@@RobbieHerrera my thoughts too. However I wonder about creating a thin slide-in area perhaps near the ceiling or his rack for transporting portable ones that he can then lay out on ground if he is abundant in Sun.
I've got the Ecoflow delta 2 Max with the 800amp alternator charger (F-150), and I love it. About 2 1/2 hours of driving will top it off from zero. When base camping, it will run my large Dometic for 3 days, no problem. The reverse charge feature allows a jump start if your battery is dead, essentially making this a plug-and-play dual battery system. The app is really well designed for real time monitoring. It will also accept 1000w of solar input, if you so desire. I keep 1 160W Ecoflow solar panel on hand, just as an option if there's engine trouble, but I see no need to expand the solar setup.
I went with the Pecron 500 watt dc charger. It has variable settings for voltage so it won't work when the vehicle is off or the voltage is low. Less that $140 including the cable. I also have 400 watts of solar and my power bank can be fed by both. The pecron will work with anything that can use a MP4 connection.
Yeah, I got the notification about this charger from bluetti. I was cautiously optimistic, but I checked the specs, it's a rip compared to the Etaker F1000 (dual DC inputs, 1000watts total) and even the Pecron. Like most of Bluetti's stuff, it's overpriced and customer service is non-existent.
@@rtsrts2317Smart move, some of these solar generators ( for those who don't know, on their own, they actually generate nothing at least not without that obsolete solar or plugging them up ) are super overpriced and dishonestly advertised. Their name alone is dishonest.
I wouldn't be running directly off the vehicle system. Add a second battery and an isolator. Add a small solar panel to the roof or hood with a charge controller so you don't come out to a dead starter battery.
Well - make that a gas generator that uses the same fuel tank your vehicle uses and only needs to run when your vehicle is already running for some other reason. And my vehicle is always with me whether I carry along another "generator" or not. Solar can't do any of those things - especially in winter in the great PNW.
Technically the cigarette lighter port already suffices for this purpose, especially for people who 24v batteries. This just lets you charge faster than the 120w limit for 12v and 240w limit for 24v.
Couldn’t help but notice you initially hooked up the main cable from the battery with reverse polarity connection at the Bluetti Charger 1. Glad you caught it.
@@garylong9699 so, about that. Luckily, the device was smarter than me, and protected my system from frying. I didn’t catch it until troubleshooting. The worst part is that I mentioned being distracted by the camera and occasionally messing things up right before or after making the mistake.
@@AdventureGearTV bro, same. I had brightly colored positive clamp and a Lithium battery i was beginning to charge with a regular AC CHARGER. Nothing happened. The Smart Charger was thankfully SMART. I can’t believe I reversed it. It was 50/50 chance And color CODED to BOOT andI still reversed it. lol.
I love how those leads go into the Charger one. I want similar leads to go into my charge controller. My wires always fall out over time. Actually, I want leads that click into my charge controller without screws. Is there such a thing??
I’ll be keeping my solar panels but I’ve already purchased this . As I drive I charge . I still have 500 watts of panels . I think what it will definitely do for me is I won’t take a portable generator . Still when off grid traveling having multiple options is pretty cool!
I have a Bluetti EB3A & it took too long to charge from the car so I installed a 300-watt pure sine wave inverter & charge using 120vac at up to 265 watts (the maximum for EB3A) for $50.00 it works great & I have a backup inverter with me. I could not be happier.
I didn’t know EB3A could receive 265 watts charging! I just have a 24v 200ah LIFEPO that gets it up to 200 with no inverter, just DC clamps. I’ll look up the product you recommend
I don’t wanna change anything to my vehicle electrical system. I just built 2 portable solar generators, 1 for home (1500w) and 1 for camping (750w) also working on a jackery box. I’ve spent maybe 1k to do it all, $500 were the lithium batteries. I’ll stick with solar for basic backup and use.
I’d say this is a product that is worth getting more attention. Australia has been doing this on the regular for a decade+ now (usually with a 2nd battery as the auxiliary feed so main battery is always for car).
Yes Best to disconnect BEFORE any warranty work.My dealership tried to get away without honoring the warranty,as previous owner had something connected like this that they thought created damage.They honored it in the end.
I’m old school I have a inverter generator that runs on gasoline. I carry a big cable lock and extension cords. I simply lock my generator to a tree, so it cannot be stolen from my campsite. It is a very quiet generator.
Really fine video. Very, very informative. Yes I too will purchase a Bleuitti charger and powerpack. Thank you for this video and the heads up for the technical information!!
Concept is good but I think it depends on what types of camping/outdoor activities you do. I prefer to site camp 7 to 14 days in one location to save gas but if you were sightseeing or overlanding then there would definitely be a place for this in your setup. Thanks for the demonstration.
Add your own fuse at the battery on the provided wire. You can still keep the breaker but you will have circuit protection for the first long stretch of wire.
Upgrade that alternator asap. Also you can add an inline fuse to the battery and I'd recommend it. There's also a battery isolator if the solar generator box doesn't already do it which prevents you from using the starter battery for charging the house battery
Maybe you were confused by filming, but the sequence you followed when hooking up the car battery was improper. Best to only interact with the positive terminal while the negative is completely disconnected. In your case things were find since your socket wrench didn't come near the grounded vehicle chassis while working on the positive nut.
