A few years ago, few Ukrainians were interested in portable charging stations. But that all changed on 10 October 2022, the day Russia launched its first massive missile attack on Ukraine's energy infrastructure. Since then, only the laziest has not heard of the EcoFlow brand. In this review, we'll talk about one of the Chinese brand's newest charging stations.
3 reasons to buy EcoFlow River 2 Max:
- Fast charging power up to 1000W
- Balanced set of connectors (USB-C with PD 3.0, two 120V sockets)
- Convenient operation (mobile app, informative display)
2 reasons not to buy EcoFlow River 2 Max:
- You don't have enough 512Wh
- You have a generator
Quick conversion:
- What's in the box?
- What does the EcoFlow River 2 Max look like?
- Interfaces
- Mobile application
- Practice test of EcoFlow River 2 Max
- What you should know about EcoFlow
- Impressions
What's in the box?
The EcoFlow River 2 Max comes in a generously sized box. In addition to the charging station itself the package includes a quick start guide and three cables: a DC5521, an AC charger and a car charger. The manual is available in several languages, but not in Ukrainian. Russian is available.
IMPORTANT: the use of homemade plug and socket cables is strictly prohibited. Once the power is on, the counter phase sends your EcoFlow to the graveyard of charging stations.
What does the EcoFlow River 2 Max look like?
The charging station's exterior is almost a cube with a display and a large set of connectors that allow you to plug in just about anything. The EcoFlow River 2 Max measures 269 x 259 x 196mm and weighs in at 6.1kg. The cooling fans are mounted on the sides and are louder than in the previous generation.
At the rear is a robust handle which allows you to easily move the station. In the previous version it was on the top. Our hero has a flat top cover where you can put something. For example, another station. Wireless charging is called for, but it is not here. Though, you will hardly suffer from it because there are enough slots for everybody.
The EcoFlow River 2 Max offers connectivity options to suit all tastes. But first, a word about the display. It's based on a bright, non-touch LCD panel and displays the following parameters:
- remaining charge in %;
- remaining charge / discharge time;
- AC output;
- USB-A output;
- heat warning;
- fan indicator;
- Bluetooth / Wi-Fi connection status;
- charge status;
- power output;
- car output;
- USB-C output;
- overcooling warning;
- overload warning.
To switch the EcoFlow River 2 Max on, simply press the power button below the screen. To switch the charging station off, you will have to hold down the button for a second. The device does not turn off when it is charging.
Interfaces
Now it's time to talk about what connectors the EcoFlow River 2 Max charging station is equipped with.
To the left of the display:
- three USB-A;
- one USB-C (100W).
To the right of the display:
- socket for a car charger (10A);
- two DC5521 sockets.
Below the display:
- power indicator;
- on/off button on the station;
- two AC output sockets;
- AC power switch.
At rear:
- X-Stream input port;
- solar panel input port.
Mobile app
The EcoFlow River 2 Max charging station can be controlled via the EcoFlow mobile app. It is available for both Android and iOS smartphones. The Russian language is available, but the Ukrainian is not, as is the case with the manual.
To start using the application, you need to complete a simple registration. You'll need to enter an email address and a password. Then you'll be prompted to connect to a charging station in range.
With EcoFlow, you will be able to manage the station's settings. For example, you can switch the sockets off and on, set an automatic break time or select constant current mode. In the app, you can update the firmware, contact the support centre and view detailed station specifications.
What is interesting is that if you close the parameter window, the interface switches from Russian to English. But just exit to the main menu and the language changes back.
You can also adjust the battery charging and discharging levels through the app. For example, 90% and 10% respectively. This means that the EcoFlow River 2 Max will stop charging if the charge level reaches 90%, and will stop giving out energy if it drops to 10%. The app also allows you to adjust the AC charging rate from 100-660W in 1W increments.
EcoFlow River 2 Max practical tests
If you're looking for a charging station with which you won't notice a power outage, you're in the wrong place. The EcoFlow River 2 Max is a large 512Wh lithium iron phosphate battery powered poverbank for low-power devices (up to 1kW, but there are nuances).
It will supply power to your router, laptop, desktop computer or television set so that you won't get bored during power cuts, or be able to work remotely. For a fully working electric kettle, microwave, washing machine or heater, we recommend looking at the more expensive Delta series models.
Scenarios for using the charging station can be imagined for a long time. However, we will focus only on how the EcoFlow River 2 Max was used by the author of this article.
The tests started, of course, with a laptop and a router. You can use the DC5521 output to connect a router. This saves you one outlet and energy, as you don't have to waste it on an inverter. A working ASUS M509-DA laptop with a 32Wh battery, of which just over 20Wh remain, will consume 15-30W and may run for about 10-13 hours.
This data is without taking the router into account. When connecting the router ASUS RT-51AC4 via DC5521 the working time of the charging station is reduced, but not significantly. If you connect the router itself to the EcoFlow River 2 Max, the display shows 0W consumption.
Next, a smartphone was at hand. The Huawei P30 with a 3650mAh battery via USB-A fully charges in 2 hours and the station only loses 4%. However, the charging power is a modest 10W. And the power drops to 3W when it reaches 95%. But the availability of a power outlet allows the use of the supplied 22.5W power adapter.
