EcoFlow has launched new portable power stations for home backup and outdoor use.
Here's what to know
Keeping food cold during a blackout depends on more than the size of a backup battery, which is why the power station's own electricity use can also determine how long a refrigerator keeps running.
According to Digital Trends, EcoFlow said its new DELTA Gen4 portable power stations use just 14 watts at idle, helping the larger model power a refrigerator for up to 70 hours.
The company's four-model U.S. lineup pairs two DELTA Gen4 stations for home backup with two smaller RIVER Gen4 stations for outdoor use.
Households can expand the DELTA 3800 Gen4 to 12 kilowatt-hours of storage with additional batteries. On its own, it holds 3,763 watt-hours, compared with 3,072 watt-hours for the DELTA 3000 Gen4.
Both DELTA stations can power household appliances such as refrigerators, microwaves, and electric heaters, with ratings of 3,600 watts for continuous output and 7,200 watts for surges.
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Users can still charge a phone after any of the four models displays 0% battery, thanks to a small reserve held by Emergency Power Mode. On the DELTA units, that reserve can also keep an emergency light running during an outage.
More background
According to EcoFlow, the DELTA models draw 3 watts in standby and 14 watts when AC is enabled but no devices are connected.
The DELTA models conserve energy between refrigerator cooling cycles through a feature called Fridge Runtime Boost.
EcoFlow said the DELTA 3800 Gen4 can run a refrigerator for up to 70 hours, compared with up to 58 hours for the DELTA 3000 Gen4.
What can be done?
For those looking to power devices while camping or taking a road trip, EcoFlow's two RIVER models offer smaller, lighter options.
At a little more than six pounds, the RIVER 260 Gen4 is easier to carry than a home-backup station. It has 256 watt-hours of storage and 300 watts of output.
Both RIVER stations provide a 140-watt bidirectional USB-C connection alongside their portable battery capacity. The larger RIVER 520 Gen4 offers 500 watts of output and 512 watt-hours of storage in a 10-pound design.
RIVER Gen4 presales begin Nov. 24, with prices still unannounced. The RIVER 520 can charge from empty to 80% in 50 minutes, while the RIVER 260 reaches the same level in 42 minutes.
Digital Trends listed U.S. introductory prices of $1,699 for the higher-capacity DELTA 3800 Gen4 and $1,299 for the DELTA 3000 Gen4, and both home-backup models are on sale.
Where can I learn more?
Reports from EcoFlow owners show how battery capacity and idle draw affect backup power.
• A homeowner's 2-kWh EcoFlow battery ran a full-size refrigerator for about 22 hours.
• EcoFlow's Delta 3 lost 300 watt-hours overnight to idle draw even with a freezer turned off.
• EcoFlow's new backup battery scales to 30 kWh after covering basic household power needs.
• EcoFlow Delta Pro 3 owners cover outages and RV trips, though weight complicates portability.
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