew the cobwebs off my old boat portable generator: Coleman Pulsemate 1850 watt that doesn't have over 300 hours on it tho its over 30 tears old, sayin. Damn? but shit, where m i gonna tie this down conveniently? and hell! do I wanna carry a 2 1/2 gallon gas can, do I? Well yeah, I can do that but man, do I really wanna?

Aint't gittin' any younger either and even tho I'm healthy as hell even for a 30 yr old but man when ur crowding' 70 one can go to hell in hurry but m thinkn can be good till 80? 11+ years, yep. have great genetic history on both my father and my mother's side.... so, in that sense they both lived into their 90's and their parents lived into their 80's & 90's as well as my great uncles & great aunts on both sides - and medical science & technology then wasn't anything like it is today.........? the a bunch healthy ole coots, sayin So, maybe i'm good till long past 80 to still be vehicle livin, saying! hopin

Hell with it, he says, time to just trash all this old tech, except for myself haha, and shell out them$$$ once & for all and i'll most likely be done with it till I'm done or dead or both!

WHEW!!!

So after a shitload more of researching the dogshit out of power stations; I'm pulling the trigger on that new Ecoflow Delta 2 when it comes out in a week complete with the 400 watt solar set up..........

My current suitcase 120 watt solar panel, with 1200 watt ps inverter along with that 1850 watt lil generator I'm just gunna give it to somebody. I know some young peeps around me that are trying to get their van liven lifestyle off the ground and they can git me a big bottle of gin & i'm going to give that shit to m till they git $$$ to buy what they want.

WHEW!! Geeshin it big time.......
Sayn, jonny boi, out

 

[peteg59]

Good choice, going PS over loose batteries. Much less of a "footprint" in a small space, less peripheral support equipment needed, as well as lighter weight overall.

I broke down and got a Jackery 1,000 last year.
It can power the 12v fridge, my orthopedic air mattress, and LED string lights for 3 days on a charge, and it charges relatively fast on genny power.
I might look into solar charging at some point, but don't like "babysitting" solar panels to get maximum exposure on a sunny day.

How many watts is the Ecoflow unit you're keen on?

 

[INTJohn]

How many watts is the Ecoflow unit you're keen on?

Specs per Ecoflo site…….. and a battery can be piggybackt if u want more power…..

Jonny boi sayin.

 

[peteg59]

You'll be happy with that unit, over what you have now, no doubt.
How many charging cycles is it good for, if you know?

 

[INTJohn]

Rated at 3000 cycles……..

But in reality none of these things have been around long enuff to confirm this. It’s all lab controlled conclusions tho there is enuff of direct life4 experience & inferred real world conditions coupled with lab control experiments that one can deduce a high confidence interval event…….

Eco flow, jackery, bluetti all have high reputable ratings.
Jonny boi jumpin the juice

 

[afblangley]

No one has real world experience with it yet, but on paper, the Delta 2 will be the best midsize power station on the market*. Large invertor, super fast charging, X Boost (voltage modulation), internal power supply, expandable batteries, feature rich app control, and now LiFePO4. It trumps the competition in almost every criteria**.

And it has a 5 year warranty. No other manufacturer is offering that on their midsized stations. I think $1000 depreciated over 5 years is pretty good as a worst case scenario...

* Bluetti knows this, the EB3A is their first foray addressing EcoFlow's advantages, but right now they do not have a model that is competive in this size

** the only exceptions are 12V port selection and vehicle charging.

 

[INTJohn]

Yep, yep & yep.........

With the extra battery, which I don't know if I'll get one, if I do tho cost is around 3000ish$....
If it lasts for 15 years looking at about 200$/year; 17$/mo; 55 CENTS!/day.........
ummm???
Yeah, like I haven't done this yet?

Re - lack of 12 volt ports. This is something I'll need to address with this thing as I gotta power my JL Audio RD4/400 amp and some other things. Presently the amp, its wired to my Trojan 185 as my sound system is independent from my truck electrical - i've never been one to marry house electric with vehicle electric as if house fries i don't want the truck electrical in jeopardy........

