As you see on my channel TONS of DC power, But I have been dealing with Mike and Ice (liberty power/comvolt) almost a year on schematics, ideas, and about the ability to make more easier remote battery options and cables for them. They do a 5X full test on the cells, have IR Mosfets in them and the inverter is one off made for the space involved. These can hook up to the Minerals DC to DC without anything else added. Soon they will have a few new items. I have been running mine for 5 months now, huge cycle swings. Always makes it back to 310 AH. Stability is THROUGH THE ROOF and unlike 90% of the power stations out there, this is RV and Boat ready.
I am looking for a power station for the Senior Center of Rainier WA. I just started researching them, so I don't know much about power stations. This sounds like it will work for our center.
Depends on what you are looking for it to do? This is a great unit that can last pretty much forever since it's rebuildable and it provides a lot of backup power (specially since it's on sale now for $1799) but what would it be used for?
The battery management system is robust enough to withstand direct short circuits without damage. The main components of this power station’s main circuit include the BMS and battery inverter modules, all connected by bolts, with copper bars as conductors. This design makes maintenance and replacement very easy. Currently, this power station aims to achieve a larger effective battery capacity in a relatively small space. Achieving a larger battery capacity in a relatively small space is something that most portable power stations on the market cannot do. Of course, the smaller inverter capacity and MPPT are the key areas for improvement in the next stage. If greater inverter power and solar input can be achieved, this will be a very perfect product.
A few thoughts: The BMS is more likely to fail than individual cells, so having that right on top, easily replaceable, is great. This company builds stuff for the RV industry, which is why their power stations have stuck with a 12 volt design. Being able to power 12v loads directly, without the losses of a step-down buck converter is great for those in the boat/RV world. The same goes for being able to attach up to THREE different LFP batteries directly to this power station. The limitations are a relatively small inverter and a really small solar input, for the size of battery installed.
@@TheOldJarhead - They can't, though. The decision to go with a 12v battery means they are limited on the number of amps they can output, unless they use larger wiring. They are aerospace engineers; they built it exactly the way they wanted it and the way it should be. Asking them to change it would basically be asking them to do it wrong, when they already did it right.
Darn! You are right on point! It's funny how we sometimes (well not you) look at things from the marketing side of things and forget the engineering behind it all. Again, good points - and again, for me, I'm happy with 1800w/3600w inverter. Heck, I rarely ever use more than 1kw at my cabin even. Only time I do is to run one of my saws (table or miter etc) and then it's always briefly or I'd use the genny.
@@TheOldJarhead - Agreed, which is why this is a great power station, as is, especially since it will probably still be functioning after you and I no longer are! :)
Yup -- this one will be installed in my wifes Jeep for overlanding and in between my freezers for outages (which are rarer for me but can happen). We'll just move it to the jeep when we go camping and put it back when done with all cables installed and ready for it :D and I LOVE that it is repairable!
You were correct in another reply to me, I want one, dang you!! I don't need it!!! Resisting! I think the price is very reasonable for what you get. Not really any more than a plastic box big name power station. Very impressive. Still think you describe things perfectly but it might be my military bias against flowery talk and BS. Ok time to buy another trail cam instead
Thanks for the cool review. I really like that the unit can be easily taken apart in case a -battery- heheh "cell" needs to be changed. I nearly fell off my chair when you said that the Receptacles are only 10 AMPS??? WHY sell the unit as rated for 1800 W and not use 15 amp receptacles? (That renders it much less useful). The manual shows these as 15A... so I wonder if this is a pre-production version? I don't think I will worry about the 65 pounds in most situations... the fact that this unit has almost 4 times the capacity of many solar gens and only about 2x the weight is pretty good. Not a fan of the "handle" on the top of the unit tho. The double handle on the edge of the competitor units is definitely easier to deal with. It's always a hassle to carry around "the charger", and personally, I would rather it be "in" the unit. Not a fan of the fact that the unit cannot "handle" both of the chargers regularly. (see User Manual re: danger warning that it shortens the life of the unit). For a 4kWh unit, it will take "8" hours to charge this without reducing the life of the unit... which seems a bit long. I would prefer a built-in charger that could charge it up in 4 hours without harm. UPS function is great to have. Ability to "start" your car with it directly...amazing. The "length" of the battery Jumper Cables look pretty short, does the "extension" cable work for that? (If so, great). I don't see any UL listing on the unit or in the literature on the website.
Great points -- I didn't catch the caveat of the chargers and will have to ask about that but if it's the case for this one, it's the case for all of them. I didn't have an issue with the handle simply because I don't envision moving this one a lot. For me it's place and forget. Need to check on the jumper cables but I'm sure an xt90 extension would work just fine. I suspect they will address each of these issues in their next release ;) They are on top of it!
@@TheOldJarhead I received an email reply from EnergyFreedom, and the representative was very nice, and stated that the 3kWh version does have UL listing, but the 4kwh doesn't have it yet. He also stated that it "should" have 15A receptacles, so my guess is that your version was a little older than the latest. The good news is that the Customer Services was very timely. (
My first power station , a Bluetti, turned out to be a lemon. I didn't get a solar panel til after the return window so i'm screwed. I found out 20% ish of people have the same problem with the EB3A , it won't charge via solar.
