EcoFlow Delta Pro Vs. EcoFlow Delta Pro Ultra: How to Choose?

Photo of author

By James

The EcoFlow Delta Pro and EcoFlow Delta Pro Ultra are two of EcoFlow’s flagship portable power stations. This blog provides an in-depth comparison of the two units, examining their batteries, output capabilities, charging options, portability, and integration with whole home energy systems.

The Delta Pro is EcoFlow’s previous top-of-the-line model, while the Delta Pro Ultra represents their newest and most advanced portable power station. By examining key specs and features side-by-side, we’ll gain insight into the advantages of each model and help determine which unit may be better suited for different use cases.

Whether you need backup power for emergencies or want to integrate renewable energy into your home, understanding these two EcoFlow products is an important first step. This comparison will highlight the innovations in the new Delta Pro Ultra while also showing how the Delta Pro remains a compelling option. Let’s dive in and explore what each of these versatile power stations has to offer.

Battery Capacity

The ecoflow Delta Pro and Delta Pro Ultra have different battery capacities to meet different energy needs. The standard Delta Pro comes with a 3.6 kWh LFP battery, which can provide backup power for 1-2 days in a typical home. This capacity is expandable up to 10.8 kWh with additional external batteries.

The larger Delta Pro Ultra packs a beefy 6 kWh LFP battery in its base package. This is enough capacity to keep even large houses powered for 2-3 days comfortably. By stacking up to 5 of the swappable 6 kWh batteries, the Delta Pro Ultra system capacity can reach a massive 30 kWh.

So while the Delta Pro offers a more portable and modular 3.6-10.8 kWh capacity range, the Delta Pro Ultra truly flexes its muscles with an incredible 6-30 kWh scalable capacity perfect for whole home backup.

Battery Chemistry

Both the EcoFlow Delta Pro and Delta Pro Ultra use lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries. LFP batteries have a longer lifespan than traditional lithium-ion batteries, with over 3,500 charge cycles before capacity drops to 80%. The lifespan of LFP batteries is typically 10-20 years or more under normal usage.

The key advantage of LFP chemistry is stability and safety. LFP batteries have very low risk of overheating or catching fire compared to other lithium-ion batteries. They also experience less capacity degradation over time. LFP chemistry allows EcoFlow to offer an industry-leading 10 year warranty on the Delta Pro and Delta Pro Ultra batteries.

By using advanced LFP battery cells, EcoFlow ensures both the Delta Pro and Delta Pro Ultra can withstand daily cycling for home energy usage and emergency power needs over many years. The high cycle life of LFP batteries makes them ideal for renewable energy storage and off-grid applications.

Scalability

When it comes to scalability, there are significant differences between the Delta Pro and Delta Pro Ultra.

The Delta Pro has a base capacity of 3.6 kWh, which can be expanded up to 10.8 kWh with two extra batteries. Furthermore, by using a Smart Home Panel or Double Voltage Hub, you can connect two similar Delta Pro arrays together. This allows you to achieve a maximum capacity of 21.6 kWh.

The Delta Pro Ultra starts with a higher base capacity of 6 kWh per battery. Each inverter can stack up to 5 batteries, providing 30 kWh per inverter. Additionally, by using the new Smart Home Panel, you can connect up to 3 inverters together. This results in a massive maximum capacity of 90 kWh with the Delta Pro Ultra, making it highly scalable for larger homes and higher energy needs.

The expandability and interconnectivity of multiple units is a key advantage of the Delta Pro Ultra over the standard Delta Pro when it comes to overall system scalability and capacity.

Battery Expansion

The Delta Pro and Delta Pro Ultra have different methods for expanding battery capacity.

The Delta Pro’s base configuration is a single 3.6 kWh battery. You can expand capacity by connecting up to two additional 3.6 kWh batteries using a cable that plugs into both units. So with two additional batteries, the total capacity is 10.8 kWh.

The Delta Pro Ultra uses a stackable design so expanding battery capacity is easier. The base unit has a 6 kWh battery. You simply stack additional 6 kWh batteries on top and use a small cable to connect them. This creates a neat, integrated system without large cables running between units.

With the Delta Pro Ultra’s stackable design, a single inverter can support up to five stacked 6 kWh batteries for a total capacity of 30 kWh. The streamlined expansion method makes it simpler to scale up the Delta Pro Ultra to meet higher energy demands.

AC Output Power

One of the most important considerations when choosing a portable power station is the AC output power. This determines how much wattage you can draw to run appliances. There is a significant difference between the Delta Pro and Delta Pro Ultra in terms of AC output capability.

The standard Delta Pro provides 3,600 watts (3.6 kW) of AC output power. This is enough to run most home appliances, except for very high draw devices like electric stoves or EV chargers. However, the Delta Pro has a “boost” mode that can provide up to 4,500 watts of power output when needed for short durations. This can help provide extra power for starting appliances with motors like refrigerators or air conditioners.

