How to properly DC fast charge your power station from your car alternator, using a DC converter.
Link to EcoFlow Delta 2 for Overlanders review: • EcoFlow Delta 2 for Ov...
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XT60i Cable: amzn.to/48W4mzr
(This is an updated cable with ring terminals, which directly bolts on to the Victron converter! No splicing required)
MGGi 12/24 20A DC Converter: amzn.to/3ZL45KI
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Now that Ecoflow released the 800W alternator, you should test that out
Please make a “how to” wiring video for this setup! I have a 5th Gen 4Runner and Ecoflow Delta 2. I am very interested in your charging setup, but don’t want to mess up my factory electronics.
Just finished a similar setup with my 5th Gen 4runner, using Victron 12/24 15amp charger (use it as a power supply only), together with Ecoflow Delta 2. It pulls 25 Amp from the alternator with 280W reading on the Ecoflow Delta 2. It is very efficient charging, easily charge the Delta 2. It is necessary to keep driving the 4runner rather than just idling.
If you make this “how to” video I’ll make it to my truck!
he tells you exactly how to do it... if you can't glean it from this video you probably shouldn't attempt it
Use an unused fuse spot in your fuse box to wire up this inverter.
I wonder how difficult it would be to swap out the Toyota non pure sine with one that is.
Great video as always. I've watched a decent amount of power station and more general solar power-related videos, and this still offered new information and ideas. This approach seems to be absolutely perfect for my needs when I decide to start this type of project on my FJ.
It worked! I was able to charge my Delta 2 at 410W while driving and running my refrigerator at the same time. I tested the hotplate and the electric kettle while parked. The hot plate boiled water in 2 minutes and the electric kettle took 4 minutes. The hotplate drew 1500W, and the kettle drew about 900W. The hotplate used 10% of power, and the kettle used about 8%. Recharged in 20 minutes. Amazon sold out of the Victron 12/24-20A converters (no surprise) so I bought mine from NAZ Solar. Ditching all of my propane gas, cook stoves, etc. Thanks Kai!
Just wanted to follow-up with an appreciation post for the research done here. I have been using a renogy 1k inverter to charge my D2 in emergencies, but that passthrough is what made me decide to switch. I have a use case where this will go in my prius for extended blackouts, or in my overland rig for fast charging. The spikes from home use on the passthrough made the decision easy. Thanks for all the legwork on this one.
This was the first video of yours that I have ever watched and highly rated it. Keep up the good work!
Great video...loved it. Nice to watch a video without any fluff AND full of technical details with full explanations. I'm guessing you're an engineer. Keep up the good work.
Finally! A well informed person with LOTS of great information (like the orange XT60i trickery) that is accurate and applicable on these power generators!
Great video, I just got a Delta2 for my overland Jeep setup and found this while searching for ways to supplement my on board solar. This helps me out!!!
Late here but great video. I took my house 100% off grid last May and started doing some serious electrical mods to my 23' rv at the same time. I've gone through a lot of what you cover here and definitely think you did a good job offering detailed info within the scope of what you were trying to accomplish. With a topic like this the hard part is stopping yourself from branching out too far.. gotta draw the line somewhere! I guess the main thing i would reinforce is the value of using DC inputs vs AC inputs. As you point out, AC inputs are 'picky', have unintuitive traits (ie ac passthrough behaviour) and often have limited adjustability (such as you may be able to set a max battery charge current but probably not set an AC load limit, so there would be no hard and fast way to prevent exceeding your 400w truck limit even if it worked at all). I have done some experimentation with simply rectifying 60hz AC and feeding it to 'solar' inputs and have yet to have a failure. It seems to have a ton of benefits (adjustability, reliability, independence from other functions, etc) and i plan to continue my experiments past the ~1kw level i've already done and see if i can get up to 2-3kw (this is house and RV context, doubt youd need that in a truck camper). Anyway, if you are still learning/experimenting along these lines i highly recommend diysolarforum.com, im Vigo over there as well. Keep up the great videos.
So pragmatic! Busted a gut at only one FJ to burn. Sadly, I have had the equipment to install a dual battery setup with the Blue Sea Systems 7622 ML-ACR 12V DC 500A Automatic Charging Relay with Manual Control for longer than I care to admit. I am cutting up and crimping a pair of jumper cables for wiring. One day, I will go this power station route when I can afford it. It is so versatile.