IT's not a UPS, its a Active Flow DC charge 70 amp total, so unplugging it only drops out the DC in. Your on battery and inverter 100%. A much easier design for Preppers and Micro off grid. Semper Fi.
I was wondering about that and learned from them the same thing as I was surprised that I saw NO drop in power when I killed the AC coming in -- smart! Semper Fi and thanks for checking out my channel :D
@@TheOldJarhead The best real UPS is the one that does not have to switch. Mike and Ice and crew has taken all the advice I can give and all that others can give to make what the entire industry is missing. A 12 volt RV system that is a block of solid. Yes the inverter is 1800w, 1500 constant. But you can add a pair of 200AH batteries and another 3200 Swi Power to it and BOOM! The ability to set one part somewhere, another part elsewhere was the goal back in late 2023 when I first spoke to them. 80+ emails and calls later there is now a real RV item. Usable space in a RV or boat is scattered. So take advantage of it! Don't take just anything you get emails on, lots are promotors with junk to dump. Be picky! Do as I do, offer a few $$ in the plan so you got Skin in the game and YOU own your words and findings. That is why I got almost 90K subs is because I better as much as I bash!
Agreed on all accounts -- re: reviews. My rule is simple: I'll be honest. Of course, I can't tell anyone what a unit or anything will do in 2 years from now, until then, but at this point it's always about honesty. My 'skin in the game' is the time I put in to testing and reviewing/editing but in all honesty, I'm a bit lame at the moment and unable to do my usual cabin building, sawmilling etc so I've agreed to do some reviews as long as I can do them with the message I want to convey (like today's video which is more about extending camper battery life and the similarities of campers and power stations than about reviewing a product ;) With luck (and surgeries - yes plural) this old jarhead will be back to running his sawmill, building and finishing cabins, improving off grid power and life etc in the spring! But for now, it's reviewing items I think it's worth reviewing (I turn down more than I agree to review but have been inundated with requests -- I'd say I review maybe 1 out of 4 or 5 (or more) items offered. Cheers!
@@TheOldJarhead Good standards. So many now doing reviews are just professional shills. Open box, looky looky, buy it now, use my code, best thing ever LOLOLOL!! I been a Solar and Wind installer over 19 years and on YT for nearly as long. Practice what you preach and live by it. I broke 2 bones in my neck in 2021 and its inoperable to make me any better so I go slow now to keep the option of walking upright as long as I can.
I hear ya! I was in a walker for two weeks at the start of September -- slipped two of my 9 bad discs (old marine injury) but steroids got me walking again. Now I must be very careful until they decide to just fuse some of the vertebrae. Meanwhile, I will get to the cabin and blow out the lines and hope I don't' step wrong ANYWHERE lol -- ah getting old aint for the weak!
There is an MPPT built in with an XT60 port but yes, you could just run it into the Anderson 120A plug with an MPPT controller and get a LOT of solar :D
@18:40 - This is the thing to really understand about this unit! Virtually every power station being made today, with Lithium iron-phosphate cells, will fail due to calendar aging before the cells have degraded to only 80% of their original capacity. The plastic case will fade and crack, the cheap power buttons will fail, the BMS will burn out a mosfet, the undersized and overworked ports will die...none of those things are true with this power station. Like you said, it will continue to work as it was designed for a very long time. The folks who buy this and take care of it in a reasonable manner will still be able to use it 10, 15, maybe 20 years from now. It will look like a relic from the past, but it will still work...and I don't think you can make that claim with many other power stations, if any! This thing was designed and built to last far longer than others in the market. Whether or not that really matters, or is worth the cost, is another topic.
100% agreed. Something fails, replace it. Heck, I see it as "something isn't good enough, replace it" -- like the 10A receptacles, just swap them out! Woot! Who else makes that possible?
could you please put the camera more on the product that you? You forgot about the most unique option of connecting to a network and the remote display
I should have some accessories coming in the next few weeks and look forward to playing with this unit more. I'll be setting up my wifes Jeep for camping/overlanding with this unit and look forward to the spring when we can get back out (I'm too broken now for too much of that but will be back to it soon!).
@TheOldJarhead ...well 313Ah cells but the ones with the small terminals and not the doubled ... Meaning the Kathode is "smaller" and the rating is 0.5C continuous = 157Amps ==> 2040 Watt The built-in inverter has a 1800 Watt rating. Very likely it's the same like in the ComVolt 3000 So there likely are 8x20Amp MosFets on the Inverter board. For the suggested 2x 15A @ 120 Vac ==> 3600 Watt ==> 280Amps @ 12.8V ==> a) Higher rated Cells are needed like Eve MB31-HEV double threaded b) A higher rated BMS is needed likely 300Amps c) 12x25Amp MosFets (... from 8 chanel design to 12 chanels d) Bigger Fans and larger Heatsinks f) Cable diameters nearly double Result: ConVolt would have to double their stock because it's no longer just bigger cells with larger capacitance 💸 Also the Power station would get heavyer and where are the advantages to e.g. the Delta Pro 3, the F3600... And all have one in common: too heavy🤔
Great information! You're deeper into the weeds than I ever get and I think from an engineering point of view you make a great point -- funny thing though, lots of companies put out 2kw inverters on smaller/cheaper cells/batteries -- I think the issue is marketing.