In contrast, the new flagship Delta Pro Ultra boasts a massive 7,200 watts (7.2 kW) of continuous AC output power. This high power capacity allows the Delta Pro Ultra to easily run high-draw appliances with no problems. You can comfortably run appliances like electric stoves, large air conditioners, EV chargers, or even welders off the Delta Pro Ultra thanks to its ultra-high power inverter.

So in summary, while the standard Delta Pro provides sufficient power for basic backup needs, the Delta Pro Ultra offers over twice the AC power output for running demanding appliances with ease. Its ultra-high 7.2 kW inverter is a major upgrade over the previous model.

AC Output Ports

The AC output ports allow you to power your standard household electronics and appliances. The Delta Pro and Delta Pro Ultra offer different port configurations.

The Delta Pro has 4 standard 120V AC outlets for powering smaller devices, as well as a 30A NEMA TT-30 RV outlet. This high-powered RV style outlet allows you to run appliances like an electric stove or clothes dryer (if using 2 Delta Pros).

The Delta Pro Ultra steps it up with 4 standard 120V AC outlets like the Delta Pro. But instead of the TT-30 outlet, the Ultra has a new NEMA L14-30 outlet. This allows you to get 240V power output to handle high-draw appliances with just a single unit.

So in summary:

  • Delta Pro: 4 x 120V outlets + 30A TT-30 RV outlet
  • Delta Pro Ultra: 4 x 120V outlets + 30A L14-30 240V outlet

The Delta Pro Ultra simplifies powering high-draw 240V appliances without needing multiple units. But both models provide ample standard 120V outlets for typical household needs.

DC Output Ports

The Delta Pro and Delta Pro Ultra offer different DC output ports to power and charge devices.

The Delta Pro has:

  • 4 USB-A ports, with 2 being fast charge capable
  • 2 USB-C ports providing 100W output
  • 1 DC Anderson port commonly used for RVs
  • 2 DC 5521 ports

The Delta Pro Ultra offers:

  • 2 USB-A ports
  • 2 USB-C ports similar to the Delta Pro
  • 1 DC Anderson port
  • No DC 5521 ports

So the Delta Pro has more total USB ports with 4 USB-A compared to just 2 on the Ultra. But they both include 2 USB-C ports capable of 100W charging.

The main difference is the Ultra lacks the dual DC 5521 ports that the regular Delta Pro includes. So if you need to power devices that utilize the 5521 ports, the standard Delta Pro may be the better choice. Otherwise, they both include the versatile Anderson port for RV and off-grid applications.

Solar Input

The Delta Pro and Delta Pro Ultra have vastly different solar input capabilities. The Delta Pro has a single MPPT charge controller that allows you to input up to 1,600W of solar power. This is decent for smaller solar arrays.

The Delta Pro Ultra takes things to another level with dual MPPT charge controllers. It has one MPPT with up to 1,600W input, similar to the Delta Pro. However, it also has a high voltage MPPT with input ranging from 80V to 450V and up to 4,000W input power.

With the Delta Pro Ultra, you could connect a massive solar array with 10 x 400W panels, for example. The maximum solar input to a single Delta Pro Ultra unit is 4kW.

But that’s not all – with the Delta Pro Ultra you can connect up to 3 units together. So for a full home solar and battery storage system, you could have up to 16.8kW of solar input power. That’s enough to provide complete energy independence for most homes.

The Delta Pro is great for smaller solar setups up to 1.6kW. But for larger scale solar and true whole home energy storage, the Delta Pro Ultra’s massive solar input capabilities make it the clear winner. A properly sized Delta Pro Ultra system with near limitless solar input can provide 100% of your home’s energy needs.

Other Charging

The Delta Pro and Delta Pro Ultra offer various ways to charge the units besides solar power.

For AC charging, the Delta Pro has a maximum input of 1,800 watts when charging from a standard wall outlet. The Delta Pro Ultra bumps this up to 3,000 watts when charging from a 240V outlet, allowing for much faster recharging.

Both models also support charging electric vehicles through the AC output port with the proper adapter. This allows you to power EVs in an emergency even when grid power is unavailable. While not a primary use case, it demonstrates the versatility of these systems to work as both a power supply and backup battery.

The multiple charging options, including standard wall outlets, high voltage connections, solar, and even DC vehicle charging, provide flexibility in keeping the systems powered up. This is important for emergency backup and off-grid use where power sources may be limited.

Portability

The Delta Pro is more portable and designed for mobility with its built-in wheels and extendable handle. You can easily roll it around by tipping it onto the wheels and pulling up the handle, making it convenient to transport.

