Portable Power Stations

[Mirai]

Does Takealot not have any blame here? (genuine question).
I have no problem with their service, but I do check prices carefully. Even the discounts are often not discounts.

I pay R100 for something, two days later it's R200, and then it's R150 and labeled 25% discount. Haha

Takealot could do more to police this, because sellers put outright falsehoods on their pages. Where is the ASA?

Takealot.com: Online Shopping | SA's leading online store

South Africa's leading online store. Fast, reliable delivery to your door. Many ways to pay. Shop anything you can imagine: TVs, laptops, cellphones, kitchen appliances, toys, books, beauty & more. Shop the mobile app anytime, anywhere.

www.takealot.com

Note that this is 19% off, and the original price is supposed to be R39,999. The manufacturer's suggested retail price is R24,999. What a joke.

 

[Bliksis]

Thanks Bliksis, I have the same allergy

Damn I looked at photos of myself not 3 years ago, and I am overwhelmed by shame as to how I have deteriorated haha.

Yeah, the moment I'm under a desk my brow starts to sweat and I feel my icy cold belt buckle poke my paunch.

It's slowly getting better with proper goals and determination though.

Sorry, off topic.

Yes, I'd run the lead. I have installed dedicated plugs in some rooms connected back to my inverter trolley via cabling in the roof.

It's nothing else than a permanent extension lead.

 

[Bliksis]

Takealot could do more to police this, because sellers put outright falsehoods on their pages. Where is the ASA?

Takealot.com: Online Shopping | SA's leading online store

South Africa's leading online store. Fast, reliable delivery to your door. Many ways to pay. Shop anything you can imagine: TVs, laptops, cellphones, kitchen appliances, toys, books, beauty & more. Shop the mobile app anytime, anywhere.

www.takealot.com

Note that this is 19% off, and the original price is supposed to be R39,999. The manufacturer's suggested retail price is R24,000. What a joke.

These false discounts which is supposedly only the blame of the suppliers, benefits Takealot. How convenient.

I firmly believe you cannot be rich ("successful") business if you are honest and forthcoming.

 

[Mirai]

These false discounts which is supposedly only the blame of the suppliers, benefits Takealot. How convenient.

I firmly believe you cannot be rich ("successful") business if you are honest and forthcoming.

And this is pure opportunism. Because these Deltas look the same. You have old generation Max and Pro models which retail for about R35K and then you have these Delta 2s and Delta 1s which retail about R25-26K. They all look the same though in the pictures. However I would think that someone who shops for something costing at least R25K would do a basic google search to look for alternative prices.

 

[leon.davibe]

I'm looking at a backup solution for upcoming stage 8. I'm preparing for a couple weeks without power during Winter this year, because our substation is a dumpster fire.

I've got a Ryobi RG-3500 3000W generator which works wonders for extended power cuts, but it's noisy and smells, I can't run it past 22:00, and I have to drag the thing outside. I use it to power the fridge for 2-3 hours while I watch a movie and charge up laptops, phones. It's wasting fuel because I'm using nowhere near the full AC output.

I need a battery backup solution that's very low maintenance for intermittent use that I can charge via the generator or via Eskom AC wall power. Solar could be cool but I can't install panels on the roof. I don't really care about UPS - I can switch over manually.

This looks very promising: ESBox 3000 Lithium Home Energy Storage System – 2200W
It should easily power the fridge motor with a 4400w surge (I think that's how that works?) and its charge time is 2.5-3 hours on AC, which is great for the generator. A single charge should give me around 12 hours' use based on my average consumption (3000Wh total @ 150w) assuming it charges between 20%-80% (help me if I've calculated this wrong please).

But I don't know what the AC draw will be to recharge, and whether the generator would cope. Does this look like a decent option for my use case?

Also, is powerprovider.co.za a reputable store, and does anyone know where they are located?

if you have the charge current on battery voltage

ie 30A on a 25.6v system means the charger pushes 768w
or in this case if it is a 3000wh unit with a 2.5-3 hrs charge time it is a safe assumption that it pushes a 1000w

a watt is a watt irrespective of voltage (bar losses of conversion naturally )

so any generator that can handle that load can handle it, naturally there is losses so so it will be a bit more than 1000w just rule of thumb

it will be cheaper to run the generator for 3hrs to recharge vs 10hrs with load, but naturally if you can recharge via eskom you will have an extra saving

 

[K3NS31]

And this is pure opportunism. Because these Deltas look the same. You have old generation Max and Pro models which retail for about R35K and then you have these Delta 2s and Delta 1s which retail about R25-26K. They all look the same though in the pictures. However I would think that someone who shops for something costing at least R25K would do a basic google search to look for alternative prices.

