Portable power stations

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d7e7r7

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Howzit all,


There's probably been a dozen of these type of threads so apologies if it's a repeat.


I'm looking for the most affordable portable power station that can be used to get me through load shedding. Should power TV, media box, a few lights, laptop, router, couple cell phones, etc and be able to charge in between load shedding cuts.


Most of the power stations (Jackery/Flexopower/Bluetti/etc) I've seen advertised state they can't/shouldn't be kept plugged in and used as a UPS. The only one I've seen is the EcoFlow River (and River Pro) that has a UPS mode so it passes power through from the grid to your devices and automatically powers them when there's no power.


Is it cheaper to buy a car battery, inverter and charger and DIY it? Any advice would be appreciated.


Thanks
 
Rather get an inverter trolley, but they are like hens teeth right now
 
d7e7r7 said:
Do you perhaps have a link of what you're referring to? What do they cost more or less?
Click to expand...
Well the question is more if you can find them.

Facebook

www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
They might be able to source one, geewiz is out.
That 1300w with a lithium battery isn't too badly priced for what you're getting, I feel better value than a portable power stations
 
Lupus said:
Well the question is more if you can find them.

Facebook

www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
They might be able to source one, geewiz is out.
That 1300w with a lithium battery isn't too badly priced for what you're getting, I feel better value than a portable power stations
Click to expand...
Thanks, how does that compare to this https://www.takealot.com/ecoflow-river-pro-720wh-portable-power-station-black/PLID73199269 ?

It's a bit confusing if one isn't knowledgeable (I'm not) because they don't have universal measurements. One uses "1260Wh capacity" and the other uses "100 amp".
 
d7e7r7 said:
Thanks, how does that compare to this https://www.takealot.com/ecoflow-river-pro-720wh-portable-power-station-black/PLID73199269 ?

It's a bit confusing if one isn't knowledgeable (I'm not) because they don't have universal measurements. One uses "1260Wh capacity" and the other uses "100 amp".
Click to expand...
That link is confusing, as the title is 720wh River Pro but the synopsis is talking about the Delta version which is 25k
Check this out on takealot: EcoFlow DELTA 1260Wh Portable Power Station - Black

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 www.takealot.com
So yeah that link is off, for 13k you're getting 720wh not 1260.

100amps X 12v equals 1200wh essentially. So for 12700 you're getting 1200wh but there are caveats to that.
200w on 1200wh will give you about 5 hours till that battery is 80% used.
So just bare that in mind.
Screenshot_20221001_170536_com.android.chrome.jpg
 
d7e7r7 said:
Howzit all,


There's probably been a dozen of these type of threads so apologies if it's a repeat.


I'm looking for the most affordable portable power station that can be used to get me through load shedding. Should power TV, media box, a few lights, laptop, router, couple cell phones, etc and be able to charge in between load shedding cuts.


Most of the power stations (Jackery/Flexopower/Bluetti/etc) I've seen advertised state they can't/shouldn't be kept plugged in and used as a UPS. The only one I've seen is the EcoFlow River (and River Pro) that has a UPS mode so it passes power through from the grid to your devices and automatically powers them when there's no power.


Is it cheaper to buy a car battery, inverter and charger and DIY it? Any advice would be appreciated.


Thanks
Click to expand...
Disclaimer: I am not knowledgeable but I got feedback from colleagues and read many suggestions on this forum.

I had similar requirements and zoomed on one of these 2 before we decided that we will budget for a proper solar based solution and wait for a month or two.

1. If you want to pick up from shop - https://leroymerlin.co.za/trolley-inventer-ellies-system-720w-1200va-81454335

2. If you are willing to wait 8-10 weeks
www.geewiz.co.za

2400VA Mecer Inverter + 2x 100AH Batteries Trolley (8 HOUR BATTERY LIFE) KIT - 1440W (150-200 cycles) - 12 Month Warranty

Inverter: Mecer Inverter 2400VA (1440W) + 20A UPS Charger Batteries: 2x 100Ah Lead Acid Batteries (Royal/Delkor/Enertec/Energizer) Cabinet: Geewiz Black Powder Coated Steel Cabinet + Wheels All cabling and connectors included Unit Dimensions: 44cm(H) x 39cm(W) x 38cm(L) 12-month warranty on the...
www.geewiz.co.za www.geewiz.co.za
 
