The EcoFlow 800W Alternator Charger is another bold step forward in portable energy. It opens up the door to charging your EcoFlow power station with your car or RV.
But this innovative charger goes way beyond that.
It also works as a two-way charger across any 12V or 24V battery. You can use it to charge your car’s battery if its dead. For RVs and campervans, you can connect it to the house battery with a high-powered DC connection. Use your EcoFlow to feed solar power to your RV.
This article reviews how to use the EcoFlow 800W Alternator Charger. Plus, we’ll show exactly how it works with almost any alternator without causing problems.
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Get 5% off with SOLARWAY5OFF discount code on EcoFlow orders. See our best EcoFlow deals page for more money-saving tips.
Quick Overview
The EcoFlow 800W Alternator Charger provides a way to use an alternator to charge your EcoFlow power station (or Wave 2). You can use basically any vehicle as a charging source, adding to the power station’s battery.
The recharge rate is incredibly fast at 800W. And it has intelligent software that stops it from harming your alternator.
Ways to Use
The other uses aren’t so obvious, but they’re incredible. In addition to charging a power station, the EcoFlow 800W Alternator Charger can:
- Jump Starter: Use your power station to recharge a dead car battery
- RV or Campervan Battery: Use DC connection to efficiently connect power station and solar
- Battery Maintainer: Can function like a battery charger and maintainer for longer storage
- Solar Power: Use the solar power connected to your EcoFlow for other batteries
- EcoFlow Extra Batteries: Use and recharge without the main inverter unit
- Other 12V/24V Batteries: Use or recharge any 12V/24V battery with EcoFlow power stations
Even though EcoFlow calls it an Alternator Charger, it’s a versatile DC to DC charger. It fills a gap in the power station function that DIY systems have had for years. While this helps boost EcoFlow above Bluetti right now, you can put money on competitors producing similar products very soon.
See the EcoFlow 800W Alternator Charger on EcoFlow’s website, or keep reading to see how useful it is.
EcoFlow 800W Alternator Charger Specifications
The EcoFlow 800W Alternator Charger specifications are:
- Max Power: 800W (adjusts automatically and offers manual limit control)
- Input Voltage from Battery/Alternator: 12V / 24V (11V-35V)
- Output Voltage to EcoFlow: 48V
- Charging Rate: 76A (800W at 12V)
- Max Battery Maintenance Mode: 40V-60V, 3A
- Max Reverse Charging Mode: 40V-60V, 21A Max
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EcoFlow 800W Alternator Charger |
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Ways to Use the EcoFlow Charger
Let’s go through the many ways to use the EcoFlow Alternator Charger in more detail.
Alternator Charger
The main use for the EcoFlow 800W Alternator Charger is to use your car’s electrical system to recharge your EcoFlow power station. After a fairly straightforward installation, the Charger pulls excess energy from your car to recharge the power station.
It is much faster than your car’s cigarette lighter port (usually 10A/120W). This is up to 76A/800W! It can fill your battery with 1,000Wh of energy in about 1 hour and 20 minutes.
This device adds another reason to choose the EcoFlow Delta Pro over the Bluetti AC300. It’s a great way to make sure your power station has power when your car is around. You can:
- Charge while driving
- Charge while your car idles
- Use when solar panels don’t generate enough power
- Use to power high-energy devices without depleting your power station
It will automatically detect what it can use safely from the alternator. And the EcoFlow app lets you manually control the rate if you want.
We’ll discuss this and how to install the EcoFlow Alternator Charger below. It is a pretty straightforward installation that connects to your battery, not the alternator. You can always ask a stereo installer, RV shop, or similar automotive technician to help out. It’s an easy and common task for them.
The EcoFlow 800W Alternator Charger does tremendously well at charging your power station by using your car as an energy source.
Jump Starter
Once you connect the EcoFlow Charger to your car’s battery, you’ll never have to worry about a dead car battery again. You can even use solar panels to recharge your car battery.
This EcoFlow device is actually a two-way charger. It can send energy either direction:
- From your car to the power station
- From your power station to your car
With just the push of a button from the app, you can reverse the flow. If you accidentally leave on your car’s lights or run your car stereo too long, just pull up the app and use your EcoFlow power station to charge your battery. The solar panels you have connected to the power station can now jump start your car’s battery too.
It’s a great backup safety device for isolated excursions.
RV and Campervan House Batteries
It has been possible to use EcoFlow power stations to create a solar powered RV. But this is a much more efficient and high-power connection. Before this device you had two options:
- Use the power station’s AC output connected to the RV’s shore power input, which is less efficient due to AC power inverter use
- Use the power station’s DC output, which lacks a high-amp capability
With this EcoFlow Charger, you can now connect the power station directly to your RV’s 12V or 24V house battery. And it can send power back and forth at up to 800W! Easy and fast.
It’s a game-changer in the RV world for EcoFlow power stations. You will no doubt start to see EcoFlow units used in a lot more RVs and vans with this Alternator Charger. This might even change our review of the best solar generators for RVs and campervans.
