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expireddarkpeace posted Apr 17, 2022 6:30 AM

Costco Members: EcoFlow River Pro Portable Power Station

$430

$549

21% off
& More + Free Shippingat Costco Wholesale
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Deal Details
Costco Wholesale has for its Members: Select EcoFlow Portable Power Stations for the prices listed. Shipping is free.

Thanks to Community Member darkpeace for finding this deal.

Available:Features (River Pro):
  • Three 600W Outlets and 720Wh Capacity
  • Recharge from 0% to 80% in One Hour
  • Compatible with 80% of Home Appliances
  • Control with Ecoflow App

Editor's Notes

Written by SlickDealio
  • About this deal:
    • Our research indicates that the EcoFlow RIVER Pro Portable Power Station is $119.01 lower (21% savings) than the next best available price from a reputable merchant with prices starting from $549
    • These prices match the most recent Frontpage deal from January 2022.
    • Please read the forum thread for more deal discussion.
  • About this store.
    • Details of Costco's return policy here.

Original Post

Written by darkpeace
Community Notes
About the Poster
Deal Details
Community Notes
About the Poster
Costco Wholesale has for its Members: Select EcoFlow Portable Power Stations for the prices listed. Shipping is free.

Thanks to Community Member darkpeace for finding this deal.

Available:Features (River Pro):
  • Three 600W Outlets and 720Wh Capacity
  • Recharge from 0% to 80% in One Hour
  • Compatible with 80% of Home Appliances
  • Control with Ecoflow App

Editor's Notes

Written by SlickDealio
  • About this deal:
    • Our research indicates that the EcoFlow RIVER Pro Portable Power Station is $119.01 lower (21% savings) than the next best available price from a reputable merchant with prices starting from $549
    • These prices match the most recent Frontpage deal from January 2022.
    • Please read the forum thread for more deal discussion.
  • About this store.
    • Details of Costco's return policy here.

Original Post

Written by darkpeace

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+59
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142 Comments

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Apr 18, 2022 5:35 AM
4 Comments
Joined Oct 2018
SneakyMeatsApr 18, 2022 5:35 AM
4 Comments
I have this for camping and road tripping and bought it for a specific feature - a benefit this item has compared to others in the field is that it can charge completely in 1 hour or so because it can charge at 600 Watts via an AC outlet. Most other brands charge at a slower late where its expecting you to charge it via your car (~8amps at 12v max for 120W or so give or take) or a solar array which they'll want to sell you, which usually maxes at 200W Max. The Jackery's fastest charge source for their smaller 500 unit is over 5hrs, for comparison.

Being able to charge this quickly is really helpful if you're on the road somewhere and have the opportunity to charge up via shore power, or if you're in a blackout prone area, charge via the house mains for a brief moment before the power cuts out again. With camping or roadtripping, you could get several more days of power by juicing quickly a starbucks or something like that if you arent driving+charging from the 12v input enough to offset the amount you're consuming.

One more thing it advertises which is a little misleading is it's XBOOST function on the AC power output. It claims it can power devices rated higher than 600W, but what it ACTUALLY does is caps the power output to that device TO 600W. This is fine if its something that doesnt really care much about the wattage, like my 800W electric kettle (again, camping), it will cap the output at 600W which still allows the kettle to work albeit at a longer time to boil. Dont expect to run some fancy electronics or a heavy duty appliance that actually need to run more than 600W on this properly, its a gimmick that has a few rare purposes. Their examples all involve heating elements like kettles and hair dryers, "dumb" technology I guess.

If you can work within the confines of the device its fantastic value compared to other brands like goalzero or jackery.
Pro
Apr 18, 2022 5:47 AM
3.5K Comments
Joined Mar 2005
Probedude
Pro
Apr 18, 2022 5:47 AM
3.5K Comments
So this is LI Ion and not LiFePO4? Anyone know what cells are used inside? (size and manufacturer?), and what the voltage/amp hour rating of the pack is?
Apr 18, 2022 6:08 AM
1.3K Comments
Joined Oct 2010
SolandriApr 18, 2022 6:08 AM
1.3K Comments
Quote from StephenL6969 :
These can also function as UPS so would work well for a computer/server/NAS situation in a pinch. I have the standard version installed on my office power strip. You can set max charge to 80% to prolong life.
From their FAQ [ecoflow.com]:

Can RIVER Pro be used as an uninterruptible power supply (UPS)?

It can be an emergency power source (EPS), which will have the same result as UPS for most electronics. Here's the difference. When your RIVER Pro is plugged into the wall, anything plugged into it gets power from the grid, not its battery. If power from the grid stops, RIVER Pro automatically switches to its battery supply mode within 30 milliseconds. That means anything connected will not have power for 30 milliseconds, which may mean sensitive electronics like desktop computers and data servers turn off. Test your devices individually to see if they need UPS to stay powered.