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flexopower.co.za

LITHIUM555 PORTABLE POWER STATION BY FLEXOPOWER

LIMITED STOCK AVAILABLE BEST SELLING PORTABLE POWER STATION IN SOUTH AFRICA. The Lithium555 by Flexopower is the first power station of its kind with a replaceable Lithium battery. At the end of the battery service life, replace battery only and continue using it. Service life of battery is...
flexopower.co.za flexopower.co.za

I like that you can add solar panels.
 
courses.cityprepping.com

Solar Generator Spreadsheet by City Prepping

Get My “Solar Generator Spreadsheet”To Help Choose The Right Generator Get My “Solar Generator Guide” To Help Choose The Right Generator Sign up now to access my FREE “Solar Generator Spreadsheet” to help you choose the right generator based on your unique situation and energy needs. This...
courses.cityprepping.com courses.cityprepping.com
 
d7e7r7 said:
Howzit all,


There's probably been a dozen of these type of threads so apologies if it's a repeat.


I'm looking for the most affordable portable power station that can be used to get me through load shedding. Should power TV, media box, a few lights, laptop, router, couple cell phones, etc and be able to charge in between load shedding cuts.


Most of the power stations (Jackery/Flexopower/Bluetti/etc) I've seen advertised state they can't/shouldn't be kept plugged in and used as a UPS. The only one I've seen is the EcoFlow River (and River Pro) that has a UPS mode so it passes power through from the grid to your devices and automatically powers them when there's no power.


Is it cheaper to buy a car battery, inverter and charger and DIY it? Any advice would be appreciated.


Thanks
Click to expand...
I decided to go for a mix of a few things to get this done. Had 2 of the trolley type setups but unless you spend a lot of money to get Lithium batteries for them they tend to not last too long (Lead-Acid / AGM batteries last about 200 Cycles before quitting) and having one big trolley type setup means running extensions to where ver you need them.

So for my TV and PS4 I Use this:
https://www.loot.co.za/product/rct-megapower-160-000mah-ac-power-bank-black/cpmr-7661-g520 It has enough capacity to keep the TV on for about 4 hours / 2 hours if I add the PS4.

I opted for this because it is very portable and I can move it to wherever in the house I need it, depending on when I need it etc. It has ample power to charge cellphones etc. as well. It is not a UPS so you need to plug it in when needed and charge it again when the power is back on.

To keep my 5G router going I use this
https://www.takealot.com/gizzu-8800mah-mini-ups-dual-dc/PLID71930088 keeps my RAIN 5G router running for more than 6 hours at a time. In retrospect I should have gotten one with a USB output as well, to charge cellphones etc. when needed.

For lights I replaced a couple of downlights with rechargeables around the house and all table and floor lamps have rechargeable lights in them as well.

https://www.takealot.com/litemate-l...ble-dimmable-7w-led-a60-screw-in/PLID70674298 and https://www.takealot.com/litemate-loadshedding-rechargeable-4w-gu10-led-lamp/PLID91435677
 
d7e7r7 said:
Howzit all,


There's probably been a dozen of these type of threads so apologies if it's a repeat.


I'm looking for the most affordable portable power station that can be used to get me through load shedding. Should power TV, media box, a few lights, laptop, router, couple cell phones, etc and be able to charge in between load shedding cuts.


Most of the power stations (Jackery/Flexopower/Bluetti/etc) I've seen advertised state they can't/shouldn't be kept plugged in and used as a UPS. The only one I've seen is the EcoFlow River (and River Pro) that has a UPS mode so it passes power through from the grid to your devices and automatically powers them when there's no power.


Is it cheaper to buy a car battery, inverter and charger and DIY it? Any advice would be appreciated.


Thanks
Click to expand...
I have the River Max. But I am looking to upgrade so that I can run my microwave oven for a couple of minutes on occasion. The River is not made to be kept plugged in. I plug it in as needed.

First try to determine how much power your setup requires. Pug everything into a plug that will tell you how much power you are dawning. https://www.geewiz.co.za/gadgets/43...10&sfdr_hash=105bbe2e1143851ca6a6836c4c2b3300 this will help you to calculate how much watt-hour your setup requires.

IMO lithium batteries are the only way to go.
One thing to note is that not all lithium batteries are created equally. Pay attention to the charge cycles (LFP vs NMC chemistry). Ecoflow has launched a new generation of products like the Delta 2 and the River 2 that now has LFP/Lifepo4 batteries which will give ~3000 charge cycles (LFP) vs ~500 cycles (NMC) on the old models.
We can probably expect thier new gen products by next year locally.