Bluetti is charging $50 for the dc cable. Just make your own and use your own waterproof circuit breaker. But that is for those of us who are good wit helectrical but not hard even for the novice.Also you can make up and of the various connectors for different solar setups. You are not limited to MC4 or XT150 connectors, you can make up anderson connectors also.Very easy to do
They didn't gauge how popular the Charger 1 would be, out of stock until late November. Thinking of going from a 139 Amp alternator on my Jeep to at least a 200 Amp one before installing the Charger 1 when I can get one.
I decided to go with the Pecron 500 watt charger for my gladiator. I like your idea of moving the circuit breaker or fuse closer to the battery. I was thinking of routing my wires to the front passenger side floor area, that is where my Jackery 1000 v2 will be sitting when I travel. My gladiator has a cap on the back and that will be where my setpower 35 frig will be located plugged into my 12v reseptical located there. The jackery will be topped off while traveling so when I get where I am going I will plug the setpower into it. That will power the frig and any other low draw items for at least a 24 hour period until I drive a bit and recharge the jackery while the setpower is plugged into the 12v in the back again. I am constantly on the move so that will work for me.
Good Video. However, the main power cable of your concern is installed backwards. The short side with the breaker should be battery mounted. One side has a loop so the factory put the copper terminal on the wrong end. Also Silicone your penetration of that grommet it will leak.
@@AdventureGearTV it's a E350 ambulance I got it with that set up but was able to switch it over to the new motor it's like two pulleys a mounting bracket and a belt it must be some kind of kit if your able to find an ambulance that has your same motor the set up should bolt right on
I think this is a good product as a backup to an established system. Food for thought... put a switch on this device so you have the option to run it or not. Also this is by no means a replacement for solar!
I used the victron 12-24 15 amp dc to dc charger in my gladiator to charge my ac200 max that stays in my teardrop. It charges at about 250 watts, but I find that plenty to keep me topped off. Way better than solar panels.
Thank you for showing this video.I'm gonna buy this blueberry one for my camping. And I gonna get a blueberry chargerthank you so much for you.Explain in detail is that very important very good video.Thank you so much
I posed these questions to another well-respected TH-cam product tester: Would this charge in all scenarios: Engine off, key not in ignition? Engine off key in Ignition on accessory position? Engine idling? What about vehicles with a Start button instead of a key ignition? And his answer was, "Only run this when the engine is running and the alternator is charging the starter battery ". Do you agree or disagree with this?
This was (as far as I am concerned) an honest, and well articulated video. First time viewer and have now subscribed and will check out past videos. I have a Gladiator as well and just purchased a Jackery explorer 1000v2. What I gathered from your video is that the Bluetti unit will work with that as well ? although I read that Jackery uses proprietary solar panels so don’t know if the Bluetti will plug into the Jackery. This is my first solar power station. Thank you for the great video.
Just get an additional circuit breaker so that could you possibly have two circuit breakers on the hotline. Or just splice the cables together where the circuit breaker is situated upon arrival from the company and move it closer to where you indicate would be more optimal in your video. let me know what you think please.🤔
good vid I have a EcoFlow max 2 & was looking @ getting the alternator charger but not now U R 💯 if something goes wrong with your vehicle under warranty U will be stuffed as the dealer will blame everything on it so I will use the accessory charger that comes with it & if it is not good enough I will buy there solar panels expensive but safer 😎
I think I would’ve turned around the 6 ga wires from the battery to the charger. I would cut the lugs from the battery terminal and they can go right into the charger. And I would add new lugs to the other end. This would keep the breaker close to the battery and prevent the hot wire coming out of the engine bay in a fault.
Great review, thanks for the heads up on possible alternator issues. I think you may have the ends of the cable feed reversed, you were correct in saying the breaker/fuse should be as close to the battery as possible. In the close up of connection to the DC-DC charge the cable is labeled Batt, (10.06) so they have Batt labeled on both ends of the cable? And your terminations were reversed.
I'm seeing more and more of these chargers from alternator to battery sans solar and I'm not enthused. I don't want to tax my truck's charging system with the camper charging system. My slide in truck camper is self sufficient, there are no water tanks, just water bottles and wash pans, a composting toilet and solar shower. I got minimal solar/lithium to run LED lights, fans, and BougeRV 40L fridge and a Bluetti AC180 for my accessories and I cook and heat with LP. I can slide out the camper from the truck and the camper remains self sufficient.
Question, if it does cause issues with the battery or alternator, could it also cause computer issues? I'm less worried about replacing my battery and alternator than frying my electronics. And would upgrading your alternator eliminate that concern? Thanks
@@SueUTube There are other fuses and relays that protect almost every circuit individually. This should limit the issues to the charging system, and battery. That being said, a short could cause any kind of problem.
@@SueUTubehe is also, he actually connected his system wrong them edited and dropped this video. He definitely has never actually used this because it is not connected properly
It seems like a good product however it is very expensive for a charger. I wonder if there are any alternative solutions that would serve the same purpose but at a lower price?
Definitely get a fuse right next to that battery bro! U won’t have time to save ur truck and waste tax payers money on fire trucks and put people in danger! I happens in seconds
Great video, I received my charger1 today and will be installing it in my RV on my AC300 with b300 all under the Bed, the AC300 has been great for me but when driving on a long trip it would go dead so the charger1 should help me keep the unit charged and the AC going strong.