Spent some minutes yesterday figuring out how many amps the amp draws from the battery and its about 23 amps. Course this is when the amp is at "full power" which in my case never happens as a volume setting at 15 of 40max will blast any beach parking lot. Any way will be buying something along these lines:
https://www.amazon.com/Converter-Supply-Adapter-Transformer-Version/dp/B082NSVWJY
110v to 12 v 50 amp converter. More than enouff 12v amperage ; might add a 12v female splitter or 2 for some of my other 12v stuff, or just buy a second. no biggy.

However I arrange things in my truck when I leave Michigan, i always remove the passenger seat to increase my space. Have some shelving I built for that space but its nothing I can't rip apart & rebuild in about 2 or 3 hours. I've never had much 120v stuff with me but hey maybe this 21st Century upgrade will encourage me to rejoin the 20th Century..........
jonny boi feelin' it

 

[INTJohn]

Yep, ordered that Delta 2 Power Station w/ the 440 watt solar panels and received it all yesterday. It arrived with a 30% charge and first thing I did was AC plug it in and 100% charge top it off - 54 minutes............ Test ran a couple things but will be putting the thing thru its paces this weekend. YES! I'm excited!

jonny boi b feelin' it

 

[Sofisintown]

Welcome to the club jonny boi, I bet you'll like it!

 

[mtm12345]

Congratulations on your new Delta 2. I just got the original Delta at Costco to try it out. Turns out the original Delta only has an 800 charge lifespan and the new one has 3000. For some reason the old one still costs more on the Ecoflow site than the new one! I am returning the Delta to Costco and getting the Delta 2. I did want to see how loud the fans were, how long it would power a 110v AC small fridge and if it would really truly charge up in one hour. Surprisingly it isn't loud at all, and it really did charge up in one hour. Now I just have to figure out if my Odyssey alternator can charge it up at idle through an inverter. Supposed to be a 130 amp alternator, but that is with the engine throttled up. I wonder how high I can set the charging watts?

 

[Goodmojo61]

Yep, ordered that Delta 2 Power Station w/ the 440 watt solar panels and received it all yesterday. It arrived with a 30% charge and first thing I did was AC plug it in and 100% charge top it off - 54 minutes............ Test ran a couple things but will be putting the thing thru its paces this weekend. YES! I'm excited!
View attachment 32828
jonny boi b feelin' it

I bought the Delta mini just one month ago .. I choose not to have a stove , So I needed it to run my Vita mix and a small rice cooker and an electric wok and and of course my coffee machine. It has passed all my test. As I am very minimal in the way I eat I’m absolutely thrilled.
But still part of me wants to get the Delta 2 … lol
Like everything in the tech world , there’s always something new and shiny just a few months away.
Congratulations
I’m all set.

 

[INTJohn]

Yep. The thing that sold me is the LFP4 bat vs the NMC with the rated 3000 cycle life to 80% capacity vs 500 to 800 cycle life.

It was $$$ that was going to be spent on something new anyway soooo; but
Part of me really wanted to go with Battle Born bats and my ps inverter + would’ve needed a new charge controller for lfp bat. But , man , so compact and everything in 1 neat lil package?

…….. I’ll b 80 by the time that delta dies if I haven’t first beat it to the grave.
intjonny luzsha baybee alway have alway will.

 

[INTJohn]

I bought the Delta mini just one month ago .. I choose not to have a stove , So I needed it to run my Vita mix and a small rice cooker and an electric wok and and of course my coffee machine. It has passed all my test. As I am very minimal in the way I eat I’m absolutely thrilled.
But still part of me wants to get the Delta 2 … lol
Like everything in the tech world , there’s always something new and shiny just a few months away.
Congratulations
I’m all set.

Great minds think alike……?
I’ve also been pondering buying a handheld immersion blender and the Vitamix is one of my 3 finalists. Prolly go with it tho the other 2 are in the 75$ ish range. Over the life of the 3 products price difference distribution becomes less & less so might as well buy the best.
intjonny koon ridin the moon

 

[INTJohn]

I don’t think much of the 12ish foot long 14 ga solar charging cable that Ecoflow furnished and I won’t purchase their 10’ extension cable. I’m sure it does the job but I’m spoiled on my 30’ 10 ga cable I already use.

