Helping out the DIY/I-just-want-what's-best-for-my-money/application members

[JustHank]

No offense, but I was just swallowing your bait comment and really biting down on it hard.

Anything that gives you some return on your investments is A OK by me. But I still don't understand what help you are looking for.

I think there is a critical investment point one needs to make to optimize ROI / payback. I think many of the consumer electronics brand lego style systems fall short for most applications. They appear low effort / throw away consumer tech instead of 20 year utility grade. That doesn't mean they don't have some ROI, but they probably will not last much longer than the payback time.

Ski Man Dan - It looks like you are assuming people who buy Ecoflows have ROI in mind. After 48+ hours with no electricity following the Palisades fire, my priority is backup power.

For my purposes, a Delta 2 worked, but I didn’t have a way to recharge it fully. Better panels, a small Victron, and a 100AH battery is my plan to back up the Delta 2 next time. Also a transfer switch and probably a critical loads panel. (The Delta 2 did work OK for a six-hour outage earlier.) And the advice and examples on this site are great, and a big Thank You to all the people who contribute.

But I’m not going be installing an EG4 or equivalent any time soon. I’ll be doing some DIY, but the Ecoflow will be the foundation of my eventual configuration. So I guess I’m in that hybrid configuration zone.

 

[RzrProR]

Try as I might I am not understanding this Thread. It seems to be a rather verbose extolling of expensive pre-built power packs.

Again, let the price comparison begin....(crickets).

Personally I think the power-packs are for a limited temporary emergency or for camping type device with not much practicality.

Thanks for making my case with 110% generalized statements such as the above. You're right...the worlds of frankensteinsih-looking non-enclsed DIY and what is being produced today shall never meet nor compliment one another.

Often they have little capacity even though many of them use dodgy specifications to hide their limitations.

They have just as much capacity as anything else out there being marketed to the masses and most have been tested to meet the specifications that they boast. Some fail; most (surprisingly) do not.

I would almost never recommend them to anyone other than a few scenarios.

Thus the driving point and telling reason why I started this post in the first place.
the misconceptions, lies and downright misinformation being continually peddled to the unsuspecting seeking sound advice on the forums.

Rating power packs based on the inverter inside them is a classic example of this. Just because the inverter could supply X wattage does not mean the small battery with them would allow it to.

I'm beginning to believe that many who have been dismissive of these things form the very beginning have no idea as to what is being engineered/sold at the present time.

 

[RzrProR]

I'll have to echo the ROI answer above as my wife was asking me to explain our recent purchase of a few units in that vein.
We even have one unit with twice as many advertised battery cycles as another. Could care less. They work.
It just seems as if there is no place whatsoever for these things in many's minds and that much of the advice being given is steering far too many away from some fantastic technology at even better pricing. What really gets their craw is that there are guys out there testing these things and showing everyone what they found good or bad.
I'm not endorsing any of them or even telling anyone to buy one as most everything is a crap shoot nowadays that most can afford.

I'm just saying that the use of this forum in combination with these new do-everything units is a pretty powerful tool in the hands of those just getting started...if anyone will share the secret.

 

[Mattb4]

...

I'm beginning to believe that many who have been dismissive of these things form the very beginning have no idea as to what is being engineered/sold at the present time.

Give a model with specifications and price. A link to it would help to check all the details. Do not take it personally that your impassioned pleas are falling on unsympathetic ears.

Frankly if you can not do so there is no further reason to engage with you.

 

[ShaneC]

Again, let the price comparison begin....(crickets).

I gave you a reasonable DIY price using an example I just built that should be similar in features to one of these packs. It's then your job to reply with an example to show that these packs can come close enough to DIY to make them worthwhile. But fine I'll do your job for you...

The Pecron E2000LFP is €899, pretty close to what I specced out. It looks very neat, 2000w inverter which is nice. The biggest drawback is the battery size of 1920Wh, my battery has almost twice the capacity at 3780Wh and that is a key difference for me.

Please note that this is how civil conversations should go. Fair, mature comparisons. Not your evangelical rantings and insults.

 

[JustHank]

The premise of this thread is nullified by the ability to quickly DIY small affordable solutions that are cheaper and more capable than these solar generators. Not to mention maintainable, modifiable and expandable.

