As an expert in the renewable power industry for a decade, I’m like a kid in a candy store whenever I buy new solar powered generator. I had my eye on 2023 release of the Ecoflow River Portable Power Station for 2 months before clicking the buy button in May. After 3 months, here is everything you need to know about how the Ecoflow River 2 series really performs. In this 5 minute read you’re going to find out: who should buy it, who shouldn’t, and if it’s worth the sticker price. Let’s get into it.
Key takeaways – the Ecoflow River Portable Power Station
The Ecoflow River Series of portable power stations has undergone an overhaul.
Enter the Ecoflow River ‘2’ Series – a significant upgrade on the previous Ecoflow River Portable Power Station, and the focus of this article.
The 2023-released Ecoflow River 2 series features 3 different LifeP04 battery models:
- Ecoflow River 2 – the smallest, cheapest, lightest in the new River 2 series
- Ecoflow River 2 Max – the right balance of power and price.
- Ecoflow River 2 Pro – more power in a small package.
This article focuses on the Ecoflow River 2 Pro. But all River 2 Series batteries share the same new battery cell technology. So whichever model you’re considering, you’ll probalby find the answers you need here.
In a snapshot, here is what you need to know about the Ecoflow River Portable Power Station:
Wins – reasons the Ecoflow River 2 Pro is worth the sticker price
- Truly portable power. At just over 7kg the River 2 Pro will give out a massive 1800Wh of power a day if you use it with solar charging (yes, you can charge and discharge at the same time!)
- 3000 charges gives you 10 years of use and makes the Ecoflow River 2 far more cost efficient than other types of lithium portable power stations. Read on to find out how the River 2 Pro cost per kWh of power compares with a diesel generator.
- The LifeP04 battery makes it safer from fires and explosions that other lithium battery types
- 60 minutes to charge from the wall and 3 hours from solar means you can run this puppy continuously throughout the day, with almost no downtime.
Losses – what to know before you buy
- Don’t buy the River 2 portable power station if you need Emergency/Essential Power Supply (EPS) capability. We explain why below.
- It’s not big enough for home backup. You could make do if the power is off for just a few hours and you just need to run a smaller fridge, some lights and your wifi.
- Instead, the Delta Solar Generator is our pick to get you through frequent or sustained power outages.
What is a portable power station?
Portable power stations run your electronic devices and appliances when there is no other source of electricity available – like the power grid.
Think of them like a power bank for your laptop or iPhone, except on steroids. And with more built in ‘smarts’ – a battery management system and inverter.
These mobile batteries can also output more power for longer than a power bank. And you can plug different types of plugs into them. Anything from a iPhone, to a 12 volt caravan fridge and run of the mill home appliances.
Another name for these devices is ‘solar powered generator’. Or you may have the name ‘portable solar generator’. The point is, they’re all the same thing.
Portable power stations are also referred to as ‘solar powered generators’ because they can charge from solar panels as well from as a wall outlet. That’s what makes them a ‘power station’. With solar, they can both generate and store electrical energy.
They are commonly used where power is needed on the go – in RVs, caravans, camping, tiny homes and on remote work sites.
The larger ones can provide backup power for your home in a power outage, and even take your home power needs completely off grid.
To find out more about portable power stations, check out this post “Portable Power Stations: The Completely Lit 2023 Buyers Guide’.
What is the Ecoflow River Portable Power Station?
The Ecoflow River Portable Power Station is a solar generator that combines:
- the Ecoflow LifeP04 solar power generator with a built in Battery Management System and Inverter,
- matching portable ‘dual surface’ solar panels, and
- the Ecoflow App.
The solar panels fold out accordion style and come in 3 power sizes – 110 watt, 160 watt or 220 watt. More watts mean faster charging for your Ecoflow River battery.
Features of the River 2 portable power station
Firstly, the important features that all three River portable power station models share:
- LifeP04 battery – makes the River safer from fire and explosions than other lithium battery types
- 3000+ charge cycles – LifeP04 tech massively ups the cycle life of of the River 2. After 3000 charges the battery will still have 80% of its original capacity. Makes it longer lasting and a lot more cost efficient for heavy users.
- App controls – real time monitoring and control of the power station. You can also set performance parameters, to optimise battery function.