@@TheOldJarhead ...well "we" started with 18650 NMC Li-ion Cells and these had 2.4Ah😉... The first generation prismatic LiFePO4 was 20Ah... The 314Ah is the latest... above 1kWh per Cell insane... And now "we" have choices... At the moment the best Power to Cost Perspective is the "old" 280Ah like the LF280K... But for Power Stations there are more aspects... One is important is weight, the other is AC Output and Solar input combined with storage... 50, 75, 105, 230, 280, 304, 313-314Ah LiFePo4 is reasonable, 100, 140...150 Amp. BMSs, and 15, 20, 25Amp and MosFets and at 24Volt and stretching the specifications well then you get 3000 Watt, 2kWh, but real are more 2400W and 1.92kWh ... That's why more trained ones are looking for surge current, System voltage, BMS and if the AC-Part can be switched off because the AC-Part consumes up to 55 Watt if it's just turned on @ a 2400+ Unit because it's also only an inverter... And also running low power loads on an high power inverter is not effective 😉 Well all have pros and cons. Approximately three years ago everyone meant 1hour charging and dischargeing. Now it's well the alternator could bring 30...40Amp, the standard PV-Panel which still can be easily be transported is 390 Watt and e.g. frige which has 5xSurge and cooking should be possible at the same time with the Powerstation... Easier would be reducing the inrush current of the fridge instead of going from 2300 Watt to 3600 Watt😁 but 3600 well the people like that and they are willing to pay... and then they realize,...oh heavy, ...hey the solid state battery will be lighter just 2.5 times more $, well there are also others.. Ones only can afford diy or like that. The next thinks beeing prepared for power outage and likes camping and didn't want to spend too much time and money well the ComVolt is a very good choice without getting in trouble @reasonable price😃 I think the best is the charger for the alternator 🤓 Thanks for your Video and have a great time 👍
Thanks for the detailed responses! For me there are two things I look for past the usual "Does it do what they say it does" and that is 1. Weight. Can I actually haul it around without herniating a disc? As a kid in his early 30's I was benching 350lbs, road marching with a heavy pack 10-20 miles 2-3x a week, running a few times a week and generally a hard charging Marine (at the time serving with the Army). I was strong as an ox and fit and trim. Today I'm broken with 9 bad discs, a permanently dislocated shoulder (partial SC joint sep), arthritis, hands that need rebuilding, bad knees etc and I'm not getting younger. So, for mobile use I need either a unit I can move easily or one I never move again (after someone else moves it) and 2. Reserve Power without massive money. While I have an off grid cabin that has proven itself to last and have all the power I need, my home in town is on the grid and I have no plans on changing that any time soon. However, I know that power can go out and it can go out for long periods in a bad storm (though they are rare here). The last big outage we had was 5 days long and my neighbor saved me with his big generator by letting me run my fridge and freezer via extension cord on his genny during the outage. Otherwise, we had none. So today, I like the Comvolt for all that. With 4kwh of reserve power and the fact that I can add 4kw or more by adding a battery to the Anderson plug I know I can make at least a few days if not 5 or 6 with careful monitoring and cycling if needed. It can be heavier as it will reside on a cart along with the battery (s). I choose the Comvolt for that because it can be rebuilt, it's well thought out, takes up little room etc etc. There is only one other PS I need (and have) and that's a small carry unit that I can place in my Roof Top Tent when I go camping (for my cpap) that one is currently my Jackery 550 but knowing it doesn't have the lifespan of the newer LiFePo4 units I'll likely replace it as well. Even if I use one in another cabin, it would have to be easy to carry so 50lbs or less for the portables and I'm starting to think the Oupes or Pecron might be the good choice for a truly portable, yet expandable unit. Not sure which 500wh unit I'll settle on yet.
thin bus bars... 2500$ price tag... just bought the same cells in that unit for 160 bucks shipped lol, 11.11 is chinas version of blackfriday/cybermonday. no bms, just use an active balancer and top balance the cells twice before assembly. add a 12/24v cig port and plug in your own inverter when you need AC. got a 24v to 240v inverter which does 3.2kw, that was only 140 bucks. so for less than 500 bucks you can build an 8kwh battery that you can use as a range extender for an ev. the prices of lifepo4 batteries have hit rock bottom before they will shoot up next year due to tarrifs planned to go into effect, and the new admin is only going to keep raising them.