Super big Thank You for this video. It's like you read my mind. Your video is going to save me a ton of money and time. Was going to go with a secondary battery for the same reason (recharging the power station). I didn't have the time, know-how or effort to solve the problem, but you did it for me. Very grateful for the knowledge. Keep the videos coming, they are perfect!
I have 2 of the Ecoflow battery's and was looking for someone who had solved this issue. Thanks!
Awesome video! Thank you for this!! I installed a Bluetti eb55 in my FJC. I wanted to utilize the vehicle inverter to charge but ran into 2 problems. 1) My fridge blocks the outlet. 2) I could not find info on if the inverter produced a sine wave or not (your video answers this). I decided to install a 12v outlet in the back along with an MC4 connection point for solar. Works well for now, but if I ever need a higher charging rate, I know what to do now!!
Your videos always make my day, bro!
Thanks for making this video. I recently completed the system in my 2021 Crewmax. It’s great. I added a Garmin power switch to turn it on and off. I also fused the high and low side of the converted.
Clear and to the point! Much better than others who might give along history of their build which has nothing to do with the final decision! Thanks so much, I have decided to follow you on the Delta!
Wow! You did some serious homework, thank you I have that MGGI converter and it is useful for short times like providing power from my dumb LFP Ocean battery as a solar substitute to the Delta 2 I am currently using (borrowed). Good work
This is the information I've been waiting for. Thanks mate and keep the good videos coming.
This is a game changer and it making me take a second look at the Delta 2
Man you and Engineering Explained should team up for some videos. I really appreciate all the work and thought you put into them. I had a Iron Man Foamcell Pro suspension installed on my 100 series based off your analysis and I love it so far. Thanks again!
wow there are foam shocks now, neat
Another great video. I've been kind of working through a similar problem. I have a 100W mounted solar panel and a Delta 2, but just finished a trip that was cloudy nearly the entire time. The main reason I am still considering a custom dual battery setup is for my other DC accessories. I feel like this is the biggest weakness of the power station type units - they lack DC output capabilities. I like the idea of being able to wire my lights and compressor and all that to a battery that can easily output 100a at 12.8V or more.
Good point. I wired my compressor to the starter battery before I had my previous dual battery. Otherwise, I would have hooked it up to the secondary battery.
Thank you for sharing your experience! I completely agree that having DC output capabilities is essential for powering accessories during outdoor trips. Have you considered the Segway Portable PowerStation Cube Series? It offers a massive capacity, powerful output, and even has a waterproof design. It could be a great solution for your DC accessory needs.
Lots of great stuff in this video! Thanks for sharing your experiences. I was on the look for a decent voltage converter for this type of project as well. I've also used the Amazon boost converters with passive cooling. I wish they had one with active cooling. A decent 12v to 36v 30 amp option would be great if it had active cooling. Then you'd only be running it at a 50% load and it wouldn't get very warm.
Thanks! Yeah I looked for awhile. It is difficult to find a step up converter with high enough power. There are plenty of step down with high power.
They make 12V to 48V step up converters that should theoretically lower the amperage even more.
Thank you for your comment! I completely agree with you about the need for active cooling in a voltage converter. Have you considered the Segway Portable PowerStation Cube Series? It has a massive 5kWh capacity, powerful output of up to 2200W, and even features waterproof technology. It's a versatile powerhouse that can definitely meet your needs for outdoor projects. Let me know if you'd like more information!
This video was pure precision. I purchased the exact same setup, but my installer swayed me towards 4 guage wire. Probably overkill, but I get 410 to 415 watts into my Delta Max 2 set up. Thanks for posting this!
4GA is not over kill. I have 90A DCDC charging. I instlled 0GA directly from the alt terminal to the 150A fuse block in top of the guard / fender. Then ran 2GA to the removed middle row seats, to feed 2x DCDC chargers and charge 2x 120AH LFP batteries. 4GA really is the minimum if you want to recharge charge your LFP quickly.
