Ecoflow Delta 1300: No holds barred review of this powerful solar generator

Last Updated on October 16, 2022 by Manager Access

I have had my EcoFlow Delta 1300 Solar Generator for a few months now, and in this review, I will give you a full rundown of the good, bad, and ugly of this portable power station. I will include video snippets of the EFDelta in action, breaking down what I love about this solar generator and what could use some improvement in future generations.

By the end of this review, you’ll know everything you need to decide if this solar generator is right for your home or RV.

Unboxing the EcoFlow Delta

But first, let’s unbox the EcoFlow Delta 1300 to see what is in the box and get our first look at this fast-charging portable power station:

Charging the EcoFlow Delta 1300 with “X Stream”: How it works

The #1 best feature of the EcoFlow Delta 1300 is its fast charging technology. I don’t know how it does it exactly, but you can charge the EFDelta literally 6x faster than its competitors. If that charge time speed is important to you, then you’ll love this solar generator.

Here is my real-world test of the fast charging ability of the EcoFlow Delta:

EcoFlow Delta Real World Charging Test Results:

• 0 to 20% charge: 13:38
• 0 to 50% charge: 32:35
• 0 to 80% charge: 51:31
• 0 to 100% charge: 1:34:53

As you can see we charge from 0 to 50% in 32 minutes, 0 to 80 percent in 51 minutes, and 0-100% in 1 hour and 34 minutes. The specs for charging time are 0 to 80% in 1 hour and 0 to 100% in 1 hour 40 minutes. My real-world charging test showed the EFDelta taking in power even faster than its stated specs. Very impressive for a solar generator!

One downside of the EcoFlow Delta is after discharging the Delta down to 0% charge using an electric heater, I went to plug in the Delta to charge it back up and got an error with the temperature and warning icons flashing along with the center blue ring.

This is an expected behavior according to the user manual! You need to let the unit cool down for a few hours before beginning a recharge. So don’t expect to run down to 0% and then get to 100% fully charged right away.

Specs

• Model: EF3 Pro
• Net Weight: 30.9lbs (14kg)
• Dimension: 15.7 x 8.3 x 10.6in (40 x 21 x 27cm)
• Capacity: 1260Wh, 50.4V
• AC Output (x6): 1800W (Surge 3300W) total
• USB-A Output (x2): 5V DC, 2.4A,12W Max, per port
• USB-A Fast Charge (x2): 5V DC, 9V DC, 12V DC, 20V DC, 3A, 60W Max, per port
• USB-C Output (x2): 5v DC, 9V DC, 15V DC, 20V DC, 3A, 60W Max, per port
• Car Power Output (x1): 13.6V DC, 8A, 108.8W Max
• AC Charge Input Power: X-STREAM Charge 1200W Max
• AC Charge Input Voltage: 100-120Vac 50Hz/60Hz
• Solar Charge Input: 10-65V DC, 10A, 400W MAx
• Cell Chemistry: Lithium-ion
• Cell Type: 18650
• Discharge Temperature: -4-113F (-20-45 C)
• Charge Temperature: 32-113F (0-45 C)
• Shelf Life: 1 Year (after fully charged)
• Life Span: 800 Cycles (60%)

With these specs, you could power 13 devices simultaneously, so long as the total wattage was under 1800w. That’s a lot of cords!

The Good

Charging. The absolute #1 feature that makes me love the EFDelta is the charging speed. None of its competitors come even close, and the amount of time it can save you when charging is huge. If you are camping and need to recharge the battery with a gas generator, you’d only have to run the gas generator for 94 minutes before you could shut it down and have a fully charged solar battery. Incredible.

The Bad

The fan noise when under heavy load can be a bit annoying. Look, it’s still nowhere near a gas generator of course, but it is not “silent” by any means.

What Can It Power?

1800w continuous output. 1800w can power almost every household appliance. You usually max out a home wall outlet around 2,000 watts, so you’re basically getting wall power from the AC outlets. I tested running a 1,000w vacuum cleaner with the Delta and it ran just as powerfully as the wall outlet. Check out the vacuum test video:

Can I Use As A Home Backup Battery Generator?

If you need a home backup generator in a power outage, the EFDelta is the best portable home backup battery in terms of wattage and capacity. You can find larger capacity batteries, especially for large-scale solar systems, but in terms of something you could pull out of your closet and power your fridge and TV for hours, this solar generator is your best bet.

Can I Charge With Solar Panels?

Yes. The Ecoflow Delta can handle a 400W input from solar charging. That means you’ll likely need 4-6 100w-110w solar panels to hit that maximum. This will still charge two to three times slower than the 1200W input charge from AC.

Inside the box, you’ll find an MC4 to XT60 Solar Panel Charging Cable. So any MC4 solar panel with the correct voltage and current (10-65V DC, 10A max) should work. Solar panels can be purchased from EcoFlow, they have a 110W solar panel, or you can find many compatible solars panels on Amazon with MC4 connectors.

This portable solar power station has an MPPT charge controller. This is the latest in solar panel / solar input charging technology. So break out that flexible solar panel with confidence! (I’ve been wanting to test some flexible solar panels. I will update you here once I do)

EcoFlow Delta 1300 User Manual

Download the EcoFlow Delta 1300 User Manual as a PDF Here.

FAQ

What is the warranty on the EcoFlow Delta 1300 Generator?

2 years is the warranty when purchasing from EcoFlow directly. Call EcoFlow at 1-800-368-8604 or email ‘support@ecoflow.com’ to start a warranty request. They will issue an RMA to start the warranty replacement process. If you were a Kickstarter backer of the 1300, you have a lifetime warranty on the battery. If you purchase from Amazon, an 18-month warranty applies. My guess is you could still get two years though.

How loud is the EcoFlow Delta 1300?

Compared to a gas generator, the EFDelta is very quiet. However, its internal fans can be loud when charging, or when under heavy load. You can easily carry on a conversation with them, but they are not completely silent. Here’s a video of the fan noise as an example:

How fast can you recharge the battery pack?

The stated recharge time is zero to 100% in 1 hour and 40 minutes, however, in my real-world test, I was able to recharge the battery fully in 1 hour and 34 minutes.

How many Watts of solar energy input can the Delta handle?

400W Max input from solar panels.

What is the AC Charge Power in Watts?

1200W Max charge from AC current.

What is EcoFlow’s refund policy if I don’t like the EFDelta portable power station?

After reading the warranty and refund terms multiple times, the best answer is: it depends. If it is within 24 hours of your order, you can request a refund easily. Between 1-30 days, you’ll likely be on the hook for credit card transaction fees. If you order through Amazon you may have some more return protections. Either way, you’ll want to email ‘support@ecoflow.com’ to start either a cancellation or a refund request. It seems like they will take your specific refund request case into account.

Where can I buy the 1800w EcoFlow Delta with Free Shipping?

Both Amazon and buying direct offer free shipping.

Reference Links:

• Granted patent for a “mobile mobile source”: https://uspto.report/patent/grant/10424943
• MPPT: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximum_power_point_tracking
• MC4 Apadter: https://diysolarforum.com/threads/ecoflow-delta-1300-with-mc4-to-sae-adapter.9936/
• HSN presentation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDrDwBc5rrA&feature=emb_title