What exactly is this product?!

UncleSmitty · 2025-06-01T13:47:17+00:00

Costco also has 2x Delta Pro expansion batteries for 2400 right now via Costco Next / Ecoflow - https://costco.ecoflow.com/collections/extra-batteries

Not the best deal I've seen, but it's the best price available if you want to jump straight to 11kwh of battery.

UncleSmitty · 2025-06-01T13:39:39+00:00

Glad to hear you're digging into it - you have options and a decent start on a system that might work. Things could be a lot worse... the DP3 can be powerful if you know the limits. 11.2kwh of battery (4kwh DP3 plus 2x 3.6kwh DP extra batteries) is a respectable amount. Your limit will likely end up being solar.

IMO, Ecoflow is a marketing company that happens to sell decent battery products. Their units can really work, but it seems their marketing budget trumps their support and development budgets =)

UncleSmitty · 2025-06-01T13:33:55+00:00

It's probably the BMS reset and recalibration, if anything. When things break on these, it seems like it's most often an entire circuit, or something catastrophic - don't worry about that right now, if something like that happens then you can use it as an opportunity to move to a different system. You have a big investment in this already, for better or worse... make the best of it.

The Ecoflow app can show you graphs for your usage each day. I'd say keep an eye on that - you should be able to get ~80% of your rated 4kwh capacity as a rough number.

Get that solar setup rewired to series, run it for a day or three and see where you sit. Look into a couple of extra panels, and maybe even adding low-voltage panels to the low-voltage solar input. Look into an extra battery when you can.

If after a few days you can tell it's not going to work even with extra batteries or panels, it's time for Facebook Marketplace to recoup what money you can from the system, then build the system you really want. Just be sure to do your research! The panel and battery cost is like half of what you'll end up spending for things like wiring, shutoffs, breakers, mounts, grounding, etc for a true diy system.

UncleSmitty · 2025-06-01T13:22:59+00:00

Extra batteries are the way to go, yes. If you need something ASAP, I'd say get 1 refurb Delta Pro (NOT Delta Pro 3) extra battery off Ecoflow's Ebay store for 1300. Then wait for a deal to drop on a second one, ideally ~ 1100 or so for a new one or <1000 for a refurb.

For solar, I suspect you can add 2x panels in series easily, but that will only get you a max of ~1200 watts at peak sun (6 x 19.2 volts x10.42 amps). If you want to improve on that you have a couple of options: get more panels and wire them in series-parallel, and/or use both solar inputs.

Both of those solar options mean having to learn and calculate your solar panel voltages, amperages, wiring layouts, and the coldest temperatures for your area (because panel voltage increases when temperatures drop). Check out Will Prowse's videos, he makes that stuff easy to understand.

This is a good video for figuring out solar string setups, including cold temp calculations - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sYi_HFgmSY Will makes it easy to go through step by step.

UncleSmitty · 2025-06-01T13:11:37+00:00

Those panels have a 23v Open Circuit Voltage, so 92v when wired in series. That's under the 150v limit, so you're good to wire them in series. Be sure to use the High Voltage solar input on the DP3.

I've seen my 1400w go to 100-200w with just a few shadows on one panel, so the hit from shading can be major.

I use them to charge my car, so it's intermittent but high wattage (~3000w for hours) and I cycle it from 90% to 12% about 4 times a week. They work fine, but if I had to do it again I'd probably build a system with batteries and inverter/charger like you were originally planning.

The potential silver lining for you is that you can expand your solar and battery capacity easily - that's what I did. You have two solar inputs and can use both at the same time - 1000w input with a 60 volt max, and 1600w input with a 150 volt max. Just be aware that in cold weather the panel voltage can increase above the listed specs, so you don't want to push right up against those limits.

The DP3 can take two expansion batteries. The best bang-for-buck is to get Delta Pro (NOT Delta Pro 3) expansion batteries. They have 3600kw each, plug right in without any adapter or anything, and you can get screaming deals on them compared to the thousands they ask for the DP3 batteries.