Here are the key differences between River 2 models that you need to know about:
| EcoFlow River 2 | EcoFlow River 2 Max | EcoFlow River 2 Pro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power Capacity* | 256Wh | 512Wh | 768Wh |
| Maximum output** | 600W | 1000W | 1600W |
| Weight | 3.5lg | 6.1kg | 7.8kg |
| Charge ports | 5 | 9 | 10 |
| Compatible solar | 110 watts | 160 watts | 220 watts |
| Price | ~AUD$650 | ~AUD$1100 | ~AUD$1300 |
| What can it run? | One home appliance at a time. Or multiple LED lights, small fans and devices | A couple of larger kitchen appliances. Small RV fridge with some lights & fan. | A Tiny House Small RV or camper |
*Power capacity is the the number of watt hours you’ll get from the power station. 768 watt hours (Wh) means you’ll get 768 watts for one hour. If you’re appliances use 256 watts you can run them for 3 hours. 768 / 256 = 3 hours.
**Maximum output is the amount of power the battery can send out at any instant. It’s useful for appliances like fridges that need more power to get started.
Charge times also differ between the three River models:
| Charge times | Ecoflow River 2 | Ecoflow River 2 Max | Ecoflow River 2 Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wall outlet | 1 hr | 1 hr | 70 mins |
| Solar | 3 hrs | 4 hrs | 4.5 hrs |
Pros and Cons
What makes the River Portable Power Station worth it’s sticker price? Here are the pros, and also some cons to know about before you buy.
Pros
- Lightweight but still powerful: With a 720Wh lithium-ion battery, it offers a substantial amount of power for various devices and appliances.
- Cost efficient – heavy users get great bang for their buck due to the massive cycle life of the River. We calculate the kilowatt hour cost of the River portable power station to be around 43 cents per kWh. This compares to 60 cents for diesel backup.
- Fast Charging: Known for its rapid recharge capability, which is especially useful in situations where time is of the essence.
- Heat tolerant: performs well in high ambient temperatures where other lithium batteries don’t.
- Multiple ports: Provides a variety of ports to cater to different devices, from USB to AC outlets.
- Plug and play: Comes with an intuitive display, and smart battery management system. Easy to use as any household appliance. You can also monitor and manage battery output from the App.
- 5 year warranty: with a 10 year life, 5 of those are under warranty should something go wrong. That’s a vote of confidence from the manufacturer, and peace of mind for you.
Cons
- Price: High-quality portable power stations like the River Pro are on the pricier side. But extended cycle life make it cost efficient for heavy users.
- Limited power for larger appliances: While it can handle many appliances, it won’t sustain power-hungry appliances like kettles or fridges for extended periods. Not quite big enough for home backup power in our experience.
- Emergency Power Supply (EPS) capability: We don’t use ours for EPS but there are several reports online that the EPS is inconsistent. Apparently the onboard Battery Management System becomes confused when the battery is plugged in to the wall permanently. This causes the battery to lose calibration. To fix the problem, the battery then needs to be drained and recalibrated over a few cycles. If you need a battery for your fish tank or CPAP machine, don’t get the Ecoflow River.
How does the Ecoflow River Portable Power Station work?
The Ecoflow River Portable Power Station is plug and play out of the box. Here’s how simple it is to get started.
Charging the battery
You will need to charge it up before first use. You can charge if from a wall outlet or solar panels.
Wall outlet charging – simply connect the charging cable to the AC input port at the back of the unit, and plug the other end into a wall outlet. You’ll see the display light up to know it’s charging.
Solar panel charging – you’ll have to set these up in the sun first. It can be a little fiddly due to one of the Ecoflow River Portable Power Station’s biggest shortfalls – its flimsy solar panel frame.
Connecting the solar panels to the battery is as simple as plugging in two cables. The matching port and plug make it self explanatory. We had ours all set up and connected within about 5 minutes.
Our Ecoflow River 2 Pro came 60% charged so it took half and our to top it up.
Setting up the Ecoflow App
Once it’s charged, download the Ecoflow App and register your power station by inputting the serial number details and selecting model. Registration is instantaneous and gives you immediate access in the App to the battery’s key vitals – charge status, hours of use remaining, and watts coming in to the battery and going out. These are updated in real time as the battery runs.
How the River portable power station works
To use the battery, power it on with the button on the face of the unit. Depending on what electronics you want to run, turn on the DC or AC button on the front of the battery. Then just plug your devices in to the battery and you’re away!
The built in Battery Management System (BMS) controls the input (charging) and output (discharging) of the battery. It also regulates its current and voltage and controls the internal fan, which you’ll hear fire up as you charge the battery.
