Solar generators are here to stay. Even in regions where there is a constant electricity supply, people have solar generators to be prepared for blackouts and power outages when they occur.
Others have solar generators for use while camping or for other outdoor activities.
One can trace the increase in the use of solar generators to their efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
By generating electricity primarily from the sun, users do not have to bother with fuel costs associated with gas generators. Also, solar generators produce clean and safe electricity without the emission of fumes or noise.
Due to the increase in demand for solar generators, there are many players in the industry.
One of the reputable names known for its quality products is EcoFlow. Ecoflow is a manufacturer of solar generators, solar panels, and other solar/electrical appliances.
The EcoFlow Delta and River 600 are two of the top-rated power stations from the company. Both solar generators have impressive features and numerous benefits.
We will discuss the features, benefits, and possible drawbacks of the two solar generators.
At the end of the review, you will be able to come to a conclusion on the ideal solar generator for you between EcoFlow’s Delta 1300 and River 600.
The EcoFlow Delta 1300 is the better solar generator over the River 600. The Delta 1300 offers three times more power from its inverter along with four times more battery capacity than the standard River 600.
An Overview of the EcoFlow Delta 1300 Solar Generator
The EcoFlow Delta 1300 is a 31-pound solar generator with a 1,260Wh battery capacity. It has an inverter rating at 1,800W continuous, 3,300W surge discharge. It comes with several output ports, including USB, AC, and 12V options.
The battery capacity and inverter rating of this generator mean that it can deliver enough juice to run most of your home gadgets and medium-powered hand tools for a long time. We’ll get into specific devices and run times later in this post.
As long as the hand tool is below an 1,800W rating, you’ll have no problem running it with the Delta. The 1,800W measurement is the maximum continuous power output for the Delta, meaning it can run at this wattage until the battery is drained.
For surge power needs from appliances like blenders and toasters, the Delta has a 3,300W surge capacity that can power these short-burst power needs swiftly. You can also run appliances like your TV, fridge, microwave, coffee maker, and other powerful home appliances easily with this solar generator’s help.
One of the most important uses for the EcoFlow Delta is as a power backup in case of blackouts.
Another major highlight of the Delta is its incredible charging speed. The solar generator can charge from 0% to 80% within one hour. The whole charging process gets completed in 1.6 hours. This fast charging is made possible by something called “X-Stream” technology.
This technology, which was patented by EcoFlow, allows the Delta to charge ten times faster than an average solar generator. The X-Stream fast charging works only with AC charging. However, you can also enjoy fast charging with Delta’s solar and car charging.
This is due to an MPPT charge controller feature. This feature helps the solar generator achieve a full solar recharge in about four hours (with 400W of solar panels) and ten hours for car charging.
EcoFlow River 600 – Basic Overview
The EcoFlow River 600 is another top-quality power station from EcoFlow. The power station is a member of the EcoFlow River Series, which comprises the EcoFlow River 600, River 600 Max, and River 600 Pro (all links are to each generator’s amazon.com listing).
One of the outstanding features of the EcoFlow River 600 is, like the Delta, its fast charging. Being a product from EcoFlow, this is not surprising. It beats almost all other power stations of its capacity when it comes to AC charging.
The capacity of the standard River 600 is 288Wh. This battery capacity is enough to run essential gadgets such as smartphones, computers, lamps, and the like. You can also enjoy up to 1,200W surge power through its three pure sine wave AC outlets.
This high power output for a small solar generator is due to EcoFlow’s X-Boost feature.
When turned on, this X-Boost feature enables the power station to power the operation of medium-sized home appliances such as a microwave or coffee maker. The feature is an advanced in-built algorithm.
For comparison, the Jackery Explorer 300 is very similar to the River 600 in its battery capacity, but the Explorer 300’s inverter can only power up to 300W continuous and 500W surge power. This is half the power availability of the River 600.
Lastly, there is an app that allows you to track the operation of the power station. This app, known as EcoFlow App, allows for the power station’s remote control and performance tracking features. You can turn on/off the X-Boost feature, monitor the discharge rate, and view charging conditions on the EcoFlow App.
EcoFlow Delta vs River 600 – Comparison Table
| Product | EcoFlow Delta 1300 | EcoFlow River 600 |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 1,260Wh | 288Wh |
| Inverter Size | 1800W Continuous, 3300W Surge | 600W Continuous, 1200W Surge |
| Lifecycle | 800 to 80% capacity | 500 to 80% capacity |
| Weight | 30.9 lbs | 11 lbs |
| Number of Output Ports | 13 | 10 |
Key Features to Compare & Contrast – EcoFlow Delta vs River 600
When reviewing two or more products, it is important to make comparisons based on the features of the solar generators. This way, you will get an unbiased and wholesome view of the power stations. You will also be able to determine the benefits and possible downsides of the power stations.