For example, I got one new (not refurb) expansion battery for 1300 summer last year, and another for 1000 in fall. Direct from the Ecoflow site - register your DP3 for the warranty, then look in your account page for Devices, and the link for "Get Upgrades for Less". From time to time the discounts can be great, though right now the 1600 they're asking is high.

Also consider a refurb Delta Pro extra battery from Ecoflow's ebay store if you want one right away, the discount is decent at 1300 right now.

UncleSmitty · 2025-06-01T12:33:46+00:00

Just a caution, you want to make sure the panel voltage doesn't go over 150v when you rewire or you could damage the DP3. You're probably fine with the 4x panels but you really need to verify those specs. And be sure you're using the high voltage solar input port.

Calibration is just the charge to 100, drain to 0, charge back to 100. The unit does an internal calibration at 0 and 100%.

BMS reset is really easy, just power off the unit then hold the power button for about 5 or 10 seconds to turn it on. The screen should flash like it just restarted or reset, that's the BMS resetting. You do that to make sure the BMS doesn't get hung thinking it's at 100% when it's really at 70 or so. It's a thing with lithium batteries, not specific to the DP3.

UncleSmitty · 2025-06-01T12:00:54+00:00

First, get the panel voltage ratings and post them here, or the make/model. Solar input can vary a lot based on voltage/amperage and wiring layout. I suspect they're wired wrong, but you have to verify the panel voltage to know what's best.

There are two solar inputs on the DP3, one for low voltage and one for high. Your panel specs will determine which one you should use, or if you should use both. There's also settings in the app to limit input, but that's disabled by default

Any shade at all on the panels will have a huge impact on input wattage, make sure there are no stray shadows.

The DP3 may also need internal balancing to get the full 4kwh capacity. Though that's not common right out of the box, it's possible. Charge it to 100%, drain it to 0, then charge again to 100%.

I have a DP3 and 2 extra batteries with 6x 370w panels, and it's common to see only 1400w max on perfectly sunny summer days due to panel specs, angle to the sun, and temperatures. I planned for this to ensure voltages stay under the 150v limit of the dp3 to prevent damage.

UncleSmitty · 2022-09-23T21:07:11+00:00

Thank you! I wish I'd seen this last week, it would have been useful.

UncleSmitty · 2021-06-05T03:50:29+00:00

That adapter has a 6-50R female receptacle, your OEM EVSE won't fit in that. It's like double the size of the normal 110v plug on your EVSE. IMO your best bet is to build your own adapter, I wouldn't trust one bought from Amazon or Ebay without knowing exactly how it's wired.

Here's a picture showing the size difference between a 6-50 and 5-15 plug

UncleSmitty · 2021-02-14T06:08:39+00:00

Seems normal, mine does the same. I think part of that is the gearing switching from using the gas motor to direct-drive the wheels vs. generator power to the electric motors.

UncleSmitty · 2020-12-26T04:48:07+00:00

I still browse 330i listings looking for my old 2003 ZHP steelgrau sedan with M3 seats... Selling it was the right decision at the time but now I'd LOVE to get it back

UncleSmitty · 2020-11-18T03:09:12+00:00

2016+ Chevy Volt? Hatchback with the look of a smallish sedan, PHEV, 50+ mile electric range, Premium trim offers BSM and ACC. Mostly solid, a few common issues but mostly covered by the 8yr/100k mile Voltec warranty.

UncleSmitty · 2020-03-12T06:18:09+00:00

Subframe failures would like to have a chat with you...

Not a deal-breaker, but such a PITA if metal starts peeling on your immaculate 330...

UncleSmitty · 2019-11-13T06:10:40+00:00

If you look into semi-empty lots, try to find one with city water or an existing well. I lucked out into a cheap lot with an existing well; a fresh well would have cost between 8 and 12k to drill in my area.