Don't even start - colleague bought a Delta 1 at Incredible last week. Exact same price as the Delta 2. Sales lady assured him it was the 'latest model'. Only when he got back to work and compared specs etc with owner of a Delta 2 did he realise the mistake.

(Managed to eventually get the last Delta 2 in the W Cape, but what a mess).

 

[Valaskjalf]

Saw that whole R32k Delta 2 debacle on Takealot and assumed some poor idiot was getting taken for a ride paying over R8k more than they should....but then luckily, I saw that old faithful, the one who never lets me down, Wootware, had them in stock for R23000 and jumped on it. Had it delivered this morning without a hitch, as always. Those guys are the standard all companies in the country should strive toward. What a classy bunch, always the best service.

Anyway, so far super happy with the Delta 2, much better first impression than that Bluetti disaster. App is intuitive and a little more streamlined compared to the one for my River Pro (Didnt realise there were different "versions" for each generation). Read a lot of reviews about how insanely loud the fans are, but dialing the super-charge back to about 800w makes it very manageable. I live in a Sectional Title so putting up solar is an absolute nightmare and the red tape is worse than anything the ANC can throw at you, so hope to get some of the Ecoflow fold-up solar panels soonish when Eskom REALLY has no more power coming out of the walls.

 

[zll]

so hope to get some of the Ecoflow fold-up solar panels soonish when Eskom REALLY has no more power coming out of the walls

If you can't put up solar panels but are looking for a decent solar panel solution, I put together my own portable stands with Ecoflow's rigid panels. The reason why I went rigid over the fold-up panels it that the fold-up panels aren't designed to be used regularly (I discovered this when watching a video on people using them in RVs in the US) so they tend to die within a year if you use them every day (this tends to be most foldable brands, but I'm not sure if it's specifically applies to the Ecoflow foldable panels).

Anyway, here's the link if you want to check out what I did.

How to make home made PVC solar panel frames for smaller rigid solar panels

Some of us don't have the option to go full solar, or to mount panels on a roof (like if we don't own the property) but still would like to be able to generate some of our own power. While the folding camping panels are nice, the reality is they're not designed for daily use and will likely die...

mybroadband.co.za

It is a little bit annoying to have to take them in and out of the granny flat, but I'm happy knowing they'll last for years, and they're a lot cheaper than the fold-up panels.

 

[leon.davibe]

Damn your curtains have the same pattern as a solar panel, where did you buy them /jk

 

[AstroTurf]

So EB55 is doing great.

If I run 2 lights, 65" TV, fire tv cube, Sound bar with woofer, LTE router and 2x EOP ports on it and the occasional phone or 3 getting charged in it's usb ports it hits around 148W total output and a 2 hour stretch gives me around 40% battery left.

With the 4 hour stretches I usually run the first hour or 2 on my generator then the last bit on the Bluetti.

I also stuck it in the boot for a 5 hour drive with my LTE router plugged into it so that the wife and kids could have portable wifi. That hardly even budged the battery.

 

[Valaskjalf]

If you can't put up solar panels but are looking for a decent solar panel solution, I put together my own portable stands with Ecoflow's rigid panels. The reason why I went rigid over the fold-up panels it that the fold-up panels aren't designed to be used regularly (I discovered this when watching a video on people using them in RVs in the US) so they tend to die within a year if you use them every day (this tends to be most foldable brands, but I'm not sure if it's specifically applies to the Ecoflow foldable panels).

Anyway, here's the link if you want to check out what I did.

How to make home made PVC solar panel frames for smaller rigid solar panels

Some of us don't have the option to go full solar, or to mount panels on a roof (like if we don't own the property) but still would like to be able to generate some of our own power. While the folding camping panels are nice, the reality is they're not designed for daily use and will likely die...

mybroadband.co.za

It is a little bit annoying to have to take them in and out of the granny flat, but I'm happy knowing they'll last for years, and they're a lot cheaper than the fold-up panels.

Excellent thanks for the heads-up.