After watching your first video I hooked my delta 2 up to my truck using a 500W pure sine inverter and a relay connected to ignition power. I set the AC charging to 400W through the app. It's been running perfectly since then and charging at 400W as long as the truck is on. 👍 Great videos.
Im glad yours works! Does that let you use the plug in the back? Could you share a link to the one you bought?
What inverter do you have? I have a Renology 700 watt pure sign wave inverter and when I hook my Delta 2 up to it it trips the GFCI of the inverter and it won't charge.
@@dailydr1ver935 try setting the AC charging to 300 or 400w in the app. 👍
Hi please make a video of connection and how it’s work
You can use bigger inverters if connected with thick cables directly to the battery/generator and from there via AC to the EcoFlow AC in. It's the quickest! You have to find the right dimensions to not overload battery/generator depending on both' capacity to supply power.
Excellent analysis and advice!
Good step by step on your thought process for overland Ecoflow charging solutions.
Awesome vid. Didn't even know converters exist. Much more efficient than an inverter! Thanks for the callout as well!
Great vid, just came across it. I have yet to build out any secondary battery system or purchase a portable power pack. Starting from scratch and I think a potable power box is the way to go for my needs 👍🏼
Just put mine in my van...it works beautifully....merci 😊
Ran across this researching for a project. But my situation is backwards. I want the battery pack to power a charger for a deep cycle car battery and run for at least 1 hour in between battery pack charges . All this for the purpose to delete the alternator and add an electric water pump to a mpg vehicle. Essentially a plug in at nights to charge the battery pack . Love the tinker channel.
Found your channel by accident, great content. thanks for sharing.
I wonder if the Toyota inverter could have been upgraded to a higher quality one. I'm glad you broke down the cheap inverter spec questionability. They are usually good for about 1/2 of what they claim at most. I wouldn't ever use them for more than 50% of their capacity in "cheap projects" because it just isn't worth it. Really appreciate your video. Great job with the info!
Beautifully explained! Thanks!
Great stuff! Thanks for doing a follow-up. We knew you would find a solution. 😄👍
You are awesome. This is the first of your videos I've seen... Subscribed. ❤
Great comprehensive presentation.
Nice job and well explanation of each topic concepts. Very efficient and thorough.
As always. Veey informative! Thanks Kai!
Exactly the video I was hoping for! Thanks!
Finally got it to work in my 2021 RAM 1500. Charging at about 405 watts!!🐻
Great info. thanks for sharing. Have always been interested in these power stations however cost is excessive compared to DIY solution.
I thought I was the only one. You are a hero.
I installed an inverter in my Transit van and charge my Bluetti AC 200 max with the AC power block that came with the power station. It charges at just under 500 watts. With the Bluetti I can add another 500 watt power block If I wanted. I rarely use my Portable solar panel. Has worked perfectly for 18 months now.
"You Need This!" Yes I do. Didnt want a solar panel on my old LT40. Not sure if my alternator 45A is strong enough te keep up. But I can upgrade that to a 65 or 90A if needed. I will be using the circuit breaker as a main switch. I dont want it to charge allways if I turn my key.. I could wire an extra switch from the victron to my dashboard later. Easy setup. Maybe you can add part links for making the electrical wires. Setup to 23V pushing 330W.
Buddy there nothing i can say some one else hasn't said. Liked and subbed. Thank you. This is gold. Your going places
EXCELLENT video!! Thanks for all this info.
Great stuff... information. Came across this video as im deciding what eco flow to purchase. Again thanks for the information.
Thank you for the video, very informative. I'm going to Burning Man for the first time and bought a 12V refrigerator. My friend is letting me borrow his Jackery power station to run it and a few other small electronics. Eventually I want to convert a cargo trailer into a camper trailer, and ONLY run 12V + solar. I even plan having a 12V A/C unit as well, so I'm trying to learn as much as possible.