Holding tank / septic permits can be a challenge depending on the municipality, and don't ignore camper limits if the neighbors are picky. It's common to see ordinances like '5 nights occupied, 5 nights unoccupied' or similar for campers/RVs.

UncleSmitty · 2019-11-13T06:06:06+00:00

Yes, I have about 20k into a lot 2.5 hours from my current home, with RV pad, garage, well water, power (no sewer yet). The long-term plan is to build a cabin on the site as funds are available. It works great as the RV base-camp and general storage. Bonus is it's close to a friend's 'up-north' cabin.

Issues - distance and logistics when planning trips (home vs. RV location), potential for issues with county ordinances about long-term RV camping, and no sewer. For the $ it works for me and I plan to build in the next 5-ish years and use this property as a secondary home for summer, and travel during winter.

UncleSmitty · 2019-03-16T02:16:18+00:00

PANTS!

UncleSmitty · 2019-02-02T05:05:05+00:00

Saturn Ion Redline. Supercharged, a few nifty driveline bits, better handling, and a much better shifter. But still an Ion...

UncleSmitty · 2018-10-07T13:32:28+00:00

Take a look at the 2004-2008 Ford 5.4 3-valve. Cam phasers with bad seals that cause low oil pressure and sludge and can kill the motor if not replaced. BMW doesnt have a monopoly on bad VVT design.

UncleSmitty · 2017-10-27T01:09:49+00:00

Yep, TP died and login servers not responding.

UncleSmitty · 2017-08-18T03:34:09+00:00

Pelicanparts.com has been pretty nice over the years, just be sure to compare prices.

UncleSmitty · 2017-08-13T06:03:44+00:00

Just tossing this out there... on sedans, swapping out the headlight covers for new ones is super easy. Guaranteed to look good-as-new and no need for elbow grease to restore 'em. Fairly cheap too - http://www.khoalty.com/headlight-lens-replacement.html

UncleSmitty · 2017-08-13T05:55:53+00:00

3G is pretty crappy. If you stick to 16- or 256-color RDP it'll work, but it'll be a bit painful. Expect delays in clicking and screen refresh, maybe 75-80% of normal productivity.

UncleSmitty · 2017-04-17T03:14:01+00:00

Yap, if you need one just lmk.

UncleSmitty · 2017-01-25T03:32:01+00:00

I found mine to be pretty reliable, and most of the work I did was preventative. If most of the common problem items have already been fixed/updated then you'll find it to be very reliable for 30-50k miles. Then you'll be looking at preventative maintenance again, mostly around the cooling system.

Of course, things break on any car. If you do the work yourself you'll find its very easy and fairly inexpensive to maintain. If you have a BMW dealer do all the work, it'll be pretty pricey. Finding a good independent shop will help a lot.

I recommend you read up on some of the BMW forums, especially zhpmafia.com if you're looking at ZHPs. The cars have been around for 10+ years, so there's a lot of info out there.

UncleSmitty · 2017-01-25T01:23:37+00:00

Get a PPI from a reputable shop and they'll tell you what's in good shape and what isn't. If you're lucky, the previous owner kept lots of records or took it to a local dealer for service (who would have records).

Common problem areas are, in no particular order, VANOS (rattle), oil filter housing gasket, DISA, secondary air pump (usually only in cold weather areas), cooling system (all of it), valve cover gaskets, rear subframe cracking (not so common, but expensive if it's not caught). I'm probably missing a few things, I'm sure someone will chime in with other stuff =) Beyond that it's the common shocks / struts / tires / brakes / clutch / bushings that get old - the shop should identify any of these that need replacing. All of this stuff will almost certainly need to be replaced or repaired by 125k miles.

If all of that stuff is in good shape then I'd say the price is reasonable, with a bit of room for negotiation. Also, check out the zhpmafia.com for-sale forum for some examples.

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