The tariffs are already in effect and placed by the Biden Admin (few seem to know this) and were set to take effect after the election in the new year. And yes, things will likely go up but with other measures we might be able to mitigate that ;) and yes, DIY is always cheaper! But not everyone wants to DIY :D Cheers
There is no free lunch. More watt hours means bigger battery and that equals more weight. Think of it as a pail of water. You want more water you’re not going to get more without a corresponding increase in weight.
Their biggest limitation is all those charging inputs.. 1000 watts is too slow for 4000watts capacity. Most of the new eco flows are recharging at 1500 or 1800 @120v and DP3 charges at 3600 with 240v... The Delta 2 max is under $1000 now for 2400inverter and 2000watts.. Recharges at 1800watts AC. Plus takes in 1000watts of solar. Extra battery is $900on eBay. That's similar specs as this comvault, but recharges in half the speed. Which means half the engine or generator running time. Delta Pro can be brought around $1800 with discounts also same specs as this, but charges at 1800watts. The passthrough bidirectional DC port is fantastic to use external batteries... but with that 1000watt AC and 400wat alternator charging limititation makes it unrealistic to take advantage of.. the solar input to low as well. Most new EF have dual solar inputs. 400watts from the alternator is too slow for 4000 of capacity, 10 hours of engine charging is unrealistic and again trying to add more batteries to take advantage of that DC Anderson bidirectional just makes it worse... They need to increase the charging inputs to make this a true game-changer. Ecoflows 800watt alternator recharging is what this needs in addition to dual solar, and a higher input AC recharging.
i think Its advantage is mainly in terms of volume, its volume is very small, and its energy density is very high. The internal space is no longer sufficient for high input. It is ideal for RV/bed camping: it can achieve sufficient power in a limited space
You are not grasping the limitations of the 1800w inverter. Why have two 15a, 120v receptacles when the inverter is limited to 1800 watts? If you plugged one device that pulled 15 amps, or two devices pulling 7 to 8 amps, that is maxing out the inverter...so why have two 15a receptacles, or more 10a receptacles? You've got to understand what they built, who they are marketing it to, and why those receptacles are limited to 10 amps. The same applies to the solar input.
That's true -- actually, my thought was: bump the inverter to 2400w (just because everyone else does and you don't want to be the guy that has the smaller engine ;) ) and put in the 15a plugs so they can take all 2400w if needed but personally, I don't need either.
@@TheOldJarhead - Two 10A, 12V outlets will use 2,400 watts of inverter output, while drawing 187.5 amps (probably closer to 200, due to inversion losses) from the 12.8v battery. Look up an ampacity chart and the size of wire you would need to safely deliver that much power, through a 12v inverter.
You have to understand the market they are going after, which is the RV world. Most folks using an RV, when not connected to shore power, don't expect to use high-draw items, like their A/C, microwave, coffee pot, or a larger hair dryer. The utility and expandability of this 12v unit, when used for folks who are boondocking and don't expect to use power-hungry stuff, will make it a good seller.
Biggest con in the US....Imperial measurement and 120v power on stuff.... You have already 240v someplaces.... Why not everywhere like the rest of the world ? :)
The extra cables are so cool!
Right? I was like "wow! nice touch!"
As you see on my channel TONS of DC power, But I have been dealing with Mike and Ice (liberty power/comvolt) almost a year on schematics, ideas, and about the ability to make more easier remote battery options and cables for them. They do a 5X full test on the cells, have IR Mosfets in them and the inverter is one off made for the space involved. These can hook up to the Minerals DC to DC without anything else added. Soon they will have a few new items. I have been running mine for 5 months now, huge cycle swings. Always makes it back to 310 AH. Stability is THROUGH THE ROOF and unlike 90% of the power stations out there, this is RV and Boat ready.
Thanks for sharing your experience with this unit!
i love that parts are serviceable and everything about this just wish it came out a few years ago already have 11 power stations can't justify another
11? Wow! This one is pretty awesome though!
I am looking for a power station for the Senior Center of Rainier WA. I just started researching them, so I don't know much about power stations. This sounds like it will work for our center.
Depends on what you are looking for it to do? This is a great unit that can last pretty much forever since it's rebuildable and it provides a lot of backup power (specially since it's on sale now for $1799) but what would it be used for?
This is exactly what I have been waiting for. Perfect!
It definitely impressed me and isn't like any of the others I've tested!
NGL, this is RV perfection as of nov 2024!!
Ah yup!!
You disected that puppy. Great review. Good show.
Thanks for watching!
Will Prowse will hate opening this one up. He enjoys ripping batteries open with his oscillating tool.
Haha - he does love those battery teardowns!
The battery management system is robust enough to withstand direct short circuits without damage. The main components of this power station’s main circuit include the BMS and battery inverter modules, all connected by bolts, with copper bars as conductors. This design makes maintenance and replacement very easy. Currently, this power station aims to achieve a larger effective battery capacity in a relatively small space. Achieving a larger battery capacity in a relatively small space is something that most portable power stations on the market cannot do. Of course, the smaller inverter capacity and MPPT are the key areas for improvement in the next stage. If greater inverter power and solar input can be achieved, this will be a very perfect product.
