Portable Power

[Jonesy68]

Has anyone had any experience of VTOMAN. This seems a decent price.

VTOMAN FlashSpeed 1500 solar powered generator 1500W Output, 1548Wh

Discover VTOMAN FlashSpeed1500 power generator: 1500W output, 1548Wh capacity, fast-charging tech for 1-hour full charge, V-Beyond technology for uninterrupted power, UPS function, expandable up to 3096Wh, dual-handle design, stackable surface, and exclusive LifeBMS battery tech.

uk.vtoman.com

 

[Lubrown]

Has anyone had any experience of VTOMAN. This seems a decent price.

VTOMAN FlashSpeed 1500 solar powered generator 1500W Output, 1548Wh

Discover VTOMAN FlashSpeed1500 power generator: 1500W output, 1548Wh capacity, fast-charging tech for 1-hour full charge, V-Beyond technology for uninterrupted power, UPS function, expandable up to 3096Wh, dual-handle design, stackable surface, and exclusive LifeBMS battery tech.

uk.vtoman.com

I’ve had their jump starter/tyre inflator/power rick for almost 3 years - still going strong and nice build quality/features, especially for the price.

I posted in other threads yesterday that there is a discount code for their official eBay shop ‘Bright20’.
Also works with Anker, Bluetti, EcoFlow and Renogy

 

[Andyf]

I ordered one of these today £405 from B&Q(?) to back up my leisure battery and solar panel.
I was tempted by the Jackery Explorer 1000, but there just wasn’t room under the bed.
Aferiy P110 1200w was also on my short list - best value at around £400 but quite a lump

@TrevorK

Did you get around to trying the power pack ?

 

[TrevorK]

Not as yet, away in Minehead at the moment and on hook-up.
Planning to go to a site in the New Forest in a couple of weeks without EHU to give it a try.
I was going to run a 1kWh fan heater at home to see how the battery acted, but not really the weather.

 

[Andyf]

Not the best time of year for the heater

 

[Drive Wayne]

Another one from B&Q, a Bluetti AC180 at £479. So far run an airfryer, powerdrill and coffee machine (rated at 1350 watts but goes up to 1900+). Very handy for allsorts and recharged happily by a renogy 220 watt solar suitcase panel, or 12v ciggy lighter or of course mains. Very useful extra 90Ah to have in addition to a nice Roamer LB. Back up to £499 now I notice...

 

[The Flying Scotsman]

Another one from B&Q, a Bluetti AC180 at £479. So far run an airfryer, powerdrill and coffee machine (rated at 1350 watts but goes up to 1900+). Very handy for allsorts and recharged happily by a renogy 220 watt solar suitcase panel, or 12v ciggy lighter or of course mains. Very useful extra 90Ah to have in addition to a nice Roamer LB. Back up to £499 now I notice...

Similar to my set up Wayne. Same LB and I use a delta 2 for 240v. That’s why I didn’t fit an inverter I wanted to keep the power in my LB so I could stay off grid for longer.
I can now fast charge my delta 2 with my 800w alternator charger. As well as use a suitcase solar panel.
I’m really happy with my set up. I think I could stay off grid indefinitely with a bit driving

 

[Andyf]

Similar to my set up Wayne. Same LB and I use a delta 2 for 240v. That’s why I didn’t fit an inverter I wanted to keep the power in my LB so I could stay off grid for longer.
I can now fast charge my delta 2 with my 800w alternator charger. As well as use a suitcase solar panel.
I’m really happy with my set up. I think I could stay off grid indefinitely with a bit driving

@The Flying Scotsman

Is the alternator charger as simple as they say, just connect the positive to the battery and an earth
Did you put it on the main van battery or on the leisure battery connections

We’re did you place the box in the van and route the cable

Thanks

 

[The Flying Scotsman]

@The Flying Scotsman

Is the alternator charger as simple as they say, just connect the positive to the battery and an earth
Did you put it on the main van battery or on the leisure battery connections

We’re did you place the box in the van and route the cable

Thanks

Yes it’s very straightforward.
I’ve connected the power wire to my leisure battery via a fuse.
The earth I’ve taken to a ground point. I cut the huge cables back to as short as I needed them and put new connectors on them.
I’ve fixed the 800w charger to the back of the drivers seat base.
It works great
My only complaint is that the leads are a bugger to detach from the unit.
I only plug both the power supply cable and the cable that goes from the charger to my delta 2 in when I want to charge the delta 2.
The clips that hold the cables onto the charger aren’t easy to disconnect.

 

[Stay Frosty]

Off topic as ever but why do people want a power station if they have a leisure set up already?
We're currently banking 8Ah from the solar panels and not even facing towards the sun, now I've said that the panels will probably melt as it's 29C already.

 

[The Flying Scotsman]

Off topic as ever but why do people want a power station if they have a leisure set up already?

As I’ve just mentioned.
It’s to keep all the power in my LB to power the fridge/lights/pump and heater etc so I can stay off grid for as long as possible.
I run the tv phones toaster off the power bank and even the vans in built microwave via an EHU lead out the window.
Having a portable power bank instead of an inverter not only saves my LB being hammered by an inverter but is exactly that ‘portable’
So if say we are having a party/bbq on a beach away from the van it can power lights music even a set of decs if it’s a proper party.