I wonder if these chargers hooked up to the vehicle damages the alternator if the engine is just on and running but not driving? Or do you need your vehicle driving. It would be a good option for "small" home back up as well just in case power goes out.
Why not just get a pure sine wave inverter? 3000watt 6000 max. I charge my Anker 767 @ 1250-1400 watts off a 110 alternator. Also run two yellow top optima batteries. Did upgrade the wires too to 0-1 gauge. Also going to put in a 220 alternator and see if I can get my DC charging up at idle.
Mainly the inefficiencies of converting to AC to convert back to DC but who cares if it works. It would be ideal to do all DC but even the new hybrid trucks have AC inverters built in pretty much for this purpose. Jeep 4xE has 1800w max from one outlet and the new taco does 2400w. Australians have been doing the whole DC to DC thing for a while I'm assuming because good inverters used to be super expensive. Now it's easy and cheap to get tons of watts from a pure sine inverter that's small and quiet. They used to be monsters.
Thank you for your video. I received my Bluetti alternator charger 1. I want to hook it up to my 2007 Sprinter Wesfalia after I replace the led battery bank with my Bluetti AC500+B300S system. However, I’m reluctant because I don’t want to risk damaging the Alternator or not sufficiently charge my vehicle battery. How can I ensure that it is save to install?
Just curious, how long does the power last before recharge is required? How long does it take to recharge using your vehicle? I do a lot of dry camping, sometimes a week or more. Sounds like you're using your vehicle as the generator. Might as well use a small generator. Or solar panels.
You actually need a fuse or circuit breaker at both ends of the power wire One at the battery and one at the front at the alternator or the under hood battery
Sure you can... but do they put out 600 watts? have a custom voltage output from 15v to 56v? have pre sets for all Bluetti devices? have Bluetooth app? Please find me one like that for cheaper ....
I bought a 1300 watt inverter. Have a dual battery setup with isolator. Still never run anything on the inverter if I don't turn on my tahoe 1st, don't want to end up with no battery in the mountains or the dunes.
I can't believe that someone would install a breaker just sitting on a seat...... I think I would seriously inspect the entire install just because of that fact.......
So 560 Watt max output. That's 40 amps at 13.5 volt. If you have a 300ah lithium battery, you'll need to drive 7.5 hours to charge your battery. Think i'll stick to my solarpanels ;)
My question is would there be less of a chance of damage to my alternator if I limited the charge to 300 watts instead of a full 560 watts ? My vehicle has a 180 Amp alternator and not sure if that's plenty.
that sounds like a great setup, but you only have one input port with bluetti ? right ? or does that b230 have an input.. can you charge with solar and alternator charger at the same time?
@goneridingparts You have 1 DC and 2 AC ports. I've just added 1 of the D050S DC Charging Enhance (500W), which looks like a power brick but grey. It takes the DC and runs into the box to convert it to the AC port. If I wanted, I could add one more into the B230 battery. A note on the Pecron Cons: it's noisy! It has a power button which must be turned on/off or you will have a dead battery. Ask me how I know. I think in time I'm going to switch over to the Bluetti. I don't want to babysit my Pecron DC DC charger. I feel the Bluetti would definitely be worth the extra $ just to avoid those 2 cons.
Maybe a dumb question but total noob here: Can this charger be used to recharge a 12 V LiPO4 battery or does it only charge power stations? Also, how do you determine if it is taking to many amps from the alternator and possibly damaging or burning it out?
@@RA-rf4nz it’ll recharge them as well. You can set the voltage for anything up to around 60v. So, for your LFP battery it would need to be set to the manufacturer spec.
I have a 2022 392 Rubicon and have been looking for a larger alternator but have been told that one doesn't exist for the Jeep. Could you share the part number of the new alternator you purchased? I'm also planning to run the AC240. Do you see the need for the expansion battery? Also, any plans on using the RV cable to power a accessories (GMRS, CB, Fridge...)?
I just pulled the expansion battery out on Friday to lower the weight of the package. The battery is at 50 percent and I have not driven at all this weekend. So, I’m happy without the expansion battery connected. Part number: 56029803AA is for the Max Tow equipped Gladiators.
@@AdventureGearTV thank you. I will let my mechanic know and see if the alternator is compatible with my 392. As far as the Bluetti, I currently have the EB70S and exploring if I should go with the AC70 with the expansion battery or with the AC240 with no expansion battery to save weight.
What is the impact of the Bluetti Charger if you may be operating a winch? Does it recognize the draw and shut itself down or would a switch of some kind need to be installed?
@@dwnsth3529 the charger can be turned off in the app. So, you can toggle it on and off without disconnecting anything. You could also turn off the relay.
Your jeep is a VERY expensive gas generator replacement for solar. Seriously, it's a terrible idea. Spend $200 on a tiny, cheap generator that will pay for itself in gas usage in one month of dry camping/boondocking/off-grid and give you more power and not risk your ability to get your ass back to civilization. 🤣
Certainly not fair to say Solar is obsolete... maybe better to say "If you dont have Solar...." Solar charges when you are in camp too. With this, you have to run your vehicle in camp each day.... and at high idle or the Alternator will not put out sufficient voltage to run the Charger. Also you are burning gas (spending money.) Better to just run a generator and get way more Watts from way less gas. This unit is great for when you are driving somewhere as an ADDITION to Solar charging. For a Motorhome with lots of Solar you dont really need this... but if your are short on, or without, Solar then this is a great idea. I bought one because I dont have any Solar either.