Thanks for the clarification. I love the fact they can be removed and replaced!
so powerful unit ！nice video！！！thanks so much！
You bet! And yes! Small, powerful, and innovative!
@@TheOldJarhead It's too much power for one man !
lol but but
I'd use the Anderson Plug for Jump starting.
That wimpy cable with the Clips would be bearly enough for a Motorcycle..
Ya that's a great point though I think the XT90 would work fine with a good cable. I noticed Pecron is doing that now as well on their EP1500
A few thoughts: The BMS is more likely to fail than individual cells, so having that right on top, easily replaceable, is great. This company builds stuff for the RV industry, which is why their power stations have stuck with a 12 volt design. Being able to power 12v loads directly, without the losses of a step-down buck converter is great for those in the boat/RV world. The same goes for being able to attach up to THREE different LFP batteries directly to this power station. The limitations are a relatively small inverter and a really small solar input, for the size of battery installed.
Agreed. I think if they increase the inverter and solar input they will be king of the power stations!
@@TheOldJarhead - They can't, though. The decision to go with a 12v battery means they are limited on the number of amps they can output, unless they use larger wiring. They are aerospace engineers; they built it exactly the way they wanted it and the way it should be. Asking them to change it would basically be asking them to do it wrong, when they already did it right.
Darn! You are right on point! It's funny how we sometimes (well not you) look at things from the marketing side of things and forget the engineering behind it all. Again, good points - and again, for me, I'm happy with 1800w/3600w inverter. Heck, I rarely ever use more than 1kw at my cabin even. Only time I do is to run one of my saws (table or miter etc) and then it's always briefly or I'd use the genny.
@@TheOldJarhead - Agreed, which is why this is a great power station, as is, especially since it will probably still be functioning after you and I no longer are! :)
Yup -- this one will be installed in my wifes Jeep for overlanding and in between my freezers for outages (which are rarer for me but can happen). We'll just move it to the jeep when we go camping and put it back when done with all cables installed and ready for it :D and I LOVE that it is repairable!
Oupes still has the best service of any of them, I use mine daily so that's important to me.
I understand Oupes makes good stuff, but 4kwh and this small with all that innovative? I give credit where it is due 😉
You were correct in another reply to me, I want one, dang you!! I don't need it!!! Resisting! I think the price is very reasonable for what you get. Not really any more than a plastic box big name power station. Very impressive. Still think you describe things perfectly but it might be my military bias against flowery talk and BS. Ok time to buy another trail cam instead
lol Thanks! I prefer honesty over BS
That’s lots of power!
Yes it is!!! And I can double it with just one XZNY battery!
Thanks for the cool review. I really like that the unit can be easily taken apart in case a -battery- heheh "cell" needs to be changed.
I nearly fell off my chair when you said that the Receptacles are only 10 AMPS??? WHY sell the unit as rated for 1800 W and not use 15 amp receptacles? (That renders it much less useful).
The manual shows these as 15A... so I wonder if this is a pre-production version?
I don't think I will worry about the 65 pounds in most situations... the fact that this unit has almost 4 times the capacity of many solar gens and only about 2x the weight is pretty good.
Not a fan of the "handle" on the top of the unit tho. The double handle on the edge of the competitor units is definitely easier to deal with.
It's always a hassle to carry around "the charger", and personally, I would rather it be "in" the unit.
Not a fan of the fact that the unit cannot "handle" both of the chargers regularly. (see User Manual re: danger warning that it shortens the life of the unit). For a 4kWh unit, it will take "8" hours to charge this without reducing the life of the unit... which seems a bit long. I would prefer a built-in charger that could charge it up in 4 hours without harm.
UPS function is great to have. Ability to "start" your car with it directly...amazing. The "length" of the battery Jumper Cables look pretty short, does the "extension" cable work for that? (If so, great).
I don't see any UL listing on the unit or in the literature on the website.
Great points -- I didn't catch the caveat of the chargers and will have to ask about that but if it's the case for this one, it's the case for all of them. I didn't have an issue with the handle simply because I don't envision moving this one a lot. For me it's place and forget. Need to check on the jumper cables but I'm sure an xt90 extension would work just fine. I suspect they will address each of these issues in their next release ;) They are on top of it!
@@TheOldJarhead I received an email reply from EnergyFreedom, and the representative was very nice, and stated that the 3kWh version does have UL listing, but the 4kwh doesn't have it yet. He also stated that it "should" have 15A receptacles, so my guess is that your version was a little older than the latest.
The good news is that the Customer Services was very timely. (
Cool and yes, they have been great and are US Based which helps!
My first power station , a Bluetti, turned out to be a lemon. I didn't get a solar panel til after the return window so i'm screwed. I found out 20% ish of people have the same problem with the EB3A , it won't charge via solar.
That's not good!
An XT-90 for the solar input and 2X NEMA 5-15s (5-20s???) and that's the next one for us. Thanks for the good review and video.