While I don’t disagree with your premise, not all of us have “the ability to quickly DIY small affordable solutions”.

 

[Q-Dog]

While I don’t disagree with your premise, not all of us have “the ability to quickly DIY small affordable solutions”.

Don't sell yourself short. If you want to learn, this is the "DIY Solar Forum" (not the "buy a premade solution forum") and there are lots of folks here willing to help you.

 

[JustHank]

Don't sell yourself short. If you want to learn, this is the "DIY Solar Forum" (not the "buy a premade solution forum") and there are lots of folks here willing to help you.

I have added a room on to my previous house, acted as the general contractor, got permits and dealt with inspectors, ran wiring with checkout by a licensed electrician, plus roofing, siding, wood stove chase, doors, windows, and most of the other stuff. Contracted geologist, mechanical engineer (retaining wall design), backhoe to dig foundation, framing, drywall taping, and carpet. I have a fairly good idea what I can and shouldn’t DIY.

However, currently in a condo, not planning on ever getting a home and dealing with all the maintenance. No space, no garage, no workshop, so limited in what I should realistically try to do. “Honey, I need to move the couch to build this portable electricl system. Oh yes, we will need to store it in the bedroom. And I will be using power tools in the patio for a few days.”

 

[RzrProR]

I have added a room on to my previous house, acted as the general contractor, got permits and dealt with inspectors, ran wiring with checkout by a licensed electrician, plus roofing, siding, wood stove chase, doors, windows, and most of the other stuff. Contracted geologist, mechanical engineer (retaining wall design), backhoe to dig foundation, framing, drywall taping, and carpet. I have a fairly good idea what I can and shouldn’t DIY.

However, currently in a condo, not planning on ever getting a home and dealing with all the maintenance. No space, no garage, no workshop, so limited in what I should realistically try to do. “Honey, I need to move the couch to build this portable electricl system. Oh yes, we will need to store it in the bedroom. And I will be using power tools in the patio for a few days.”

I built our house from nothing back in the early 90's because I could. Many more in 2025 frankly do not have that opportunity and are living either voluntarily or not in smaller spaces. That is just a fact. Unfortunately, we have slowly become a nation which does not value empathy for others or putting themselves in anyone else's position. Call it what you want yet I'll just say that it is sad.
You can still DIY until the cows come home with these portable units and many of the frankly arrogant offering 'sound advice' full well know this.
The small spaces that these units can be installed in simply leave more room for the DIY stuff needed to support the stack.
Thanks for making an often overlooked great point.

 

[Chuck E.]

So would a good question be "How can somebody with virtually no money start to save money on electricity, compound those savings into saving even more all the way up to no electric out of pocket cost at all?" Chapter one...

I'm Game... Lets do it

 

[wiseacre]

Once again, his favorite response:

hard to tell if he's advocating something or just came for an argument

 

[RzrProR]

We'll make it easier for the mathematically challenged among us (hey, I sincerely have empathy for this one):
Price out a couple inverter/battery combos (say a heated 1000 and a 3600 plus a spare 3600 battery which will..wait for it...fit both) and forget about those three interconnected products themselves. Only price out the assorted collection of connectors that one receives with all three which no one likes to talk about when claiming that "DIY everything is absolutely less expensive/better".

Start from there...and then make things even simpler by throwing in 'your' version of a (cough) 'engineered enclosure' resembling anything close to portability.
Stop. Add. Push the equal button.
Where is one at before one even 'starts' to compare anything?
(crickets)

 

[Noname142]

Thank you for showcasing the utter arrogance of many providing advice nowadays and the very thrust of this post.
I could not have proven my point (myself) any better.

To be fair, I'm not sure you've actually made a point.

Several people have pointed out VALID problems with your position. Some of them have given example specs and prices for solutions they've built.. and asked your input for pricing for similar in your preferred setup. So far, you haven't provided any, and worse is you seem to imply that the onus is on them to "search it" as if they are the ones MAKING the claim. But.. YOU are the one making the claims.

Several people have pointed out why your options aren't popular, and you just make claims about the lack of knowledge of the product options, myths, untruths, or outright lies.. without so much as providing examples of these "myths or lies" that we seem to be engaging in (or falling for).. you just keep saying that we're doing it/participating in it.

