ecoflow to ehu fix

[merl]

My concern wouldn't be 'blowing' the Sargent electrics, it's a 12v input from the Ecoflow so that should be fine.
As far as I understand the ecoflow internal batteries are 50v and if so the 12V output socket must be supplied by a Stepdown Buck regulator and this regulator will have a maximum current delivery capacity. Some regulator have what's known as Current Limiting, this ensures the regulator shuts down if you try and draw too much current, if the regulator doesn't have this feature then you're at risk of damaging the internal regulator with an excessive load.
Check the data with Ecoflow first or test it yourself with a DC clamp meter and various loads.

 

[Obanboy666]

Being a tugger until this autumn when buying another pvc I have my EcoFlow delta 2 max & extra battery in back of my estate car and just run a lead to the ehu.
When I had my c class I just ran the cable thro the window into the ehu.
Both work a treat saving me a fortune on ehu fees, can last 3/4 days depending on time of year.

 

[Moped]

Being a tugger until this autumn when buying another pvc I have my EcoFlow delta 2 max & extra battery in back of my estate car and just run a lead to the ehu.
When I had my c class I just ran the cable thro the window into the ehu.
Both work a treat saving me a fortune on ehu fees, can last 3/4 days depending on time of year.

That's what we do at the moment but it is inefficient due to inverter use. The opening poster does not want to do this as it signals contents worth breaking in for. To save EHU fees in an aire or campsite fine but elsewhere problematic. As a tugger you will inevitably use campsites but with a motorhome parking up whereever would you be so keen to use the window to EHU socket solution?

Hence the interest in the 12v socket direct to battery solution

 

[wildebus]

That's what we do at the moment but it is inefficient due to inverter use. The opening poster does not want to do this as it signals contents worth breaking in for. To save EHU fees in an aire or campsite fine but elsewhere problematic. As a tugger you will inevitably use campsites but with a motorhome parking up whereever would you be so keen to use the window to EHU socket solution?

Hence the interest in the 12v socket direct to battery solution

I don't have an Ecoflow, but I have a small Allpowers PowerStation and a larger VTOMan 1500X Power Station. With those units - and I think most Power Stations (including at least some of the EcoFlows), the 12V DC output is very limited - typically 10A - and may not provide enough current for your needs?
Neither of my Power Stations would power my DC Air Pump to pump up my Kayak or SUP as the pump draw 11A.
Very frustrating have to say as for example the VTOMan as a 1500W continuous output Inverter, so when that is running, it is happy to send over 100A (12V equivalent) from the Battery to the inverter but can't deliver more that 10A @12V to a socket. If I want portable power for the pump, I have to plug a battery charger into the VTOMan and then connect the output of that charger to the Pump. Converting DC to AC and back to DC again. Wasteful.

I think there are a couple of issues with this "Direct to Battery" solution that makes it NOT a solution.
The first is as described above - the internal DC-DC converters within the power stations are rated too small to be very flexible in their output. You might find you need to have the power station connect via its inverter to the EHU input to provide enough power?

The other is more fundamental - the 12V DC outputs on a Power Station are regulated. They output a certain voltage suitable for driving 12V devices and not suitable for battery charging.
My AllPowers outputs 13.10V. That is actually a bit too high and I think it would likely drop significantly when a load is applied.
My VTOMan (a better quality unit than the AllPowers) outputs 12.3V.
The way DC current/charge flows is from a higher potential to a lower potential - so if you were to connect a Power Station DC output with say a 12.3V potential (such as my VTOMan) to a fitted Leisure Battery, you would only get power drawn from the Power Station if the Leisure Battery was below 12.3V. If that Leisure Battery was a Lithium one, the only time you would get a voltage that low on it was if it was close to fully discharged. Your next problem is that Lithium Leisure Battery if below 12.3V will try to take so much power from the Power Station it would exceed the DC Socket Rating and you would end up with a blown fuse very quickly - and if that blown fuse was inside the Power Station ... now you're buggered! If the Lithium Leisure Battery is so dead you need to use the Power Station, you will need a way to disconnect the Lithium Battery (maybe a switch. maybe a BMS setting via Bluetooth?)

