JUST LAUNCHED a NEWER version of this video we did with Much more detail and helpful info, link is below ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Oo-b58Zngxw.html
I have this model Delta 1300, and I found your video on using the fridge just what I needed to help me decide to get it for this reason, but my problem I've noticed since it has no 3 prong on Delta 1300, I'm finding it hard to get the right heavy duty extension cord long enough about 40 or 50ft with a 2 to 3 prong like you used, and also My fridge has 3 prong, it uses 572kwh yearly, GE 120vac, 60hz, 1.50amps, model GDE21ESKGRSS. I see you used adapter on your fridge as well. Where did you get your green extension cable 2 to 3 prong and adapter? This is all I need but with correct power amps and voltage not to do damage to Delta. Can you help me please. Also Brooklyn is a joy to watch. Thanks for all your helpful info.
This is our newer video I’m not sure if you had a chance to watch it it might help answer some of your questions Thanks for watching our video and especially your note on Brooklyn ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Oo-b58Zngxw.html
Thank you for doing this test. I own a Delta as well and I've been trying to mentally run these numbers in my head. We need more of these real world demos on RU-vid. So many "influencers" will get a free unit and they either go the route of pulling out a bunch of meters and scopes like they're some kind of physics lab professor or they plug it into something like a microwave to demonstrate that a machine will "cook" a hotdog. I appreciate RU-vidrs like you that go the effort to show what a machine so capable of in practical real life scenarios.
Is it not true that there by putting the solar array in parallel you limited the max input to 200 W? If the max input for the delta is 400 and there is going to be a drop in efficiency, I would say that the problem is not the clouds so much as not maximising the huge potential of the EF delta to recharge in just 3-4 hours at 400w. That way, when your light disappears the unit will be fully or close to fully charged and there will surely be sufficient battery to make it through the night. I wonder also about using extra long cable on the refrigerator end. Once you have your delta in the house, you could probably improve slightly by plugging the fridge directly into the power of the delta. I'm just learning this stuff so I would be happy to hear if my thinking is correct.
@@VistasdelMar2008 Two 200W panels in series has the same power as two 200W panels in parallel. In series the Voltage are added up but the current stays the same, in parallel the Voltage stays the same but the current added up, in either case the power is still the same. I.E. two 12V 1A batteries in series, the Voltage will be 24V, so 24V x 1A = 24Watts of available power. Two 12V 1A batteries in parallel, the Voltage will be 12V, so 12V x 2A = 24Watts of available power.
I did the same test but without panels. The Delta Pro gave me 25 hours attached to a refrigerator (old one). I will test with 450 watts when I get better. (Hsd a stroke last week).
There are things you can do to make the fridge use much less power: Turn off the self-defrost and anti-condensation heaters if your model has that feature. Set the freezer to 20-25F. Set the fridge to 40-42F. Don't be tempted to open the door unnecessarily, not even for a quick peek. Also, solar panels are sensitive to shadows when run in series because the 1 in full sun can't produce more power than the 1 in shadow. Nice video, thanks!
I got my Delta unit last year when they had just arrived to Puerto Rico and almost no companies in the island had it except for one. Last year I wouldn’t even dream of finding a YT video with a demo to this level of detail. A million thank yous from Puerto Rico 🇵🇷. Best thing is that I did a similar test with mine just recently, only for a shorter period of time, and I was able to compare my results with yours. Here in our island we have the benefit of getting full and strong sunny days. My Delta unit was getting little over 200W of input at some point. My fridge is from around 2003-2004 and was using around 160-170W in average. I had it hooked to 3 100W flexible solar panels connected in series with an extension MPPT cables outside laying flat on the floor. Numbers looked pretty similar to your test considering there was full sun going outside. I had my unit inside during the test. Again, thank you so much and I look forward to watching the updated video you mentioned above. Blessings 🇵🇷
Thanks for making the video! I know it was a lot of work. The only big problem I see is that you shouldn't connect the solar panels the way you have it. From the voltage output of each panel you mention, all 3 of the solar panels are for a 12v system, putting out about 21v to 22v. By connecting the 2 100w panels in series, you've created a 24v system, or 44v give or take a few volts. Then you connected a 24v system in parallel with a 12v system (the 200w panel). So your are connecting 44v and 22v in parallel a definite problem. The 22v 200w panel will drag down the 44v voltage array to 12v. The only way to connect these the way you have it, is to use a 24v 200w panel (44v output) that puts out the same voltage as the 100w array. Then you'd be golden and get the full power/wattage out. Another way would be to use 2 separate charge controllers, 1 for the 200w and one for the 100w array and feed them to the battery bank. However, using the all in one power station this isn't possible. Like another poster mentioned you are better off using just 200W total. If I were in this situation I'd definitely buy another 12v 200w panel and put in parallel with the one you have for the power box/generator, and buy a charge controller and 100ah LifePO4 battery for a separate system to use with the 2 x 100w panels in parallel to use for another purpose in the house. This is what I'm doing for my solar ham radio shack and emergency power, my video of it is on my channel.