Great job and excellent detail, good info. Fyi, for my small van camp, I own 2 of the Renogy (non smart) Li Iron Phos batteries(5 years). Not dumb, they do have a full BMS each with temperature sensors. The Renogy smart batts just means they can network between the batteries if you want to do serial(which I think still isn't recommended for these batts). Regardless of Quality BMS or not, I have a Lithium House Charger/Inverter for my gas genny, a solar charger for my solar panels and a Victron 12-12-18 dc-dc for my alternator. The reason I only do 220 watts(87%eff=253W) on the alternator is so I can still fully run the van electricals(headlights 2x30W, battery 480W, AC fans ?W, stereo 100W) and not exceed 80% rated load on the alternator(Already wore one out). And it still charges my batts faster than my 300W solar panels. Last summer I was running an old 40A noco dc-dc when the alternator died mid trip, I limped to Walmart, bought a 30A charger, dropped the alternator belt, kicked the fuse on the noco and ran my genny to power the charger that then charged the engine batt while driving. Crazy but it worked.
What a great and insightful video!
Yes, please if you can make a "how to" wiring video, I would like to do this as well. I do not have delta or anything that big...yet, but I do have the glacier with the battery pack and I use it for work and overlanding and would like to do this set up.
Excellent! Such a neat solution.
The advantage of the inverter is being able to leave the solar connected. When the vehicle is stopped it switches to solar automatically. Still wish it would do solar and AC charging at the same time. Or at least have dual mppt.
Great ideas and info! Thanks for sharing!
“These batteries are dumb!” 🤣 Love your channel. Great stuff!
Very informative, thank you!
…Just when you’re not looking, Ecoflow released: EcoFlow 800W Alternator Charger at $699 CDN. It also monitors your car battery.
Awesome video. Lot's of great ideas explained well.
Great info, thank you! Subscribed because of this and the tire video.
Very cool. Glad you kept with this for the Delta 2. For me, if I decide I need more watts charging I may just still go something like a Bestek 500 inverter (ignition on only), and then DC for just solar. Right now I have it hooked up to just DC, that has an always hot solar and a house battery (with LVD). I'm glad you skipped the Amazon one, I was getting the same feeling when researching this!
I haven’t had time to fully test, but my Bestek MRZ5011BU didn’t work on my Delta Pro. I suspect it may be my “smart” alternator, but need to look into it more.
I bought and tried the Bestek inverter that HoboTech recommended and couldn't get it to to work with my Delta 1300.
@@joeblow1942 Interesting. I have a renogy 1000 watt pure sine inverter that I hook up to my Prius and the Delta 2 just fine. For my 4runner I'll eventually get the Bestek unit (500w) and try it out.
@@jeepncj7 Yeah, Delta 2 is different.
Checking the Bestek 500 online states that it is a Modified Sine Wave inverter. It may be the same wall that Ky hit when plugging into the built-in AC plug in the car. Seems like EF power stations only work with Pure Sine Wave.
A lot of good information!
I have f150 hybrid with propower onboard, so I can just put it generator mode for 2400w or 7200w if you get the upgrade. Just plug my Delta 1300 into AC outlet in the bed to charge at 700 w with no load and higher when there was a load.
Brilliant. Thank you!
It is important to consider your vehicle's alternator. Many alternators do put out a lot of watts, but almost all oem alternators can only do so for a very short time. I own a GMC Duramax Diesel 2500 truck. It has dual batteries and the optional high output 155 watt alternator. There are plenty of forum posts of folks frying their alternators because they had it running at max for 30 minutes. There are aftermarket alternators that can output 300 watts and do so for longer durations, but they run $800+. You can also add a second alternator, but then you need the electronics to manage two, and keep the vehicle's primary charging system isolated. Adding these big power banks to your RV or overlander is a game changer to off grid camping, but you can also find yourself stranded with a fried alternator.
Thank you for the video. This was super informative. I like your review style. I feel the same...name brands have their name to protect so they are not going to try and cheat on the specs... no-named (or never heard of names) don't have this concern.
Would love to see a video on replacing the Toyota modified sine wave inverter to a pure sine inverter of the same capacity. This would be a nice clean “invisible” upgrade
Help again thank you this is the way I’m going to set up tundra thank you this will keep me lite
You do a good video for portable power using.
Did a similar thing in my 4runner but i used a 1000w renergy inverter to fast charge ecoflow battery. Than changed the battery to a 27f agm and added the voltage booster pro. To accommodate the inverter.
I am planning to have the same configuration too. Which gen of 4runner? When you charge it, is it in idling or driving?