In this review, I will compare the two power stations based on some crucial features. These features are vital aspects of a power station’s performance; hence, the power station with a better feature comes out on top. The features include:
- Battery capacity
- Size and portability
- Battery type
- Charging mechanism and duration
- Durability and Warranty
- Size of inverter
- Number of ports
So, let us compare the performance of these power stations using these features.
EcoFlow Delta vs River 600 – Battery Capacity
A power station’s ability to serve you and your needs efficiently depends greatly on its battery capacity. Battery capacity, in combination with the output ports and inverter size, determines how long you can power devices and appliances.
The EcoFlow Delta has a battery capacity of 1,260Wh. This is a significant amount of power for a battery and in my opinion, is in the mid-range of all solar generator models available.
You can run some heavy-duty power tools with this power station. While this ability depends on the inverter’s size (more details on this later), the EcoFlow Delta’s battery capacity makes it possible to run heavy-duty equipment for a longer amount of time compared to smaller battery sizes. For example, you can run a 1,400W circular saw for about one hour and a 1,080W drill for 1-2 hours.
You can also power an LCD TV for over eight hours, desktop computers for six hours, a 52-inch ceiling fan for 21 hours, and a 250W blender for five hours. Heavy-duty appliances such as washing machines and microwaves will run for 2+ hours and 1-1.8+ hours, respectively.
On the other hand, the EcoFlow River 600 offers only 288Wh of capacity. This capacity puts the River 600 in the micro-to-small solar generator class. The standard River 600 has the lowest capacity in the River series, with the River 600 Max providing 576Wh and the River 600 Pro offering 768Wh.
However, despite its small battery, the River 600 has the same inverter capabilities as the 600 Max and 600 Pro models.
With the aid of the inverter, you can power appliances such as a hairdryer, electric frying pan, microwave oven, blender, and other medium-sized appliances for a considerable period. Using the standard River 600, a hairdryer will run for about 40 minutes and a 150W blender can run for about three hours. You can also power a 110W television for 2-4 hours and a CPAP machine for up to ten hours.
You can also power small gadgets efficiently. These include getting over ten full recharges for your smartphone, five recharges for a MacBook Air, and a 25-hour run for a 10W light bulb.
Verdict: Regarding the battery capacity, the EcoFlow Delta 1300 comes out on top. Its 1,260Wh capacity serves more gadgets and appliances for longer periods than the 288Wh provided by the River 600.
Size and Portability Differentiation – Delta vs River 600
If you intend to enjoy your power station, especially for outdoor activities, you should pay adequate attention to its size and weight. The weight of a solar generator affects its portability and the ease with which you can move it around.
The Delta 1300 measures 40 by 21 by 27 cm in size and weighs about 31 lbs, which translates to almost 14 kg. These dimensions show that the power station is a bit bulky. To aid with its carriage, it has two handles placed on the ends of the power station.
On the other hand, the River 600 measures 28.8 by 18.5 by 19.4 cm and weighs 11 lbs (5 kg). The solar generator comes with a single handle that allows you to carry it easily.
Verdict: The EcoFlow River 600 comes out on top concerning weight and size and makes it much more suitable for outdoor use. The power station weighs about three times less than the EcoFlow Delta.
Battery Types Amongst the Delta vs River 600 Generators
The efficiency of a power station’s battery depends significantly on the battery type. Both the Delta 1300 and the River 600 use a lithium-ion battery. The uniformity of the power stations’ batteries is not surprising as they come from the same manufacturer. This battery type is one of the best and most efficient in the industry today.
Another important aspect of the battery life that requires mentioning is the battery protection system. Both of the power stations have numerous battery management and protection systems.
They include overload protection, over-voltage protection, BMS, over-temperature protection, low voltage protection, and overcurrent protection. There is also short-circuit protection and many other features that can be found in their user manuals.
The batteries’ shelf lives are another similarity between these two power stations. Both of the power stations have a shelf life of one year after a full charge. This means you can charge them up to full power and then leave them on a shelf at home (in a cool, dry room) for up to a year.
EcoFlow has instilled several quality features from its Delta 1300 into the River 600 models as mentioned; however, this is where their similarities end.