Being able to use the vehicle alternator to charge your house batteries is a good idea, but it is certainly not a solution that makes solar "obsolete". I camp in the desert for two weeks at a time and on my RV I have 2050 watts of solar panels and 900 amp hours of lithium iron phosphate batteries. What am I suposed to do with a system like this? Run the vehicle all day to recharge? I use 350 amp hours a day on average. This system might do for overnight, but that is about all. Useless if you are stationary for any length of time.
I have a 180 amp alternator on my Ram 1500. I actually installed two EcoFlow Alt+Cs on my truck to power my Deltas. Both Alt+Cs provide the full 800w of recharge for my Deltas when I’m cruising, and it dips at 750w on idle. So far I haven’t had issues. But I am thinking of purchasing a 370 amp high output alternator with a short belt and wires from JS or mechmen just to get the full 800w on idle. Curious on why you haven’t installed your 220 amp (from your EF AltC video) yet.
I’ve got that alternator stacked up in a pile of projects I want to tackle. I also have a set of switches to install in the dash. I’ll probably end up doing both projects around the same time, because the lights bar pulls a lot of power and will run from the switches which pull from the alternator. Thanks for sharing your experience. Seems like it’s not truly an issue for you, but the current alternator is pulling a lot of extra energy.
I’m thinking of putting a hood mounted solar panel to top off my Gladiator battery when I’m in camp and let me run some light output from the Jeep battery’s 12v outlets. Think this might work in tandem?
at this point instead of charging using your car just run a generator will get far more power that way get a 2200 watt generator and a 300amp hour battery charge it for about a hour and a half with a 1000 watt dc charger
I have 300 watts solar on my motorhome. Absolutely couldn't live without them.
Exactly i have 600 watts and 400ah lithium phosphate
Solar is over, haven't you heard ?!
Did you install yourself
There’s a lot more flat space on motor homes to install solar panels than on his jeep.
@@RobbieHerrera my thoughts too. However I wonder about creating a thin slide-in area perhaps near the ceiling or his rack for transporting portable ones that he can then lay out on ground if he is abundant in Sun.
Solar is definitely not obsolete!!
Solar is here to stay. And it's free.
@@irenebrice133 nothing's free, but definitely more affordable if it supplies your needs
@irenebrice133 SOME aspects of it are free. It's not free to store it or transport it.
@@irenebrice133 it isn’t “free” but it is silent & that is priceless
I've got the Ecoflow delta 2 Max with the 800amp alternator charger (F-150), and I love it. About 2 1/2 hours of driving will top it off from zero. When base camping, it will run my large Dometic for 3 days, no problem. The reverse charge feature allows a jump start if your battery is dead, essentially making this a plug-and-play dual battery system. The app is really well designed for real time monitoring. It will also accept 1000w of solar input, if you so desire. I keep 1 160W Ecoflow solar panel on hand, just as an option if there's engine trouble, but I see no need to expand the solar setup.
I went with the Pecron 500 watt dc charger. It has variable settings for voltage so it won't work when the vehicle is off or the voltage is low. Less that $140 including the cable. I also have 400 watts of solar and my power bank can be fed by both. The pecron will work with anything that can use a MP4 connection.
I have one, but have not had the opportunity to try it yet.
Yeah, I got the notification about this charger from bluetti. I was cautiously optimistic, but I checked the specs, it's a rip compared to the Etaker F1000 (dual DC inputs, 1000watts total) and even the Pecron. Like most of Bluetti's stuff, it's overpriced and customer service is non-existent.
@@rtsrts2317Smart move, some of these solar generators ( for those who don't know, on their own, they actually generate nothing at least not without that obsolete solar or plugging them up ) are super overpriced and dishonestly advertised. Their name alone is dishonest.
@@jackm6307 Yes! Very deceptive advertising. All of these power boxes generate nothing. They are 100% for energy storage and discharge.
@@rtsrts2317 Fancy rechargeable batteries.
I wouldn't be running directly off the vehicle system. Add a second battery and an isolator.
Add a small solar panel to the roof or hood with a charge controller so you don't come out to a dead starter battery.
Someone else mentioned this - an Australian who was making fun of someone like this poster for being 10yrs behind the times 😂
Thanks for the review. I 100% agree that the breaker should be up close to the battery.
FYI: At 10:04, you're wiring it backwards (+/-).
😱😱😱😱
Also connected the positive to the battery with the ground already connected.
Looks like the polarity was fix. Wonder if he popped the fuse.
th-cam.com/video/5-ZDPk0y1UY/w-d-xo.html
@@leeinwis is the breaker water proof if it’s put near the battery ?
I noticed the close up of when you were hooking up the positive and negative were backwards.
Lmao, this was a hilarious video. Basically, it replaces solar with a gas generator.
It gives you another option.
Well - make that a gas generator that uses the same fuel tank your vehicle uses and only needs to run when your vehicle is already running for some other reason. And my vehicle is always with me whether I carry along another "generator" or not. Solar can't do any of those things - especially in winter in the great PNW.
Technically the cigarette lighter port already suffices for this purpose, especially for people who 24v batteries.
This just lets you charge faster than the 120w limit for 12v and 240w limit for 24v.
I wish Tesla just would put at least a 120v15a outlet.
The most expensive gas generator, that was not designed to work as a generator, what a buffoon!
