How to use your Rivian as a Power Bank (safe way)

[KBabione]

My recommendation is to AVOID this AC 120/AC240 setup as, while it works, you're looking for trouble. ALSO, if the fuse of the Rivian inverter trips (like mentioned a couple of posts up there), that means a High-voltage battery removal job. Stupid, I know.

The good news is that it's a "soft" breaker in the R1 if you exceed the 1500W capacity of the inverter - it just shuts off and you need to turn on the outlets again on the energy screen. I don't know what it would take to actually blow the fuse, but it's certainly more than what the inverter is pulling from the battery pack. I've had the inverter stop outputting multiple times as I exceeded the pathetic 1500W limit. That's what lead me to the Bluetti AC180 and now for something like the Pecron that will give me up to 3600W (unless it's plugged in to AC in which case it jumps to UPS mode and behaves as @mudito explains.

Sponsored

 

[mudito]

The good news is that it's a "soft" breaker in the R1 if you exceed the 1500W capacity of the inverter - it just shuts off and you need to turn on the outlets again on the energy screen. I don't know what it would take to actually blow the fuse, but it's certainly more than what the inverter is pulling from the battery pack. I've had the inverter stop outputting multiple times as I exceeded the pathetic 1500W limit. That's what lead me to the Bluetti AC180 and now for something like the Pecron that will give me up to 3600W (unless it's plugged in to AC in which case it jumps to UPS mode and behaves as @mudito explains.

My R1T's fuse blew. I was using it with my Shop Vac (I always use them to clean the truck), so I wouldn't trust that 'soft fuse' as much... So be careful.

 

[KBabione]

My R1T's fuse blew. I was using it with my Shop Vac (I always use them to clean the truck), so I wouldn't trust that 'soft fuse' as much... So be careful.

Thanks for the warning...I basically use the power in the Rivian for heating (electric Blackstone, immersion hot water, induction burner) and it has just tripped when I asked too much of it. I've been going through my Bluetti so I didn't even realize it had tripped until I noticed that the Bluetti battery was getting low. "How could that happen when it's plugged it?" That's when I learned that it passes through all AC demand directly to the source.

 

[mkhuffman]

Someone needs to buy this and report back on whether or not it works. Since the Sigenergy V2L works, it should work. But it is an expensive test.

10KW V2L Discharge Device for Tesla S/X/3/Y High-Performance Power Sup – Tlyard

BTW - the Sigenergy 25 kW V2L module is only $1k more. Seems like if you are going to add batteries and solar, Sigenergy makes more sense. But it isn't portable, like this one is.

 

[mudito]

Someone needs to buy this and report back on whether or not it works. Since the Sigenergy V2L works, it should work. But it is an expensive test.

10KW V2L Discharge Device for Tesla S/X/3/Y High-Performance Power Sup – Tlyard

BTW - the Sigenergy 25 kW V2L module is only $1k more. Seems like if you are going to add batteries and solar, Sigenergy makes more sense. But it isn't portable, like this one is.

Definitely an expensive test

 

[CharonPDX]

Used the EcoFlow method to rescue my dad on Saturday, when he goofed and ran his Kia Niro EV out of juice. (To minimize time spent on the side of the road, I used two EcoFlow Delta Pro plus their "240V combiner hub", which allowed for 6kW output.)

I also use the EcoFlow method to run my travel trailer's AC. The AC startup current was *JUST* high enough to trip the breaker on my Rivian's inverter/outlet, so I slap the EcoFlow in between almost solely to act as "buffer" since it can handle the startup current, and keeps itself topped off from the Rivian. (It also lets me power the trailer for the hour-ish it takes to go charge up at a rapid charger.)

I will note two issues: My older Delta Pro (1) can't charge from 120V AC and output 240V AC at the same time. If you have it connected to 120V AC, the 240V doesn't work. Likewise, plugging in the 240V hub disables its built-in 120V output. The *ONLY* way to get 120V out when the 240V hub is plugged in is to use an L14-30 to 120V adapter, pulling one of the two phases off the L14-30. Not the most convenient. I have so far only used the 240V hub to "emergency charge another EV", where it doesn't matter that I only have ~7 kWh to pull from.

But if I wanted to use 240V more regularly "on the go," I'd probably invest in two of EcoFlow's "Power Hub Alternator Charger", which sends power directly from your vehicle's 12V DC system to the Delta Pro. Unfortunately, it's only 800W. So two of them to run two Delta Pros would only be 1600W. Which is way over what Rivian suggests as the max load for the 12V system anyway, I guess. That TIyard CCS thingy would probably be the better choice for regular 240V needs.