Say your setup draws 200w and you want it to run for 2 hours (400 watts) then aim for a battery with 500-600wh capacity. Remember that inverters are not 100% sufficient when converting from AC to DC and that you should never drain your battery to 0% because it will degrade your battery faster. Aim to leave 20% left in the tank after using it (50% with lead acid). WATTS= AMPS X VOLTS. So if a battery is rated at 12v (nominal voltage), 50Ah then it has 600WH capacity.
 
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Getting anything that is battery powered is a waste of time. The UPS function on most of these devices are good, but the component called a relay switch don't last. Also, they are not designed to be easily replaceable. Mine failed this year and I cannot get anyone to fix it or fix it myself as I don't have the knowledge to this type of thing yet.

I went for an inverter generator. This generator can power electronics safely, it has a rated power output of three point two Kilowatt hour and can deliver eight amps. That is a serious amount of power for electronics. I would like one with a build in starter, but other than that it is a good generator.
 
Lupus said:
That 1300w with a lithium battery isn't too badly priced for what you're getting, I feel better value than a portable power stations
Click to expand...

Last time I checked these units won't recharge from 0 to 100% in the time between regular load shedding slots? I might be wrong though.

d7e7r7 said:
The only one I've seen is the EcoFlow River (and River Pro) that has a UPS mode so it passes power through from the grid to your devices and automatically powers them when there's no power.
Click to expand...

Do your research on the EcoFlow UPS'. They do have a UPS mode, but it's way too slow for PCs (something like 30ms). Also, I don't think they have a full UPS system in that it draws from mains and then switches over to battery when load shedding kicks in. I have the Ecoflow Delta and I'm 90% sure it just drains from the battery 24/7 if you have devices plugged in, it just recharges off the wall at the same time.

The Ecoflow Delta 2 and River 2 has just been released overseas and offers a much greater lifespan than the original units as they use a different battery chemistry. If you are looking for Ecoflow products, rather wait for one of those to arrive locally. Might be a while though because they are being marketed overseas first while they dump their old stock on us.
 
Romy Hedwig said:
Getting anything that is battery powered is a waste of time.
Click to expand...

I've had my Ecoflow Delta since early 2021 and it's far from a waste. Chills in my room until I need it. Have used it for all my entertainment electronics and had no issues. Only thing is it's not super quiet but it is quieter than a generator and I can use it indoors no problem.
 
zolly said:
Last time I checked these units won't recharge from 0 to 100% in the time between regular load shedding slots? I might be wrong though.



Do your research on the EcoFlow UPS'. They do have a UPS mode, but it's way too slow for PCs (something like 30ms). Also, I don't think they have a full UPS system in that it draws from mains and then switches over to battery when load shedding kicks in. I have the Ecoflow Delta and I'm 90% sure it just drains from the battery 24/7 if you have devices plugged in, it just recharges off the wall at the same time.

The Ecoflow Delta 2 and River 2 has just been released overseas and offers a much greater lifespan than the original units as they use a different battery chemistry. If you are looking for Ecoflow products, rather wait for one of those to arrive locally. Might be a while though because they are being marketed overseas first while they dump their old stock on us.
Click to expand...
It would depend on the amperage pushed to the battery I guess, if it's a 100ah battery and you can push 30 to 50ah to the battery it'll charge in 3 to 2 hours.
 
Romy Hedwig said:
Getting anything that is battery powered is a waste of time. The UPS function on most of these devices are good, but the component called a relay switch don't last. Also, they are not designed to be easily replaceable. Mine failed this year and I cannot get anyone to fix it or fix it myself as I don't have the knowledge to this type of thing yet.

.
Click to expand...
Tell that to everyone that installed solar panels, inverters and batteries. Or use inverters with batteries to get them through load shedding.

I don't think all components are created equally. Maybe you had a cheap unit? Which brand did you have?

Ecoflow has a 2 year warranty on most of their stuff. And I see they have a 5 year warranty on some of their newer models.

Sure, you can get a lot more bang for buck KW wise with a generator but some of us dont have space for them and don't like the noise. Some stay in flats where a generator is not an option.
 
I'm looking for something to power a floor-standing fan. It will only be used at night, to power it through a couple hours of load shedding. Ideally, I can leave it plugged in between the fan and the wall and it will seamlessly switch between wall power and battery power when the power goes out.

Any recommendations?
 
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