Portable Power Supplies for Motorhomes

Ive had a Jackery for about a couple of years or so, we work away often and sometimes use our works van for accommodation, the Jack will power our compressor fridge/freezer for 4 to 5 days without charging, also use it for mobile phone charge, lighting sometimes (led) and occasionally for a cpac machine. we don't have a solar panel (no need really). Have used it around the yard in work to provide lighting in the storage containers. Expensive, yes, a lot of money for a battery in a fancy box but its fair to say it suits our needs perfectly.

my names Vin and I own a Jackery.
 
autorouter said:
And once you have a PPS, you'll probably think of lots of uses. A day on the beach, a day out in the car, trimming the hedge, and even running the boiler/fridge/router in a power cut.
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I have used mine to power my router in power cuts and to provide mains power when working outside.
 
I bought an Anker 757 with the launch discount, and so far it's been great. Being up in Aberdeen, several power outages during which time it ran my fridge and freezer and didn't miss a beat. It's also been used by my colleagues who are out in the sticks, and powered their central heating/charged their phones during outages. Keep it charged up and truck it around in the car, and take it in the moho just in case (although I don't do much off-grid stuff currently).

Have also used it for events to provide AC power where none has been available (middle of a skatepark etc).

Well worth it imho, if you have a need for truly portable AC power - very very flexible to be able to do 240v AC anywhere.

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I suppose you could decide if one of these is useful, if Motorhoming is your Stand Alone Hobby....You buy a motorhome and Go Motorhoming...kit it out the best you can, Go to club sites, rallies and other group meets...Drive around, park up, cook your meal watch a bit of TV, go to bed....same thing next day...It works for many on here.
Then there are folk like Jims son, perhaps like us too, our motorhome is our form of transport to areas that we want to explore, either on foot, bike or whatever... Motorhoming is not a Hobby for us, it's our remote overnight place to sleep, in-between activities... therefore a Powerpack makes our life somewhat easier..it supplements what our van has inbuilt...just one leisure battery I'm afraid.....an extra bit of portable power for charging bikes, phones etc is and has worked well for us...given us more flexibility...
So to sum up...I imagine 99% of Motorhomers really don't need one...but that 1% of us perhaps see the versatility a Powerpack offers us..
And before anyone suggests we fit a second Lithium...I would have, but space restricts such fitting....👍🇪🇦😃
 
Costco doing a special on this at the mo expensive but great reviews

Costco

www.costco.co.uk www.costco.co.uk
 
Newfie said:
Costco doing a special on this at the mo expensive but great reviews

Costco

www.costco.co.uk www.costco.co.uk
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I just brought one so will let you all know how it goes

Also brought it as I camp and work away and want the extra capacity to run the dometic CFX fridge
 
That's the one I have, although without the solar panels. If anyone has any pre-purchase questions on the unit itself - ask away.
 
How is it preforming for you & is the Costco price a good deal I priced the solar panels as £300 each

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Newfie said:
How is it preforming for you & is the Costco price a good deal I priced the solar panels as £300 each
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(PM'd this to RM_Marine, but might as well share it here)

I've found it to be excellent. I backed it during the pre-sale for it when it first launched, so got it a bit cheaper than retail, but it's been awesome.

Back last year when the North East of Scotland was battered by high winds, my power went out for 6+ hours, and I powered both my home fridges off of it (both full height, 60:40 fridge freezers) and it had no problems. Still had around 2 hours of run time based on consumption when the power went back on.

The built-in light is also really handy - it has 3 brightness levels and is a warm white, not a harsh blue/white LED.

I've also tried powering the motorhome from it, and it'll run the fridge for 10+ hours (I had the hab battery charger on during that time also, so if I'd popped the breaker for that, I could have increased that substantially).

I've used it for events in a skatepark to run a fog machine, and I've used it to charge laptops/drones/small devices while on the go. Have used it to boil a small 1kw travel kettle. My wife has run her hairdryer from it also. The 4 USB A and 2 USB C are perfect also - I don't think any of the other units on the market have have that many ports.

Making a coffee in a Nespresso vertuo machine uses about 1.5-2% from a cold start (i.e. cold water/unit not been on).

I like the fact it has a flat top as opposed to a jackery or similar with a top handle, as you can put stuff on top of it! Also tells you the current consumption, and an estimated time remaining - very handy.