Yes this is very important, if the battery input can handle 36V then you would want all panels in series. (important to check if the smaller panels can handle the current expected) Or else all 3 panels in parallel if the battery handles 12v 12V in parallel with 24V is completely turning off one parallel legs... triggering reverse protection in the panels probably, damaging them if you are unlucky
Great real-world test! I'm going to make some calculations. Rule of thumb for solar is the maximum you get x 6. So, roughly 180W x 6 = 1080 Wh/day. Your fridge is 478kWh/year which is 1309 Wh/day. Unfortunately, though, there is inverter overhead from the power station. The overhead is approximately 10W continuous plus 15% loss of efficiency (for most inverters). So this winds up being 240Wh/day in overhead plus 1309*0.15 = roughly 200Wh/day with an 85% efficient inverter. So the calculated difference is: 1309 + 240 + 200 = 1749Wh/day in consumption verses 1080Wh/day received from the solar. You are losing 669Wh of capacity each day. The EcoFlow Delta (non-pro) has 1260Wh of batteries. It should last.1.9 days, approximately. And that calculation is very close to what you actually got, taking the clouds into account. You got roughly 38 hours. With two days of full sun you should have gotten roughly 47 hours. But would you have? I think so, yah. Thumbs up! -Matt
I am only beginning my research, so I'm no expert. But are you sure about that rule of thumb? If I understand correctly, that number varies highly by geographic location and time of year. For example, I live in a northern state. In the summer we get 16 hours of daylight and 55% of days are "mostly clear" or better. But in the winter, we only get 10 hours of daylight and only 20% of days are "mostly clear" or better. That's a lot of difference even in the same location. In addition, surely Southern California will get a lot more wattage out of the same system than Maine. If I understand correctly, for my region in winter, I'm looking at well under a factor of 3. Which is pretty depressing. Do you have a source that might give me more hope for your factor of 6?
@@annnonomys3132 Yes, is true, but don't the cooler winter temperatures increase the efficiency of the panels? This would offset the fewer hours of sunlight during those months
So I live on a 38 foot cruising sailboat currently anchored out in Mazatlan, MX. The water temperature is 88 degrees, air temp is ~90 degrees F. 400A of battery, 400w solar, 6 cubic ft. Frig./freezer with radiant barrier, gapped, and 6 inches blue foam all round. Bottom and hull side is 7 inches. The fridge system has a water cooled thruhull condenser. It uses about 18-22amphrs a day. I can go around 10-14 days without sun. All lighting is LED. Batteries are charged by 10:30am in the morning usually. I built the fridge and systems myself. Probably helped I went to school for aerospace and physics and really loved heat transfer and thermal dynamics.. Good luck with your system. Glad to see somebody inspired to improve refrigeration power economics. The A/C is next. Batteries are Firefly’s
@@TechMadeEzy taking this down to basics. You are applying energy to remove heat that is leaking into the refrigerator. Get a better refrigerator? The hardest part is we have gotten so used to front loading frigs. and they introduce a lot of heat when you open them. The second tough piece is manufacturers have become complacent in their insulating practices. It would be interesting to do the ice block test on your frig. Put a block of ice in (as large as will fit), let it sit for at least 2 hours, (to cool the box off) then weigh it. Close everything up for, say, 12 hours, and then weigh it again. Calculation #1 (Heat loss rate): ((Lbs of ice melted) * 144)/hours= BTU's per hour Calculation #2 (Heat flux): (BTU/hour)/(Square feet of ice box internal surface area)= (BTU/hr/ft^2) Calculation #3 (Temp difference) : DeltaT = Average external temperature(DegF) - 32 Calculation #4: R = DeltaT/(BTU/hr/ft^2) This give R in [°F·ft2·hr/BTU] The higher, the better. A good minimum number for a fridge would be 15, for a freezer 20, but many people live with numbers less than this. Very roughly, doubling the R-value with half your power usage. To convert to the metric equivalent R value, [°C·m2/W] divide by 5.68
You can have your refrigerator cold and unplug for a couple of hours to allow generator to gain more charge then plug refrigerator back in. By doing it this way your food does not spoil and you can keep your Delta charged and running for days.
