Ecoflow River 2 Pro portable battery power station test with domestic fridge

[Stationmaster]

Why does the frunk get so warm? Is there a way to insulate the tub ..... on the back side?

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[NY_Rob]

I feel like the only human on here that uses a cooler with ice in it. It's a yeti though, so it's pretty fancy if that helps.

We still use ice for day trips, but once you plan a multi-day getaway "off the grid" there is no place to get ice.. so electric cooler it is!

We use the electric cooler at home for summer parties because it's very easy to fill it with room temp beverages the day before the party, plug it in to AC and forget it. On party day, you have a whole cooler full of 34deg cold drinks without ever having to go buy ice.

 

[Singletracker]

Prior to the Rivian, my Dometic CFX40 lived in my FJ 24/365. Great for those Costco runs! Probably won’t have it in my R1T permanently, as it will not fit as easily. It will reside in the back seat area during camping season.

 

[NY_Rob]

I like to use our ICECO JP30 in the summer when going to the store to buy ice cream. I just set it to 0F and then I don't have to drive like a mad man on the way home from the store. I detest melted/re-frozen ice cream!

 

[Singletracker]

I like to use our ICECO JP30 in the summer when going to the store to buy ice cream. I just set it to 0F and then I don't have to drive like a mad man on the way home from the store. I detest melted/re-frozen ice cream!

Plus, you can hit the Home Depot, or wherever, on the way home, knowing your refrigerated/frozen stuff will be just fine.

 

[NY_Rob]

Plus, you can hit the Home Depot, or wherever, on the way home, knowing your refrigerated/frozen stuff will be just fine.

Yeah, first time out with the cooler we actually hit two other stores on the way home from the grocery store and the ice cream was still perfect. The family was laughing about me bringing the electric cooler, but then they realized how convenient it was to have onboard.

They also laughed about my Pizza Bag, but now everyone in the house uses it on Pizza runs!

 

[sizotty]

I made a video about this exact situation I was encountering during multi day camping trips.

The truck will burn crazy amounts of energy just staying awake with inverter on. But for quick 30 minute sessions to recharge the power bank, you will barely lose a mile or two. Check out my results.

 

[RivianRunner]

For those that may be on the road and/or off the grid for days, conserving the Rivian battery is certainly a concern. Running a DC fridge 24/7, for days, having the vehicle power always on could be a problem. I have a Dometic CFX40 fridge that I use for camping. It was never an issue with my Toyota FJ. I could always fire up the engine, if need be, or at some point I would be driving. The Dometic has always proven to sip power, but still….

So, I purchased an Ecoflow River 2 Pro power station, even got a solar panel, all on sale. The power station is very compact with almost 800 Wh capacity.

After watching a bunch of YouTube videos on run times with similar setups, I was still not sure how long it would run. I am now in the middle of a test to see how long it will power the Dometic. I was hoping for close to 3 days. What I noticed in all of the reviews was that the reviewers did not do real world testing. They just plugged the power station into an empty, room temperature fridge and got less than stellar results, IMHO. Well, duh ? If you‘ve got a warm fridge full of 40L of nothing but air, what can you expect?

So, I put the fridge on the kitchen counter, plugged it into the wall and got the temp down into the 30’s and let it sit for a bit. Then, I loaded it up with a normal amount of drinks, food, etc. and let it all cool for a while. Once I had everything cooled down to about 37 degrees, I plugged into the Ecoflow. I even open the fridge periodically to replicate real world usage. To my very, very pleasant surprise, I’m now at 30 hours and still have 69% charge in the battery!!!

It appears that this puppy is going to go a solid 4 days without recharging the battery. That is insane!! Call me a happy camper ? The only variable I couldn’t control was the ambient outside temperature. If the fridge is sitting in a 120 degrees car, well that will have some negative effect. If that be the case, a little insulation around the fridge should help.

I applaud you for making the test more real-world by loading it with cold food and drink, but you need to disclose the ambient temperature and wind speed (due not to the wind chill factor, but the wind warming factor).

Was it sitting on the floor of a house in the winter with no real wind other than the cool air that might normally pool near the floor, or was it outside on a summer day (or in a hot vehicle) with warm breezes blowing on it?

Fridges like this work most efficiently when the air they use for cooling is not too hot.

 

[sizotty]

If anyone isn’t already paying attention, there are some massive sales going on right now for portable battery banks.
the EcoFlow I use is down to $379 from $599 https://amzn.to/462Lr5k

The larger Delta 2 is also on a big sale to $499 from $999 https://amzn.to/3xWDG4w

 

[Singletracker]

The EcoFlow River 2 Pro is the one I have. I have to say, I am very impressed with this unit. I’ve used it camping a few times, now. I would buy it again, in a heart beat. And, $379 is a great price!

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