Overall a major faff and not a simple "connect it to the battery" solution. IF it was a 12V Battery in a box then yes, that was doable, but these all-in-one Power Stations have their own built-in limits and problems.

 

[Obanboy666]

That's what we do at the moment but it is inefficient due to inverter use. The opening poster does not want to do this as it signals contents worth breaking in for. To save EHU fees in an aire or campsite fine but elsewhere problematic. As a tugger you will inevitably use campsites but with a motorhome parking up whereever would you be so keen to use the window to EHU socket solution?

Hence the interest in the 12v socket direct to battery solution

Yes, I have used the cable out the window method on my last 2 motorhomes with no issues. Easy enough to put it back thro window if venturing out and nervous about theft.

 

[Nabsim]

I may be wrong but I seem to recall these power stations are not native 12V, can anyone conform or discount that? If I am right your are transforming/inverting anyway so may as well use mains charger hadn't you?

 

[Nabsim]

I don't have an Ecoflow, but I have a small Allpowers PowerStation and a larger VTOMan 1500X Power Station. With those units - and I think most Power Stations (including at least some of the EcoFlows), the 12V DC output is very limited - typically 10A - and may not provide enough current for your needs?
Neither of my Power Stations would power my DC Air Pump to pump up my Kayak or SUP as the pump draw 11A.
Very frustrating have to say as for example the VTOMan as a 1500W continuous output Inverter, so when that is running, it is happy to send over 100A (12V equivalent) from the Battery to the inverter but can't deliver more that 10A @12V to a socket. If I want portable power for the pump, I have to plug a battery charger into the VTOMan and then connect the output of that charger to the Pump. Converting DC to AC and back to DC again. Wasteful.

I think there are a couple of issues with this "Direct to Battery" solution that makes it NOT a solution.
The first is as described above - the internal DC-DC converters within the power stations are rated too small to be very flexible in their output. You might find you need to have the power station connect via its inverter to the EHU input to provide enough power?

The other is more fundamental - the 12V DC outputs on a Power Station are regulated. They output a certain voltage suitable for driving 12V devices and not suitable for battery charging.
My AllPowers outputs 13.10V. That is actually a bit too high and I think it would likely drop significantly when a load is applied.
My VTOMan (a better quality unit than the AllPowers) outputs 12.3V.
The way DC current/charge flows is from a higher potential to a lower potential - so if you were to connect a Power Station DC output with say a 12.3V potential (such as my VTOMan) to a fitted Leisure Battery, you would only get power drawn from the Power Station if the Leisure Battery was below 12.3V. If that Leisure Battery was a Lithium one, the only time you would get a voltage that low on it was if it was close to fully discharged. Your next problem is that Lithium Leisure Battery if below 12.3V will try to take so much power from the Power Station it would exceed the DC Socket Rating and you would end up with a blown fuse very quickly - and if that blown fuse was inside the Power Station ... now you're buggered! If the Lithium Leisure Battery is so dead you need to use the Power Station, you will need a way to disconnect the Lithium Battery (maybe a switch. maybe a BMS setting via Bluetooth?)

Overall a major faff and not a simple "connect it to the battery" solution. IF it was a 12V Battery in a box then yes, that was doable, but these all-in-one Power Stations have their own built-in limits and problems.

The Bluetti can deliver 30 amp out @12V David, think at least one other brand has copied this now as well. You need to make sure you have one that can if you are using a power station as your power system in Avan build with a diesel heater

 

[wildebus]

The Bluetti can deliver 30 amp out @12V David, think at least one other brand has copied this now as well. You need to make sure you have one that can if you are using a power station as your power system in Avan build with a diesel heater

That is useful. I think the 10A limits on many really negates those type of Power Stations as an alternative to having a 'proper' leisure battery installation.
(and very annoying in my case when I needed 11A )

The same issue you mention for a Diesel Heater would also apply for a 12V Compressor Fridge. (I am not sure if the 30A limit would be sufficient either).