Absolutely I thought the same thing get one of those timers and put it on so the refrigerator shuts off for an hour comes back on for an hour give the sun time to charge the battery back up think that would work I wish you would give that a try they sell those little timers at the hardware store where you just plug the extension cord in and then plug your refrigerator and you can set the timer to come on and off pretty simple I've got a whole box of them maybe I'll give that a try it's like you said it'll stay cold for a while if you're not digging in it all the time LOL
@@flappingarms9335 Automatic defrost cycle uses heating elements. All frost free refrigerators have them. I'm old enough to remember my mother having to manually defrost the fridge.
Great real world test. I've been thinking of getting this unit but didn't know how practical it would be to power a refrigerator. I will say you stopped too soon. Your refrigerator should be able to stay cold long enough for the sun to come back out in the morning to recharge the battery. So I think in practical terms you could in an emergency go much longer. Thanks for your test.
I like this test as well. However my fridge doesn’t use 45 watts. I should probably get one. I’m FTOG on solar. And my house fridge maxes out ~8 Amps. I can go maybe 10-12 hrs on a ~2400W or 12v\200AH (2x100ah =P) however the mppt is 40amp max for now. I’m probably not getting full daily charges. But connecting to the bus bar at the inverter let 5 times power through as opposed to being direct to batter bank. This move cut the nightly 4 hour generated charge, down to every 3-4 nights (cloud dependent) for only 1-2 hrs. Looks like it’s keeping up during sunlight hours instead of falling behind.
Right now I am running a Delta Pro with 2 extra battery units and 840 watts of Kyocera solar panels. I am carrying my 2 freezers, 65 watts and 136 watts, our refrigerator which is older but about the same size as yours - 160 watts as well as an outlet we use for our air fryer and hot pot. I have been doing this for just over a month now and it did get tight when we had some cloudy days in a row. So far so good! These things are AMAZING! I have been tracking our meter to see what savings on KWH have been each day at 8AM. We have gone from a maximum daily usage of 37KWH down to our best using the Delta Pro's of 11KWh! Average before was 34 and average now is 15 KWH per day. I plan to add more panels to the Delta Pro to get up nearer that 1600 watt max. With that I will have more charging speed as well as daytime pass through wattage and can add more loads. I keep expanding and the Deltas have proven to be more than up to the task!
Hace meses o años buscando una explicación como esta. Al fin encontré el vídeo con la información que yo quería saber. La nevera es totalmente vital para conservar nuestros alimentos y algunos medicamentos en buen estado. En mi caso uso un respirador para dormir, por lo que busco la manera de que me funcionen las dos cosas simultaneas. Hiciste el mejor vídeo que he visto sobre el tema. La demás solo enchufan diferentes cosas y nada mas. Gracias fue de total ayuda. Desde Puerto Rico. 5-21-2022
Got exactly the information I need to decide if this product is for me. The refrigerator is a fine illustration: I have lost so much merchandise stored in my freezer to power outages that I can practically pay for this model!!!! Thank you for your endeavor and this video. 👍
As a suggestion: in a power down, make sure your freezers have an external readable thermometer. Turn OFF your freezers and periodically WATCH your temp. When NEEDED feed them som juice from your battery bank, once right temp reached, off it goes. Most fridges and freezers HOLD their cool if left closed.
Thank you for a real world test - not just specs from an expert! Good test: the takeaway is to get a big enough solar generator with reserve for poor sun days.
Awesome test. Best combo I found was a few solar panels a few Deltas/River Pros and an Alp propane generator to top off if the sun isn’t out. Very inexpensive overall combo. Can run most of a house for around $3k.
I would have turned the temp of the fridge up to something which is still safe but not optimum to reduce the run time of the fridge. Also, adding some ballast to the freezer and fridge in the form of water jugs would also help hold the interior temps longer and reduce the run time. It would also have been wise to keep your unit fully charged and not cripple the test by 10% right off the bat.
All that adjustment means open door time. The fridge and freezer should be fine for four hours if left unopened depending upon the temperature in the room. Then plug in the Delta Pro generator.
Great test. I have both a Delta and Delta Max. This test gives me an idea of what to expect if I have to use either of mine. I live in Michigan, so our weather is similar to yours as far as using the solar panels. When I bought the Delta, I went with the package that included two 160w panels. Did the same deal with the Delta Max, but got four 160w solar panels. Back in October, I tried out the solar panels on the Delta. Set them up mid-afternoon and ran them for about 2 hours while the sun was still high. Was drawing about 110w from the sun. The Delta already had about 93% charge in it and in those two hours, it moved up to 95%. After that, the sun was going down and the incoming watts dropped to about 5%, so then I took it down.