I don't do much off-grid in the motorhome, and pretty much always stay on sites with hookup, but I have it in the back regardless as it's an extra power source if I really needed it. Handy when stopped in a car park grabbing some lunch in the van and want to charge the laptop up etc... And can top it up with the 12v when back on the move.

I'll definitely buy another - I'm actually thinking about buying 2 for work and keeping them in my warehouse - my colleagues are rural and have regular power outages over the winter if the weather is bad. We have a little diesel generator also, but these would be pretty handy. I might also just run the work server off of one as they work as a UPS with passthrough while powered. Will probably pick up a couple of those costco units and I'll use the solar myself for the unit I take in the van if I need it.

Downsides, not many, only one I can think of it that it's pretty heavy. Oh, and when you're charging it off the mains the fans can get noisy - but it does charge very fast - you can get it back from 20 to 100% in around an hour - which I thought was pretty impressive!
 
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All these so called influencers put me off buying any of the products they are bribed to promote.
 
Reallyretired said:
I have a ecoflow mini. 1400w inverter and can fully charge in just over an hour. I was not influenced by any youtubers as I hadn't seen any being reviewed. My motorhome has just a single leisure battery and no easy means of fitting another and has no inverter. The main use for 230v is a hairdryer and the ecoflow will run it daily for a week without recharging.
As for sliding adbout loose in the motorhome it is secured in the garage connected to a single socket in the hab area.
It is an economical way of achieving what I need as otherwise I would need to splash out on a lithium battery, a new mains charger, inverter and a new solar charger and possibly a b2b.
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Obvious answer to , what I thought , was a strange question . Significantly increase power [for those of us who have a modest power installation] at a modest cost . Article seemed totally subjective i.e. I don't need this why would anyone else . Mind you most of the comments seem to back up that viewpoint . So wtf do I know !
As for them being a storage and security problem ?
 
Surprised at the negativity in the comments TBH. Each to their own.

I've had a Jackery (to slow charging on mains) and swapped it for an EcoFlow Delta2 which i've been using for the last 2 years.

In my T6 Conversion, with roof solar, EHU, 200w inverter and a 105ah lithium battery it's been a game changer for me. I simply use it as an EHU when camping, switch off leisure battery charging to conserve it's power, use my vans internal 240v sockets and rarely now pay for the hook up. That way I can use my coffee machine, toaster, electric kettle and best of all a 900w air fryer. My portable 200w solar panel works well with it. In 2 years it's ran out twice.

My other use case is my long journeys to ski resorts, the pyrenees, NC500 etc pull into a service area, put the kettle on, make a toasty and if needed plug it into the inverter or 12v socket when i move off.

I used my inverter for my e Bike cos i had it fitted for that reason but in all honesty i rarely use it now.

I am just upgrading to a T6.1 Weinsberg (Knaus) X-Cursion 500 mq pepper, probably look at a small microwave now that i have space and i'm looking forward to using it in that.
 
The wife likes a gadget but I prefer raw power we’ve got 280 amps of lesure a 180 amp alternator.
We run of that our phones diesel heater lighting and tv but that not on that often now as we can get everything on line.
Moves news and all the crap she watches
So power wise we’re sorted
WB

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Purchased a Ecoflow Delta 2 in the last Amazon Prime sale. So far impressed and will be great for the odd night without EHU or when we have 6amps. Currently hooked up to our home coffee machine and no issues. With a £100 voucher cost new was £499.
 
Emjaykay said:
Surprised at the negativity in the comments TBH. Each to their own.

I've had a Jackery (to slow charging on mains) and swapped it for an EcoFlow Delta2 which i've been using for the last 2 years.

In my T6 Conversion, with roof solar, EHU, 200w inverter and a 105ah lithium battery it's been a game changer for me. I simply use it as an EHU when camping, switch off leisure battery charging to conserve it's power, use my vans internal 240v sockets and rarely now pay for the hook up. That way I can use my coffee machine, toaster, electric kettle and best of all a 900w air fryer. My portable 200w solar panel works well with it. In 2 years it's ran out twice.

My other use case is my long journeys to ski resorts, the pyrenees, NC500 etc pull into a service area, put the kettle on, make a toasty and if needed plug it into the inverter or 12v socket when i move off.

I used my inverter for my e Bike cos i had it fitted for that reason but in all honesty i rarely use it now.