 

[Drive Wayne]

Off topic as ever but why do people want a power station if they have a leisure set up already?
We're currently banking 8Ah from the solar panels and not even facing towards the sun, now I've said that the panels will probably melt as it's 29C already.

I'm very protective over my vans battery capacity, unlike my better half! A powerbank in the awning is great to run the airfryer and the coffee machine without touching the Roamer. It will be pressed into action at the festivals for running the flagpole lights etc...
At home we have a long garden, it's really useful for powering tools down there where my longest extension doesn't reach.
And to charge it up with the Renogy suitcase solar panels is a bonus. Never have too much free power!

 

[Andyf]

Similar to my set up Wayne. Same LB and I use a delta 2 for 240v. That’s why I didn’t fit an inverter I wanted to keep the power in my LB so I could stay off grid for longer.
I can now fast charge my delta 2 with my 800w alternator charger. As well as use a suitcase solar panel.
I’m really happy with my set up. I think I could stay off grid indefinitely with a bit driving

Yes it’s very straightforward.
I’ve connected the power wire to my leisure battery via a fuse.
The earth I’ve taken to a ground point. I cut the huge cables back to as short as I needed them and put new connectors on them.
I’ve fixed the 800w charger to the back of the drivers seat base.
It works great
My only complaint is that the leads are a bugger to detach from the unit.
I only plug both the power supply cable and the cable that goes from the charger to my delta 2 in when I want to charge the delta 2.
The clips that hold the cables onto the charger aren’t easy to disconnect.

@The Flying Scotsman

We use a Ctek smart charger, which are you using do you know
Only asking to see if there compatible with the Delta charger

Do you get the approx full charge time of approx 2hrs as advertised

 

[The Flying Scotsman]

@The Flying Scotsman

We use a Ctek smart charger, which are you using do you know
Only asking to see if there compatible with the Delta charger

Do you get the approx full charge time of approx 2hrs as advertised

It’s the proper EcoFlow 800w charger I use to fast charge my delta 2
I’ve never charged from flat yet but I can see the stated hour and a half of driving to fully charge a flat delta 2 as being pretty accurate.
Also fitting the EcoFlow charger to the back of the drivers seat base made running the wires a doddle.
I used the same earth point as I used for the LB which lives in the kitchen and took the positive to the fused busbar hooked to my LB.
It’s just a short run behind the fridge from there to the drivers seat base.
Here’s the wiring instructions

 

[Andyf]

Thanks,

Only asking as I didn’t know if the split charge system would affect the Eco 800 from charging correctly and May of had to be tacken from main van battery

 

[The Flying Scotsman]

Thanks,

Only asking as I didn’t know if the split charge system would affect the Eco 800 from charging correctly and May of had to be tacken from main van battery

It’s a victron Orion xs that charges my LB.
I got advice on here from the very knowledgeable and helpful members on how to wire up both the Orion and EcoFlow 800w charger so presume there’s no issue between the two.
I was told that connecting the EcoFlow charger to the LB and not the SB was fine.

 

[Andyf]

Sounds good, no point making it complicated

Thanks for the advice

 

[damo.mac85]

I'm pretty happy with my fossibot and would recommend it :-

https://www.google.com/search?q=fos...te=I've&vld=cid:971c3b6d,vid:ITmGd2YdU6E,st:0

 

[TrevorK]

Not as yet, away in Minehead at the moment and on hook-up.
Planning to go to a site in the New Forest in a couple of weeks without EHU to give it a try.
I was going to run a 1kWh fan heater at home to see how the battery acted, but not really the weather.

Just back from the New Forest for 3 nights from Friday.
My Mrs insisted we parked under the trees, so no solar, and was relying on the 85ah leisure battery with the AC70 as backup.
I plugged the AC70 into the EHU socket on Saturday afternoon for an hour to top up the battery and boil a couple of kettles of water for the Thermos, taking the AC70 down to 55%.
I did the same this morning and run it down to 15%.
On the way home I plugged AC70 into the lighter socket and it charged back to 45% over a couple of hours @ 70w (max).
I am now considering buying 200w solar charging panel - always something new to buy…

 

[Drive Wayne]

Just back from the New Forest for 3 nights from Friday.
My Mrs insisted we parked under the trees, so no solar, and was relying on the 85ah leisure battery with the AC70 as backup.
I plugged the AC70 into the EHU socket on Saturday afternoon for an hour to top up the battery and boil a couple of kettles of water for the Thermos, taking the AC70 down to 55%.
I did the same this morning and run it down to 15%.
On the way home I plugged AC70 into the lighter socket and it charged back to 45% over a couple of hours @ 70w (max).
I am now considering buying 200w solar charging panel - always something new to buy…

We use a Renogy 220 watt solar suitcase panel array that we use purely to keep our AC180 Bluetti fully charged. Works really well with wattages of over 240 going in with good sunlight.
It powers my coffee machine, the toaster and Airfryer (not at the same time!) in the awning, with no issues, a very useful extra 90Ah in addition to the vans LB.
I bought it initially to temporarily replace a second failed flexi panel on the poptop before we went down the rigid route. Very happy now!