Thanks James yeah, the delta max 2016wh unit would be a step up and then the delta pro also but definitely a fun test to do, thanks for your comments and thanks for watching
Please can something gift me with this solar gen...it total black out here in my country ,,I don't mind if I can pay some little with some support I need it
I got my Delta 1300 primarily to run the fridge through the night. We have a wood stove, a deep well and an oil fired boiler for heat and hot water. We run a gas generator intermittently during the day to top off the 85 gallon water tank, warm up the rest of the house and get some hot water for showers, cleaning dishes and mostly to cool down the refrigerator. We don’t run the gen at night out of respect for the neighbors so that’s a long time that the fridge is powerless. Now we run the fridge all night no problem and top off the Delta with the gen during the day. It’s a game changer for us. P.S. my fridge is 33 years old and pulls around 400 watts and the Delta will run it for about 8 hours. We’ll be upgrading that soon. Great video!
Thank you so much for sharing that, I'm glad you found the video helpful. We also did a test on the new delta max with the extra battery without solar, if you'd like to see it here is our link, sure hope you subscribe and stay with us ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-rTZ7r7kwSEk.html
Holy crap, 400 watts! Well now I know what to expect since mine about 22 years old. Slowpoke, we are moving towards the same kind of living you do and all this info helps. So Thanks to you and tech made easy For the information a d tests.
@@thaddeustroyer We’ll be updating our fridge this Wednesday with a new, slightly smaller LG model. I sure hate to see my old reliable fridge go but it’s looking kinda beat up and since the kids have moved on we could do with a smaller one. I’ll be running it off the Delta some time soon to see how it does and I’ll let you know the result.
@@slowpoke1315 that would be great, I like you, hate to see the older, still useful stuff go away but efficiency is something to be considered. Thanks for the update and I also will update if we decide to upgrade ours or at the least let yall know what our watt usage and runtime is for the old thing.
Thank you so much for your valuable time. The explanation of how to use also. A single 64 year young female. Honestly I have been stressing if I was to late to start my power station solar set up.
Thank you and do me a favor please scroll to the top of the comments and see the link for our new video I know this will help you even more. I spent more time explaining things and I sure hope it helps you
This is the very video I've been searching for for a long time. I've wanted a setup for the very same function. Power outages are common on the West Coast. Thank you! Excellent vid!
Great video! I have been wanting to see real world applications for these. I have an off grid cabin and am trying to decide which model to use. Thanks and you gained a new subscriber!
Thanks for posting. Echoing what a lot of people have already pointed out regarding your panels. 400 watts of panels should have been bringing in way more than ~180 at best. I'd be really interested in seeing a part two if you'd apply the tweaks mentioned regarding the solar panels. It'd be an interesting demonstration of the difference small variables can make. i.e. losing power after 40 hours vs. going indefinitely.
@@TechMadeEzy I think the main point Henry and others are making is how, not what. Most folks don't have an endless supply of panels, and when the watts go above 200, these things get crazy expensive. Trying focus on doing more with less would augment your already fantastic review. Cheers from sunny San Diego
@@Mike-. i should add - i have the delta max. After like 80% or 90$ charge, the delta automatically slow charges the final 10-20% of the charge for longevity. I have 4 160W panels wired in series, and i typically get about 450W input by 10 AM.
Brilliant test for normal real world use. This is what most people who aren't solar geeks would do and shows the casual user what they could get from one of these. I'm currently designing a similar setup for my house to run base load for 24hrs including fridge freezer. I think a minimum of 600w of panels gives you a really good chance of a week especially in patchy sun environments to cram those electrons in to that battery! Fantastic real world review, well done.
I want to say thank you for doing this test I've been looking into different options for my grandmother's house in Puerto Rico they lose power quite a bit I'm looking for a system that will be easy enough and hassle free for an 80 year old two maintain I really like your video Thank you I hope to see more content from you
Thank you and say hi to grandma, Puerto Rico is beautiful and solar will definitely help especially with the storms they had, always good to be ready and prepared.
Good Job. One of the more worthwhile test applications. My power outages have all been accompanied by bad weather -- no sun. I now have 3 generators; bought several years apart. Was considering a power station for peace of mind and maybe simplicity. It's clear there is little achieved and considering the cost it's not worth the bother.
Check out our video on the Delta Pro it’s definitely a heavier unit with a much larger capacity and the battery is a lithium iron phosphate battery I’m not sure if you’re familiar with that but that battery has a lot more lifecycles in it. Also what’s nice about that system is it can be charged by a smart generator and even an EV charging station.
Great real world test. I looked at the specs and the Delta has fast A/C charge. About a half hour hooked up to a cheap 1kw gasoline generator Monday evening would've easily gotten you through to the next day and, hopefully, some sunshine.
Thanks it was fun, redid the video with more detail , if you have time check this one out let me know what you think ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Oo-b58Zngxw.html
Thank you I have been contemplating buying one of these to dedicate to running my fridge and use the generator for other uses. The freezer needs one too. lol.
