EcoFlow in your camper: integrating the Power Kit into Camper Jarvis

You have an EcoFlow Power Kit in your camper: Power Hub, batteries, solar, alternator charging and perhaps a distribution panel for your 230V and 12V loads. Normally you check all of that in the EcoFlow app. With Camper Jarvis you see and control your EcoFlow system in the same place as your heater, your lights and your water: on the SmartKnob and in the dashboard on your phone or tablet. One glance tells you how full the batteries are, what the sun is delivering right now and which loads are running.

Your EcoFlow system in the dashboard: battery, Power Hub, solar and distribution panel at a glance.

What you get

• Everything in one place: EcoFlow batteries, solar and alternator sit right next to your heater, lights and water tanks. No switching between apps.
• Every battery on its own: you see the state of charge of the whole bank and of each individual battery, plus temperature and health.
• Switching with a turn and a press: you switch the inverter mode, the solar inputs and the outputs of your distribution panel on the SmartKnob or in the dashboard.
• Your own names: "DC 01" becomes "Fridge", "AC 1" becomes "Sockets". That way you find every load straight away.
• Shore power detected: Volty learns from the EcoFlow whether shore power is connected.

What you need

• A SmartKnob as the central unit.
• A Volty Pro, paired with the SmartKnob and powered. How pairing works is explained in Pairing modules with the SmartKnob.
• On the EcoFlow side, the EcoFlow Power Link. Through it, your Power Kit sends out its data via CAN. CAN is a data line that devices in a vehicle use to talk to each other.
• An adapter cable between Volty and Power Link (more on this in the next section).

Which other energy devices Camper Jarvis integrates can be found in the energy compatibility list.

Connecting Volty and Power Link

Volty reads the Power Link through its CAN socket. On the Power Link you use the port labelled "CAN", specifically pins 1, 2 and 3. Because the pin assignment differs on the two sides, you need a dedicated adapter cable:

Power Link "CAN"	Volty CAN socket (RJ45)	Signal
Pin 1	Pin 7	CAN High
Pin 2	Pin 8	CAN Low
Pin 3	Pin 3	Ground (GND)

An adapter cable from a Wakespeed WS500 to VE.Can, for example, has exactly this pin assignment. A cable like that works here too.

Right next to the CAN port on the Power Link there are two small DIP switches. Set both to OFF. The Power Link then speaks the data language that Volty understands (EcoFlow J1939).

Finally, switch on your EcoFlow batteries. Without a battery switched on, the Power Link reports that it is there, but no values yet.

General information on CAN lines and their termination can be found in Integrating third-party devices via the CAN bus.

Setting up in the dashboard, step by step

Open the dashboard (how to do that is explained in How to open the dashboard). Setup only takes a few minutes and guides you through everything step by step.

Step 1: choose the "EcoFlow" widget type

Go to the Power Hub section of the dashboard and tap "+". Under "All widget types" you will find the EcoFlow tile with the label "Power Kit · Beta". It does not appear under "Suggestions", because most Voltys are connected to other devices. How widgets are created in general is explained in Adding a function: creating a widget.

You will find the "EcoFlow" tile under "All widget types".

Step 2: choose your Volty

Choose the Volty that the Power Link is connected to. Only Voltys that are paired and currently reachable can be tapped. You recognise them by the green "Online".

Step 3: let Camper Jarvis find your EcoFlow

Camper Jarvis now looks for your Power Kit. You see a short checklist that fills up with green ticks one by one: Volty online, Power Link found, Battery and Shore power. While searching, Volty only listens. It does not change anything on your EcoFlow system.

The search is running: one tick after the other turns green.

If it takes longer than about 30 seconds, a hint appears. Then check the cable between Volty and the "CAN" port of the Power Link, and that both DIP switches are set to OFF. If "Power Link found" appears but no battery, the battery is usually still switched off.

