Tag: tesla (Page 3 of 24)
Buy EcoFlow Portable Solar Panel
It seems like every essential item we use on a daily basis relies on power of some sort. In fact my three most used items in my life are all battery powered: my phone, my laptop, and my car. Batteries are becoming more important and when you pair batteries with a renewable energy source that is the ultimate sustainable solution we all should be striving for. I don’t have a solar roof yet so when EcoFlow asked if I wanted to review their portable power station called the Delta Pro along with their portable solar panels, I thought it would be a perfect fit since it aligns with my channel’s theme of sustainable technology. First, let’s look at how the Delta Pro can be useful in your home then I’ll show you why I think this is one of the best accessories if you own a Tesla or any electric vehicle for that matter.
The EcoFlow Delta Pro is not only packed with features as a portable battery solution with a high capacity of 3.6 kWh, but it’s incredibly well-built from the hardware to the software. It is the largest capacity in the Delta series and was actually named one of the best inventions of 2021 by Time magazine. A single Delta Pro unit has 3600 watts of AC output with a wide range of ports including four 20 amp outlets which are just like your standard home power outlet, one 30 amp outlet which is similar to an RV hookup, four USB-A ports two of which are fast charging, and two USB-C ports plus many other types. These are all useful for on-the-go charging or powering a multitude of devices. It supports up to 15 devices plugged in simultaneously to meet 99% of power needs but the output can also be expanded up to 4500 watts with the built-in X-Boost feature. A single Delta Pro is powerful enough for almost all heavy-duty devices and it’s probably obvious by its heavy weight which is probably its biggest downside. The Delta Pro weighs about 99 pounds which is not for the faint of heart. However, I’m not the strongest guy around by any means and I’m able to lift and maneuver this by myself, albeit it’s not the easiest thing to do. Luckily it comes with a helpful built-in trolley handle that allows for easier transportation on its wheels. The size and weight can probably be attributed to its battery chemistry which you may be familiar with. This uses a lithium iron phosphate (or LFP) battery which is the same chemistry that Tesla recently started using in all of their standard range vehicles. The advantages of using LFP include longer service life up to 3500 cycles at 80% capacity and 6500 cycles at 50% capacity, along with it being more stable in higher temperatures for improved safety. So this could hopefully be used for years without seeing much battery degradation. The LCD screen on the front shows all the important information about the unit including battery charge levels, estimated time remaining for current charging consumption, the input and output wattage, and more. You can also monitor and control the Delta Pro using the free EcoFlow App or optional remote control, or both at the same time since the Delta Pro is equipped with WiFi and Bluetooth. With the app, you can access your power settings, such as charging and discharging levels, AC charge speeds and it lets you start it from a distance when it’s in standby mode.
One huge reason I thought this would be a nice addition not only to my home but to my Tesla Model Y was because the Model Y doesn’t have any power outlets in the vehicle at all. It only has USB-C ports and 12v outlets. And when I saw that the Rivian R1T has four power outlets it made me a little envious. Adding the Delta Pro to the Model Y though makes up for it and adds way more ports and outlets than a Rivian has – although the downside being this is a 99 pound battery that takes up space in the back. But having this when traveling certain places is super useful for me and my wife because we film weddings, and for our most recent wedding we extended the trip into a vacation so having the Delta Pro would allow us to charge our laptops while we offload and edit the footage plus charge all our camera batteries while we were away from home. And the Delta Pro was able to handle all of it. We charged both of our MacBooks using the USB-C ports, we charged gimbal batteries and camera batteries using the USB-A ports, and we used all four power outlets to charge the rest of the batteries. This truly is a convenient and useful way to power all our devices from our car wherever we are and was essentially like making our Tesla Model Y just as good as a Rivian R1T in that regard.
