Goal Zero Yeti 400 Experiences?

[Munchmeister]

Is goal zero making these with lithum ion batteries yet or still making them 2x heavier than they need to be

Love me some lithium. But weight isn't everything. The battery is easily to replace. Chainable for added zip. Not sure, but would compare a lithium to the AGM version in the cold, if your intended application includes cold weather. YMMV. Looks like they'll be coming out with a lithium. Means a big sale on the AGM version. They are at a pretty decent price now, on Amazon.

 

[Christophe Noel]

Is goal zero making these with lithum ion batteries yet or still making them 2x heavier than they need to be

Their larger Lithium unit, the 1300, will release late in 2017. Gonna be expensive.

 

[spikemd]

Very promising to use lithium to save weight and allow more draw down. I picked up a Renogy Firefly for testing an it has a 16amp hr lithium battery that put out very even voltage but at only 16 amp hrs, doesn't have the capacity of the Yeti 400. It ones have two 10 watt panels built in and inverter though.

Did some Yeti 400 testing on my 50 qt ARB and 18cf Dometic using the same watt meter Christophe used in his testing that I just read about.

Ran the ARB fridge inside with minimal opening for 28 hrs. Yeti showed voltage 11.72v, 248.3 watt hours, or a little over half capacity used. The display showed 40% so I plugged it back in. Max watts: 62.5, max amps 5.17.

Ran the Waeco/Dometic CF18 (which is surprisingly large with no 'crisper') for 42hrs, took 21.6 amp hrs, 263 watt hours with max draw of around 32 watts for the smaller compressor. I find myself using the small dometic more often as it is easy to transport and great for day trips to the trail or running errands when u want to hit grocery earlier in your run. Only downside I have found if there is no dedicated temperature control, just a knob which gives you an idea how old it will be. I have thermometers inside and now know that leaving the knob a bit shy of 1/2 way is about 35 deg F.

I am chaining one of my Yeti 400s with an Extreme 350 (with replaced battery) and seeing excellent run times for the ARB. I have a new dual zone fridge on the way and anxious to test it out and see how much juice it will take.

 

[PA Slammer]

Do you think two 400s chained tigether would run a small electric heater?

 

[Munchmeister]

Do you think two 400s chained tigether would run a small electric heater?

Sure! For maybe 6 minutes. Keep your rig small enough & you'll be toasty!

 

[mezmochill]

Im sure its been said many times....build it yourself cheaper and get far more amp hours.

 

[mep1811]

One could make a better unit much cheaper .Starter 100 amp battery is under $100.00 at Sams and go from there.

 

[jprovence01]

I picked up the Yeti 400. I'm working on putting together a rear truck electrical system with a hard wired electric plug. The plug has the 12v yeti output on one end and ring termianls on the other end. Its going to a fuse block in the back of the truck and will power lights and devices. Ill pull the yeti to the cab when i need to charge it on trips.

 

[PA Slammer]

I picked up the Yeti 400. I'm working on putting together a rear truck electrical system with a hard wired electric plug. The plug has the 12v yeti output on one end and ring termianls on the other end. Its going to a fuse block in the back of the truck and will power lights and devices. Ill pull the yeti to the cab when i need to charge it on trips.

Post up some pics... I was thinking of doing the same.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[jprovence]

Post up some pics... I was thinking of doing the same.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

I'm working on finding the right fuseblock. I'm thinking of going with a small electrics box and a couple of toggle switches. Mounting that in the bed of the truck.

 

[Cole]

Just thought I would share.

I've been using the Yeti 400s in the custom built Eurovans that I build. They fit under the rear bed/seat and roll with the seat on a custom bracket. There really isn't a great place to build a complex house battery system so these have been a great, simple for the end user to use solution.

These also hide behind the seat panels when not in use. They are chained to together and fed by a Boulder 90 panel on the roof.

 

[spikemd]

Just thought I would share.

I've been using the Yeti 400s in the custom built Eurovans that I build. They fit under the rear bed/seat and roll with the seat on a custom bracket. There really isn't a great place to build a complex house battery system so these have been a great, simple for the end user to use solution.

Great setup. What do your brackets look like? I need to come up with a solution for my next truck build and dual Yetis. Want it secure but also removable. Chaining 2 Yetis is more juice than a group 27 yellowtop. I have had a few friends with dual battery issues, either not charging properly with premature failure of battery isolators not working. Being plug n play, GZ makes it easy and I can throw it in my range rover or lr3 depending on the trip.

 

[Cole]

Great setup. What do your brackets look like? I need to come up with a solution for my next truck build and dual Yetis. Want it secure but also removable. Chaining 2 Yetis is more juice than a group 27 yellowtop. I have had a few friends with dual battery issues, either not charging properly with premature failure of battery isolators not working. Being plug n play, GZ makes it easy and I can throw it in my range rover or lr3 depending on the trip.

Its basically just 1" angle iron rails for the Yeti to sit on. Those are welded to the steel seat frame.

 

[jprovence]

Picked up a Blue Sea 6 circuit fuse block from Amazon. I also got the 12v to ring terminal harness from Goal Zero. It is a very nice piece and it will be hardwired to the truck for the Yeti to provide power too. Mine is a secondary lighting system only that I don't want to set up and take down each time. Just flip a few switches and of course haul the yeti over to plug into.

Here, I have the Goal Zero 350 lumens chainable lights, they draw 5 watts. Also, I have a few KC cyclones that are going to be the foundation of the onboard lighting system. They are small and draw just 4 watts.

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[jprovence01]