That 30’ 10ga charging cable for my other solar panel that has Anderson plugs on both ends and I’ve ordered a 1’ long 12 ga XT60 to Anderson adapter to connect the Delta 2 with that cable and also ordered a 12 ga Anderson to MC4 adapter to connect the cable to the Ecoflow solar panels. Both adapters 30$ Total.

When they’re delivered, I’ll b content with the system.
INTJohn

 

[bullfrog]

If you carry jumper cables anyway you might just put some Anderson connectors on them. Dual purpose! Lol!!! If you are around a boat shop that does outboard motor replacements the new motors come with new cables. They usually have a big barrel of old ones to give away if you ask.

 

[INTJohn]

If you carry jumper cables anyway you might just put some Anderson connectors on them. Dual purpose! Lol!!! If you are around a boat shop that does outboard motor replacements the new motors come with new cables. They usually have a big barrel of old ones to give away if you ask.

Dude I’m already there. I’ve several sets of various cable lengths with alligator clips and Anderson connects.
Also, until 2012 I was involved in high performance boating & racing - 25 years. At that time flying across the waves at 100+mph was my idea of a good time. I know so many boat mechanics here on Lake Michigan and still attend some of the beach/race parties. They’re still askin me once in awhile to help sponsor this boat or that race.
Not anymore tho for me. Been there done that.
Jonny boi done with boats.

 

[Sofisintown]

I got the Bluetti 200 two years ago when they first came out, and I use it in the van while traveling. When I am stationary I use it in my hut, because I do have electricity, but it cuts out at least once a day for a second or two, (and sometimes longer, during storms). Everytime that happens, computer, modems and all the clocks go on the blink and restart. So I route all electronics and some lights through the Bluetti, so I only notice the outage from the microwave beeping.

On the road I charged it from 1 panel via the house battery, at home I charge from 4 x100 Watt panels. I bought the panels for the van, but they are too big to fit. So I use them at home, and I got 2 narrow ones (to install on the van the van. (Newpowa, $192 for 2, incl. brackets)
The thing with the Bluetti is that it needs at least 35 Volts to start charging, so one panel will not cut it. That's at least two 12 volt panels in full sun, or better.
BUT it will charge through an inverter from the house battery just fine. I thought I broke it, until I figured it out.

 

[INTJohn]

I got the Bluetti 200 two years ago when they first came out, and I use it in the van while traveling. When I am stationary I use it in my hut, because I do have electricity, but it cuts out at least once a day for a second or two, (and sometimes longer, during storms). Everytime that happens, computer, modems and all the clocks go on the blink and restart. So I route all electronics and some lights through the Bluetti, so I only notice the outage from the microwave beeping.

On the road I charged it from 1 panel via the house battery, at home I charge from 4 x100 Watt panels. I bought the panels for the van, but they are too big to fit. So I use them at home, and I got 2 narrow ones (to install on the van the van. (Newpowa, $192 for 2, incl. brackets)
The thing with the Bluetti is that it needs at least 35 Volts to start charging, so one panel will not cut it. That's at least two 12 volt panels in full sun, or better.
BUT it will charge through an inverter from the house battery just fine. I thought I broke it, until I figured it out.

........and you have just stated one of the primary reason why I eliminated the bluetti - 35v solar input minimum.
Kra kra.

 

[Camper]

You only use one solar panel? Two or more in series will give you the 35 volts.

 

[INTJohn]

Yeah A 120 watt fold up is all I’ve needed for years & years and yeah I would need another panel blah blah with the bluetti decided to go with Delta w/400 w panel as already stated.
Its all after the fact & am very satisfied with my choice.
Are you a Bluetti rep? you’ll get over my not buying your product. I almost did tho. I really really did. Think of it as a moral victory.
Sayin…….
Jonny boi luzsha