But even better is the expandable design when connected with other EcoFlow units it can become an integrated home power solution and go all the way up to 25 kWh of capacity which can prove to be vital in more extreme events like blackouts that last for days. During these types of power loss events, the Delta Pro can provide reliable home backup power to keep your essential devices and appliances running. And with EcoFlow’s optional Smart Home Panel or Double Voltage Hub, two Delta Pros can even power up to 7200 watts and 240 volt devices. I put this single Delta Pro to the test in my own home by powering the most important item in my house: the refrigerator. Why? Because it contains what many people are calling liquid gold these days: breast milk. Yes – our first daughter was born earlier this year, and it turns out with the baby formula shortage, breastmilk is a valuable commodity right now. And we actually lost power during a storm not too long before our daughter was born so for this test of the Delta Pro I plugged my fridge in and it powered it with no problem at all. And since we have a 6 month old baby in the house our next essential items would be our coffee bean grinder and electric kettle because, well, caffeine. So I plugged these in the Delta Pro while the fridge was still connected and turned all of these on, and the Delta Pro’s fans kicked on which is also a really great feature because this allows it to have a consistent output of power without overheating, and the Delta Pro worked great while powering all three of these appliances. The screen showed an output of almost 1300 watts during peak usage, and when the grinder and kettle were unplugged, the Delta Pro was drawing 300 watts from my fridge and estimated that it could keep it running for about 10 hours. That is really reassuring because if we had a power outage this could save our frozen breastmilk that took months to make.
Now since this is a battery itself, it needs to be re-charged and to help maximize the convenience of this it has a 6500 watt MultiCharge feature which is the fastest on the market by opting for multiple different charging methods. And EcoFlow’s patented X-Stream feature makes it possible to charge extremely fast at a max of 1800 watts through a standard AC home outlet. When I was charging my Delta Pro at home you can see the input speed was about 1600 watts, and to fully charge from 0-100% it would only take less than 3 hours on a standard home outlet which is crazy fast. AC recharge speed is also adjustable to meet different needs. Using the X-Stream option is even faster when you charge the Delta Pro with a Smart Home Panel or on a 240V outlet, which most EV owners already have where their car is parked. Speaking of EVs, this is also the first portable power station that can be charged at level 2 public EV chargers using the X-Stream Adapter, and some of these stations are free to use which is even better. Although not the fastest, my personal favorite way to re-charge the Delta Pro is using the EcoFlow solar panel because that is always free using sunshine. This is a single-piece, foldable 400 watt portable solar panel that costs around $1,000 and is super handy for charging the Delta Pro when you’re away from electricity. It has a high solar output and efficiency rating of 23%, and the included carrying case conveniently folds out into a kick stand that is adjustable from 40-80 degrees in order to capture the most energy depending on the time of day. Compared to the Delta Pro, the solar panel is pretty lightweight at just over 35 pounds, and the built-in shoulder strap makes it easy to carry. The panel is covered with a protective film, and has an IP68 waterproof rating which makes it safe to use in different weather conditions. You can see that the solar panel was charging the delta pro at a max of 326 watts which is pretty good if you’re in a secluded location for a while and have the time to adjust the solar panel manually throughout the day to get the most energy back into the Delta Pro. When the solar panel is folded it can fit alongside the Delta Pro in my Tesla Model Y with one of the backseats folded down so this setup would be extremely convenient to have when camping or in a remote area and you need to continually charge devices for days on end. Another really cool setup that I’ve seen from other EcoFlow owners is a Delta Pro paired with a solar panel plus a Starlink satellite and router for the ultra-mobile internet hotspot that is charged by the sun.
So the Delta Pro can power many different devices and appliances but what about an actual car? Since range anxiety is still a concern with some electric vehicle owners I thought the best final test would be to see if it can charge my Tesla Model Y. It’s not crazy to envision a scenario when you’re out camping and you have the Delta Pro and solar panel with you and you need to charge an electric vehicle to make it a few more miles. After some research I found two items that are needed to charge my Tesla using the Delta Pro. The first item is this RV connector adapter that costs about $40 on Amazon and the second item is this neutral ground plug for about $15 on Amazon. All I had to do was connect the RV adapter cable into the Tesla mobile charging cable that had the NEMA 1450 plug, then connect the other end of the RV adapter into the Delta Pro’s 30 amp outlet. Then connect the neutral ground plug into any of the four outlets on the Delta Pro, then set the car’s max charge current to 32 amps and then finally plug in the charging cable and it actually successfully charges the car. The charging speed is obviously fairly slow compared to an actual NEMA 1450 outlet, but it’s not terrible by any means especially in an emergency situation. My Model Y was charging at around 4 kW and it estimated an hour and a half to charge 6% of the Model Y’s battery. The Delta Pro estimated it could charge the car for almost an hour while the car was pulling the maximum 3600 watts. So in theory if you had the delta pro and solar panel you could charge an electric vehicle with the delta pro and then charge the delta pro with the solar panel for a continuous sustainable charging loop, which is pretty awesome.