Couldn’t help but notice you initially hooked up the main cable from the battery with reverse polarity connection at the Bluetti Charger 1. Glad you caught it.
@@garylong9699 so, about that. Luckily, the device was smarter than me, and protected my system from frying. I didn’t catch it until troubleshooting. The worst part is that I mentioned being distracted by the camera and occasionally messing things up right before or after making the mistake.
@@AdventureGearTV bro, same. I had brightly colored positive clamp and a Lithium battery i was beginning to charge with a regular AC CHARGER. Nothing happened. The Smart Charger was thankfully SMART. I can’t believe I reversed it. It was 50/50 chance And color CODED to BOOT andI still reversed it. lol.
I love how those leads go into the Charger one. I want similar leads to go into my charge controller. My wires always fall out over time. Actually, I want leads that click into my charge controller without screws. Is there such a thing??
For folks who have a mild hybrid jeep the pancake motor is also the alternator and it should have more than enough power for this.
I’ll be keeping my solar panels but I’ve already purchased this . As I drive I charge . I still have 500 watts of panels . I think what it will definitely do for me is I won’t take a portable generator . Still when off grid traveling having multiple options is pretty cool!
Solar when parked/day driving
DC-DC when driving
🎈🎈🎈🎈
Exactly, I run a dc to dc Charger with my panel..I'm golden. My panel is detachable, so if I park in the shade , I can place the panel in the sun.
I have a Bluetti EB3A & it took too long to charge from the car so I installed a 300-watt pure sine wave inverter & charge using 120vac at up to 265 watts (the maximum for EB3A) for $50.00 it works great & I have a backup inverter with me. I could not be happier.
I didn’t know EB3A could receive 265 watts charging! I just have a 24v 200ah LIFEPO that gets it up to 200 with no inverter, just DC clamps. I’ll look up the product you recommend
I don’t wanna change anything to my vehicle electrical system.
I just built 2 portable solar generators, 1 for home (1500w) and 1 for camping (750w) also working on a jackery box. I’ve spent maybe 1k to do it all, $500 were the lithium batteries.
I’ll stick with solar for basic backup and use.
@@T-Sim sounds like you’ve put a lot of thought into your setup. You can’t go wrong with that.
I'd love to hear the details of what you built. Do you have a video, instructions, or list of products/ tools that you used? Thank you!
@@AdventureGearTVexcept using lithium battery
Yikes jackery worst battery brand 😂 wt f is a jackery box?
I’d say this is a product that is worth getting more attention. Australia has been doing this on the regular for a decade+ now (usually with a 2nd battery as the auxiliary feed so main battery is always for car).
This is the dumbest set up on the planet!
Yes Best to disconnect BEFORE any warranty work.My dealership tried to get away without honoring the warranty,as previous owner had something connected like this that they thought created damage.They honored it in the end.
I’m old school I have a inverter generator that runs on gasoline. I carry a big cable lock and extension cords. I simply lock my generator to a tree, so it cannot be stolen from my campsite. It is a very quiet generator.
Really fine video. Very, very informative. Yes I too will purchase a Bleuitti charger and powerpack. Thank you for this video and the heads up for the technical information!!
Eco flow did put one of these out years ago with 800W charging and a fuse 8” from the battery connection .
This charger will be obsolete when there is no more gas. Just ask the people in North Carolina. Keep your solar panels.
Concept is good but I think it depends on what types of camping/outdoor activities you do. I prefer to site camp 7 to 14 days in one location to save gas but if you were sightseeing or overlanding then there would definitely be a place for this in your setup. Thanks for the demonstration.
Add your own fuse at the battery on the provided wire. You can still keep the breaker but you will have circuit protection for the first long stretch of wire.
Upgrade that alternator asap. Also you can add an inline fuse to the battery and I'd recommend it. There's also a battery isolator if the solar generator box doesn't already do it which prevents you from using the starter battery for charging the house battery
I recommend using that 30 am waterproof breaker closed to the battery just like my van.
Maybe you were confused by filming, but the sequence you followed when hooking up the car battery was improper. Best to only interact with the positive terminal while the negative is completely disconnected. In your case things were find since your socket wrench didn't come near the grounded vehicle chassis while working on the positive nut.
So Negative is Last on and First off? I appreciate the safety wisdom.
Bluetti is charging $50 for the dc cable. Just make your own and use your own waterproof circuit breaker. But that is for those of us who are good wit helectrical but not hard even for the novice.Also you can make up and of the various connectors for different solar setups. You are not limited to MC4 or XT150 connectors, you can make up anderson connectors also.Very easy to do
But it will cost you alot more.... 34 feet of 6 awg wire, 63 amp breaker, connectors.... over $100.
They didn't gauge how popular the Charger 1 would be, out of stock until late November. Thinking of going from a 139 Amp alternator on my Jeep to at least a 200 Amp one before installing the Charger 1 when I can get one.
I decided to go with the Pecron 500 watt charger for my gladiator. I like your idea of moving the circuit breaker or fuse closer to the battery. I was thinking of routing my wires to the front passenger side floor area, that is where my Jackery 1000 v2 will be sitting when I travel. My gladiator has a cap on the back and that will be where my setpower 35 frig will be located plugged into my 12v reseptical located there. The jackery will be topped off while traveling so when I get where I am going I will plug the setpower into it. That will power the frig and any other low draw items for at least a 24 hour period until I drive a bit and recharge the jackery while the setpower is plugged into the 12v in the back again. I am constantly on the move so that will work for me.