These built in ‘smarts’ help protect the battery and any appliances you plug into it from electrical damage.
The battery can also charge and discharge at the same time. So you can have your solar panels plugged in at the back (input port) and your fridge plugged in at the front (AC output ports) and both will run seamlessly.
Powering down & maintaining the battery
Once you’re done using the River 2 Pro, unplug everything. Turn off the AC or DC port buttons. To power down the battery, press down the main power button and count to 3.
There’s not much maintenance with the Ecoflow River Portable Power Station. The most important thing is staying on top of app updates and firmware updates. You can do both of these in ‘Settings’ inside the Ecoflow App.
Who should buy the Ecoflow River Portable Power Station?
- Solo travellers and wild campers – the battery is lightweight with enough power to run xxxxx. The solar panels come in a hand carry bag that doubles as a mounting frame. Perfect to slide into the boot with the rest of your camping gear.
- Digital nomads – there’s plenty of juice to run laptops, lighting, microphones and iPhones all together for 4 or 5 hours.
- Small RVs, Tiny Homes or campervans – there’s not enough juice in it to ‘boon-dock’, but the River 2 Pro will give you enough power to run AC or DC appliances on the road for a few hours or overnight, between powered parking sites.
- Home-owners needing power for essential appliances in short power outages (3 to 4 hours) – the ‘X-boost’ feature will let you run a medium size fridge/freezer, or run some lights, your WiFi, TV and iPhones for a few hours while the power is out.
Who Shouldn’t buy it?
- Homeowners facing frequent or extended power outages. The Ecoflow Delta model is what you need instead. The Ecoflow River 2 Pro doesn’t have the power capacity or maximum output to run larger home appliances – like fridges, freezers, kettles or electricity frypans – for extended periods.
- Off-grid homesteaders. You’ll need a lot more power capacity – probably a few Ecoflow Delta Solar Generators linked together – to take a cabin off the power grid.
In a nutshell
In recap, the Ecoflow River portable power station, especially the River 2 Pro model, stands out as a reliable, cost efficient and truly portable power station for small mobile users, from solo travelers to digital nomads. Its lightweight design, impressive power capacity, and smart Battery Management System make it a top choice for short-term power needs. For those facing frequent or prolonged power outages or looking to go completely off-grid, the larger Delta Solar Generator is more suitable. With its ease of use, safety features, and solar charging, the Ecoflow River 2 series is a front runner in portable power solutions and after 3 months of solid use we think ours is definitely worth the sticker price.
FAQs
How long does the Ecoflow River 2 last?
It depends on how much power you need at one time. The River Pro will last one hour discharging at 768 watts. Discharging at 300 watts it will last 2.5 hours, and so on.
The River Pro lasts 3 hours powering our Tiny House while we run the fans, lights, water, hot water, the fridge and the TV.
The Ecoflow River lets you you charge and discharge at the same time. In fact, you’ll get a whopping 1.8kWh of power a day from this thing if you run it with solar charging. Which means you can power your appliances for longer.
Can the Ecoflow River portable power station run a house?
No, the Ecoflow River portable power station is does not store enough power to run a house. The larger capacity Ecoflow Delta Solar Generator is a better fit for home backup and can even take your home off grid.
Can Ecoflow River 2 power a TV?
Yes the Ecoflow River 2 can power a TV. We use the River 2 Pro to run our Tiny Home where it powers our Sony Smart TV as well as the fridge, lights, hot water and fan.
Can Ecoflow River power a refrigerator?
Yes the Ecoflow River can power a refrigerator. Our Ecoflow River 2 Pro 768Wh battery easily powers our 205L up/down refrigerator in our Tiny Home. We use the River 2 Pro to keep the fridge cold during power outages. So the fridge is already cold when we plug it in to the Ecoflow River. This is a key point. Because compressors are energy hungry when first started. So your battery needs to have enough surge power or starting watts to get it going. If you’re ‘keeping the fridge running, you can do with a smaller battery like the Ecoflow RIver.
Our refrigerator uses about 130 watts of power while the compressor is cycling. Keeping in mind that it doesn’t cycle all day, the Ecoflow River will run it for a good 5 to 6 hours, which is enough to keep it cool over a 24 hour period.
If you have a bigger fridge, find out how much power it works and then follow the steps in this article ‘How long will a solar generator power a refrigerator‘ to get the right size battery to run it.