When it comes to battery life cycles, the Delta has 800 cycles to 80% capacity. The River 600 has 500 cycles to 80% capacity.
Comparatively speaking, all of Goal Zero’s lithium-powered solar generators run at 500 cycles to 80% capacity.
Verdict: The two power stations use the same type of battery, lithium-ion. However, the Delta has a higher cycle life than the River.
Delta vs River 600 – Charging Mechanism and Duration
An important part of a solar generator is its charging mechanism.
The EcoFlow Delta and River 600 have three charging methods: solar charging, car charging, and wall socket (AC) charging. Solar charging uses solar panels; car charging uses the car’s battery through a 12V port, and wall charging simply uses an AC outlet.
Of these three methods, the wall socket charging is the fastest for both generators. The EcoFlow Delta charges ten times faster than the average solar generator when using the AC charging system. It completes its charging process within 1.6 hours.
You can also charge the power station using four of EcoFlow’s 110W solar panels (affiliate link). This charging method will take between 4-8 hours under full sun. There is an MC4 to XT640 cable included in the power station to allow for this charging. The car charging takes about 10 hours, and there is also a car charge cable included for this purpose.
The EcoFlow Delta uses MPPT Charge Controller technology to enhance the charging speeds and protect its battery during charging.
On the other hand, the River 600 also uses the X-Stream feature to enable fast charging. Thus, with the standard River model, you will get a fully-charged power station after 90 minutes of charging with the AC socket. Solar charging takes between 90 minutes and three hours (using two 110W solar panels), and car charging takes three hours.
Verdict: Both solar generators use X-Stream technology to quicken their charging process. This means that they both charge fast, as evident in the 90-100 minutes taken to charge both power stations from the wall.
However, the River 600 charges faster than the Delta regarding the solar charging method and car charging method. This is understandable as the River 600’s battery capacity is four times smaller than that of the Delta.
Warranty Information
The warranty is an important element to look out for as it speaks to the product’s durability over time.
Both the EcoFlow Delta and River 600 have a 24-month warranty on them. Seeing as the products are from the same manufacturer, uniformity in the warranty period is expected.
Verdict: There is no difference between the warranty periods of both power stations as they both have 24 months of warranty.
Inverter Sizes of the EcoFlow Delta and River 600
The ability of a power station to work efficiently depends on its inverter. Specifically, the inverter allows the solar generator to convert DC to AC power. The AC ports will typically have the highest amount of power output available compared to all other ports on a solar generator of any size.
The EcoFlow Delta has an inverter with 1,800W continuous power with a surge capacity of 3,300W. This is a massive output for a power station, and as a result, it can power numerous heavy-duty appliances for considerable durations.
On the flip side, the River 600 has a 600W continuous output inverter with about 1,800W surge capacity. This capacity is made possible through its X-Boost feature. There is usually a tradeoff with this feature: a shorter battery life in exchange for powering heavy-duty appliances within the 1,200W max range.
Verdict: TheDelta 1300 has an inverter nearly three times more powerful than theRiver 600.
Number of Ports – River 600 vs Delta 1300
The number of ports provided by a solar generator determines the number of devices and appliances that you can power with it separately or simultaneously. The Delta 1300 has 13 output ports, which include six 1,800W AC outlets. Other ports include two USB-A ports, two fast-charge USB-A ports, and two USB-C ports. There is also a 12V car port.
On the flip side, the River 600 has ten output ports. These ports include three AC outlets rated at 600W each, two USB-A ports, and one USB-A fast-charge port. There is also a USB-C port and one 12V car port. The power station also features two DC5521 output ports.
Verdict: The EcoFlow Delta has more output ports than the EcoFlow River 600, including more AC outlets and USB ports.
Conclusion
The two power stations are top-quality and efficient solar generators. They both feature impressive specifications and have a wide range of beneficial uses. However, the EcoFlow Delta 1300 is the better and the more ideal power station between the two.
This power station features a much larger battery, a stronger inverter, and more output ports. These are some of the superlative features that allow the EcoFlow Delta to rank above the EcoFlow River 600.
Find the EcoFlow Delta 1300 here on amazon.com (I receive a small commission for every sale with this link).
However, the River 600 is the better option for outdoor use because it can be moved around easily. The standard R600 weighs three times lighter than the Delta 1300, at 11 pounds.
Click here to find the EcoFlow River 600 on amazon.com (Same as above – I receive a small commission for every sale).
You can also check out my River 600 Max video below, where I test out my River and show you what it can power. It’s the same power station as the standard River, but it has an additional battery.
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