EcoFlow Charging

[DB]

I spend a lot of time 'off grid' and am considering buying an EcoFlow 2 Max. My present power arrangement is pretty standard - 2 Lead/Acid batteries powered by solar and by split charger from the alternator when travelling. Is it an over simplification to think that I could hard wire the EcoFlow (fused) onto the leisure batteries for a permanent source of power? My thinking being that the leisure batteries are permanently topped up by solar and travel.

 

[GMLS]

They are pretty similar in specification but just compare the deal you can get and the functionality with the Anker 767. Very pleased with my 767 and the extra portability afforded by the wheels is a real benefit. I just connect mine into a cigarette lighter socket but also looking at introducing a 2 way switch to divert from the solar to feed directly into the powerpack when the on board batteries are full, when the new m/h arrives.

 

[Langtoftlad]

I have just bought a similar Anker 757 power bank to supplement a very similar installation as yours.

My current [sorry] thoughts are that your proposal wouldn't be possible nor practical if it were. Permanently installing a 'drop in' lithium battery would be cheaper & more effective.

Questions
How would you recharge the Ecoflow when it was depleted?

I'm going to experiment with my Anker next week - I'm going to plug in an output to the EHU socket.
The hope is that it will work as a pseudo EHU and power the van's 240v sockets - and probably also top up the leisure batteries if depleted thus extending my 12v capabilities
How this works out remains to be seen.
I also want to see if the leisure batteries can replenish the Anker, and to what degree, via the 12v cigarette charging port.

 

[Langtoftlad]

I just connect mine into a cigarette lighter socket

How effective is this at recharging your Anker?

2 way switch to divert from the solar to feed directly into the powerpack when the on board batteries are full,

I'm not keen or have the skills to tinker with my fixed roof solar installation but I do have a portable folding panel that I'm hoping will add a bit of charge to my Anker
Plus I'd be bound to forget to switch it back & end up with flat batteries .

I suspect you might have more solar, I just have one 120w panel, so I presume your thinking is to benefit from a direct, higher power, connection using the Anker's onboard MPPT controller rather than my idea of plugging into my battery's 12v output connector?

 

[Guigsy]

If you're only going to use it in the van, isn't it far more convenient to just upgrade the hab battery? An Anker 767 is about 170Ah and is £1800. That's much more than a similar capacity lithium hab battery. With the added bonus it charges while driving and doesn't take up any room.

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[Just smiffy]

A lot cheaper to upgrade your solar system….

 

[Langtoftlad]

A lot cheaper to upgrade your solar system….

Not sure I completely agree - especially if you're not DIY.
A quick google on the Renogy site suggests main components - battery, inverter, B2B would be about £1300, then you have any ancillary costs of wiring, maybe upgrading solar controller and charger.
Plus the cost of having all that fitted.

Toss of a coin as to whether it would be actually cheaper

 

[GMLS]

A lot cheaper to upgrade your solar system….

Dont know about the original poster but I use my Anker in multiple vehicles and in out buildings but otherwise it would be more efficient to upgrade the vehicle infrastructure.

 

[GMLS]

How effective is this at recharging your Anker?


I'm not keen or have the skills to tinker with my fixed roof solar installation but I do have a portable folding panel that I'm hoping will add a bit of charge to my Anker
Plus I'd be bound to forget to switch it back & end up with flat batteries .

I suspect you might have more solar, I just have one 120w panel, so I presume your thinking is to benefit from a direct, higher power, connection using the Anker's onboard MPPT controller rather than my idea of plugging into my battery's 12v output connector?

I start with a full powerpack and then the lighter socket it's more used for topping up between stopovers.Ihavent actually checked what its giving. When I park up, I have a couple of Elecaentae 120w folding panels which so far have been great at running the fridge and keeping the Anker full.The new motorhome will have fixed panels but having invested in the Anker for the Vw camper, I probably won't need to add lithium as initially planned

 

[DB]

Thanks for all the replies. I want to keep the addition portable/removable. Perhaps I am a little naive thinking that by hard wiring an EcoFlow (or similar) to the leisure battery I would benefit from continuous source of top up. My thinking being that the leisure batteries would permanently top up the EcoFlow while the leisure batteries would be continuously charged from solar and split charger/alternator.
Too simple?

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[Langtoftlad]

My solution

->

->

I'm hoping this will give me pseudo EHU and maybe top up the leisure batteries on a rainy day



On a sunny day with full leisure batteries maybe this will be possible

->

->

->

 

[Guigsy]

You could use an ecoflow as EHU source. You'd lose a chunk of efficiency, but it should work. You'll be going from 12v to 230v, back to 12v again.

You could charge it via a dashboard cigarette socket.

You will have to keep switching between plugging in the dash, making it your hook-up and getting out the solar.

 

[Langtoftlad]

You could use an ecoflow as EHU source. You'd lose a chunk of efficiency, but it should work. You'll be going from 12v to 230v, back to 12v again.

You could charge it via a dashboard cigarette socket.

My dashboard socket only works when the engine is running but
I have a 12v socket wired to my batteries to power my portable fridge/freezer box when I need it.
My Anker power bank has a 12v plug to XT60 plug so in theory the power bank could top up the leisure batteries.