Amen! Add thise and 1kw solar and whoohoo! It's a beast
IT's not a UPS, its a Active Flow DC charge 70 amp total, so unplugging it only drops out the DC in. Your on battery and inverter 100%. A much easier design for Preppers and Micro off grid. Semper Fi.
I was wondering about that and learned from them the same thing as I was surprised that I saw NO drop in power when I killed the AC coming in -- smart! Semper Fi and thanks for checking out my channel :D
@@TheOldJarhead The best real UPS is the one that does not have to switch. Mike and Ice and crew has taken all the advice I can give and all that others can give to make what the entire industry is missing. A 12 volt RV system that is a block of solid. Yes the inverter is 1800w, 1500 constant. But you can add a pair of 200AH batteries and another 3200 Swi Power to it and BOOM! The ability to set one part somewhere, another part elsewhere was the goal back in late 2023 when I first spoke to them. 80+ emails and calls later there is now a real RV item. Usable space in a RV or boat is scattered. So take advantage of it!
Don't take just anything you get emails on, lots are promotors with junk to dump. Be picky! Do as I do, offer a few $$ in the plan so you got Skin in the game and YOU own your words and findings. That is why I got almost 90K subs is because I better as much as I bash!
Agreed on all accounts -- re: reviews. My rule is simple: I'll be honest. Of course, I can't tell anyone what a unit or anything will do in 2 years from now, until then, but at this point it's always about honesty. My 'skin in the game' is the time I put in to testing and reviewing/editing but in all honesty, I'm a bit lame at the moment and unable to do my usual cabin building, sawmilling etc so I've agreed to do some reviews as long as I can do them with the message I want to convey (like today's video which is more about extending camper battery life and the similarities of campers and power stations than about reviewing a product ;) With luck (and surgeries - yes plural) this old jarhead will be back to running his sawmill, building and finishing cabins, improving off grid power and life etc in the spring! But for now, it's reviewing items I think it's worth reviewing (I turn down more than I agree to review but have been inundated with requests -- I'd say I review maybe 1 out of 4 or 5 (or more) items offered. Cheers!
@@TheOldJarhead Good standards. So many now doing reviews are just professional shills. Open box, looky looky, buy it now, use my code, best thing ever LOLOLOL!! I been a Solar and Wind installer over 19 years and on YT for nearly as long. Practice what you preach and live by it. I broke 2 bones in my neck in 2021 and its inoperable to make me any better so I go slow now to keep the option of walking upright as long as I can.
I hear ya! I was in a walker for two weeks at the start of September -- slipped two of my 9 bad discs (old marine injury) but steroids got me walking again. Now I must be very careful until they decide to just fuse some of the vertebrae. Meanwhile, I will get to the cabin and blow out the lines and hope I don't' step wrong ANYWHERE lol -- ah getting old aint for the weak!
Price is $2499 , I wish it had a bigger inverter and could use more than 400watt solar input . But still very nice!
Yup $2499 as I think they dropped the price from my last check
??? there's no MPPT built in as far I've seen but DC in and out 120 Amp.
14.6V x 120A = 1752 Watt for Solar input... 😮
There is an MPPT built in with an XT60 port but yes, you could just run it into the Anderson 120A plug with an MPPT controller and get a LOT of solar :D
@18:40 - This is the thing to really understand about this unit! Virtually every power station being made today, with Lithium iron-phosphate cells, will fail due to calendar aging before the cells have degraded to only 80% of their original capacity. The plastic case will fade and crack, the cheap power buttons will fail, the BMS will burn out a mosfet, the undersized and overworked ports will die...none of those things are true with this power station. Like you said, it will continue to work as it was designed for a very long time. The folks who buy this and take care of it in a reasonable manner will still be able to use it 10, 15, maybe 20 years from now. It will look like a relic from the past, but it will still work...and I don't think you can make that claim with many other power stations, if any! This thing was designed and built to last far longer than others in the market. Whether or not that really matters, or is worth the cost, is another topic.
100% agreed. Something fails, replace it. Heck, I see it as "something isn't good enough, replace it" -- like the 10A receptacles, just swap them out! Woot! Who else makes that possible?
@@TheOldJarhead - That would not be a good idea. The wiring is likely not sized appropriately.
Another good point!
could you please put the camera more on the product that you? You forgot about the most unique option of connecting to a network and the remote display
I did mention the remote and will be doing more video and will be sure to show it more.
I should have some accessories coming in the next few weeks and look forward to playing with this unit more. I'll be setting up my wifes Jeep for camping/overlanding with this unit and look forward to the spring when we can get back out (I'm too broken now for too much of that but will be back to it soon!).
...well the AC can not be simply increased due to the LiFePo4 cells SPECS but you should have in mind each is a 10 Amp. 👍😉
4kwh is 313AH so actually you can increase the AC and the 10A plugs are apparently only on myvtest unit with current units at 15A 😉
@TheOldJarhead ...well 313Ah cells but the ones with the small terminals and not the doubled ...