Quote from US_Ranger :
A single propane tank won't run for days unless you're only running a couple things for short periods of time.
Propane has an energy density [wikipedia.org] of 13,777.8 Wh/kg.

A typical propane tank you hook up to a BBQ grill holds 20 lbs of propane, or 9.07 kg.

If you assume the propane is run through a generator with 20% efficiency, it will produce:
(13777.8 Wh/kg) * (9.07 kg) * (0.2) = 24,993 Wh.

The River 600 Pro is rated for 720 Wh. So a single BBQ propane tank can produce as much electricity as 34.7 River 600 Pros.

Their estimate is 220 W panels will charge this to full in 4-8 hours (call it 6 hours). 720Wh / (6 hours * 220 W) = 0.545 capacity factor. Typical PV solar capacity factor in the desert southwest US is about 0.19. Double that if you exclude 12 hours of night, to get 0.38. So you'll only achieve their 6 hour figure in the desert southwest, on a sunny day, close to noon, if you constantly adjust the panels to keep them pointed at the sun.

Average capacity factor for the contiguous U.S. overall is about 0.145 (dipping to 0.1 for the northern states). So if you leave 220W of panels in a fixed position for a day on a sunny day elsewhere in the U.S., it will produce about (2200W)*(24 h)*(0.145) = 766 Wh in a day. So yes you could top it off every day with just solar if you completely depleted it each night.

But the 20 lb propane tank's energy generation is equivalent to over a month of recharging this with 220 W panels. These lithium battery "solar generators" have their place, but don't for an instant think they come anywhere close to the electrical generating capacity of petroleum distillates or even alcohol fuels. A propane generator can produce as much electricity as the full capacity of the River 600 Pro every half hour for the better part of a full day. The primary reason gas and propane generators don't actually give you a month of electricity is that their efficiency plummets when they're not under heavy load. The engine is tuned for peak efficiency at a narrow power output range (usually around max power, around 1500-2000 Watts in the smallest generators), and it wastes a lot of fuel if you're not running it in that band.

So you want propane for high-power continuous uses (AC, cooking, heating water, powering your entire house during an emergency, etc.), while you want the lithium battery pack for low-power intermittent uses. (Recharging phones and other devices, powering a radio, running a portable refrigerator, etc.) Heck, running a generator for an hour to completely charge this (or 2-3 of them), then shutting the generator off and using the battery until it needs recharging again, would actually be a more efficient use of your propane.

Quote :
Also, where I live, propane tanks were missiles during some serious wildfires.
A scenario like that which would cause a propane tank to become a missile would also cause a lithium battery to explode.

Quote :
The solar system is portable enough that you can throw it in a vehicle and pop the panel on the roof of the vehicle if you're camped out somewhere until FEMA or whoever gets to you. This can at least keep all your electronics charged and some heated blankets, etc.

If I lived in a hurricane area, I'd get a gas/propane generator over a solar generator. I'd still have one of the fold out solar panels for phones and whatnot though in case there was a break in weather.
Exactly. Don't take what I wrote above the the superior energy density of propane the wrong way. These lithium battery packs have their place. I'm going to get one myself.
Last edited by Solandri April 17, 2022 at 11:20 PM.
1
Apr 18, 2022 6:43 AM
106 Comments
Joined Oct 2016
l4c_1Apr 18, 2022 6:43 AM
106 Comments
Newbie to these batteries here, I want to use something similar as backup power for a 1/2 hp sump pump. Is that practical?
Apr 18, 2022 9:35 AM
2K Comments
Joined Mar 2014
scotts9612Apr 18, 2022 9:35 AM
2K Comments
Is this a life4po4 battery I need the 1500 charge cycles
Apr 18, 2022 10:37 AM
29 Comments
Joined Nov 2006
toyman70Apr 18, 2022 10:37 AM
29 Comments
Quote from TwinPrime :
It is a nice system. Beats the hell out of a Tesla wall. Just installed one for my house. When the power goes out, my solar feeds directly in - have a 5kw solar system. I also have an inverter gas generator that I can use to top off the charge if I need to - comes in handy up north in the winter months.
how much of a pain to hook it up?
where is a good place to look into using it as a back up for my house
thanks
Apr 18, 2022 10:38 AM
12 Comments
Joined Jul 2009
djronh1Apr 18, 2022 10:38 AM
12 Comments
Quote :
A typical propane tank you hook up to a BBQ grill holds 20 lbs of propane, or 9.07 kg.
https://www.amerigas.com/about-propane/propane-tank-sizes#:~:text=20%20lb%20Propane%20Tank&text=20%2... [amerigas.com]

20 pound propane tanks are often referred to as grill cylinders and hold 4.6 gallons of propane when full.