Interesting test, just got an Ecoflow, for emergency use. Lots of good info in the comments, but no one mentioned the mains cable coiled on the drum, doing this causes loss of current, so you should always unreel the cable to get less drain.
@@noahvillalpando hi noah, as I understand it, coiled cable acts in such a way as to use/ lose current that a uncoiled cable does not. Which is why cable extension drums always say to unwind fully if using high demand items this is to prevent them overheating, blowing the cb and/or melting the insulation leading to fire.
@@foamyflightmaster9385 loosing electricity from coiled wire doesn't make much sense to me but I'm no engineer. Loosing electricity due to heat makes more sense. Since the wires coiled up it'll build up heat that should have been able to dissipate into the air. Hell loosing power because he's running it through a spool of wire instead of just a single cable makes sense too. Idk when I read your comment I thought you were saying for example that electricity is a fluid and somehow unspooling would stop it from pinching the line 😅
@@noahvillalpando - when electricity passes through/over a wire it creates a magnetic field around the wire. A wire in close proximity will react to that field (inductance) and generate electricity! A coil of wire with power passing through it will create a 'choke' effect (resistance) as the coil's combined fields are acting against each other creating a stronger magnet. So stretching the coil of wire out eliminates the 'choke' effect . . . . but it is still a long wire which has resistance naturally. Hope this helps . . .
@@johnsmith-pr3ll That unit has a 10amp max input right now which he is maxing out in the video. He'd definitely get more wattage using a series connection.
Yes. I thought I was the only one who noticed. The voltage of the smaller panels connected in series would drop by 50% when connected in parallel to the larger panel with 50% less voltage. Assuming unit support 42v
I have the Delta Pro with an extra battery, gives me 7.2KW of power, hooked up to 1600 watts of solar. It was expensive, but dam near powers my whole house when needed.
Amazing videos your demonstrating, seeing ecoflow product getting fully worked to there full potential , we are currently contemplating investing in Ecoflow delta 2 max . We've been watching all your videos RE: ecoflow and some of them twice over. Solid effort and thanks. Thumbs up from us here in New Zealand 🇳🇿
More Sun was not the only way you could have done better. If you had more Solar panels, you would have had more AMPS, and your battery would have charged up FASTER with the amount of Sun 'available'. Still, you helped a lot of people to see the advantage over paying for gasoline.
Thank you very much for doing this test, without sponsorship..! By the way: Your pronunciation is crystal clear and therefore very well to understand for a not-native speaker as I am. In many cases, American people have a strong accent, which makes it more hard for "others" to understand everything - but you pronounce so nice and clear that, after some seconds, I somehow 'forgot' that I am not listening to my native language. Thank you once again !
Very good video - shame you had to cut your door ledge for the cable but that shows your commitment to the test. Clearly a larger unit like the 2016wh delta max will add at least another day to the time or the 3600wh Delta Pro will almost treble the time. Very useful thank you
If he had the max ran double the solar panels I think this test would have gone on for sometime. If you had the panels you could run 2 400 watt solar panels and that would have kept it going to weeks if not months I'd think. Hope he does more tests like this. That fridge really sucks up the juice with a battery of 1200ish kWh isn't going to last nearly as long as that 2000 kWh you were suggesting.
Very informative video and thank you for taking the time in doing this experiment. I just purchased my Bluetti AC300 / B300 with a few 350W solar panels. Looking forward to playing around with it. Here is California with wild fires the electricity ⚡️ goes out which is annoying. I figure a platform like the EcoFlow Delta Pro would last you about a good week under your specific conditions. As you mentioned the suns 🌞 strength is important along with panel efficiency.
If I'm ever in an extended grid down scenario I plan on using a 24 hour outlet timer to control when the fridge comes on/off. I've read that a fridge can stay cold for about 4 hours so I was thinking of programming it to run for an hour and having it off 4, then repeat. I have a battery operated wireless fridge thermometer in the fridge and freezer to keep tabs on the temperature
Perhaps looking into a thermometer that has low temps to put in the fridge. And might want to get spun up on food safety if you're testing those waters. Your health is important.
Your smart to lengthen the 'off' periods with minimal door openings. The contents temperature rise is minimal compared to air temp rise AND one long compressor run cycle is much more efficient than several short ones.
@@chrislee6650 I'm not sure I understand the question. The goal is just to keep the refridgerator at relatively safe temps. I got the idea of using an outlet timer from a different RU-vidr. He suggested having the refrigerator turn off/on every 15min. The 24hour timer allows this because it's adjustable to 15min increments. I figured since CDC says a fridge can stay cold for 4hrs if left closed (depending on ambient temps) that maybe I could do 4hr off to help preserve battery capacity. What would you suggest?