Hi, which Delta do you have? I have the Delta 1300 (1200w max) AC charge. And I bought the Renogy 1000 inverter. I'm not sure if this inverter will suffice.
i have a 5th gen 4runner. after replacing the battery to a 27f agm and installing the voltage booster pro. i could charge the battery while idling before hand with the stock battery and stock voltage settings it was drop the battery voltage below 12 volts and the inverter was not happy. @@helenabha
Very interesting video, thx for that. I love that you talk about good quality as the marked is just full of crap devices.
This will work assuming your power statio supports 24v solar charge input. Many power stations, like Pecron, need 30v or higher. In this case you can use a Daygreen 12v to 48v or 56v step up transformer and a 120a high powered 12v relay.
Excellent. Informative stuff. Thanks. 👍🏻
I just set up the Mggi 12/24-20 on my diesel truck and get 350W. The only change I made from your plan was to add a 2 minute timer delay on start up to avoid the glow plugs and the charger both pulling current at the same time. Excellent idea, thanks!
Do you have a link for the delay timer?
Awesome video, thanks a lot!
Very informative.... the Victron 12/24 20A DC Converter for home use was recommended from others too ...also direct from a 12v battery to my delta max 1st gen. I like the option of adding a switch too from what I understand the unit I have (delta max) rated at 10A input will only draw what it needs but I'm new to the math and operation on this stuff ...PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong
I've been looking at how to charge a power station from a battery and your video was useful and well made - thank you. But then I looked at the price of that thing! I've since learned that a 500W inverter should work equally well, pending the wattage (and all Ecoflows have adjustable charging input I believe). Somewhat less efficient but then it's only a third of the price, no need for added DC cables/adapters, and you can get much more use out of the battery with the AC socket. I'm still pretty new with all this so any/all thoughts are welcome :)
He actually talks about it at 05:29 and mentions at 5:51 that the delta 2 needs a pure sine wave. This kind of inverter cost significant more and could be overloaded in case you use more than 500w (if your inverter has just 500w) while loading, like he mentions at 6:12. This is how I understood it but maybe I am wrong
That's awesome man I was wondering how to solve the slow dc car charging if you have existing wiring that can provide higher current
I love to hear you talk
With the solar cable, the centre pin is referenced to ground and with the car cable is referenced high (12V or 24V). If you are brave enough, you can open it up and solder a 4.7k ohm resistor from centre pin connection to negative pin connection. This will allow normal XT60 connectors to charge at full amps, but the car charger will still be limited to 8A. Obviously, this is at your own risk. Last thing you would want is to fry a $1000+ toy or worse, have it burn up in front of you. Wiser to mod the factory cables as you suggest (if you can afford one of these you obviously don't need to scrimp on a few bucks).
Best answer here is to ditch the EcoFlow & get a Bluetti. In my rig, I use the AC200P and dual fast charge via a 2000w inverter and dual ac chargers - each putting out nearly 500w. 2000wh battery charges from zero to full in under 3 hrs.
The BesTek 500w pure sine wave A/C inverter is another option you may wish to explore.
Glad you figured out the dc to dc charging through the solar charging port and sharing your findings! Down the road if you wish to explore fancier options maybe you can integrate a canbus controlled alternator to vary its output to charge the delta 2 optimally as well. Awesome channel and thanks for sharing your ideas 🎉 and findings.
I was thinking the same thing and using a Wakespeed regulator.
@@babbledmuch cool just looked up your wakespeed regulator idea.
Gosh this video rocks, great idea.
Hey there, I just saw your video, very informative, knowledgable. I just bought a Bluetti and have being researching how to set up charging for my Van build. I am surprised I haven't found yet anyone explaining how to set it up dual charge. Ideally I would like to have it plugged into my solar panels and also the alternator maybe using the DC-DC converter mentioned on the video... any ideas how one could set it up that way? It seem like having this dual capacity to charge, when I drive and with the sun would be what everyone wants. Thank you.
This MGGi converter is useless if you use it high temps. I used one to boost 12v to 15v to increase the voltage for my Travel Buddy. It proved to be useless and kept cutting out too cool. Thanks for this video, great info
great video! i'm doing a van conversion and trying to do the same with a smaller unit, the ecoflow river pro. which dc to dc model would you recommend for this unit? it has a max charge rate of 10-25V, 200w, 12A.
