Any Hybrid Owners using an alternator charger like the Ecoflow 800w or Bluetti Charger 2?

[HVLA]

The inverter on the truck does not charge fast enough to replenish my battery in a reasonable amount of time. There are also numerous write-ups noting that when the inverter output exceeds roughly 400–500 watts, a very loud fan engages inside the cabin.

Agreed that the inverter can run a fridge, charge a power station, etc., the amount of time I drive each day after a night of camping isn’t sufficient to keep the battery charged. With the limitations of the 2400-watt inverter, the battery will eventually be depleted.

My options are to upgrade to a larger power station (which would cost well over $1,000), run the engine while sitting at camp, or install an alternator charger.

Hybrid Inverter Fan

It charges much faster than an alternator charger.

Sponsored

 

[J4Runner1]

It charges much faster than an alternator charger.

If you have it tuned down to 500w then I don't see how it can charge faster. I think if you didn't have it limited that might be true, but I don't want to hear the fan.

I have heard of overlanders using the allternator charger and I was curious if anyone with the hybrid was using one and what their opnion was about it.

 

[elecfuyu]

Charge speed is related to your portable pwoer station (how much power it can draw).
The Bluetti Elite 200 is drawing 1445w in the picture from the onboard inverter. At this rate it charges from 20-80% with in 1 hr, maybe 45min.

Also don't you need to run the engine anyways with the alternator charger to charge a portable power station? I may be wrong, don't quote me on that.

You don't really hear the inverter fan unless your are driving or sitting in the car really.

What I do is charge the battery in the morning when camping for 30min - 1hr with the 2000w portable power station with the vehicle on when there's no noise restriction, but all you really hear is the engine running from outside the vehicle.

Another reason other vehicles need to use the alternator charger from those company is because the onboard inverter on those cars does not put out pure sin wave that the portable power stations need to charge it. However, our does and charges the portable power station nicely.

I have the Bluetii Charger 1 sitting at home when I bought it with the power station, didn't even think of installing it when I realize the onboard inverter charges the power station good.

Just my thoughts, I am unsure your actual usage though...
If you are charging while driving, then yes it does get annoying with the fan noise.

 

[HVLA]

Charge speed is related to your portable pwoer station (how much power it can draw).
The Bluetti Elite 200 is drawing 1445w in the picture from the onboard inverter. At this rate it charges from 20-80% with in 1 hr, maybe 45min.

Also don't you need to run the engine anyways with the alternator charger to charge a portable power station? I may be wrong, don't quote me on that.

You don't really hear the inverter fan unless your are driving or sitting in the car really.

What I do is charge the battery in the morning when camping for 30min - 1hr with the 2000w portable power station with the vehicle on when there's no noise restriction, but all you really hear is the engine running from outside the vehicle.

Another reason other vehicles need to use the alternator charger from those company is because the onboard inverter on those cars does not put out pure sin wave that the portable power stations need to charge it. However, our does and charges the portable power station nicely.

I have the Bluetii Charger 1 sitting at home when I bought it with the power station, didn't even think of installing it when I realize the onboard inverter charges the power station good.

Just my thoughts, I am unsure your actual usage though...
If you are charging while driving, then yes it does get annoying with the fan noise.

Exactly. I run mine in my GX at camp for 30-60 minutes. And fyi the alternator chargers have a fan that will be just as loud. OP is trying to solve a problem they dont actually need to solve.

 

[bakutheleo]

I am not sure I am quite following this. Using the 2400W outlet will not drain your battery--the engine kicks in to maintain charge as necessary. I have a Bluetti at home, it is nice but I just charge it via solar. I got it mostly for testing and for periodically a convenient, portable power station. Mine is around 800W/800Wh.

I guess I am not clear about the use case of the Charger 2. It can charge fast, but for what? To charge something else? I guess I am just not seeing the use in that. It does not provide 120V as other standard units do like mine. As pointed out here, most of these do provide a clean sine wave 120v output which is good--I have not tested it but I do think it says in the manual that the vehicle one does not. That is not, though, a huge deal for most devices.

 

[KG7BTU]

I’m looking to add an alternator charger—specifically devices like the EcoFlow 800W Alternator Charger or Bluetti Charger 2.

It sounds like these are just DC-DC chargers specifically designed for integration with the portable power pack. I'm not familiar with these specifically, but I have integrated DC-DC chargers into multiple vehicles. Typically, the DC-DC charger activates in one of these ways:

1. It looks at the starter vehicle battery voltage and activates when the voltage is elevated (indirectly indicating that the vehicle is on).
2. It has another trigger (switched circuit) that is on only when the vehicle is running (used by newer vehicles with "smart" alternators).

I did a little research, and it looks like the 4Runner (without the factory alternator), will charge the 12v battery at about 100A (~1,200W). Using one of these "alternator chargers", even if you don't have a physical alternator, it should be fine as long as you are not running a lot of other 12V accessories.

From EcoFlow, "The alternator charger operates based on voltage recognition, and it can charge when the input voltage is greater than 13V." This matches option 1 I described above. Reading EcoFLow's FAQ, it sounds to me like the device will adapt as necessary so it draws the charging power available, without consuming power from the 12V battery itself.

What I'm not sure of, is if the Toyota DC-DC charger will interfere with a second DC-DC charger. I can envision a couple scenarios where this charger will not work how you want, but I also think those situations are very uncommon, if possible at all.

 

[J4Runner1]

It sounds like these are just DC-DC chargers specifically designed for integration with the portable power pack. I'm not familiar with these specifically, but I have integrated DC-DC chargers into multiple vehicles. Typically, the DC-DC charger activates in one of these ways:

1. It looks at the starter vehicle battery voltage and activates when the voltage is elevated (indirectly indicating that the vehicle is on).
2. It has another trigger (switched circuit) that is on only when the vehicle is running (used by newer vehicles with "smart" alternators).

I did a little research, and it looks like the 4Runner (without the factory alternator), will charge the 12v battery at about 100A (~1,200W). Using one of these "alternator chargers", even if you don't have a physical alternator, it should be fine as long as you are not running a lot of other 12V accessories.

From EcoFlow, "The alternator charger operates based on voltage recognition, and it can charge when the input voltage is greater than 13V." This matches option 1 I described above. Reading EcoFLow's FAQ, it sounds to me like the device will adapt as necessary so it draws the charging power available, without consuming power from the 12V battery itself.

What I'm not sure of, is if the Toyota DC-DC charger will interfere with a second DC-DC charger. I can envision a couple scenarios where this charger will not work how you want, but I also think those situations are very uncommon, if possible at all.

Thanks for your input. Sounds like it would work with or without an alternator. Since posting I learned that I have an alternator, but might be beneficial to people without an alternator that are having trouble keeping their gear charged.

With my current setup (Bluetti Elite 200) and what I’m using daily while camping, power hasn’t been a problem. I’m able to recharge what I’ve used while traveling to the next location.

Thanks

Sponsored