Although the Delta Pro is a pricey at around $3400 currently and it’s fairly heavy for the average person, it is solidly built with a wide variety of useful ports along with a high capacity and the ability to be connected to other units (especially the solar panels) to make it a truly usable backup battery in emergency situations. If you experience power outages or go camping often, this is definitely something to look into. It’s certainly the most powerful portable battery that I’ve ever used. The link to the Delta Pro and everything I mentioned will be in the description below so check those out. Thanks to EcoFlow for sponsoring this video, and thank you for watching. Let me know what you think of the Delta Pro and solar panel in the comments below. Give this video a like and thumbs up if you enjoyed it. Be sure to subscribe to see more sustainable tech videos in the future. I’ll talk to you in the next one.
Best Tesla Model 3/Y Accessories:
TapTes Floor Mat Bundle + Frunk Mat
These all-weather floor mats are the best budget-friendly alternative to the popular 3DMaxpider mats. They’re made with a waterproof TPE material that is odorless and non-toxic. The mats are comfortable for long drives and have raised edges to protect from dirt and spills and are lightweight, making them easy to remove for cleaning.
Spigen Screen Protector (DIY Alternative)
You definitely want to protect the most important part of the interior which is the touchscreen, and this screen protector from Spigen is a must if you want to get a perfect fail-proof fit when installing it. It has a matte anti-glare finish with fingerprint resistance.
Center Console Trays
3-piece tray set comes with a center Console Tray, an Armrest Storage Box Tray, and an Armrest Hidden Storage Box for optimal organization for all the small items you keep in your car.
Moldable Glue
My preferred position for Autopilot/FSD is to put my hand at the bottom of the steering wheel on either side but doing this for long periods of time is uncomfortable on my finger because the inside of the wheel is sharp. This moldable glue smooths out the surface to make it comfortable.
Paint Protection Film
Since electric vehicles have very small grilles compared to gas cars, it leaves the front paint more susceptible to rock chips and paint damage so for both my Model 3 and Model Y I took them into a professional auto detailing shop to get PPF installed for long lasting paint protection.
Tesla Mobile Connector
Must-have for charging your car at home or when you travel.
Cable Holder/Organizer
This cable holder/organizer is more affordable than Tesla’s version and is easy to install. Use it to wrap the excess cable around and as a place to hold the charger for a more organized home charging setup.
Cleaning Kit
Biodegradable nontoxic cleaners from TesBros include exterior car wash shampoo, exterior waterless wash, glass cleaner, and all purpose interior cleaner which is safe to use on all Tesla surfaces/fabrics to keep your Tesla looking great.
Safety Tool
Model Y rear doors do not have an easily accessible manual door open latch like the front doors so in the case of an emergency with power loss you’ll want this Resqme 2-in-1 safety & survival tool that allows you to cut a jammed seatbelt and to break a side window.
Camera Covers
All Teslas have interior cabin cameras that are used for monitoring drivers for Full Self Driving, but if you don’t have FSD and want to maximize privacy then these camera covers allow you to quickly block/unblock the camera.
Sunshade
This has two layers of light blocking fabric for maximal light & heat insulation in hot weather and is custom fit for the Model 3/Y. It stays in place with a simple velcro strap and by flipping down the sun visors.
DeskWedge (10% discount code: SLYE)
Place this inside your steering wheel opening and it gives you a small sturdy surface that will allow you to type on a laptop. It also fits nicely into the center console area for storage when not in use.
Go20 Portable Cooler ($50 discount code AndyCooler)
This electric cooler can be plugged into a 12v socket and act as a mini fridge to keep things cold without ice. It has dual temperature controls, and it fits nicely in the Model Y sub trunk area so this is great if you camp or tailgate a lot.
Self Inflating Mattress ($10 discount code: AndySIM)
This was designed to fit the shape of the Model Y & can fit in the Model Y sub trunk area or frunk. It sleeps 2 adults, self-inflates in under 3 minutes, and comes with a rechargeable air pump to add extra air when inflating or to help deflate the mattress.
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