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Apr 18, 2022 11:38 AM
597 Comments
Joined May 2014
nohchoApr 18, 2022 11:38 AM
597 Comments
Quote from LavenderStep796 :
What is Ali-lion?
Same as Li-ion but from Ali express lol
1
Apr 18, 2022 11:42 AM
490 Comments
Joined Jan 2008
dandiditApr 18, 2022 11:42 AM
490 Comments
Quote from Bjam2727 :
A single propane tank can run a avg generator for days. How will you recharge this during a hurricane?
If you're talking about the standard BBQ 20Lb tank - you'll get about 4-8 hours.
Apr 18, 2022 12:42 PM
1.2K Comments
Joined Mar 2008
DealHunterNYC212Apr 18, 2022 12:42 PM
1.2K Comments
Quote from darkpeace :
LMAO.. that was 17 years ago. I remember that TV. Don't remember posting about it.
I wanna hear more about the tv.
Apr 18, 2022 1:14 PM
249 Comments
Joined Jul 2021
SharpDesk9865Apr 18, 2022 1:14 PM
249 Comments
The Delta Pro EV is amazing value at $2,999 if you plan to use it on road-trips. You can plug in an EV charging station J1772 (Level 2) connector to charge. It's both fast and often quite cheap. In my area, I can charge this bad boy for $3 from zero to 100%. https://www.costco.com/ecoflow-de...72938.html
1
Apr 18, 2022 1:15 PM
1.3K Comments
Joined Jul 2004
BriggsApr 18, 2022 1:15 PM
1.3K Comments
Quote from darkpeace :
LMAO.. that was 17 years ago. I remember that TV. Don't remember posting about it.
Ah, the good 'ol days before you'd get down voted into oblivion for using the word "Pr.ce M.stake" when it wasn't something that was 90% off it's correct price. laugh out loud
Apr 18, 2022 1:22 PM
365 Comments
Joined Feb 2009
amarrApr 18, 2022 1:22 PM
365 Comments

Our community has rated this post as helpful. If you agree, why not thank amarr

Hey, did a bit of research on these and a few things to note. I prefer the Bluetti brand and LiFePO4 batteries for the available cycle count, but after watching the below review decided for this size this particular unit from Costco at $430 is the better deal. One BIG consideration for folks who know their batteries and battery generators is to note that I usually get close to the rated wH out of a Bluetti unit, despite them saying on the website to multiply the wH of the battery pack by .85 to get the run time. They just do better than they are rated, which is awesome. These River Pro units do worse than people expect. Read through the reviews on Costco and you'll see you get about 73% of the power out of the unit, so you're really getting approximately 525 usable watt-hours. What does that mean in practical terms? If you're powering a 50-watt light, you'll get 10.5 hours out of it, not the 14.4 you may expect from a quick 720/50. Go into it knowing you're buying 525 usable watt-hours and I think you'll be happier with this unit than any other around this size, but you'll be disappointed if you're expecting more usable power. If you aren't ever going to need near 600 watts but will be routinely cycling your battery, like a couple of times a week, then consider going for the Bluetti. Most of us aren't going to need the 4x better cycle life of the Bluetti, let's say you go through a full cycle weekly, that's 15 years for the River Pro and 48 years for the Bluetti. Yep, way better for the Bluetti, but doesn't really matter for most of us. A cycle a day though and you're looking at just over 2 years for the River Pro and nearly 7 years for the Bluetti. Using this to live the van life on solar power and this battery unit? You need the Bluetti. Going to use it maybe once a week or less? I'd recommend the River Pro. Just my two cents, not quite a YouTube reviewer, but I've done quite a few run-down tests on quite a few battery units and lots of research.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paYfM8Ni_jk
1
Apr 18, 2022 1:22 PM
1.9K Comments
Joined Feb 2021
nyc10036Apr 18, 2022 1:22 PM
1.9K Comments
Quote from toyman70 :
how much of a pain to hook it up?
where is a good place to look into using it as a back up for my house
thanks
River Pro as a back up for your house? No.

You need the Delta Pro. If you already have a transfer switch for a gas generator, you don't need anything else.

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Apr 18, 2022 1:24 PM
365 Comments
Joined Feb 2009
amarrApr 18, 2022 1:24 PM
365 Comments
The website shows 800+ for this lithium-ion unit vs the Bluetti that's 2500+ with a LiFePO4 battery. If you need the higher cycle count go Bluetti, but watch the video in the link I shared earlier first. You may want to spend a little more and get one of their higher capacity units, I've had no noise issues or power issues with their 1500 wH units.

Quote from scotts9612 :
Is this a life4po4 battery I need the 1500 charge cycles

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