I am just upgrading to a T6.1 Weinsberg (Knaus) X-Cursion 500 mq pepper, probably look at a small microwave now that i have space and i'm looking forward to using it in that.
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I assumed you connected your various appliances to the Ecoflow .
How do you connect it to your vans internal sockets ?
Daft question of the week contender ?
 
I use a jackery too just for astrophotography, lens heater chews through disposable batteries, very handy to hang under the tripod for a bit of extra stability. Running a lead out of the van on cold nights not appreciated by oh.
 
RM_Marine said:
The three pin adapter and then a short length of cable to the external motorhome socket
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Thanks for that .
I'm assuming this didn't come with the ecoflow ?

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RM_Marine said:
This on your current cable or like me cut a length off the spare cable to make a shorter one

www.jacksonsleisure.com

Kampa Dometic UK Mains Plug Conversion Adaptor

The Kampa Dometic camping hook-up adaptor will enable your caravan or motorhome to be connected to mains power via a domestic 3 pin socket.
www.jacksonsleisure.com www.jacksonsleisure.com
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Cheers. Obviously a few variations .
Think I'd make up suitable length . EHU lead is looong .
Very helpful
 
Makes far more sense to upgrade the vans electrics, for what these things cost you could really improve your electrical system plus batteries, chargers, investors can be fitted out of the way as opposed to the youtuber norm of the power supply taking up floorspace.
 
Nikwilko said:
Makes far more sense to upgrade the vans electrics, for what these things cost you could really improve your electrical system plus batteries, chargers, investors can be fitted out of the way as opposed to the youtuber norm of the power supply taking up floorspace.
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I couldn’t agree more. Unless you have need for portable power away from your van it makes no sense to carry an extra box around with you that you have to haul out when you need it and store it away prior to travelling. But, hey, they are well marketed (to the gullible?) and are all over YouTube and seem, to those that succumb, like a simple solution.

Ian
 
I think calling people who purchase them gullible is rude and unnecessary. Different things for different people.

If you have an old van, not mechanically minded, of no where to work on your vehicle then spending a £1000 on portable power supply is an easy fix.

If you are having to pay someone to swap your van across to lithium, changing chargers, and fitting solar it is going to cost a lot more money, and be far more complicated than just ordering a jackery, or similar that is a single purchase with a guarantee, not interfering with a vans system that already works, and can have more use than just van stuff.

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bigtwin said:
I couldn’t agree more. Unless you have need for portable power away from your van it makes no sense to carry an extra box around with you that you have to haul out when you need it and store it away prior to travelling. But, hey, they are well marketed (to the gullible?) and are all over YouTube and seem, to those that succumb, like a simple solution.

Ian
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Seem like a simple solution?
Possibly because they are .
£600 for a box that goes in a cupboard or behind my seat .
Puzzled by the anti stuff . Perfect solution for me .
 
Joethejoiner said:
Seem like a simple solution?
Possibly because they are .
£600 for a box that goes in a cupboard or behind my seat .
Puzzled by the anti stuff . Perfect solution for me .
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If it works for you then it’s right for you. 👍

Ian
 
Landy Andy said:
I think calling people who purchase them gullible is rude and unnecessary. Different things for different people.

If you have an old van, not mechanically minded, of no where to work on your vehicle then spending a £1000 on portable power supply is an easy fix.

If you are having to pay someone to swap your van across to lithium, changing chargers, and fitting solar it is going to cost a lot more money, and be far more complicated than just ordering a jackery, or similar that is a single purchase with a guarantee, not interfering with a vans system that already works, and can have more use than just van stuff.
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I agree, I’ve not got one but spoke to someone who said it was so convenient, used in the house too and when he bought another van it was so easy to transfer no messing as with a fully fitted system.
 
Landy Andy said:
I think calling people who purchase them gullible is rude and unnecessary. Different things for different people.
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You might see that my reference to gullible was in the form of a question and not a statement.

Langtoftlad said:
Probably regretting spending 1000's on a system that disappears when you sell the van
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I kept my last van for 14 years so don’t really have that worry.

CazPaul said:
but spoke to someone who said it was so convenient, used in the house too and when he bought another van it was so easy to transfer no messing as with a fully fitted system.
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Yes, as I stated in my earlier post, they can be a good choice if you have a need for portable power away from your van.

Ian

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