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The EcoFlow RIVER 2 is our most compact portable power station. It’s a lightweight solution, perfect for that hiking, backpacking trip, or off-grid camping trip you’re planning for.
Check out the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about RIVER 2 from our community website and retailers like Amazon.
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How Long Can the RIVER 2 Power My Appliances?
The amount of time that the RIVER 2 PPS can power your appliances between charges depends entirely on your appliances’ starting and running wattages and how many devices you run simultaneously.
To figure this out, you’ll need to divide the storage capacity of the RIVER 2, which is 256Wh, by the wattage of the appliances you want to charge.
Here’s a simple formula to help you estimate this:
Storage Capacity (Wh) / Running Wattage (W) = run time (h).
If you plan to power multiple appliances simultaneously, you’ll need to add up the sum of their wattages.
For example, if you want to power a 50W laptop and a 200W 20” (50.8 cm) box fan, you’d get a total wattage of 250W. Divide the 256Wh capacity by 250W of power needed, and you could run these appliances for roughly one hour.
However, if you’re powering something like a lightbulb at 60 running watts, you could get over 4 hours of power.
The other crucial determining factor in what appliances a portable power station can run is its AC Output. RIVER 2 offers 300W (running wattage) and surge power of 600W (starting watts) thanks to X-Boost. The additional starting wattage gives you the flexibility to run up to 99% of consumer electronics.
Can the RIVER 2 Be Used as an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS)?
Any EcoFlow PPS can serve as an emergency power source (EPS) with a 30-millisecond switch time when using power from an AC wall outlet.
If the RIVER 2 or any other EcoFlow PPS is plugged into a household AC outlet, the connected devices and appliances draw power from the grid. During a power outage, the PPS automatically switches to backup battery mode. Any electronics plugged into the PPS will draw power from the PPS battery.
However, EcoFlow portable power stations don’t support 0ms switching. For most electronics, a 30-ms interruption in power is negligible. You may not even notice it. However, there IS an interruption — unlike with a UPS.
You shouldn’t rely on a portable power station as a UPS for sensitive electronics such as workstations or data servers that require an uninterrupted power supply. Typically, these devices don’t have a built-in battery backup; even a 30-ms interruption can lead to data loss or damage.
However, a laptop (for example) will be unaffected by the 30ms switchover as it has its own battery.
Can the RIVER 2 Handle High-Wattage Appliances?
No, RIVER 2 can’t power high-wattage appliances.
RIVER 2 has an operating AC output of 300W (running watts) and a surge power AC output of 600W (starting watts) using X-Boost.
X-Boost enables RIVER 2 to power up to 99% of consumer electronics (smartphones/tablets/ laptops etc).
But a maximum operating AC output of 300W severely limits the kind of appliances you can run with RIVER 2. Essentially, anything with an operating wattage above 300W — or a starting wattage requirement of 600W+ — simply won’t work.
Even if your appliance has an operating wattage of 300W, RIVER 2 could only run that one appliance. And, due to the battery storage capacity of 256Wh, RIVER 2 can’t even run your 300W device for an hour (watt-hours and kilowatt-hours measure electricity consumed over time).
If your off-grid electricity needs exceed RIVER 2’s AC output capabilities, check out another PPS in the RIVER 2 or DELTA series. EcoFlow’s off-grid power solutions can output up to 7200W of AC (running watts) and 14,400W (starting watts).
Additionally, you can expand a PPS like the DELTA Pro to provide up to 25kWh of electricity storage — enough to run many households for a full day.
Check out the whole home generator to see just how much electricity the right off-grid power solution can provide.
Back to the RIVER 2.
It’s the perfect PPS for portability and charging your essential personal devices. But if you want to operate even relatively low-wattage camping appliances on extended trips (more than a day or two), RIVER 2 Max or DELTA 2 is likely a better option.
Keep in mind that all EcoFlow portable power stations offer solar charging. Connect a 110W portable solar panel to the RIVER 2, and you can keep your smartphone and laptop charged off-grid indefinitely.
What Kind of Solar Charger Can Charge the RIVER 2 Solar Generator?