Thank you for the video. I needed the information as I have the Delta 2, the Delta Pro and the River and want to used them to power my Fridge, TV, Internet and Kitchen appliances during a power outage.
My pleasure. Also, you might want to check out an updated version of that video. I’ll put the link below. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Oo-b58Zngxw.htmlsi=QHVqh0UryyXHixJz
Great video, but I would recommend against using different types of panels together. You would probably make about the same power by using either the two 100w in series or the one 200w panel by itself. Different types of panels together will significantly lower the solar output wattage. Also, over paneling your system by twice what the power station is rated 400Watt on input for would have allowed it to be fully charged on the second day before the sun went down and prevented it from dying at 1AM.
I agree with the overpanelling, typically you don't get rated power once you get it to the battery, figure maybe 50% if standard charger, and maybe 80% if mppt. While it is best to use the same panels, You can mix the panels and get more power as long as the voltages are similar.,ie a pair of 100 that have open circuit voltage the same as the open circuit of the 200, just put the 100's in parallel. I would suggest using a diode between though. Keep in mind you could do the same think using deep cycle lead acid and seperat inverter, and get about 5 times the ah capacity. These type "generators" are convenient but expensive for their capacity.
Thinking about pairing this with one of the portable style gas generators like a Wen 2000. because the ecoflow has fast charging (0-80% in one hour) over AC im thinking that running the generator for 1 hour a day will suffice in an emergency situation. I like solar, but only having 1 day of battery backup means you can be at the mercy of the weather, which may well be the cause of the outage in the first place. Conversely generators are best under medium load. running a generator for 24h a day just to keep a refrigerator running will use WAY more fuel than using it 1-2h a day under heavier load in order to top off the battery. Going by WEN's spec's for half load being 0.25 gal/hour for 800w. i'll just assume a worst case scenario of 0.50 gallons per day to maintain the battery and maybe power other things and I'd be looking at ~3.5 gallons of treated gas to have a 1 week backup during bad weather. Obviously solar can offset this further, its just a matter of preparedness.
Thanks for this test! I think these power stations are fantastic and I own several EcoFlow Delta and River products. I am waiting for my EcoFlow Pros to be shipped. I think these products work just as well as gas generators without all the fumes and expense from having to purchase gas.
Thank you, thank you for doing this video. I have been contemplating getting an EcoFlow Delta, but wasn't sure how long it would power my refrigerator, freezer and a few other things during a blackout. I actually have the exact same refrigerator as you, so that was an extra bonus. Thankfully I already have a 6,500 watt tri fuel generator hooked up to my natural gas utility with backup propane stored on my property, so cloudy days would not pose as much of a problem for me. The addition of the EcoFlow Delta to my generator solution would allow me to only run my generator a few hours a day so I don't piss of my neighbors as much. LOL. Also although I want to get solar panels eventually, I could delay getting solar panels until I have the money, but still have a workable power out solution.
@@TechMadeEzy Actually since I made that comment, I purchased the EcoFlow Delta Max 2016 watt, should be here in a couple weeks. Amazon had a $200 off coupon, one of the rare times procrastination worked in my favor. LOL.
As for noise from a generator you can put it in a hole in the ground, barring water accumulation. Or plywood or sand bags around it to cut down on the DBs. Stay stealthy my friends.
Thanks for this, I live in S Florida so sun isn’t usually a problem. However, I lost power for about nine hours as Hurricane Ian skirted us and I was wishing I had a generator. After A/C, the fridge is probably the item I need powered the most, so this is very helpful.
If I live down there I definitely would have one of these battery power stations and at least a solar panel or two it just depends on what you're going to power. This power station in this video is kind of on the small side but still could be helpful
Man, i really undersold my shot lol, i had a Measley 5 hours, but i was clearly proven wrong lol, but hey, here technologies are very powerful. That’s amazing, and I’m really excited to se where this technology is in the future
Very helpful video! Thanks for not getting real technical with a bunch of numbers. What I really need to know is how my refrigerator will fare in a black out.
Make sure the icemaker is off, and defrost is off in a power outagr (if you can turn these things off)... it also doesnt need to be plugged in 24/7. you can probably get away with a 2 hour on, 2 hour off, schedule to really increase the time.
Just leave it plugged in. The compressor will kick on and off as needed already. If you want to decrease the energy usage you can raise the temperature target for the freezer.
@@niktak1114 That was I was thinking. Raising it to the safest possible setting. As you empty the refrigerator items, move the freezer items down. The frozen item, that you will eat once thawed, will act as an ice block..