Step 4: confirm the inputs and create the widgets

As soon as the Power Link and at least one battery have been detected, the dashboard shows how many batteries it found, with total capacity and state of charge, and whether shore power is connected.

Below that it asks: What is connected to the Power Hub inputs? The Power Hub has three inputs, labelled as on the device (ALT/PV IN1, PV/ALT IN2, PV/ALT IN3). Which input is solar and which is the alternator is set in the EcoFlow app. The Power Link does not pass this information on, though. That is why you confirm it here once: Nothing, Solar or Alternator.

Camper Jarvis helps: an input that is currently receiving power is suggested as solar. If the engine is running and the alternator is charging, its input is recognised. If your vehicle is parked, simply set the alternator input yourself.

Kit detected: confirm the inputs and you see straight away which widgets will be created.

At the bottom you see which widgets will be created:

• Battery ("EcoFlow Batt"), if batteries were detected.
• Inverter/Charger ("Power Hub"), always.
• Solar ("EcoFlow Solar"), if an input is set to solar.
• DC-DC charger ("Alternator"), if an input is set to alternator.
• Distribution panel, if an EcoFlow distribution panel with real values is detected.

Tap Set up. Done. Battery, Power Hub, solar and alternator go into the Power Hub section, the distribution panel goes into the Appliances section, because it switches your loads. Widgets that already exist are not created a second time.

The widgets one by one

EcoFlow battery

The large display shows the state of charge of your whole battery bank. If you have several batteries, each one gets its own segment. That way you see at a glance whether they are all equally full. Below that are voltage, current and power, and a forecast tells you when the batteries will be full, for example "Full at 17:45".

Two batteries, two segments: the state of charge of the bank and of each battery.

In the details you find your energy balance for today, the week or the month: how much was charged and drawn, and where the energy came from. Camper Jarvis keeps this balance itself. For each battery you see state of charge, temperature, state of health (SOH, meaning how much of the original capacity is still there), nominal capacity and production date.

Under Charge limits you set how far the batteries are charged (50 to 100%) and from what point they are no longer discharged (0 to 30%). This applies to all batteries together and is only sent when you tap "Apply".

The details: energy balance, every battery on its own and the charge limits.

Power Hub

The "Power Hub" widget is the heart of your system. At the top you see how much power is currently being drawn from the 230V output and how heavily the inverter is loaded. Below that are the battery, the AC output with your loads and the AC input, in other words whether shore power is connected.

The Power Hub: what is running on the 230V output, how full the battery is and whether shore power is there.

Open Energy flow & control to choose the mode:

• On: the 230V output is on, and the batteries charge on shore power.
• Charge: the 230V output is off, shore power only charges the batteries. Without shore power it reads "Off · charges on shore power".
• Inverter: the 230V output is on, there is no charging from shore power.
• Off: 230V output off, no charging from shore power.

Two handy helpers save energy: with Automatic off the inverter switches itself off after a time you choose. The Idle guard notices when nothing has needed 230V for a while and either asks you or switches off, just as you set it. On shore power the guard does not step in.

In the Power Hub details, under Shore charging, you set the current used for charging on shore power (1 to 15A) and how much current may be drawn from the hook-up in total (1 to 50A). Set the limit to match the fuse at your pitch. This is also where you switch the 12V output of the Power Hub.

EcoFlow Solar

The solar tile shows the total of all inputs you confirmed as solar, plus the power of each input, the yield of today and yesterday and the highest power of the day. The panel symbol fills up the more your panels are delivering (see the image at the top).

In the details you see every solar input with voltage, current and power. You can switch each input on or off at the Power Hub from there.

Every solar input on its own, with its own switch.

In the settings of the solar widget you enter under Module power how many watts peak (Wp) are connected to each input. The tile uses this to show how well the sun is working right now. If you leave the field empty, Camper Jarvis uses the highest power of the last 7 days.

The settings are also where you change the roles of the inputs later on.