A 49" diagonal Smart TV consumes 40-50 watts and can run for 5-7 hours. A standard 32" panel consumes 15-20 watts. If, however, the Xbox Series S gaming console is included with the 32" TV, the consumption increases to 80 watts. In this mode, the charging station will last approximately 3-4 hours. Enough to play a few games of FIFA 23 or complete a story-based keeper challenge in Hogwarts Legacy.
Now on to the heating system pump. It consumes 46 watts. The EcoFlow River 2 Max displays 37 watts of power and a running time of 6 hours at 90% battery charge.
For the sake of interest, we checked the fridge. It consumes 430-450 watts at once. Of course, in this mode, the EcoFlow River 2 Max will not last more than 1 hour. But in the event of a total blackout, no charging station will help you globally. And if the fridge is normal, in the -4/+4 fan-shutdown mode nothing terrible will happen to the products.
Unfortunately, the author of this review does not have a desktop computer. Here, you can orient your refrigerator to run for 1 hour at 450 watts. But it is important to take into account that you have to plug your monitor into a second socket. You will also probably need a router.
The washing machine, heater and iron don't even make sense. You will see an Overload message on the screen, as shown in the photo below. After a few seconds, the AC output sockets will automatically be disconnected. But the situation here is the same as with the fridge. You can tolerate 4 hours without washing, ironing and cleaning, and in the event of a total blackout, the absence of trousers with arrows will not be your main problem.
If you prefer, you can connect an electric kettle with a capacity of approximately 1.5 kW to the EcoFlow River 2 Max. But first you should open the mobile app and activate X-Boost mode. The kettle will then operate by reducing the voltage in the socket. But it should be understood that the water does not boil as quickly as when plugged into a normal socket. The same applies to the microwave and coffee machine.
On a separate note, the charging station can be used and recharged at the same time. It can also act as an uninterruptible power supply. It can be switched in 29 milliseconds. However, the company recommends unplugging the plug after a power outage.
The EcoFlow River 2 Max itself charges in four ways:
- from USB-C - up to 100W / 6 hours;
- AC mains - up to 660W / 1 hour;
- Solar - up to 220W / 3-6 hours
- From a car: up to 100 W / 6 hours.
For charging, the company recommends the use of the cable provided in the box. Low-quality cables may melt while charging.
Good to know about EcoFlow
EcoFlow is a Chinese unicorn company based in Shenzhen and San Francisco. Valued at more than $1 billion, EcoFlow leads the Chinese market in energy storage.
The brand is widely recognised for its portable energy storage and off-grid energy systems for buildings. EcoFlow is present in 83 countries worldwide. In addition to portable charging stations like River 2 Max, the company manufactures EcoFlow Solar Panels, Power Kit non-volatile energy systems, generators and accessories for creating an energy ecosystem.
Impressions
Overall, the EcoFlow River 2 Max is not a bad portable charging station. It has quick charging, two power outlets and the ability to charge the battery from a car. The fact that it takes 1 hour to charge it comes in handy when the power is on for just 2 hours. But even with long blackouts, 512Wh is enough to power a laptop and router for a full day's work, as well as recharging a smartphone and tablet.
A small disadvantage may be the noisy operation of the fans. But you can easily use an extension cord and send the EcoFlow River 2 Max to another room. Also note the lack of a torch, which some competitors have. But this is not critical.
- 512Wh LiFePO4 Battery
- 1 hour Fast Charging, up to 1000W
- Balanced set of connectors (USB-C with PD 3.0, two 120V sockets)
- Convenient operation (mobile app, informative display)
| The general information | |
| Capacity | 512 W*h (20 Ah / 25.6 V ⎓) |
| Weight | 6.1 kg |
| Dimensions | 26.9 x 25.9 x 19.5 cm |
| Output / Input ports | |
| AC Input | 220-240 V ~ 50/60 Hz, 10 A max. |
| DC input | 11-50 V ⎓ 13 A, 220 W max. |
| USB-C Input / Output | 5/9/12/15/20V ⎓ 5A, 100W max. |
| USB-A output | 5 V, ⎓ 2.4 A, 12 W max. per port (24 W full power) |
| DC output | 12.6 V ⎓ 10 A /3A/3A, 126 W max. |
| AC output | Unmodulated sine wave, 500 W full power (1000 W surge), 230 V ~ 50/60 Hz |
| Battery information | |
| Battery chemistry | LFP |
| Service life | 3000 cycles at a capacity of 80%+ |
| Operating temperature | |
| Discharge temperature | -10° C - 45° C (14° F - 113° F) |
| Charging temperature | 0° C - 45° C (32° F - 113° F) |
| Optimal operating temperature | -20° C - 30° C (68° F - 86° F) |
| Storage Temperature |
-10° C - 45° C (preferably 20° C - 30° C) -14° F - 113° F (68° F - 86° F preferred) |
gg would like to thank EcoFlow Ukraine distributor for kindly providing the EcoFlow River 2 Max charging station for this review
