Once you buy a portable power station and start using it, you realise just how versatile these power supplies are.
You also start to think: wouldn’t it be nice if the power station could do this too?
Spoiler alert, I reckon the EcoFlow Delta 3 Max is one of the most versatile units in the market. There’s a lot it does right, including a lot of my ‘nice to haves’ in a portable power station, making it incredibly convenient.
Table of contents
- My wishlist of portable power station capabilities
- EcoFlow Delta 3 Max Plus features
- Specifications and price
- Using the Delta 3 Max Plus
- Who is the EcoFlow Delta 3 Max Plus for?
My wishlist of portable power station capabilities
After owning and testing many power stations, here is a list of what I would want in a power station:
- Power output exceeding 2,400 watts.
- Capacity of at least 2,000Wh.
- Remote control of the power station.
- Uninterrupted power supply (UPS).
- Connectivity to many different types of devices.
- Timing to charge or power based on energy costs.
Why 2,400W? This means I can run any device that you can plug into a standard power outlet. If this wattage is higher again, you could run a kettle and a toaster simultaneously.
Watt-hours (Wh) refer to the battery’s size and will determine how long it lasts. A high-wattage device will drain your battery faster. A hair dryer left on for 40 minutes will drain a 2,000Wh battery, but if you ran a camping fridge, some lights, and recharged your phone a few times, you could get a whole weekend camping without needing to recharge the power station.
Controlling your power station remotely, including the ability to monitor usage and turn circuits on and off, is a big advantage. This could be from your sleeping bag or whilst out and about with your power station at home. Look for an app with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity.
Uninterrupted power enables the power station to cut in during a power outage. Use it at home to keep critical appliances running, like a fridge, a fish tank, or a CPAP machine.
Different devices have different connection types, so having a power station that caters to all of them is important. Ensure you have a USB-C outlet with at least 100W to power a laptop and a reliable 12-volt high-amperage outlet, rather than a cig outlet, ensuring constant power for your 12-volt needs.
Then there’s the benefit of choosing when your power station recharges. A power station can save electricity by charging when power is cheap and using it when power is expensive. This is a part home battery alternative without the cost.
Your needs will, of course, be different, but this list gives you possibilities that you should consider.
EcoFlow Delta 3 Max Plus features
The EcoFlow Delta 3 Max Plus is a 3,000W switchable-load AC-output power station with a 2,048Wh battery and an Anderson port. The only accessory it comes with is a power cord. I would have liked to also see a solar power cable in the box.
Having a rated output of 3,000W and a surge of up to 6,000W for a few seconds, you will have no issues starting a motor or powering anything that you can plug into a standard 10A socket. Look at the label of the appliances you want to run for the wattage figure. Add up everything you want to run at once, and as long as the total is below 3,000W, you are good to go. EcoFlow has an advantage here as most portable power stations in this class are rated at 2,400W.
Another ace up EcoFlow’s sleeve is that the four power points are divided into two circuits, each of which can be switched on or off separately. This can be done either via a button on the app, at predetermined times or charge states. For example, you could run a fridge on one circuit and a Starlink on the other, which switches off whilst you sleep. In the event of a power outage in this same example, it turns the Starlink off to preserve power for the fridge.
On the DC side, you have a standard cigarette outlet rated at 10A, as well as an Anderson outlet capable of supplying 12.6 volts at up to 30 amps. Note, this Anderson is a mini Anderson plug, so you will need to purchase a mini Anderson-to-Anderson cable for around $20-30 to integrate with standard 4WD and caravan applications. Having a reliable DC output makes this a great alternative to custom 12-volt 4WD installs.
With the trend toward USB-C, this unit is well-equipped with three ports — two 45W and one 140W — letting you power a laptop. For those still requiring a USB-A socket, there is one port capable of up to 18W.
The battery has a capacity of 2,048Wh, which is enough to run an angle grinder for two hours, a 200W fridge for three days, a hair dryer for 60 minutes, or recharge a smartphone hundreds of times, all individually. To recharge the battery from a wall socket, you can go from empty to 80% in 47 minutes. In your car, you can purchase an optional alternator charger to fully charge your battery in a little over two hours. You can use a cig charger, but this would take up to 24 hours.
Solar charging is popular with campers, and although the Max can take up to 1,000W from two solar inputs, that is a lot of panels. A 400W panel would be the sweet spot to keep your battery charged with all-day solar.
Optional expansion batteries can also be purchased that plug into your power station to increase its capacity up to 10 kWh, a fivefold increase.
The power station has many safety functions that will shut it down in the unlikely event of a problem, and it is very safe to keep inside your house or caravan. If running a load of less than 600W, it will be quieter than the ambient noise in a library. Those with critical loads, like a CPAP machine, can use the Max as an uninterrupted power supply, which switches over so fast that a PC will keep running.
EcoFlow Delta 3 Max Plus specifications and price
| Max AC output | 3,000W (6,000W surge) |
| Capacity | 2,048Wh |
| Max AC input | 2,300W |
| Dimensions | 49 x 24 x 31 cm 22.1kg |
| Price (RRP) | $2,999 |
| Website | EcoFlow Australia |
| Warranty | Five years |
Using the Delta 3 Max Plus
The EcoFlow can be controlled from the unit itself with a master on/off button and two AC on/off buttons, one for each circuit. Unlike other power stations, this one has no buttons for DC/USB loads; instead, they are on when the power station is on.
The real flexibility that EcoFlow is known for in controlling and monitoring the power station comes via the app. Here you can limit charging speed, control when the power station charges or when AC1, AC2 or DC is active. You can reserve power for emergencies and prioritise one AC load to keep it running, ensuring continuity (e.g. keeping a fridge running).
For example, you can take the power station camping and turn off your Starlink power from your sleeping bag to conserve power. At home, you could program your power station to prioritise charging from solar panels or to charge when grid power is cheap. You could then use the stored battery power to power, say, your TV at night to save power.
In my car, I have a 12-volt fridge that can run from a cigarette lighter in a power station, but the connection can become loose over bumps in the road, and your fridge stops working. Having the Anderson plug will give you peace of mind, whilst you still have battery power, you still have cold beer.
Speaking of cars, I previously looked at the 800W alternator charger in my review of the EcoFlow Delta 3 Plus. This makes a massive difference with your power replenished after only a few hours of driving. EcoFlow has recently launched a new model capable of 1,000W when combined with solar.
At 24kg, the box is not light but is liftable and portable enough, especially with two people, to make it useful at home, work and play.
Who is the EcoFlow Delta 3 Max Plus for?
If you want a power station that ticks all the boxes, you should definitely put this EcoFlow on your list of considerations. It shines at running more appliances at once and separating AC loads. Equally, having an Anderson mini plug, even if you will need to source an adapter cable, is useful to ensure a reliable 12-volt supply.
If you want extra control over when and how the power station operates, the EcoFlow Delta 3 Max Plus offers full customisation. The Max will give you power when you need it away from home, whilst giving you power security at home. It can even be used to shift mains usage to save you money.
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