I'll be completely honest.. When I responded to your post initially, I thought it was well-intentioned, even if a little misguided. So I responded.. once. Since then, I've seen your engagement with others and to put things bluntly: At this point, I think you are just trolling.

So, I'd love to know what the point is that you think you've made so eloquently and succinctly.

If you go back through the thread and your responses with an open mind (and realize that we don't live in your head and aren't mind readers), you may realize that a lot of well-intentioned people have interacted with you in good faith. They have received nothing but responses that simply.. lack in substance. You may think (in your head) that you've proven some very amazing point.. But I assure you, that isn't being communicated in this thread.

 

[ShaneC]

I already put up my comparison which you ignored. Twice the battery capacity with DIY and it's maintainable and upgradeable. You ignored me.

Your attitude deserves no more attention. This is why you're being ignored now. Can't you compare your childish behaviour with the others who tried to have an adult conversation with you? Noone else is throwing insults and shouting in caps. Look at yourself man, analyse your own behaviour. Learn how to have a normal conversation then come back and try again. People are happy to talk if you approach the conversation in a respectful manner.

 

[Noname142]

I do not prefer any setup. Nobody has produced anything even remotely resembling what they are pretending to not understand.
As I said, half of these guys presently playing possum/'dumb' already have these units stacked up/sitting in their basements.
The ones who do not will be guaranteed kicking themselves in the arse the very second that:
These prices and any future availability of the units themselves quite possibly go away tomorrow due to geopolitics.
Their 'all-my-eggs-in-one-basket' system plans ever take a dump at the worst possible time with zero backup and/or parts to fix 'em (period).

After that Trump train left the station last month there are only the dumb or those playing it still standing by the rail.

Cool bro! Wait ... How was this related in any way?

Once again, I pointed out very specific points that you are completely ignoring.. and posting completely unrelated nonsense instead.



I'm still looking for that point that you think you've made so clearly.

 

[ShaneC]

Noone is going to engage with you when all you do is insult. You just sound like a cranky old man who refuses to engage when others did try. You talk of people ignoring you when you're the one who didn't reply to the spec I did give. You've lost all interest from the people that did try to engage with you entirely because of your attitude, not your claims which might well be valid and of use to people who don't want to build out their own systems. Unfortunately you have buried any useful advice in toxic behaviour that rightly means you'll be ignored.

 

[blueforce]

Well that settles it, I'm tearing out my 18kpv and powerpro batteries and installing a pecron instead. The black and orange look really heavy duty and when I want to go somewhere I can just disassemble the whole mess and throw hundreds of pounds of equipment in the back of my truck. Maybe then I can afford a toy like a rzr pro r that starts at $35k.

Wait, I can throw it in the back of rzr pro r and rzrpror and I can go have brokeback camping adventures together. I call big spoon!

 

[Noname142]

Again, let the price comparison begin....(crickets).

Like for Like. screenshots included.

Ecoflow with 30kwh of battery: $17,600, on sale. normally $24,000 (and only 6,000w output)
EG4 12kxp and 2 powerpro batteries (28.6kwh) not currently on sale. $10,150.
Screenshots included, with them in the carts.

Double the output capacity.. very similar battery capacity.. less than half the cost unless you find a sale price.


Lets assume you want to add the home panel to each:

Ecoflow smart home panel 2, $1899 - $19,493 total with the above system when it's on sale, $26,498 normal price.
EG4 gridboss $1799. Under $13,000 total with the above system. More features in the EG4.
OR, you can do the grid boss, 12kxp, and FOUR indoor powerpro batteries for $20,172 and have double the output AND double the battery capacity.. for roughly $800 more than the ecoflow sale price.


Add the various odds and ends needed for either system, I'm not including them for cost comparison obviously.

Hows that for the crickets of a price comparison?
btw, screenshots included.


So, back to that point you were making?

 

[RzrProR]

Like for Like. screenshots included.

Ecoflow with 30kwh of battery: $17,600, on sale. normally $24,000 (and only 6,000w output)

So one can buy 16Kw of standalone Ruixu power in a heated/waterproof enclosure for..wait for it...$3200 delivered ($6400 for 32Kw) . Yet one should buy an 'EcoFlow' at $17,600... because no inverter out there *even with much more output than 6000W* can be easily married to the above Ruixu for less than the $11,200.00 left over.