On the other hand, the Delta Pro Ultra does not come with built-in portability features. However, it can be made portable with accessories available for purchase. It comes packaged with a wheel platform and chassis that allows you to add locking wheels so it can be rolled around. There is also an optional larger wheel trolley accessory you can get for the Delta Pro Ultra to make moving it around easier if you plan to use it as a portable power station. While not as innately portable as the Delta Pro, with some optional accessories the Delta Pro Ultra can also be made into a portable power station.

Cooling System

A key difference between the Delta Pro and Delta Pro Ultra is their cooling systems. The Delta Pro relies on traditional fans to dissipate heat. It has 4 fans that draw air in from one side and push it out the other side.

The Delta Pro Ultra uses a more advanced liquid cooling system. It utilizes an anti-gravity cooling loop and various other complex cooling technologies. With liquid cooling, heat can be transferred away from the components more efficiently. The liquid absorbs the heat and gets cycled through a radiator to dissipate the heat. This allows the Delta Pro Ultra to run cooler even when operating at higher power outputs.

The advanced cooling system is necessary to handle the increased demands of the Delta Pro Ultra’s larger battery capacity and power output. Liquid cooling gives it an advantage over traditional fan cooling, enabling improved performance and reliability under heavy loads. For most homeowners, the Delta Pro’s fan cooling will be sufficient. But for large installations drawing maximum power, the Delta Pro Ultra’s liquid cooling really shines.

UPS Capabilities

The Ecoflow Delta Pro and Delta Pro Ultra both offer uninterrupted power supply (UPS) capabilities, but they achieve this in different ways.

The Delta Pro has an Emergency Power Supply (EPS) which has a 30 millisecond transfer time. This means that if the power goes out, there will be a slight delay before the Delta Pro kicks in to supply backup power.

The Delta Pro Ultra has superior UPS capabilities through the use of dual redundant inverters. It offers both a Backup UPS and an Online UPS mode.

The Backup UPS is available on two AC outlets and has a 20 millisecond transfer time, providing near-instant power backup.

The Online UPS is available on three AC outlets and has a zero millisecond transfer time. This means connected devices experience no transfer time or disruption at all – the power supply is truly uninterrupted.

By using two synchronized inverters, the Delta Pro Ultra can seamlessly switch between grid power and its own power output without any delay. This makes it ideal for sensitive electronics or appliances that cannot tolerate even a brief loss of power.

The UPS capabilities are a key differentiator between the two models. While the Delta Pro provides basic power backup, the Delta Pro Ultra offers advanced online and offline UPS to handle even the most demanding use cases where uptime is critical.

Connectivity

Connectivity is crucial for these portable power stations and solar generators. Both the EcoFlow Delta Pro and Delta Pro Ultra offer great options to connect and control the devices.

The Delta Pro and Delta Pro Ultra can connect via Bluetooth to the EcoFlow mobile app. This allows you to monitor the battery level, track usage, and adjust settings directly from your smartphone or tablet.

In addition, both models have WiFi connectivity. When connected to WiFi, you can access your Delta remotely without needing to be in Bluetooth range. This is especially useful if you keep your power station in an outdoor location like a garage or shed. The WiFi connection enables full remote control and monitoring.

A key upgrade with the Delta Pro Ultra is the addition of a dedicated 4G LTE modem port. By plugging in a 4G LTE modem, you can connect the Delta Pro Ultra to cell networks for connectivity anywhere. This ensures you can always access and control your Delta Pro Ultra from your phone, even if the WiFi is down. The cell connection provides redundancy if WiFi is not available at a location.

With the comprehensive connectivity options – Bluetooth, WiFi, and 4G – you can monitor and control your EcoFlow Delta or Delta Pro from anywhere. The remote accessibility provides convenience and peace of mind through complete control and visibility into your solar backup power system.

Whole Home Integration

Connecting these power stations to your whole home requires a bit more planning and equipment than just plugging in appliances. There are a few main methods for integrating them with your home’s electrical system.

The simplest way is using a transfer switch. You can connect a single Delta Pro unit to a transfer switch that will power 120V circuits in your home during an outage. To power 240V appliances, you’d need two Delta Pro units and a double voltage hub with a generator cord connected to the transfer switch.

The Delta Pro Ultra simplifies this since its L14-30R port provides 240V output, so you only need one unit. But the port is limited to 30A, so for higher power needs, you can use the double amperage hub accessory. It combines two Infinity Ports to provide 50A at 120/240V.

Going beyond basic backup, the Smart Home Panel lets you integrate multiple EcoFlow units into a whole home energy ecosystem. It works with both Delta Pro and Delta Pro Ultra models. The panel monitors home energy use and can dynamically allocate power from the EcoFlow units to circuits in your home. This provides whole home backup automatically, without needing a transfer switch.

The Smart Home Panel also enables intelligent scheduling and load balancing to optimize solar and battery usage. It’s the most advanced way to create a resilient solar and storage system for your home with EcoFlow portable power stations. The company plans to release more details later this year as the product nears launch.