Sounds like you have the perfect setup and some good plans to complete it.
Wouldn't trade my 600 watts of solar for anything!
Yep , you don't need to refill the sun !
I agree! Ya know what else is obsolete? Computers and cell phones. Also wheels for that matter, I mean who really uses that stuff anymore?
Good Video. However, the main power cable of your concern is installed backwards. The short side with the breaker should be battery mounted. One side has a loop so the factory put the copper terminal on the wrong end.
Also Silicone your penetration of that grommet it will leak.
I run two alternators one for the start battery one for charging my house battery, but it took a lot to set up
Very interesting. What kind of vehicle is it? Is it a custom setup, or an OEM retrofit kit? Thanks for sharing your experience.
@@AdventureGearTV it's a E350 ambulance I got it with that set up but was able to switch it over to the new motor it's like two pulleys a mounting bracket and a belt it must be some kind of kit if your able to find an ambulance that has your same motor the set up should bolt right on
I think this is a good product as a backup to an established system. Food for thought... put a switch on this device so you have the option to run it or not. Also this is by no means a replacement for solar!
Protection is always good!❤
So instead of using the Sun go and risk your vehicle warranty, mess up your car and depend on gas because solar is obsolete. Got it!
I used the victron 12-24 15 amp dc to dc charger in my gladiator to charge my ac200 max that stays in my teardrop. It charges at about 250 watts, but I find that plenty to keep me topped off. Way better than solar panels.
Thank you for showing this video.I'm gonna buy this blueberry one for my camping.
And I gonna get a blueberry chargerthank you so much for you.Explain in detail is that very important very good video.Thank you so much
Cool I was considering one of these I have a nice upgraded mechman alternator I recently put in my truck
Sounds like a perfect addition to your upgrade.
Holy crap! That's a TON of disclaimers. I'm skeert! lol
I posed these questions to another well-respected TH-cam product tester:
Would this charge in all scenarios:
Engine off, key not in ignition?
Engine off key in Ignition on accessory position?
Engine idling?
What about vehicles with a Start button instead of a key ignition?
And his answer was, "Only run this when the engine is running and the alternator is charging the starter battery ".
Do you agree or disagree with this?
This was (as far as I am concerned) an honest, and well articulated video. First time viewer and have now subscribed and will check out past videos. I have a Gladiator as well and just purchased a Jackery explorer 1000v2. What I gathered from your video is that the Bluetti unit will work with that as well ? although I read that Jackery uses proprietary solar panels so don’t know if the Bluetti will plug into the Jackery. This is my first solar power station. Thank you for the great video.
Just get an additional circuit breaker so that could you possibly have two circuit breakers on the hotline. Or just splice the cables together where the circuit breaker is situated upon arrival from the company and move it closer to where you indicate would be more optimal in your video. let me know what you think please.🤔
They need to ask Captain Kirk for some dylithium crystals, they last forever and a day
good vid I have a EcoFlow max 2 & was looking @ getting the alternator charger but not now U R 💯 if something goes wrong with your vehicle under warranty U will be stuffed as the dealer will blame everything on it so I will use the accessory charger that comes with it & if it is not good enough I will buy there solar panels expensive but safer 😎
If you mount the breaker switch under the Hud it might cause the breaker to trip prematurely due to heat. They provide 8 gage wire.
I guess this guy never heard of a power inverter. New technology to him😂
I think I would’ve turned around the 6 ga wires from the battery to the charger.
I would cut the lugs from the battery terminal and they can go right into the charger. And I would add new lugs to the other end.
This would keep the breaker close to the battery and prevent the hot wire coming out of the engine bay in a fault.
I’m going to add an 80 amp fuse close to the battery this weekend.
Great review, thanks for the heads up on possible alternator issues. I think you may have the ends of the cable feed reversed, you were correct in saying the breaker/fuse should be as close to the battery as possible. In the close up of connection to the DC-DC charge the cable is labeled Batt, (10.06) so they have Batt labeled on both ends of the cable? And your terminations were reversed.
I'm seeing more and more of these chargers from alternator to battery sans solar and I'm not enthused. I don't want to tax my truck's charging system with the camper charging system. My slide in truck camper is self sufficient, there are no water tanks, just water bottles and wash pans, a composting toilet and solar shower. I got minimal solar/lithium to run LED lights, fans, and BougeRV 40L fridge and a Bluetti AC180 for my accessories and I cook and heat with LP. I can slide out the camper from the truck and the camper remains self sufficient.
We use a Blue Sea Systems Breaker right at the battery on DC-DC Chargers
Question, if it does cause issues with the battery or alternator, could it also cause computer issues?
I'm less worried about replacing my battery and alternator than frying my electronics.
And would upgrading your alternator eliminate that concern? Thanks
@@SueUTube There are other fuses and relays that protect almost every circuit individually. This should limit the issues to the charging system, and battery. That being said, a short could cause any kind of problem.
@@AdventureGearTV thanks. I'm electric illiterate. Appreciate it.
@@SueUTubehe is also, he actually connected his system wrong them edited and dropped this video. He definitely has never actually used this because it is not connected properly
I recently received a 100AH LiFePO4 battery, i really need to get a set up like this to charge it while im on the move
It seems like a good product however it is very expensive for a charger. I wonder if there are any alternative solutions that would serve the same purpose but at a lower price?