Thank you for not further wasting my time in ever reading the rest.
It's as if some of you guys are simply living in fantasyland hoping beyond hope that March will never come and that this gravy train will just keep chugging along forever.
"Here's my best advice to all of you newbies out there: Go out and spend $18 grand on a 6000W inverter with 30Kw of battery. You'll thank me later!"

As many others have already offered:
It's about to get ugly.

 

[Noname142]

So one can buy 16Kw of standalone Ruixu power in a heated/waterproof enclosure for..wait for it...$3200 delivered ($6400 for 32Kw) . Yet one should buy an 'EcoFlow' at $17,600... because no inverter out there *even with much more output than 6000W* can be easily married to the above Ruixu for less than the $11,200.00 left over.

Thank you for not further wasting my time in ever reading the rest.
It's as if some of you guys are simply living in fantasyland hoping beyond hope that March will never come and that this gravy train will just keep chugging along forever.
"Here's my best advice to all of you newbies out there: Go out and spend $18 grand on a 6000W inverter with 30Kw of battery. You'll thank me later!"

As many others have already offered:
It's about to get ugly.

"Thank you for not further wasting my time in ever reading the rest."
I'd like to say this surprises me that you pick 1 point, and ignore the rest.. but it's been your theme for the thread.

Let me start by saying thank you for pointing out that my solution can be even cheaper than I was showing in my example, while still invalidating your own claim. I love it when those who are arguing against me actually demonstrate my point. Ignore the point that the riuxu battery you mentioned is roughly the same price as the ones I listed.. In which case, go with your preferred brand

In the riuxu/eg4 solution, it's a supported configuration and setup. If you tried to pair the Riuxu to the ecoflow (or any other solar generator with it's propriety battery stacks/connections, it'd be unsupported. Will it work, possibly. Will they support it, and/or handle warranty claims if there is an issue? maybe.. maybe not. Is it worth the risk?

You're literally telling me that my example solution is cheaper than yours. You just don't realize it, yet. I have faith in you though.. You'll see it, eventually. As someone mentioned above.. You're making a point.. it's just not the point you THINK you are making.

 

[RzrProR]

For all the average Joes and Janes out there presently putting up with highly arrogant/high-priced solar advice and anything but affordable outside-the-box solutions from manufacturers willing to listen:
Too many brand new possibilities to mention here (check out the comments for but a few):

 

[wpns]

putting up with highly arrogant

“He’s Baaaaack!”

$70 on sale from $100. Looks like

https://powerwerx.com/linko-lp-28-plug-50a

Plus half of

https://www.amazon.com/Extension-Tinned-Connectors-Heavy-Duty-Applications/dp/B0DFW54NVV

So $30 to be generous.

So DIY ftw again if I’m reading this right?

 

[RzrProR]

Just wanted to correct my numbers above for those keeping track:
$3,039.05/delivered today (self2solar) for a Ruixu 16Kw heated battery all snuggled up inside a waterproof enclosure with cables.

In the post #87 YouTube commentary:

@LukeM-q6y​

1 day ago
If you could use that cable to connect to say a Ruixu 16kw battery that would be awesome, true home backup

1 reply​

@Jasonoid​

As a DIY expansion battery? Yeah, I might need to test that. You'd definitely want the batteries to have the same voltage / SOC before connecting them up.​

​

 

[RzrProR]

I don't know what the above figures out to be 'per watt' in a kick butt enclosure (delivered)...but as guys out there threaten to do the actual work necessary to safely marry these all-in-one solar generators or even much less expensive/don't need to do it all inverters to the former?
Game over for a good portion of DIYers who truly believe even beyond Will's latest cart project where he asked for a very simple (enclosed) inverter delivering less overkill than a 12Kpv.
This may be a short window of time where all of this will even be possible at these prices let alone availabilities...yet a few of us are here to point out that it was once possible if one fought through all of the naysayer garbage above to simply share with each other.

 

[CaliSunHarvester]

For all the average Joes and Janes out there presently putting up with highly arrogant/high-priced solar advice and anything but affordable outside-the-box solutions from manufacturers willing to listen:
Too many brand new possibilities to mention here (check out the comments for but a few):

Watched the video. About the high voltage solar string, up to 150V. That's