RIVER 2’s maximum solar input is 110W. You can use any solar panel with a rated power of 110W (or slightly above) to charge the RIVER 2 — instantly turning it into a solar generator!
Remember that even if you attach a 160W solar panel, the maximum electricity it can generate when connected to RIVER 2 remains 110W. It’s crucial to understand that solar panels (from any manufacturer) rarely reach their total rated power output due to environmental conditions like temperature and other factors.
Temperature affects solar panel efficiency, while factors like the peak sun hours your solar panel receives and its positioning impact how much electricity you generate in real-world conditions.
The rated power of the 110W portable solar panel is perfectly matched to the solar input capacity of the RIVER 2. But, due to the factors outlined above, you won’t achieve 110W of electricity generation consistently. However, you also won’t pay for electricity generation capacity that doesn’t get used.
You could even use a 220W bifacial portable solar panel to help ensure you regularly achieve the maximum solar input capacity of the RIVER 2 PPS.
The downside?
The 220W PV panel comes at a higher price, and some of the energy it captures will likely go to waste…
Whether the tradeoff is worth it is up to you!
Does RIVER 2 Use LiFePO4 or Li-Ion Batteries?
RIVER 2 uses LiFePO4 batteries, a newer subset of lithium-ion batteries. Compared to other lithium-ion batteries, batteries with LiFePO4 (lithium iron phosphate) chemistry require no maintenance, are safer, and have a longer lifespan.
LiFePO4 batteries are also more efficient with discharge and charge rates and have a wider range of suitable operating temperatures. LiFePO4 batteries are lightweight, energy-dense, and more environmentally friendly during production and after use.
Significantly, LiFePO4 batteries require no cobalt — one of the primary materials used in traditional Li-ion batteries. 70% of the world’s cobalt comes from the Democratic Republic of Congo, where both mining and processing are carried out under extremely cruel labour conditions by children as young as six years old.
Can You Keep RIVER 2 Outdoors?
No. You can certainly operate it outdoors but don’t leave the RIVER 2 PPS outside in the rain or extreme temperatures for extended periods.
The RIVER 2 series is the first-ever collection of portable power stations to be TÜV Rheinland certified, meaning their safety, durability, and quality is evaluated by independent experts and found to be beyond reproach.
However, just because the RIVER 2 is among the most durable portable power stations on the market doesn’t mean you should drop it in the ocean. For one thing, RIVER 2 has multiple AC, DC, USB-A, and USB-C ports so that you can charge all your devices at once.
It also has several input ports to enable its four different charging methods.
All of these ports make RIVER 2 the most versatile 7.7 lb (3.5 kg) PPS on the market. But every port is also an opportunity for water to make ingress into your PPS. While your RIVER 2 will surely survive a slight sprinkle, don’t leave it outside in the rain — and don’t immerse it in the water!
EcoFlow’s solar panels, on the other hand, are IP68 rated, meaning they can handle anything Mother Nature can throw at them. As long as you can retrieve them, they’ll still function even after being dropped off the back of your boat or canoe.
Can RIVER 2 Power More Than One Device at a Time?
Yes, it can power multiple devices simultaneously as long as the maximum wattage of the devices added together does not exceed the RIVER 2’s operating AC output of 300W.
Many appliances list their power requirements in volts or amps. You can easily calculate the watts by multiplying the volts and amps together:
Volts (V) x Amps (A) = Watts (W)
Add the running watts of the appliances to ensure this sum doesn’t exceed the 300W AC output.
If any of your devices have a higher starting wattage, you’ll also need to factor that in. RIVER 2 provides up to 600W starting watts (surge power) using X-Boost mode.
Can You Run RIVER 2 and Charge It at the Same Time?
Yes, you can simultaneously operate the PPS and charge it. Simply plug the RIVER 2 into an AC outlet and plug whatever device needs power into the appropriate outlet on the PPS.
You can recharge while you operate using any of RIVER 2’s four charging methods — including solar panels.
Can I Connect Two RIVER 2s Together in Parallel?
Unlike two DELTA Pros (for example), you can’t connect two RIVER 2s together to use them in parallel.