Use that power to run an IRON!!!
I was looking for this comment. I'm surprised there aren't more of them.
Definitely get a fuse right next to that battery bro! U won’t have time to save ur truck and waste tax payers money on fire trucks and put people in danger! I happens in seconds
Great video, I received my charger1 today and will be installing it in my RV on my AC300 with b300 all under the Bed, the AC300 has been great for me but when driving on a long trip it would go dead so the charger1 should help me keep the unit charged and the AC going strong.
I will be doing the same thing with my RV and AC300+ 2-B300's. Will be great to get an extra 600 watts charging while driving!
I wonder if these chargers hooked up to the vehicle damages the alternator if the engine is just on and running but not driving? Or do you need your vehicle driving.
It would be a good option for "small" home back up as well just in case power goes out.
I wouldn’t put that breaker under the hood. Just put an inline fuse by the battery. That breaker probably won’t be too heat friendly.
might it be better to connect the positive side first before the negative side ?
Why not just get a pure sine wave inverter? 3000watt 6000 max. I charge my Anker 767 @ 1250-1400 watts off a 110 alternator. Also run two yellow top optima batteries. Did upgrade the wires too to 0-1 gauge. Also going to put in a 220 alternator and see if I can get my DC charging up at idle.
Mainly the inefficiencies of converting to AC to convert back to DC but who cares if it works. It would be ideal to do all DC but even the new hybrid trucks have AC inverters built in pretty much for this purpose. Jeep 4xE has 1800w max from one outlet and the new taco does 2400w. Australians have been doing the whole DC to DC thing for a while I'm assuming because good inverters used to be super expensive. Now it's easy and cheap to get tons of watts from a pure sine inverter that's small and quiet. They used to be monsters.
Thank you for your video. I received my Bluetti alternator charger 1. I want to hook it up to my 2007 Sprinter Wesfalia after I replace the led battery bank with my Bluetti AC500+B300S system. However, I’m reluctant because I don’t want to risk damaging the Alternator or not sufficiently charge my vehicle battery. How can I ensure that it is save to install?
Just curious, how long does the power last before recharge is required? How long does it take to recharge using your vehicle? I do a lot of dry camping, sometimes a week or more. Sounds like you're using your vehicle as the generator. Might as well use a small generator. Or solar panels.
Mess up cable +- ......come on...minus to minus plus to plus. You mess on the video at 10:17min video
You actually need a fuse or circuit breaker at both ends of the power wire One at the battery and one at the front at the alternator or the under hood battery
These have been around for A LONG TIME, aka DC to DC charger. simple, plentiful, not renamed, you can find them anywhere.
Sure you can... but do they put out 600 watts? have a custom voltage output from 15v to 56v? have pre sets for all Bluetti devices? have Bluetooth app? Please find me one like that for cheaper ....
Hi!! Coming in from Lower Michigan, looking forward to watching more
Will it run an iron? Your shirt looks like it was tied in a knot before u put it on! haha🤣
I bought a 1300 watt inverter. Have a dual battery setup with isolator. Still never run anything on the inverter if I don't turn on my tahoe 1st, don't want to end up with no battery in the mountains or the dunes.
I can't believe that someone would install a breaker just sitting on a seat...... I think I would seriously inspect the entire install just because of that fact.......
So 560 Watt max output. That's 40 amps at 13.5 volt. If you have a 300ah lithium battery, you'll need to drive 7.5 hours to charge your battery. Think i'll stick to my solarpanels ;)
My question is would there be less of a chance of damage to my alternator if I limited the charge to 300 watts instead of a full 560 watts ? My vehicle has a 180 Amp alternator and not sure if that's plenty.
So will that thing work if the engine is not running?
Intresting! Nice explanation - Well done. I like the disclaimer.
I went with the Pecron 500 watt DC-DC charger first one out the gate to put a dedicated DC DC power station charger out on the market as a complete plug and play.
Plays friendly with most of the brands on the market. Half the price at $140. Multiple voltage settings, small and light weight. The only con is that it's a bit noisy if you have it in the cab. The fuse block is with hand length of the positive to battery terminal. Plus, it has a power on and off button. This powers my Bluetti AC200MAX w/ 1‐ B230 battery. Plus, an addition 300 watts of BougeRV CIGS solar panels on the roof. There is no issue with power now 😂
🛻+⛺️=🙂!
Mark (& Teresa)
Hampstead Maryland
• Purpose Built Adventure Rig © •
Ford Ranger FX4 - GFC Camper V2 # 1919
• Kia Soulverlander • Nissan Xterra Off-Road •
that sounds like a great setup, but you only have one input port with bluetti ? right ? or does that b230 have an input.. can you charge with solar and alternator charger at the same time?
@goneridingparts You have 1 DC and 2 AC ports. I've just added 1 of the D050S DC Charging Enhance (500W), which looks like a power brick but grey. It takes the DC and runs into the box to convert it to the AC port. If I wanted, I could add one more into the B230 battery.
A note on the Pecron Cons: it's noisy! It has a power button which must be turned on/off or you will have a dead battery. Ask me how I know. I think in time I'm going to switch over to the Bluetti. I don't want to babysit my Pecron DC DC charger. I feel the Bluetti would definitely be worth the extra $ just to avoid those 2 cons.
great what happens when you run out of gas and can't get gas?? Ya solar is better to have on hand as well!