 

[Dark-Fx]

The good news is that it's a "soft" breaker in the R1 if you exceed the 1500W capacity of the inverter - it just shuts off and you need to turn on the outlets again on the energy screen. I don't know what it would take to actually blow the fuse, but it's certainly more than what the inverter is pulling from the battery pack. I've had the inverter stop outputting multiple times as I exceeded the pathetic 1500W limit. That's what lead me to the Bluetti AC180 and now for something like the Pecron that will give me up to 3600W (unless it's plugged in to AC in which case it jumps to UPS mode and behaves as @mudito explains.

I've blown two fuses now. Both generations R1S. Gen1 requires dropping the battery pack out to replace the fuse. Gen2 just requires accessing it from a small sub panel below the battery. My experience is the "soft breaker" isn't always aggressive enough to save the fuse.

The inverter's first step in attempting to control the overload is to reduce the output voltage. My suggestion is to not ignore that for an extended period of time.

 

[mudito]

The inverter's first step in attempting to control the overload is to reduce the output voltage. My suggestion is to not ignore that for an extended period of time.

This

Hence why I kept my power below 1300w at all times during these tests. I don't want to be nowhere close to the 1500w limit

 

[Jeff B.]

I am very happy with my setup, very similar, but I use the Ecoflow Delta Pro Ultras. Works very well for my use. My DC converter is only adjustable up to 48V DC, but I like the higher voltage on the one you are using.

 

[mudito]

I am very happy with my setup, very similar, but I use the Ecoflow Delta Pro Ultras. Works very well for my use. My DC converter is only adjustable up to 48V DC, but I like the higher voltage on the one you are using.

Basically the same idea In my case, at 48v I couldn't use it with my inverter which has a Start Voltage of 90V but a range that goes from 70-600V. So I need to be at ~100V DC to be on the safe side.

Also, higher voltage allows me for smaller gauge wire but it wasn't a real problem in this set up.

 

[KBabione]

And all of this would be moot if they gave us an option to turn off UPS mode on these power banks and not pass all draw through to the AC source if plugged in. We all want to use these boxes as buffers between our limited 1500W inverter and our draw.

 

[Flyedouglas]

Hmmm… I just ordered a Bluetti AC200L and D40 about a week before this thread started. I do a week long boondocking trip every summer and wanted to use my gen2 r1s max pack to run my air conditioner at night. Any ideas if the AC200L is also limited during pass-through charging? This is the first I’m reading of this issue. The manual seems to indicate UPS can be selected off.

 

[KBabione]

Hmmm… I just ordered a Bluetti AC200L and D40 about a week before this thread started. I do a week long boondocking trip every summer and wanted to use my gen2 r1s max pack to run my air conditioner at night. Any ideas if the AC200L is also limited during pass-through charging? This is the first I’m reading of this issue. The manual seems to indicate UPS can be selected off.

I had a lot of back and forth with Bluetti technical support as I worked through my issues with my AC180. I know it jumps into UPS mode as soon as it's plugged into AC and that cannot be turned off. It's one of the reasons the solution @mudito proposes (using a DC converter to charge the portable battery pack) is about the only way that you'll be able to use the Rivian to power your setup.

If you still have the shipping boxes for your Bluetti products, you may want to consider the Pecron line instead. Their F3000LFP has up to 3600W output (versus 2600W on the Bluetti) and currently is $100 cheaper. They also have additional battery packs available (and a cart that fits it). I'm afraid I've spent way too much time looking at these for as often as I need it.

 

[Flyedouglas]

I had a lot of back and forth with Bluetti technical support as I worked through my issues with my AC180. I know it jumps into UPS mode as soon as it's plugged into AC and that cannot be turned off. It's one of the reasons the solution @mudito proposes (using a DC converter to charge the portable battery pack) is about the only way that you'll be able to use the Rivian to power your setup.

If you still have the shipping boxes for your Bluetti products, you may want to consider the Pecron line instead. Their F3000LFP has up to 3600W output (versus 2600W on the Bluetti) and currently is $100 cheaper. They also have additional battery packs available (and a cart that fits it). I'm afraid I've spent way too much time looking at these for as often as I need it.

Thanks. I’ll call tech support and ask. There’s also the Elite 300 dropping in 5 days. But of course support doesn’t have access to the tech specs for it yet.

 

[RivianRocks25]

I also blew the fuse AND inverter on the Gen 1 R1S. Didn't know about this pass through mode garbage on the Delta Pro 3 and while trying it out the first, time drew over 1500w. Car shut off 120 once then came back on and then blew fuse.

On a second note, who at Rivian put a fuse where you have to drop the battery to change? W. T. F. Fire that person. Obviously, to be different, had a person who was so Not A Car person they never changed a fuse in their life. Fresh out of school, no real life experience, and it look good on CAD.

Sponsored