Meaning the Kathode is "smaller" and the rating is 0.5C continuous = 157Amps
==> 2040 Watt
The built-in inverter has a 1800 Watt rating.
Very likely it's the same like in the
ComVolt 3000
So there likely are 8x20Amp MosFets on the Inverter board.
For the suggested 2x 15A @ 120 Vac ==>
3600 Watt ==> 280Amps @ 12.8V ==>
a) Higher rated Cells are needed like Eve MB31-HEV double threaded
b) A higher rated BMS is needed likely 300Amps
c) 12x25Amp MosFets (... from 8 chanel design to 12 chanels
d) Bigger Fans and larger Heatsinks
f) Cable diameters nearly double
Result: ConVolt would have to double their stock because it's no longer just bigger cells with larger capacitance 💸
Also the Power station would get heavyer and where are the advantages to e.g. the Delta Pro 3, the F3600... And all have one in common: too heavy🤔
Great information! You're deeper into the weeds than I ever get and I think from an engineering point of view you make a great point -- funny thing though, lots of companies put out 2kw inverters on smaller/cheaper cells/batteries -- I think the issue is marketing.
@@TheOldJarhead ...well "we" started with 18650 NMC Li-ion Cells and these had 2.4Ah😉... The first generation prismatic LiFePO4 was 20Ah... The 314Ah is the latest... above 1kWh per Cell insane...
And now "we" have choices... At the moment the best Power to Cost Perspective is the "old" 280Ah like the LF280K... But for Power Stations there are more aspects... One is important is weight, the other is AC Output and Solar input combined with storage...
50, 75, 105, 230, 280, 304, 313-314Ah LiFePo4 is reasonable, 100, 140...150 Amp. BMSs, and 15, 20, 25Amp and MosFets and at 24Volt and stretching the specifications well then you get 3000 Watt, 2kWh, but real are more 2400W and 1.92kWh ... That's why more trained ones are looking for surge current, System voltage, BMS and if the AC-Part can be switched off because the AC-Part consumes up to 55 Watt if it's just turned on @ a 2400+ Unit because it's also only an inverter... And also running low power loads on an high power inverter is not effective 😉
Well all have pros and cons. Approximately three years ago everyone meant 1hour charging and dischargeing. Now it's well the alternator could bring 30...40Amp, the standard PV-Panel which still can be easily be transported is 390 Watt and e.g. frige which has 5xSurge and cooking should be possible at the same time with the Powerstation... Easier would be reducing the inrush current of the fridge instead of going from 2300 Watt to 3600 Watt😁 but 3600 well the people like that and they are willing to pay... and then they realize,...oh heavy, ...hey the solid state battery will be lighter just 2.5 times more $, well there are also others..
Ones only can afford diy or like that. The next thinks beeing prepared for power outage and likes camping and didn't want to spend too much time and money well the ComVolt is a very good choice without getting in trouble @reasonable price😃 I think the best is the charger for the alternator 🤓
Thanks for your Video and have a great time 👍
Thanks for the detailed responses! For me there are two things I look for past the usual "Does it do what they say it does" and that is 1. Weight. Can I actually haul it around without herniating a disc? As a kid in his early 30's I was benching 350lbs, road marching with a heavy pack 10-20 miles 2-3x a week, running a few times a week and generally a hard charging Marine (at the time serving with the Army). I was strong as an ox and fit and trim. Today I'm broken with 9 bad discs, a permanently dislocated shoulder (partial SC joint sep), arthritis, hands that need rebuilding, bad knees etc and I'm not getting younger. So, for mobile use I need either a unit I can move easily or one I never move again (after someone else moves it) and 2. Reserve Power without massive money. While I have an off grid cabin that has proven itself to last and have all the power I need, my home in town is on the grid and I have no plans on changing that any time soon. However, I know that power can go out and it can go out for long periods in a bad storm (though they are rare here). The last big outage we had was 5 days long and my neighbor saved me with his big generator by letting me run my fridge and freezer via extension cord on his genny during the outage. Otherwise, we had none. So today, I like the Comvolt for all that. With 4kwh of reserve power and the fact that I can add 4kw or more by adding a battery to the Anderson plug I know I can make at least a few days if not 5 or 6 with careful monitoring and cycling if needed. It can be heavier as it will reside on a cart along with the battery (s). I choose the Comvolt for that because it can be rebuilt, it's well thought out, takes up little room etc etc.
There is only one other PS I need (and have) and that's a small carry unit that I can place in my Roof Top Tent when I go camping (for my cpap) that one is currently my Jackery 550 but knowing it doesn't have the lifespan of the newer LiFePo4 units I'll likely replace it as well.
Even if I use one in another cabin, it would have to be easy to carry so 50lbs or less for the portables and I'm starting to think the Oupes or Pecron might be the good choice for a truly portable, yet expandable unit. Not sure which 500wh unit I'll settle on yet.
No 30 Amp outlet???