Have you changed an input, for example by adding a second solar array? You can change the roles at any time in the settings of every EcoFlow widget under EcoFlow inputs. The change takes effect immediately. If a matching widget is then missing, the dashboard offers to create it.

Alternator

The "Alternator" widget shows how much is being charged while driving, plus voltage and current of the house battery and the starter battery. When the engine is off, you see "Ready (engine off)".

Charging while driving: house and starter battery at a glance.

In the details you switch alternator charging on or off and set the max alternator current (5 to 60A). This applies to input 1 (ALT IN1). Inputs 2 and 3 charge at a fixed 30A. You can also let the Power Hub charge the starter battery. So that it is never drained, charging stops below 13V in a 12V system (26V at 24V, 52V at 48V).

Set the charging current and charge the starter battery as well.

Distribution panel

If you have an EcoFlow distribution panel, you find it in the Appliances section. The tile shows the active load and how many outputs are currently on, for example "5 of 8 outputs on". The preview lists the outputs you can switch, always in the same order, so you can find them without thinking.

Under All outputs you see every AC and DC output with power, voltage and current. Outputs without a relay are marked "Not switchable", all others you switch with a tap.

All outputs: rename, switch and decide what the SmartKnob shows.

This is how you name an output: tap the pencil next to "DC 01" and type, for example, "Fridge". A name can be up to 11 characters long, umlauts and other special letters count double. With Show on SmartKnob you decide which outputs appear on the SmartKnob. The SmartKnob shows outputs that have their own name, are switchable and have "Show on SmartKnob" turned on. This keeps the SmartKnob tidy, and you only turn through the devices you really need.

How Camper Jarvis switches your EcoFlow

All commands go via the Power Link, and the Power Hub confirms them. The display always shows the state that the EcoFlow reports back, not just your tap. While a command is on its way, a small symbol spins and you read "Switching…". If no confirmation arrives, the dashboard tells you why, for example "Volty is not answering". Some settings, such as the charge limits, cannot be reported back by the Power Link. There you see the last confirmed value. Switching only happens when you tap, or when you have set up an automation yourself such as "Automatic off".

On the SmartKnob

In the Power Hub menu, your EcoFlow battery becomes the SmartKnob's battery. You see the state of charge, where charging is currently coming from, for example "On Solar Power", and when the battery will be full.

State of charge and forecast right on the SmartKnob.

Press once and you get current, power and voltage.

One press and you see the readings.

Turn further and you reach the Inverter page. A press opens the mode selection: On, Charge only, Inverter and Off. Turning selects, pressing confirms. So that you do not switch off the sockets by accident, you hold the knob down for "Off" and "Charge only" while the inverter is supplying power. A long press on the inverter page sets "Automatic off". More on the gestures in Operating the SmartKnob: the four gestures.

The inverter is running. A press opens the mode selection.

Turn to select, press to confirm.

On the Solar Power page you see how much your panels are delivering together right now.

The solar power of all inputs combined.

You find the outputs of your distribution panel in the Appliances menu, each with its name. A press switches it on or off.

A distribution panel output on the SmartKnob: one press and the sockets are off.

Good to know

• Beta: the EcoFlow integration is marked as Beta in the dashboard. It works, but we are still fine-tuning the details. We are always glad to hear your feedback.
• Shore power: Volty detects via the EcoFlow whether shore power is connected. You do not need any additional module for that. The EcoFlow does not check whether live and neutral (L and N) are swapped at the hook-up post or the protective earth (PE) is missing. If you would like to monitor that as well, Switchy takes care of it with its AC input monitoring.
• 12V output: the 12V output of the Power Hub supplies your whole 12V side, meaning lights, pump and, depending on the installation, Camper Jarvis itself. That is why the dashboard asks once more before switching it off. You then switch it back on at the Power Hub with the DC button.
• Battery and solar in general: which values really matter in a camper is explained in Monitor camper battery and solar. How to distribute your 12V loads sensibly is covered in Camper power distribution.

You will find Volty Pro and everything else it can do on the Volty Pro product page.