But it also has a 12v output socket so I'm thinking that could be used with the aforementioned socket wired to the batteries to top up those leisure batteries
Flexibility depending on need.

 

[RM_Marine]

My solution

->

->

I'm hoping this will give me pseudo EHU and maybe top up the leisure batteries on a rainy day



On a sunny day with full leisure batteries maybe this will be possible

->

->

->

This is what I currently do but I have two 100 ah yuasa efb and when I'm driving I use the cigarette connection again too

But looking at the 767 instead from costco

 

[DB]

Thanks again for the response. I think I may have not been too clear about what I’m trying to achieve. I don’t want the power bank to top up the leisure batteries but the other way round as the leisure batteries are constantly topped up by solar and car charging.

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[Langtoftlad]

This is what I currently do but I have two 100 ah yuasa efb and whennim driving I use the cigarette connection again too

I also have 2x 100Ah

I shall have a serious play next week - I'm on an EHU site, so should be able recharge whatever I flatten.
Unfortunately, my solar panel connector won't arrive in time so that experiment will have to wait.
And I still need to grab a 12v plug to 12v plug lead to see if I can use the wired to battery socket to trickle charge the Banners

I'd imagine using the 230v output to the EHU socket would top up the Banners quicker but less efficiently. The 12v to 12v [if it works at all] would be slower but no inverter loss.
I'm cautious about 12v to 12v direct, hoping the leisure batteries won't try to suck in a higher voltage, and that the Anker will 'manage' it's 12v output.

 

[Langtoftlad]

Thanks again for the response. I think I may have not been too clear about what I’m trying to achieve. I don’t want the power bank to top up the leisure batteries but the other way round as the leisure batteries are constantly topped up by solar and car charging.

I think both might be possible.
The bit I don't yet know is how effective is charging the powerbank from a 12v socket nor how long that might take.
Nor do I yet know that if you have a depleted power bank, do you risk depleting your leisure batteries faster than your solar can replace?

 

[Jo662]

Thanks again for the response. I think I may have not been too clear about what I’m trying to achieve. I don’t want the power bank to top up the leisure batteries but the other way round as the leisure batteries are constantly topped up by solar and car charging.

I have an Ecoflow 220 portable solar panel to charge my Ecoflow Delta. A very good combination

 

[DB]

Thank you everyone for your input, much appreciated. I feel a bit of ‘trial and error’ coming on!

 

[Reallyretired]

Ecoflow can be set to limit 12v charging to 4A so should charge fine, though slowly , from a 12v socket while van batteries are being charged on solar.

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[Langtoftlad]

Ecoflow can be set to limit 12v charging to 4A so should charge fine, though slowly , from a 12v socket while van batteries are being charged on solar.

I don't think my Anker 757 has that capability... well, not one I've found.
My understanding is that 230v charging will only happen if the source can provide 1000w... anything less and it won't charge at all [just over 4amps I think]

 

[DB]

Thanks to Reallyretired for that information.
I’m new to the forum and it’s been good to share ‘real life’ experiences - thank you all.
I guess I need to talk to EcoFlow.

 

[RM_Marine]

I've got a 757 and I've used it to run the whole auto trail like you said above then had it plugged in to the 12v to recharge from the solar

 

[Newfie]

I have just bought a similar Anker 757 power bank to supplement a very similar installation as yours.

My current [sorry] thoughts are that your proposal wouldn't be possible nor practical if it were. Permanently installing a 'drop in' lithium battery would be cheaper & more effective.

Questions
How would you recharge the Ecoflow when it was depleted?

I'm going to experiment with my Anker next week - I'm going to plug in an output to the EHU socket.
The hope is that it will work as a pseudo EHU and power the van's 240v sockets - and probably also top up the leisure batteries if depleted thus extending my 12v capabilities
How this works out remains to be seen.
I also want to see if the leisure batteries can replenish the Anker, and to what degree, via the 12v cigarette charging port.

Any update on your tests with the 757

 

[Reallyretired]

I don't think my Anker 757 has that capability... well, not one I've found.
My understanding is that 230v charging will only happen if the source can provide 1000w... anything less and it won't charge at all [just over 4amps I think]

Another plus for ecoflow. 230v charging can be set anywhere between 200 and 900w.

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[Cush]

Hi folks.
Apologies to reawaken an old thread but hoping I can learn from your experience.

I have an anker 767 connected to the ehu input by a break before make switch. I have 350 watts of fixed solar that goes to the leisure battery. I also have two folding 200 watt anker 531 panels which I will use to recharge the anker and perhaps connect to the leisure battery via an additional mppt controller.

I have a 12v ciggy lighter socket that I could use to slowly charge the anker when on the move. Have you found that it charges ok that way? The specs say about 19 hours from empty.

Any advice gratefully received.

Cush

 

[Langtoftlad]

My anker charges slowly from the dashboard 12v socket.
Unless you plan to do a lot of driving & long journeys I'm not sure it's a practical way to effectively recharge a depleted powerbank.

I've never had the brass neck to ask a pub if I can plug in to the mains whilst I had a drink /meal
[But I've never asked to stay overnight in their carpark].