Wow, if regular delta does this now the delta max which just arrived. So excited, been having horrible outages here (Tahoe). Very interesting video, amazing what these machines can do. Almost 3 days lasted.👏👏👏
Hey, I think you should have connected the panels all in parallel. The way you set it up, the 2 smaller panels in series are around 41v and the big panel still gives 21v. This will reduce the possible outcome of the panels. With all in parallel you should get way more than 200w at full sun.
Seems to be a good unit for emergency power outages. It would last much longer by unplugging the refrigerator for short periods of time since it would keep items cold for up to 4 hours if doors are kept closed. Interesting test.
But then the fridge warms up and takes longer to reach desired cold levels. Would be better to just set fridge temp to lowest acceptable levels and keep on.
@@clintcarter lol, yeah well everyone should do what they feel best. We suffer through power outages here constantly and with a gasoline generator, it's best to run in intervals. We have done that many of times and never lost any food yet. If you feel running your's constantly, that's what you need to do.
@@jamielawson1534 Agreed. And using a generator would be a bit different and could see more of a useful strategy from intermittent coolings. I have a generator on propane ready for emergencies and using intermittent periods of power/cooling is the way I also planned to use it. Solar/batteries I still think would be a little different but maybe you’re right.
Just bought a small and just to get me through a day or 2 to keep my electronics running. Small. Laptops, router/modem and cell phones. I haven't bought any solar panels yet. Just have the smaller one called the river. I will buy a spare battery and probably a solar panel set up if it works decent on it's own for a short power outage surprice.
Nice test but not advisable to use a “cheater” adaptor when running your extension cord through your door with an aluminum base plate with ridges and running a grounded appliance with a metal enclosure. If you are going to do this in the future and a grounded receptacle is not available at least use a in-line GFCI between the power station and the extension cord. This could cause an electrocution hazard.
I had to do that in an hurry. We were hit by two hurricanes in 2017. Did not have power for 8 months. Before having a system simular to yours, this is what i did. Started using 50 pounds of ice every 48 hours. I was able to get two solar kits that produced enough DC current to charge 2 car batteries. When i got a 1000 w inverter and two more car batteries i was able to extend the ice to 5 days. To lower the AC current i disconnected the de iceing heat element. Only turned on 4 hours when the sun is at the max & avoid killing the batteries. When I was able to get 2 260w solar panels and a 30amp solar charge controller it was able to run for as long as the sun was out. As a back up I used my car battery or connected the car to help to keep the batteries from over discharging.
Thank you very much and also thank you for watching I don't have the extra battery for the pro otherwise I would do that test but I do have more tests coming with the other Delta units so stay tuned and have a happy holiday
Excellent video, just what I wanted to know. I am thinking of getting a Delta, but realise solar may not be the best recharging option for me as we mostly get outages in winter when it's overcast. Do you know roughly how long it would take to recharge from a car? Is the idea to do this while driving? I assume trying to recharge while your car is not running would flatten the car battery?
My wife brought up an important point that I never thought about. At the end of the day, we spent $1600 on panels and a generator to save $200 worth of food for a power outage that may come once in a decade!
lol yep. better just to invest in dry goods and long shelf life food. and just buy a cheapy version of these for phones, lights, laptops / tablets and little fans at night and fridges ( if you have special medicines or something dire needed to be cooled ). solar will never run what people really want without spending an ass load of money. ac units, fridges, hot water ....lol nope not without tens of thousands of dollars. gas will always be best for short term comfort... long term solar for necessity which would always be "light" and charging radios etc.
Well, you can use it for daily usage instead. Charge it solar, then use it for your toaster,oven, TV or laptops. You will be able to save some money on electricity bills.
Yeah, I think this is the major hurdle with solar energy in general and solar "generators" specifically. The ROI absolutely sucks. The Ecoflow Delta is pretty darn amazing, and I am considering buying one; however, this test confirmed my concerns that it simply can't power much for any meaningful period of time... certainly nowhere near the length of time it would take to make the investment worthwhile. With the cost of panels and a necessary gas powered generator to keep the Ecoflow charged as well as the Ecoflow unit itself, one is looking at spending, what...$4000 - $6000 maybe more? The cost of maintaining convenience I suppose but let's be clear, this type of set up is not a cost effective approach to maintaining food in a power outage. What if you had a freezer or another appliance running at the same time? A gas generator would be have to be constantly running to keep the Ecoflow charged which begs the question, in a way, of why even spend the money to buy an Ecoflow. Killer product concept. Not nearly enough battery capacity. Cost is a significant issue as well.
@@cbr8206 maybe need about 10 of those for daily usage. And these 3 solar panels are also not enough. Would need another 6-8 more solar panels to charge all the power stations
Not bad. I just got the delta, I think is 1800. I would turn my fridge of during the day to make sure I boost up the power. Every thing in it will be fine as long as it stays cool.
