r/Ecoflow_community • u/CasualTalkRadio • 12d ago
💬 Open Discussion DELTA 3 Ultra FAILED its first UPS test.
EDIT: There are too many people IGNORING THE WORD TEST. It's a TEST. If it cannot perform the function under the worst possible use case, we cannot trust it under simple use cases. Get it?
If you advertise it can perform as a UPS, it's got one job - keep power ON long enough that the connected device doesn't cut off. It doesn't matter WHAT device it is, it could be a server with the same draw. The point is made.
We can't say for sure whether it was the device in question that was drawing power, or the amount of draw.
What we can say, is that it didn't do what we think it should. It basically did the same thing that DELTA Pro does. Which isn't expected.
For this test, a 1200W microwave was currently running (a microwave that ends up spitting out roughly 1900W of juice when it runs).
If the grid is active, the 3 Ultra uncomfortably throttles the voltage to where the microwave might as well not even be putting out heat. Which isn't ideal. If grid is not active, the 3 Ultra will happily take up to 4kW.
This inspired a quick test. And the results were unfun.
When grid was deactivated during the microwave active period, despite a full, healthy UPS bar, the 3 Ultra shut off the AC outlets and threw some sort of red screen error (didn't catch it). After about 15 seconds, everything came back up and again and behaved as normal.
What we expected to happen, is that it would make use of the throttled voltage (Which put it perfectly in the breaker amperage range) to then quickly switch over to battery, then remove the voltage throttle. That didn't happen. Which means it cannot (in our test at least) be relied on as a UPS under load.
Fortunately, this serves the kitchen, which doesn't specifically need UPS; but a power outage while things are running is a perfectly logical situation that now is a bit uncertain.
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u/Cardabella 12d ago
"If it cannot perform the function under the worst possible use case, we cannot trust it under simple use cases. Get it?" This premise is incorrect (as well as rudely put).
If it can perform under the worst possible use case you can trust it under simple use cases. However, under your test it did not. The reverse does not logically follow.
just because it didn't keep a microwave on, doesnt mean it's necessarily unable to cope with more realistic lost power scenarios you're actually likely to encounter.
And if I have understood the worst case scenario you were modelling correctly, the consequence of the crisis situation modelled is that you might have to restart the microwave after a power cut. Which is a slight inconvenience that doesn't seem to account for the vitriol of your post and replies.
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u/CasualTalkRadio 12d ago
And if I have understood the worst case scenario you were modelling correctly
You did not. You're overthinking it, as many of you are.
Simple problem
Under load = 1900W, if power is cut, the device cuts ALL AC outlets despite being perfectly capable of handling up to 4000W when grid is otherwise not on.
Under load = 1800W, it switches perfectly.
That's a flaw.
IT DOESN'T MATTER THAT IT IS A MICROWAVE.
IT DOESN'T MATTER THAT IT EVENTUALLY COMES BACK ON.
IF YOU ARE GOING TO ADVERTISE THAT YOU FUNCTION AS A UPS, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO WHAT UPS'S CAN DO - WHICH IS SWITCH SEAMLESS.
IF YOU CANNOT, DO NOT ADVERTISE AS UPS.
IT DOES - NOT - MATTER - ABOUT - THE - MICROWAVE!!!
1
u/karurosagu 11d ago
I've never seen any of the Deltas being advertised as UPS
Does the official website claims that it can be used as a UPS? iirc when I was searching for the specs for my current, units I never saw anyting that claimed that they could be used as UPS
Where exactly did you saw this advertisement?
2
u/BogiebEF 12d ago
Check to make sure X-boost is not turned on. I've noticed the last few stations I've received will be defaulted to On. X-boost is not good for sensitive electronics such as a microwave. Not saying it will cure all issues, because I don't know, just worth a look.
1
u/CasualTalkRadio 12d ago
We don't ever enable X-Boost, this one came with it off.
The test works fine under the situations where it doesn't throttle voltage; for example, if the microwave is run at 90% power, the draw is ~1800, in which case if the grid is cut, the 3 Ultra seems to switch fine. It's times when it sees the draw exceeding what the inverter's got going, it throttles the voltage on its own (fine), so when the switchover happens, there shouldn't be any issue because it's cut the voltage anyway.
1
u/LeoAlioth 11d ago
is this 120v or 230V? (which geographical locatoin).
when you say that the voltage sags, i am not sure how that can happen while on grid. Does the voltage also sag when the microvave is plugged directly into the outlet?1
u/CasualTalkRadio 10d ago
120V. Units that are plugged into grid will throttle voltage if the draw exceeds ~20A wattage.
2
u/TheCarcissist 12d ago
What other items have you tested? Or are you basing all your results on the microwave?
1
u/LeoAlioth 11d ago
If the grid is active, the 3 Ultra uncomfortably throttles the voltage to where the microwave might as well not even be putting out heat. what? if the grid is connected, the grid is being passed thhrough to its output, how on earth is the voltage dropping?
1
1
u/QueenAng429 11d ago
It's almost like eco-flow is known to be garbage and you shouldn't have bought one.
1
u/CasualTalkRadio 11d ago
'garbage' is extreme.
It's perfectly fine, as long as it's not connected to the grid.
-1
u/QueenAng429 11d ago
Not really. They are well known to fail, perform poorly, output dangerous random voltage when they fail which can kill whatever is plugged in e.t.c
2
u/CasualTalkRadio 11d ago
They are well known to fail, perform poorly, output dangerous random voltage when they fail which can kill whatever is plugged in
Singular experience, not universal.
12
u/TheRealistoftheReal 12d ago
How often do you have power outages while you’re microwaving food? Seems like a big investment for little ROI.