 

[Vlad-III]

Shoo, people have money. Looks like the only place to get the Delta 2 now is through ecoflow........ I was waiting until end of this month to get haha. Guess will have to fork out and buy from ecoflow before stock goes

 

[Brawler]

So EB55 is doing great.

If I run 2 lights, 65" TV, fire tv cube, Sound bar with woofer, LTE router and 2x EOP ports on it and the occasional phone or 3 getting charged in it's usb ports it hits around 148W total output and a 2 hour stretch gives me around 40% battery left.

With the 4 hour stretches I usually run the first hour or 2 on my generator then the last bit on the Bluetti.

I also stuck it in the boot for a 5 hour drive with my LTE router plugged into it so that the wife and kids could have portable wifi. That hardly even budged the battery.

Mine is also going strong. Great product.

 

[Mirai]

Shoo, people have money. Looks like the only place to get the Delta 2 now is through ecoflow........ I was waiting until end of this month to get haha. Guess will have to fork out and buy from ecoflow before stock goes

Once you buy and register your warranty, you get an effective R1000 off the purchase of either the spare battery or the solar panels.

I suspect they will bring in new stock though. Incredible says new stock will arrive 'shortly'.

 

[Love Me Tender]

There have been some complaints on it see:

Mecer SOL-I-BB-M1L Inverter Trolley

Has anyone used this inverter? https://www.firstshop.co.za/products/mecer-1kva-1kw-lithium-battery-inverter-trolley-with-50ah-lithium-ion-battery-and-820w-mppt-controller-sol-i-bb-m1l-158799 I wanted to find out how noisy it is when charging, and when it is discharging? And I'm hoping it isn't...

mybroadband.co.za

Well basically there is 3 complaints: (All come from people using it as a UPS ie: perm on)

• Displayed SoC % dropping over time, not reflecting true SoC (This can be fixed, but if you are unlucky to get such a unit you will probably sit a week without it, while they reflash/recalibrate?)
• Random 3 beeps no one can seem to find the cause. (No indication in the manual either.)
• In Some reports, it fails on switchover, meaning you have to manually turn it back on.

I am lucky enough to report that I only had 1 of those issues. The random 3 beeps, that I had about 2-3 times in the last month. My unit does report accurate state as well as Watt load and does not drop over time. I don't know if it is because mine is newer than the 1st bach that most users in there got.

Let's just say I am a happy camper but mileage may vary.

Have you managed to find out what types of solar panels can be used with this unit. I read somewhere that this information is hard to come by...

 

[leon.davibe]

Have you managed to find out what types of solar panels can be used with this unit. I read somewhere that this information is hard to come by...

Mppt isn't as finicky as pwm

So as long as you know what the max voc is to avoid it like the plague ,

Edit further down the thread alphajohn posted specs max 100voc according to specsheet

They didn't specify it , so can check the manual just to be sure you are nowhere close to it ie 80% of it max was a rule of thumb someone that installs told me

The mppt range is 35-100v


So as long as both your panels in series falls in that range you can select whatever you can get

So if getting one panel get the highest voltage you can get not to drop off the bottom

But most likely 2 would be best ie for bad weather days


Or if you have low enough voltage panels more in series is possible ie 4x 25v

 

[Park@82]

Mppt isn't as finicky as pwm

So as long as you know what the max voc is to avoid it like the plague ,normally on this size mppt it will be like 120v

...

The mppt range is 35-100v

As far as I know the Ecoflow units does come with MPPT controllers build in. But some of them are specked to a max of 25v from solar input. As far as I understand it, this should not be exceeded.

 

[leon.davibe]

As far as I know the Ecoflow units does come with MPPT controllers build in. But some of them are specked to a max of 25v from solar input. As far as I understand it, this should not be exceeded.

I was under the impression the question relates to the mecer lithium units ie these ones

 

[leon.davibe]

As far as I know the Ecoflow units does come with MPPT controllers build in. But some of them are specked to a max of 25v from solar input. As far as I understand it, this should not be exceeded.

But yea the one thing bad for all controllers is going over max voc

The pwm just means you have to be more picky as you can get lets say 180w from a 300w panel

And 150 from another 300w panel

ie if the voktage is way more than the battery you lose more

ie 12v 15-18v battery
24v 30-32v
48v can't recall now i think it is like 60v is best bang for buck ranges

 

[AlphaJohn]

Have you managed to find out what types of solar panels can be used with this unit. I read somewhere that this information is hard to come by...

Source attached.