Hi: I found your video very imformative and well presented. The question I have, not knowing that much about rechargeable batteries, is after you concluded your test and the the battery was drained, was it fully dead or can it still be recharged? Thank-you.
Hi Ttara yes you can recharge them, all batteries have a limit of cycles, this Delta has 800 cycles then its at 80% A cycle is when you fully charge and full discharge the battery, like your cell phone, hope that helped?
I just bought the 2000 max, 160 watt panel. I've also heard that Harbor Freight is selling 100 watt panels for $89. Better rated than the Renogy panels in your video. They say. Good video!
Okay, as I understand this type of emergency is raise the temperature a few degrees say 40 degrees and turn off ice maker. If we try the next test go full EMERGENCY, limiting door opening, turn off ice maker and adjustment to fresh food section to food preservation temperatures with run time
James Tullis - His fridge-a-frator pulling less than 50 watts is twice as efficient as mine and his is a bit larger ! ! ! Your right on limiting door opening & add pulling the plug on the fridge to lengthen the off periods. Most all refrigerators 'short-cycle' to maintain a narrow temp range so by pulling the plug for longer cycles you increase efficiency. (It is way more efficient to have non-interrupted run cycles with longer off cycles at the expense of a couple of degrees on the high side & still the same 'off' temp on the low side) This method requires your involvement every couple of hours . . . but for 'EMERGENCY' situations is best. thanks, RH
During a hurricane we had large frozen water bottles and we pulled 2 out of the freezer section each day to put in refrigerator section, and everything kept cold (40*) about 3 days. I think you can leave refrigerator safely unplugged for several hours a day, or at night. We are in south florida and still had frozen items in the freezer at the end of 3 days….no power.
Solar panels are set east to west according to what he said and showed..so the panels should be laid out north to south…top to bottom instead of left to right….the fence shades one panel when rising and the other is blocked by the house sooner with them this way.
I enjoyed your test! I noticed in one of your video clips that the next morning (day 2) your series solar panels were shaded away from available sun! Maybe moveing then a bit would give you a tan more sun...
Your best bet is to run only the same size amp and voltage panels, in series for a long wire run. Mixing panels can limit power to the least performing panel or string. Had you been getting 350 watts your test would have lasted much longer.
This may be a novice question, but why is there no mention of AMPS or VOLTS of these units as compared to a DIY 12/24/48 volt system?? Which voltage system is the Ecoflow in comparison?
Hi Clark questions are always welcome. The ecoflow will have a limit of solar voltage input, that was mentioned during the beginning of the video, EcoFlow website lists the max voltage this delta 1300 can accept
I have the Delta Mini. It will power my frig/freezer in the apt for 10 hours if fully charged. It uses up 10% of battery capacity every hour. As an aside, when I'm "Slow" charging my Delta Mini @200W it recharges 10% of the Delta Mini's battery capacity every 30 minutes, ie about 5 hours from dead to full charge. My Delta Mini will run my 1.3 cu ft (45 qt) Engel Freezer for 30 hours from full to dead. Warm Regards from Reno, Nevada
If you live between 30 to 40 degrees latitude you should be able to harvest 30 amp hours per 100 watts of panel per day on a clear day. Watt hr = amp * battery voltage. I use a current shunt and dc watt meter between the solar panels and my power station to measure watt hrs in. I use an ac watt metter to measure watt hr out. There are power loss within the power station: 1. Inverter 2. BMS 3. Mppt 4. Storing removing energy from the battery. Tho the manufacturers try to make these loses small it is a good idea to get a ball park measurement. Very good job on the video!
I am very impressed with the refrigerator. I did not see a cubic ft size or if it is self defrosting. I am wondering if there is a power saver switch that turns of the defroster? Could save power on a grid down scenario. A typical 45 quart 12 volt fridge uses about 40 watts. Your fridge is a game changer for solar backup. My 20 year old, 20 cubic fridge would need a 200 Amp Hr (2.4 Whr) battery per day for solar storage. 8 amp surge, 130 to 150 watts to run, figure a duty cycle of 50 to 60%. The hotter the room temperature the more the fridge needs to run. More power. Clouds and shade/shadows is a major solar power obstacle. Solar panels produce more power cold than hot always leave 6" air flow space on the back side. Good job! Very nice video!
Thanks Peter we recently got the refrigerator we did put the model number in the video under the technical slide I hope you can look it up that way because we really don't know
Thank you for this video I was just looking at buying one of these and wasn't sure what one to buy or even if this brand was a brand worthy of purchasing I'm a single mama and don't want to waste my money if it doesn't measure up to what it claims I will continue to watch hopefully I will be purchasing at the end of this month 😊
Thanks Brian, scroll up to the top of the comment section when you have time. I posted a newer review with a little bit more detail that might be helpful also.