Maybe a dumb question but total noob here: Can this charger be used to recharge a 12 V LiPO4 battery or does it only charge power stations? Also, how do you determine if it is taking to many amps from the alternator and possibly damaging or burning it out?
@@RA-rf4nz it’ll recharge them as well. You can set the voltage for anything up to around 60v. So, for your LFP battery it would need to be set to the manufacturer spec.
That hole doesnt exist if you have a manual transmission. For some reason manufacturers forget that some people prefer to pick their own gears.
I have a 2022 392 Rubicon and have been looking for a larger alternator but have been told that one doesn't exist for the Jeep. Could you share the part number of the new alternator you purchased?
I'm also planning to run the AC240. Do you see the need for the expansion battery?
Also, any plans on using the RV cable to power a accessories (GMRS, CB, Fridge...)?
I just pulled the expansion battery out on Friday to lower the weight of the package. The battery is at 50 percent and I have not driven at all this weekend. So, I’m happy without the expansion battery connected. Part number: 56029803AA is for the Max Tow equipped Gladiators.
@@AdventureGearTV thank you.
I will let my mechanic know and see if the alternator is compatible with my 392.
As far as the Bluetti, I currently have the EB70S and exploring if I should go with the AC70 with the expansion battery or with the AC240 with no expansion battery to save weight.
Will it run an iron?
Well done! I'd love to see a comparison between the EcoFlow and Bluetti chargers.
why did you hook up the black wire to the red and vice versa?
Wonder if you could run a clothes iron with it...😉😄
I don't think he has one ...... Obviously !
Is the circuit breaker water proof ?
What is the impact of the Bluetti Charger if you may be operating a winch? Does it recognize the draw and shut itself down or would a switch of some kind need to be installed?
@@dwnsth3529 the charger can be turned off in the app. So, you can toggle it on and off without disconnecting anything. You could also turn off the relay.
Your jeep is a VERY expensive gas generator replacement for solar.
Seriously, it's a terrible idea. Spend $200 on a tiny, cheap generator that will pay for itself in gas usage in one month of dry camping/boondocking/off-grid and give you more power and not risk your ability to get your ass back to civilization. 🤣
Certainly not fair to say Solar is obsolete... maybe better to say "If you dont have Solar...." Solar charges when you are in camp too. With this, you have to run your vehicle in camp each day.... and at high idle or the Alternator will not put out sufficient voltage to run the Charger. Also you are burning gas (spending money.) Better to just run a generator and get way more Watts from way less gas. This unit is great for when you are driving somewhere as an ADDITION to Solar charging. For a Motorhome with lots of Solar you dont really need this... but if your are short on, or without, Solar then this is a great idea. I bought one because I dont have any Solar either.
Being able to use the vehicle alternator to charge your house batteries is a good idea, but it is certainly not a solution that makes solar "obsolete". I camp in the desert for two weeks at a time and on my RV I have 2050 watts of solar panels and 900 amp hours of lithium iron phosphate batteries. What am I suposed to do with a system like this? Run the vehicle all day to recharge? I use 350 amp hours a day on average. This system might do for overnight, but that is about all. Useless if you are stationary for any length of time.
bring extra gas. you don't need to run your vehicle all day especially if you have a power station with high capacity.
Why not just use an inverter and plug it in with th a regular plug
I have a 180 amp alternator on my Ram 1500. I actually installed two EcoFlow Alt+Cs on my truck to power my Deltas. Both Alt+Cs provide the full 800w of recharge for my Deltas when I’m cruising, and it dips at 750w on idle. So far I haven’t had issues. But I am thinking of purchasing a 370 amp high output alternator with a short belt and wires from JS or mechmen just to get the full 800w on idle. Curious on why you haven’t installed your 220 amp (from your EF AltC video) yet.
I’ve got that alternator stacked up in a pile of projects I want to tackle. I also have a set of switches to install in the dash. I’ll probably end up doing both projects around the same time, because the lights bar pulls a lot of power and will run from the switches which pull from the alternator. Thanks for sharing your experience. Seems like it’s not truly an issue for you, but the current alternator is pulling a lot of extra energy.
I would like to upgrade the Alternator on my Motorhome (Chevy P30 454). I am curious which Alternator you are looking at getting...
does the charger 1 only charge power stations
I’m thinking of putting a hood mounted solar panel to top off my Gladiator battery when I’m in camp and let me run some light output from the Jeep battery’s 12v outlets.
Think this might work in tandem?
It will work in tandem if you have 2 mppt inputs on your battery system.... like the AC300.
I’m sure I’m not the only solar owner who’s laughing at this 🤡. Worst title to a promotional video ever.
Did you just screw the negative into the positive at 10.16 on your video?
Do you think this would work with a wrangler 4xe?
At 10:16 connecting wires to charger, is that the right polarity?
This is only for people that drive more than they camp. I have 400w of solar on my camper. It charges whether I drive or I'm parked.
Basically he’s saying if your primary car battery die and can’t start, or car catch on fire…..he’s not responsible.
sounds like an overpriced continuous duty solenoid
at this point instead of charging using your car just run a generator will get far more power that way get a 2200 watt generator and a 300amp hour battery charge it for about a hour and a half with a 1000 watt dc charger
Great review. Appreciate it
You could just change the plugs to match the required input to your solar generator??