Replies: 2 comments 7 replies
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Fully agree with this. I thought if enough people keep complaining and harassing their support, at some point they have to give us something, so I also started mailing. This is indeed the standard response I get:
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Thank you! But what do they mean by “at this time”? Was it ever any different? But – that’s exactly my point. No matter what you ask EcoFlow support, you only ever get vague, meaningless replies with no definitive statements – just blah blah blah. And the responses don’t change over time either. It’s always “yes, we’re working on it” or “we’ll forward this to the developers” … but nothing actually gets done. It really feels like they’re just brushing us off: “Buy our products and be quiet and satisfied with whatever we decide to give you.” They clearly have no intention of enabling local control without the cloud. They want our data – for reasons only they know. But if your internet goes down for a few days, you’re essentially locked out of your own system. I’ve now added a Sunlit battery and an APsystems EZ1 inverter. Unfortunately, the EZ1 is rather slow when it comes to reaction time, but with the right scripts you can get a solid base setup running. HomeAssistant makes it possible ;-) I definitely won’t be buying any more EcoFlow devices. |
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APsystems EZ1 seems an interesting alternative indeed, not that much more expensive, although it comes with less cables. Do you have it working with a 24V battery or does it need 48V? And what do you mean with slow reaction time? Is it seconds/minutes? |
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I had to purchase an additional battery storage system. I had the choice between equipping my three Delta Pros with one expansion battery each (= € 5,097) or choosing a different system. I consider EcoFlow to be overpriced. After one Delta Pro dropped to a SOH of 99% after just 48 cycles (while the others dropped to 98% after 120 and 148 cycles), I started looking for better alternatives. That’s how I came across the Sunlit batteries (though there's no integration for Home Assistant – again, only cloud and app access for the battery, but apparently there's a DTU for local operation. However, distributors are secretive about its features – also not ideal. Still, with the EZ1, at least local output control is possible). So I connected the EZ1 to a Sunlit BK215 main battery with 3x B215 additional batteries = 8600 Wh total for € 3,000 (special offer). (sunlitsolar.de or in English: sunlitsolar.de/en) The Sunlit works with the EZ1, some Hoymiles, and Deye inverters. The whole system is still in its early stages, but it performs quite well (note the input voltage limit of only 80 volts per input!). But you can connect quite a bit… in my case, it handles 4000 W peak and has 2 outputs for 2 x 800 watt inverters. What I mean by "slow and sluggish"...: I'm still at the beginning with the system and have created some automations (without the Home Assistant integration for the EZ1). Perfect zero feed-in isn't possible with this, but a stable base load supply is. So I’m currently tinkering with a setup where the bulk of the power comes from the Sunlit system, and the finer tuning is handled by the faster Powerstream to keep the grid draw at around 50 watts consistently. OR: This way, the rest of the EcoFlow system can operate as usual, while the EZ1 works independently outside of it, only balancing the AC's consumption. Of course, this can also be applied to other use cases. You can create your own load profiles however you like and freely define and cover the required power demand. For me, local network control has become more important than ever because EcoFlow won't be around forever – most of these companies disappear from the market after 4–7 years. And then what? The cloud is gone too, and your expensive system becomes useless. |
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The APsystems EZ1-M microinverter operates with an input voltage range of 28 to 45 volts DC. This typically corresponds to the voltage range of 24V or 36V photovoltaic modules. A 48V system would exceed this range and is therefore not suitable. The SunLit balcony storage BK215 features two DC outputs with a voltage range between 33.6 V and 43.2 V and a maximum current of 50 A, resulting in a maximum output power of up to 1,920 W. These output parameters are compatible with the APsystems EZ1-M microinverter, which supports an input voltage range of 28 V to 45 V DC. Therefore, the SunLit storage can be directly connected to the EZ1-M. Cabels are included with the Sunlit. |
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It would definitely be important to have local access. It is ironic their systems are marketed for off-grid usage, yet controlling them necessitates an Internet connection and reliance on their cloud services, which contradicts the very concept of being off-grid. The most frustrating part about all this is the fact that it seems like the Bluetooth API provides everything necessary for local control, but noone has really figured out how it works (atleast not for the PowerStream, as far as I know). Ecoflow could just provide official documentation for it, they wouldn't even have to develop anything new. |
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Yes, I feel exactly the same way. It’s truly contradictory that a system marketed as "off-grid capable" requires an internet connection for control. Especially in remote areas, where you don’t have or don’t want to rely on a stable network, this is completely impractical. What annoys me the most is that the Bluetooth interface is clearly capable of enabling local control. I’ve actually proven this myself by using app version 4.8.0.40 on an Android 6 device – it worked completely offline. While Ecoflow has published documentation for their cloud API, what’s completely missing is any official documentation for the Bluetooth communication between the app and the inverter. And yet, that’s exactly what would allow local control without the cloud. They wouldn’t even have to develop anything new – just open up what’s already there. That would be a real benefit for everyone wanting to operate their systems independently – just as it was originally intended, before they fell into this obsession with centralized control. And the kicker for me is still their justification: they claim the internet requirement is necessary to include SmartPlug data in the system (which makes total sense... when the internet is not available, … /s) |
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There is a difference, powerstream is a grid-tie inverter(they shut down when disconnected from the grid) so basically the opposite of off-grid ;) But the reason is they want to get money from their own smart home solutions with their subscription idea, as a result all their home power solutions are closed to third party developers, otherwise a free one could steal paid subscribers. On the bright side, I have it running locally (using wifi, not ble). I managed to communicate with the device via a local mqtt server. It is a proof of concept that I published for other developers like tolwi to look at. It requires the user to set up a local dns with a rewrite rule though, which might be a big hurdle for non-technical people to set up. |
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@tomvd I keep searching for local solutions people found regularly, but somehow I did not notice your repository yet at all. Thank you for your work on this, that is basically exactly what I want to be able to do with the PowerStream. I honestly didn't expect something like this to work, I thought it would have checks in place that ensure it only connects to the "real" Ecoflow MQTT. This seems way easier than working with the Bluetooth API. |
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Hello everyone,
I want to highlight a serious issue with the EcoFlow PowerStream inverter series that could affect many users, especially those who rely on a stable and independent energy system.
The main problem: No control over base load without the cloud / Internet
EcoFlow’s PowerStream inverters / the App have a significant limitation:
This means the inverter will remain locked at the last known setting if:
For users who rely on zero feed-in setups, this could create major issues.
The technical flaw: BLE control is available, but restricted
Why does a local BLE function require an internet connection on the smartphone?
EcoFlow justifies this by mentioning smart plug synchronization, but:
This system appears to be artificially tied to the cloud without any real technical necessity.
Suggested solutions that EcoFlow ignores
I have contacted EcoFlow support multiple times and asked the following questions:
The responses have been vague and evasive. They only stated that "EcoFlow is working on local solutions," but without any clear details or a timeline.
Final thoughts: Millions of users could be affected
This problem affects every PowerStream inverter user.
There is no technical justification for this limitation. BLE control could easily be expanded to allow full local operation.
I hope this post raises awareness about the issue. Perhaps we can create enough pressure on EcoFlow to introduce a true local control option via a software update.
If you have experienced similar issues or want to support this discussion, please share your thoughts.
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