Using two-way DC to DC charging from your EcoFlow power station to your RV battery is a great way to go.
EcoFlow Extra Batteries
The EcoFlow extra batteries usually need to be connected to the power station to be useful. But this Alternator Charger changes that. With it, you can use the EcoFlow extra batteries directly, without the inverter unit.
Once you connect the EcoFlow Alternator Charger to a compatible EcoFlow extra battery, you can connect any 12v or 24V battery to the other side, including your car’s starter battery, your RV’s house battery, or any other 12V/24V one.
This means you can keep your main inverter unit powering the campsite, but have the extra battery getting charged up in the car somewhere else.
Battery Maintenance
When you connect the EcoFlow Alternator Charger to your car or RV battery, you can use a maintenance mode. This will automatically monitor the external battery and send a little power to it when needed to keep it topped off.
These are often separate devices called battery tenders. You can forget about buying one of those and instead just use your power station and the EcoFlow Charger.
DC to DC Charger
If you haven’t noticed by now, the EcoFlow 800W Alternator Charger goes far beyond alternator/car use. This is essentially a DC to DC charger, meaning it can send DC power from one DC device to another. And at a very fast rate, much faster than any EcoFlow power station DC output or car cigarette port.
Before this device, using a DC-DC charger with any power station was basically impossible due to voltage differences and problems with using two charge controllers (one inside the power station and another outside of it).
The EcoFlow Alternator Charger hurdles over those problems like an Olympic athlete.
It’s a seamless connection for the compatible power stations, now adding the possibility to use any vehicle or any 12V or 24V battery. People with off-grid setups can use this to bridge the gap between the EcoFlow power station and other off-grid batteries. You can add external battery storage without having to buy directly from EcoFlow.
Compatible EcoFlow Power Stations and Devices
The EcoFlow 800W Alternator Charger uses a simple plug-in connector. But this connector is specific and only works with certain EcoFlow power stations.
The EcoFlow 800W Alternator Charger works with these EcoFlow power stations, including:
- EcoFlow Delta Pro
- EcoFlow Delta 2 Max
- EcoFlow Delta Max 2000
- EcoFlow Delta 2
- EcoFlow Delta 2 EB
- EcoFlow Delta 2 Max EB
- EcoFlow Wave 2 Battery (air conditioner)
Unfortunately, this device does NOT work with the amazing and powerful EcoFlow Delta Pro Ultra due to a different cable connections and battery voltage.
EcoFlow 800W Alternator Charger: Control and Other Details
Let’s review the ways to control the EcoFlow 800W Alternator and other details.
App Control
You’ll notice that the EcoFlow Alternator Charger is a very compact and sleek device. Once you plug it in, there’s just an indicator light. Not a lot of physical buttons.
You really don’t need to do much with it. But if you want to adjust settings or see what’s going on, you can do so with the EcoFlow app, connecting over:
- Bluetooth if you’re nearby
- WiFi if you want to control/monitor it from anywhere
Through the EcoFlow app, you can adjust charging parameters and see how much energy is flowing and to which battery. It ensures your power station and connected devices are charged efficiently and safely. You can set the charging voltage, adjust the charge rate to protect your vehicle’s alternator, and even manage backward power transfer to other batteries.
Is It Safe?
EcoFlow is known for building reliable devices with many built-in safety features. And this charger is no different. It is remarkably safe, with many safety features for:
- Overcharging
- Overcurrent
- Short circuit
- Reverse polarity
It also does a great job at avoiding damage to your alternator, no matter how weak or powerful it is. The 800W Alternator Charger uses intelligent software to automatically detect the alternator’s capability and stay within that.
Will My Car Use More Gas?
There’s no such thing as free energy, but this is about as close as it gets. The extra energy produced by your alternator will have almost no impact on your car’s fuel economy.
The alternator is regularly running to power things like your radio, dashboard lights, and other electronics. Asking the alternator for a little more electrical output is like turning on your headlights. Even if it’s more power than the headlights would take, it won’t have a noticeable impact on the fuel economy. A car’s air conditioner is different because it’s not always in use. So turning it on adds another load to the serpentine belt and engine.
How Long Will It Take to Charge?
The 800W output is a fast charging rate. It can provide a charge of 1,000Wh (1kWh) in about 1 hour and 20 minutes. That is equal to about 100 cell phone charges and can run a small portable fridge for about 20 hours.
Here is how long it will takes the EcoFlow Alternator Charger to charge EcoFlow power stations:
- DELTA 2 Max (2kWh): 2.6 hours
- DELTA 2 (1kWh): 1.3 hours
- WAVE 2 (1.16kW): 1.45 hours
- DELTA Pro (3.6kWh): 4.8 hours
- DELTA Max 2000: 2.6 hours
- DELTA Max 1600: 2.1 hours
- DELTA 2 Extra Battery: 1.3 hours
- DELTA 2 Max Extra Battery: 2.6 hours
EcoFlow Alternator Charger Installation
Installing the EcoFlow 800W Alternator Charger involves connecting a cable to the battery (with a fuse), running the wire back to the vehicle’s cabin, and mounting the Charger in a desired location. The cable from the Charger to the power station simply plugs into both ends.