However, you can use two RIVER 2s simultaneously but separately. For example, use one to power your lighting while the other powers your box fan.
If you need more power, consider upgrading to other RIVER 2 series devices, such as the RIVER 2 Max — each of which offers greater AC output. RIVER 2 Max offers 500W running watts and up to 1000W starting watts (surge power) using X-Boost.
Upgrading to a higher-wattage PPS is a much cheaper option than buying multiple RIVER 2s.
Need even more power? Check out the DELTA series, where you can get up to 3600W (Surge 7200W) AC output with the DELTA Pro or 7200W (14,400W starting watts) by chaining 2 x DELTA Pro using a Double Voltage Hub.
How Long Will RIVER 2 Hold a 100% Charge Once It’s Unplugged?
In ideal storage conditions, a RIVER 2 will only lose 2% of its power each month after it’s fully powered and unplugged.
You must store it at temperatures between 20ºC (68ºF) to 30ºC (86ºF) and completely turn it off after it reaches full charge.
If the ambient temperature increases beyond this range during storage, the battery discharge rate will also increase.
Is RIVER 2 a True Sine Wave Output Device?
Yes, it’s a true sine wave output device rather than a simulated sine wave output device. A true sine wave system produces much “cleaner” electricity output for any connected equipment. In contrast, a simulated sine wave device has a much choppier and less stable output.
You can trust RIVER 2 with even your most sensitive electronic devices (like laptops and external hard drives).
How Long Does RIVER 2 Take to Fully Charge Using the DC Car (Cigarette Lighter) Input?
The RIVER 2 takes about three hours to charge fully using your car’s cigarette lighter. Its maximum DC input is 12/24, 8A, or 100W Max, and the PPS battery storage capacity is 256Wh.
At a rate of 100W DC input per hour, it would take about 2.5 hours to reach its 256Wh capacity.
You can calculate this by dividing the capacity by the input rate:
Capacity (Wh) / DC input rate (W) = Charge time (h).
How Long Does RIVER 2 Take to Fully Charge Using the USB-C Input?
It would take about four to five hours to reach total electricity storage capacity when charging using a USB-C input. The USB-C input/output is 5/9/12/15/20V, 3A, and 60W Max.
Since the RIVER 2’s capacity is 256Wh, you’d divide that by the max watts of the USB-C input/output: 256Wh / 60W = 4.3 hrs.
Since 60W is the maximum USB-C input, and the actual charge may be lower, you can round up to account for the potential extra time to charge fully.
To be safe, allot five to six hours for your RIVER 2 to charge fully using the USB-C input.
Is RIVER 2 Expandable?
None of the RIVER 2 portable power stations are expandable. If you’re interested in a more powerful portable power station that can expand to your needs, check out EcoFlow’s DELTA series, which offers expandable capabilities when using extra batteries.
What Happens if You Connect a Solar Panel With Higher-Rated Power Than 110W to RIVER 2?
The RIVER 2’s maximum solar input is 110W. While using a solar panel with higher-rated power might not damage the PPS, you won’t generate any additional electricity — you’ll end up wasting any solar energy captured that exceeds the 110W solar input cutoff point.
For example, you can connect it to an EcoFlow 220W Bifacial Portable Solar Panel since the solar Input of RIVER 2 is 8A Max,11-30V 110W, and the Open Circuit Voltage of EcoFlow 220W Bifacial Portable Solar Panel is 21.8V, which falls within that range. However, any extra electricity produced over 110W gives you no additional benefit.
Suppose you’re on a budget and don’t like the idea of paying for more electricity generation capacity that you need. In that case, you’re better off purchasing a 110W EcoFlow solar panel to match your RIVER 2’s solar input capacity.
It’s essential to keep in mind, though, that a solar panel rarely produces its rated power output in the real world. This is due to numerous factors outlined in the posts linked above. A good rule of thumb for estimating average electricity output is to assume your panel will produce 75% of its rated power during peak sunlight hours.
You won’t do your RIVER 2 harm by connecting an EcoFlow 220W bifacial solar panel — and you’re far more likely to reach its maximum solar input of 110W on a consistent basis.