Great work Kai! Belive it or not... Today, I was thinking about your previous Ecoflow Delta 2 video and I was wondering if Ecoflow did or were going to do a firmware upgrade. Wow! The power of Synchronicity. Glad to see the viewers helped you find a solution. I will use it when I get the Ecoflow delta 2 for a trip in late summer. Thanks a lot for the excellent research for your videos. They are very informative.
Great content man! Really appreciate your help. Had a question bothered me for weeks…. 5th gen 4 runner’s alternator is rated at 130A. I’m worrying about pulling 30A is going to draw the battery. Just upgraded my battery to AGM 24. Any thought on this? Thanks!
Well done!!!
I use a Jackery Explorer 2000 Pro PowerStation in my Sprinter CamperVan. I charge it from the Alternator with 1440 Watts. The Jackery Solar Input can Accept 60V 24A. I simply use a DC / DC Converter from 9-15V from the Car that converts to 60,0V @ 24A. ❤❤❤
This is good infomation. I went with a 2000w inverter which means I can put way more watts into my bluetti while driving.
@scottandchels6813 That is very dangerous! You will find your starter battery may die frequently and runs out of use in short term. If your alternator is not sufficient to supply all its loads including your car radio, AC, heater, lighting all those stuffs, plus loads from your monster $2000w inverter, your starter battery will function as "power supplier" (vs being charged by alternator which is what you would think), attempting to make up the power input-output difference (aka, drawing your starter battery even if your car is running). Thank me later if you understand this. Good luck.
@@ricshar3863 thanks for your reply. Are you saying that my 180amp alternator will not be capable of supplying 500 watts of power to my Bluetti ac200max via a 2000w inverter or are saying that it doesn't work like that and that the power will be drawn straight from my battery? Do I need a DC-to-DC charger?
@@scottandchels6813if you only load 500w to your 2000w inverter, it might work. I do not know what your car is and what extra amp your alternator can spare. Observe your starter battery voltage over time. I hope it works for you. But if you by any chance load ~1000w from your inverter, you will certainly run into problem. The rule is that if your alternator can not sustain ALL loads, your starter battery will do the work, attempting to make up the difference.
@@ricshar3863 Cheers, it's a 2018 v6 Vw Amarok. It will never be drawing more than 500 watts (probably more like 400). I'm only using the 2000w inverter because I bought it on a really good sale. I will keep a good eye on it and I will do some more research and testing.
Have you considered the alternator's output power? Usually stock alternator runs at 80-90% of it limit when full loads, especially when the main battery is low. For example, You went to 3 nights camping off-grid. Your main batt is low, your aux batt is also low. And you decide to charge both at the same time on the road on the way back home. This was my situation that burned down my alternator (over-load). There is another trick to bypass the 8A charging limitation to 15A by adding a resister between negative and common of xt60i but I would like to not do that. Accidently break down alternator on the trip of nowhere is no joke.
Great info. Thanks!
Great video that has been a great help. Understanding your power station input options was a breakthrough for me. I chose the Pecron E2000LFP which has two 600-watt solar panel input ports with an input voltage range of 32 to 95 volts. I selected a Dqygreen 12 to 48 volt 10 amp DC-DC step Up Boost converter (480 watts) and will use a Victron Smart Battery Protect (12/24 volt 65 amp) battery isolator to protect my starter battery from unwanted discharge. I'm thinking 8 gauge stranded copper wire from battery to converter is adequate?
I bought a Victron 12 v to 24 v 10 amp converter. It was $65. Yes, slower than 20 amps, but I didn't want to overload my electrical system.
Thank you for the video I've been asking why we can't get more watts out of a automobile altinator for charging a solar generator as a gasoline truck van altinator puts out 60 amp diesels are 24 volt DC and 60 amps a bus has 100 amps so far non can answer past its too much for the wires so thanks for the how to do it
I have a dual battery for the truck, another one in the trailer, and use a 12-24VDC converter to maximize charging my solar station as well (why not have a third backup)
I am having the same issue, with my brand new Ecoflow River 2 Max.
Awesome video!