If you don’t want to tackle this job, it is a very routine installation for professionals that work on vehicle electronics, such as car stereo installation places, RV shops, and many other auto shops that work on electronic parts.
Here is a quick step-by-step guide to installing the EcoFlow 800W Alternator Charger:
- Identify the appropriate connection point to the battery, directly to the battery post or to a high-amp bus bar or distribution bar (100A).
- Locate the cable path, making sure it reaches from the battery to the EcoFlow Charger. You may need to drill a hole in the firewall and protect it with a rubber grommet.
- Install the inline fuse then attach the positive cable to the battery terminal. The fuse is a critical safety protection.
- Ground the negative cable to the vehicle chassis. If installing on an RV, EcoFlow suggests using the negative terminal of the house battery.
- Connect the input cable to the EcoFlow Charger.
- Connect the output cable to the EcoFlow power station, extra battery, or Wave 2 air conditioner.
- Open the app and connect through Bluetooth or WiFi for monitoring and control, including the reverse charge features. You do not change the cables to reverse the flow.
- The light will be green when charging, and will flash green when in standby mode. Red indicates an error alarm. Check the user manual or app for the meaning of other light signals.
You can see more details for the installation and use in the EcoFlow 800W Alternator Charger User Manual.
Will Your Alternator Work?
You have nothing to worry about with this EcoFlow Alternator Charger. Before it pulls 800W off of your car or RV, it will automatically detect the alternator output and will make sure to stay within its limit.
Ensuring Compatibility with Your Vehicle
If you want to know how much power the EcoFlow 800W Alternator Charger will pull off your car, you should:
- Check Alternator Capacity: See what your vehicle’s alternator can produce.
- Confirm Electrical System Integrity: Ensure your vehicle’s electrical system is in good condition.
Alternators are typically rated in amps. Watts = amps times volts. Some smaller cars have 100A or less alternators, while larger vehicles have alternators rated at 150A or more. If you don’t know what yours has, shop for replacement alternators and look for OEM replacements for your car. If your car’s alternator has been replaced, this can be a little harder to identify.
Many auto parts stores will also test your alternator for free. The only catch is the many alternators don’t put out energy until they need to. So it might tell you what it is currently powering, but not the maximum power it can provide. You can do the same test on your alternator with any basic multimeter.
The EcoFlow Alternator Charger is rated at 800W. This is equal to ~67A on a 12V system (800W divided by 12V = 67A).
In any case, the EcoFlow Charger is intelligent. It will limit the amount of energy it pulls to match the alternator.
Preventing Damage to Your Vehicle
There’s no reason to worry about this device causing damage to your vehicle. But if your car or alternator has an existing problem, that’s something you want to fix regardless. This can accelerate existing problems.
You can also place manual limits through the EcoFlow app. This can help reduce any potential stress from the Alternator Charger.
Reducing the wattage slows down charging rates. But you can still do much faster than a car’s cigarette port, which usually is around 120W.
You’ll also want to:
- Use Proper Connections
- Monitor Regularly
Alternator Upgrade
If you want to maximize the charge rate, you may upgrade to a higher-capacity alternator. Many vehicles have either OEM or aftermarket options for high-amp alternators. This can be a nice upgrade to have with few downsides.
By installing a high-performance alternator, you can be sure to get the most out of the EcoFlow Charger and you will help your car avoid electrical problems. Many times these are direct replacements with no modifications needed.
Here is a step-by-step guide to replacing an alternator:
- Disconnect the negative side of the car’s battery
- Loosen the belt tensioner pulley and remove the serpentine belt
- Unplug the alternator connections or wires
- Loosen and remove the bolts holding the alternator to the engine
- Reverse the process to install
- Test to verify the alternator is working
Direct Connection to the Alternator
The EcoFlow 800W Alternator Charger does not connect directly to the alternator itself. It attaches to the battery because it’s generally safer and easier. Car batteries are made for easy access. And the alternator power goes through them anyway.
The alternator will think the battery is just absorbing more power, when it’s actually going to your EcoFlow Charger. It will continue sending power in the same way it always does.
Get 5% off with SOLARWAY5OFF discount code on EcoFlow orders. See our best EcoFlow deals page for more money-saving tips.
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EcoFlow 800W Alternator Charger |
EFAC on EcoFlow EFAC on Amazon |
Wrap Up
The EcoFlow 800W Alternator Charger is a versatile and powerful addition to your energy setup. Its ability to charge from multiple sources, maintain battery health, and provide jump-starts makes it a great tool for everyday use and emergencies.
If you want a portable gasoline or propane charging source for your EcoFlow power station, discover the EcoFlow Dual Fuel Generator. It’s a better option for stationary use.
See our best EcoFlow deals page for money-saving tips.