Not at this time, though. I spoke with them about including one in the future, and they seemed to agree it might be good.
thin bus bars... 2500$ price tag... just bought the same cells in that unit for 160 bucks shipped lol, 11.11 is chinas version of blackfriday/cybermonday. no bms, just use an active balancer and top balance the cells twice before assembly. add a 12/24v cig port and plug in your own inverter when you need AC. got a 24v to 240v inverter which does 3.2kw, that was only 140 bucks. so for less than 500 bucks you can build an 8kwh battery that you can use as a range extender for an ev.
the prices of lifepo4 batteries have hit rock bottom before they will shoot up next year due to tarrifs planned to go into effect, and the new admin is only going to keep raising them.
The tariffs are already in effect and placed by the Biden Admin (few seem to know this) and were set to take effect after the election in the new year. And yes, things will likely go up but with other measures we might be able to mitigate that ;) and yes, DIY is always cheaper! But not everyone wants to DIY :D Cheers
There is no free lunch. More watt hours means bigger battery and that equals more weight. Think of it as a pail of water. You want more water you’re not going to get more without a corresponding increase in weight.
Very true!
Their biggest limitation is all those charging inputs..
1000 watts is too slow for 4000watts capacity.
Most of the new eco flows are recharging at 1500 or 1800 @120v and DP3 charges at 3600 with 240v... The Delta 2 max is under $1000 now for 2400inverter and 2000watts.. Recharges at 1800watts AC. Plus takes in 1000watts of solar. Extra battery is $900on eBay. That's similar specs as this comvault, but recharges in half the speed. Which means half the engine or generator running time.
Delta Pro can be brought around $1800 with discounts also same specs as this, but charges at 1800watts.
The passthrough bidirectional DC port is fantastic to use external batteries... but with that 1000watt AC and 400wat alternator charging limititation makes it unrealistic to take advantage of.. the solar input to low as well. Most new EF have dual solar inputs.
400watts from the alternator is too slow for 4000 of capacity, 10 hours of engine charging is unrealistic and again trying to add more batteries to take advantage of that DC Anderson bidirectional just makes it worse...
They need to increase the charging inputs to make this a true game-changer.
Ecoflows 800watt alternator recharging is what this needs in addition to dual solar, and a higher input AC recharging.
i think Its advantage is mainly in terms of volume, its volume is very small, and its energy density is very high. The internal space is no longer sufficient for high input. It is ideal for RV/bed camping: it can achieve sufficient power in a limited space
Agreed! and it's easily rebuildable!
You are not grasping the limitations of the 1800w inverter. Why have two 15a, 120v receptacles when the inverter is limited to 1800 watts? If you plugged one device that pulled 15 amps, or two devices pulling 7 to 8 amps, that is maxing out the inverter...so why have two 15a receptacles, or more 10a receptacles? You've got to understand what they built, who they are marketing it to, and why those receptacles are limited to 10 amps. The same applies to the solar input.
That's true -- actually, my thought was: bump the inverter to 2400w (just because everyone else does and you don't want to be the guy that has the smaller engine ;) ) and put in the 15a plugs so they can take all 2400w if needed but personally, I don't need either.
@@TheOldJarhead - Two 10A, 12V outlets will use 2,400 watts of inverter output, while drawing 187.5 amps (probably closer to 200, due to inversion losses) from the 12.8v battery. Look up an ampacity chart and the size of wire you would need to safely deliver that much power, through a 12v inverter.
Another good point. By the way, this inverter can peak at 3600w
That might be just what I'm looking for but.... I'm in Northern MN.. Winter sunshine isn't reliable. Will need a proper generating system 🤔🤠
It's a monster, but I'd definitely have a generator as backup if expected long periods of use.
I have a 7000 watt, propane powered g enerator. An oldie..@@TheOldJarhead
Well, then you are covered! Add another 8kw of battery like those XZNY's and you're set!
Maybe some will like this but not for me. 10A 120v is just ridiculous. How about a 30A RV plug? I'll pass.
I agree they need at least 15a plugs, and the 30A would be nice but come on, this is an awesome power station!
@TheOldJarhead Respectfully, In my opinion far from it. Not until they beef up the AC.
@@stevenshircliff393 The new model is a 30A ac，4200kwh power station
They are pretty innovative for sure.
You have to understand the market they are going after, which is the RV world. Most folks using an RV, when not connected to shore power, don't expect to use high-draw items, like their A/C, microwave, coffee pot, or a larger hair dryer. The utility and expandability of this 12v unit, when used for folks who are boondocking and don't expect to use power-hungry stuff, will make it a good seller.
Brother you are just evil!!! I went and looked and it seems it's $1799 now!
Yes!!!!! Screaming deal!!! Make sure to use the code for an additional discount!
@@TheOldJarheadNope nope nope. I have to pretend I have some willpower. Back to that trail cam for $60
lol good luck!
Nothing useful to add, just wanted to comment since I watched.
Appreciate ya watching!
Biggest con in the US....Imperial measurement and 120v power on stuff.... You have already 240v someplaces.... Why not everywhere like the rest of the world ? :)
Cause we're Americans and we like the way it is :D We're cowboys here!