Portable Power Stations

[AlphaJohn]

No need to use a boost converter. Been doing it for a while. I use it to keep my Ecoflow charged to 80% while using it. The idea is to minimize charge cycles and I can use it for extended periods without draining the internal battery.

In the app you can set it to charge from car socket or solar. With the solar setting it will draw more watts from the battery (up to 200W with the River Max IIRC. I think the max Ive seen is 160W from my 12v battery). I just leave it on car setting because I usually just draw around 100w.

View attachment 1468097

Now if you plug in a 30A wall charger to the LFP so that it can charge the battery whenever Mains are on it can work as a nice workaround to not use the Eco's batteries much?

 

[Park@82]

Now if you plug in a 30A wall charger to the LFP so that it can charge the battery whenever Mains are on it can work as a nice workaround to not use the Eco's batteries much?

I have a cheap Chinese 15a SLA charger and I am a bit worried that it will destroy my LFP in the long run so I unplug it when full. Can you recommend a charger?

 

[AlphaJohn]

I have a cheap Chinese 15a SLA charger and I am a bit worried that it will destroy my LFP in the long run so I unplug it when full. Can you recommend a charger?

Donno what we have in SA but f me the one in that vid seems pricey:

https://www.amazon.com/Ardroit-Maintainer-Lithium-Iron-Rechargeable-Desulfator/dp/B09FXZ7BTR

 

[Park@82]

Donno what we have in SA but f me the one in that vid seems pricey:

https://www.amazon.com/Ardroit-Maintainer-Lithium-Iron-Rechargeable-Desulfator/dp/B09FXZ7BTR

Pricey indeed. I hope that one day we can have some cheaper pure since inverters with build in lithium chargers.

 

[AlphaJohn]

Pricey indeed. I hope that one day we can have some cheaper pure since inverters with build in lithium chargers.

Starting to think above is a bargain

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CTEK Lithium XS 12V-5A Battery Charger | Adendorff Machinery Mart

The LITHIUM XS is specially designed for Lithium (12V LiFePO4) batteries. With up to 5A of charge current available, it can charge LiFePO4 batteries from 5Ah to 60Ah and maintain up to 120Ah. It’s easy to use – just connect it and charging starts immediately. There’s no need to disconnect your...

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CTEK D250SE - 12V 20A DC/DC Charger - Lithium Battery Compatible

Input: 11.5–23 V, 25 A Output: Max. 14.4/14.7 V, 20 A max, lead-acid battery types 14.2 V, 20 A max, LiFePO4. BACK CURRENT DRAIN*: Less than 1Ah/month (Back current drain is the current that drains the battery if the charger is not connected

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Problem with using LA chargers is that most I tested use Pulsing when charge and that is a no no when it comes to LiFePO4

 

[Park@82]

Starting to think above is a bargain


Problem with using LA chargers is that most I tested use Pulsing when charge and that is a no no when it comes to LiFePO4

How can I test if mine is pulsing? Can I test with a multimeter somehow?

 

[AlphaJohn]

How can I test if mine is pulsing? Can I test with a multimeter somehow?

Multimeter and watch the charge cycle, esp at the end
Some charge normally and only start pulsing at 80%+
Others Pulse all they way from 0-100%
Some also have a setting for pulse <-- those are ok as long as you avoid that setting like the plague.

 

[Park@82]

Multimeter and watch the charge cycle, esp at the end
Some charge normally and only start pulsing at 80%+
Others Pulse all they way from 0-100%
Some also have a setting for pulse <-- those are ok as long as you avoid that setting like the plague.

What would it look like? Voltage drops to 0 then goes up to 14v every couple of seconds or something like that?

 

[Bundu]

What would it look like? Voltage drops to 0 then goes up to 14v every couple of seconds or something like that?

this is what the CTEK 5.0 looks like

 

[KOPITE]

Now if you plug in a 30A wall charger to the LFP so that it can charge the battery whenever Mains are on it can work as a nice workaround to not use the Eco's batteries much?

I don't understand your meaning?

 

[soulie]

How can I test if mine is pulsing? Can I test with a multimeter somehow?

be carefull pulse charges can go as high as 21.6 volt .constant current is allways better .never tried to test one as it only pulses at certain times.also some la chargers use half wave rectification ie byebye lithium

 

[AlphaJohn]

I don't understand your meaning?

If you keep the LFP topped up it will keep the Eco's batteries toped up ie: less cycles on internal batteries.

Also not very portable but ja.

 

[soulie]

If you keep the LFP topped up it will keep the Eco's batteries toped up ie: less cycles on internal batteries.

Also not very portable but ja.

you could always buy a big black metal box and glue it to the top ,put lfp inside box with charger and give it a cord with a three pin plug on it ,and put wheels underneath { sound familiar }

 

[DrJohnZoidberg]

you could always buy a big black metal box and glue it to the top ,put lfp inside box with charger and give it a cord with a three pin plug on it ,and put wheels underneath { sound familiar }

You should market that idea, but instead use lead acid batteries as they're cheaper and people will have to replace them more often.

 

[Pineapple Smurf]

No need to use a boost converter. Been doing it for a while. I use it to keep my Ecoflow charged to 80% while using it. The idea is to minimize charge cycles and I can use it for extended periods without draining the internal battery.

In the app you can set it to charge from car socket or solar. With the solar setting it will draw more watts from the battery (up to 200W with the River Max IIRC. I think the max Ive seen is 160W from my 12v battery). I just leave it on car setting because I usually just draw around 100w.

View attachment 1468097

I do the same with my Ecoflow Delta Mini
Have App setting to 8 amps so it draws 96 Watts from the external battery which is awesome coz I'm only using around 120 Watts anyways out of the Delta

When load-shedding ends the lead acid battery charger charges the old battery again automatically
A cheap and simple solution

 

[soulie]

You should market that idea, but instead use lead acid batteries as they're cheaper and people will have to replace them more often.

damn good idea .patent pending but i think ill use ni-cad .what can go wrong ?

 

[KOPITE]

If you keep the LFP topped up it will keep the Eco's batteries toped up ie: less cycles on internal batteries.

Also not very portable but ja.

thanks, i was being abit dof. i like that idea. can you charge it at any speed and which is the cheapest on the country. might think of getting one or maybe importing if it's allowed. so you saying one that does not do pulsing?

 

[Mirai]

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Essentially same price as the large Ecoflows.

Dual AC adapter(500W) Fast recharge in 2-2.5Hrs

Not sure if that's included in the box.

Lifecycle: 3,500+ Cycles to 80% Original Capacity

Also this:

Simultaneous Recharge & Discharge: Yes


But is there a caveat that that will reduce longetivity?

 

[Mirai]

If you keep the LFP topped up it will keep the Eco's batteries toped up ie: less cycles on internal batteries.

Also not very portable but ja.

Keeping the batteries topped up is constantly discharging a bit and then recharging a bit, isn't it. That will eat into the cycle life of the battery, won't it?

 

[KOPITE]

Keeping the batteries topped up is constantly discharging a bit and then recharging a bit, isn't it. That will eat into the cycle life of the battery, won't it?

how do you come to that conclusion